My tale of cleaning (and cleaners) woe! (Cleaners)

Member Name: annieboo

Product:	Cleaners
Date:	19/04/09 (225 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Not as much housework to do

Disadvantages: Dragons lurk!

I have had the grand total of four cleaners since I left home. Sadly I now don't have a cleaner and I do really miss having one. (So does my skanky house but that's another confession I mean story!) These have varied in every way it is possible to imagine from the great to the well...read on(if you dare!)
NUMBER ONE (Lucy)
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So the first one was the daughter of my local newsagent. She was fifteen and after a small part time job. This suited me as I only had a smallish flat and wasn't at home that often so it didn't get too bad. Also, I was at home at odd times and really didn't want anyone during the day. She only did three hours a week which suited everybody. Her studies weren't affected and the extra money came in useful and it didn't cost me too much! The other good point about having Lucy was I was pretty young (ah memories) and really wouldn't have felt comfortable with an older "proper" cleaner.

This arrangement worked really well initially, however the downside was that she very quickly realised that I was often at home during the day and took to popping in for chats, not a problem in itself but sometimes I felt under siege! Our arrangement came naturally to an end as her exams kicked in and I got some work which involved being away from home for twelve weeks.

NUMBER TWO (Mrs West!!!)
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Oh my God what can I say. My then agent(he was a rubbish agent as well!) brought Mrs West into my life. I guess he thought I didn't have enough trauma and misery in my life!
Mrs West(think her name was Eileen-was never formally told it) was a nightmare in every way. "Highlights" included her throwing out all my "old" (they weren't honestly!)herbs and spices; keeping the phone (MY phone) off the hook when she was in the flat as it "disturbed her" (I didn't know about this as I tried to keep out of her way as much as I could) binning various half full toiletries as they were going bad(I suspect they went home with her).
I couldn't get rid of her either(being a 100% grade A wimp-well I was young) and felt utterly miserable. She made me feel uncomfortable and stupid. Anyway, my lovely mum came down to see me(she was coming anyway but I think she was fed up of me whinging about the dragon) and told her her services were no longer needed.

I had learnt my lesson and for ages did all my own housework! When I bought my own house I again needed help.This was the busiest part of my career and I was barely at home. I had moved quite close to the hospital my mum worked at and was determined that she wasn't going to "do" for me. Hence needing number three.

NUMBER THREE (Cath)
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Lovely girl, good cleaner. Fond of my Lp's(was once left a list of albums to tape for her as she didn't have the time to tape what she wanted!) and VERY fond of my (then) boy friend. He wouldn't come round before checking she wasn't due!
But she was funny rather than intimidating. Cath lasted for three months (I am not THAT bad honest) leaving as she got a job doing refreshments on Inter City Trains.

NUMBER FOUR (Mary)
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Dear sweet Mary. A lovely lady. Worked fantastically, very quiet slightly nervous woman. She did the impossible. Sorted my chaos and brought order into my home. I could find things! She was perfect in every way. She was a whirlwind, didn't tut at me and didn't make me feel stupid!

Mary was the main breadwinner in her house her(bit creepy)husband having a "bad back" (although I didn't know that when I paid him to decorate my bedrooms and saw no evidence of him being anything other than fully able bodied) Mary got on well with my mum and I saw a lot of similarities, both were Irish and worked far too much. Mary had eleven houses that she cleaned and also offices in the evening.
I was very lucky to be told about her and never had any fears about her having a key to my house. I never had a seconds worry when I was away from my home.
Sadly it didn't last. Mary wasn't too well (not surprised given how hard she worked) and gave up half of her clients. She was really honest and operated a last in first out. So I had it. No more Mary. Chaos again(well not too much really as I now had systems) I used to see her occasionally and she was very kind when my mum died.

ARE THEY WORTH IT?
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Yes yes yes. I wish I had a cleaner now although my husband would rather eat his own foot than have a cleaner.
If I were to look for a cleaner then there are various things I would do.

1) Personal recommendation. A great way to find someone you can rely on. You can get a first hand idea of how your potential cleaner operates.

2) Check references. Remember they are comming into YOUR home.

3) Are they insured?

4) Do you feel comfortable with them? Whilst you probably will not have much day to day contact with your cleaner you will still need to have a relationship with them. Also it is likely that they will be alone for long periods alone in your own home.

5) Beware agancies that do not provide a landline number or an address. We recently had a flyer through the door advertising an agency(both offering and trying to recruit cleaners) that were ofering very low rates of pay and only had a mobile number on the advert. What would happen if there was any kind of problem with your cleaner?

6) Relax. I used to feel guilty and somewhat lazy by employing someone to clean my house. If you are lucky enough to have a cleaner then don't feel bad just feel LUCKY!

Summary: Cleaners make life that bit easier!