Cleaners - are they worth it?

F

fobs

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Both my husband and I work full-time and have 2 small kids. Moved 2 years ago to a larger house and now find it hard to keep up with the housework and ironing as well as having time for the kids.

Anyone employ a cleaner and do they feel it is worth it? How many hours do you get them for and what jobs do they do for you? Also what hourly rates do you pay? I am in the Cork region.
 
Hi Fobs
Depends on whether the mess is getting to you or not ... sometimes it's easier to let things go a bit, and lower your standards a bit.
My own experience, we employed a cleaner for 8 hours a week when I had my second child ... the hassle of finding someone, explaing how you like things done .... your standard of clean and the cleaners standards may be poles apart made it hardly worth the effort. We subsequently gave up on her after a month.
If you do decide to hire someone, make sure you have enough specific tasks for them to do, especially jobs you don't like doing yourself ... cleaning windows, hoovering, changing beds, ironing etc. Basically things he/she can't get wrong and that you can visibly see have been done.
As regards hours, I would say 8-12 hours a week should be plenty.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Mines on holiday and I can't wait for her to start back! Well worth it in my opinion...
 
Word of mouth is the best way to find a cleaner- ask your relatives, friends etc. Mine is a godsend. She comes on a Friday for two to three hours. I come home on Friday evening and the place is spotless.She decides what to do. If I have visitors coming and need extra done I just ring her and ask her to make the beds etc and leave extra for her. She asked for €10 per hour. Which seems to be about the going rate. But saying that, she is so good that I do leave a bonus at various times of the year.
 
WOW - did you say 8 - 12 hours a week????? Really????

I've 2 small kids and both me and husband work, so I'm also thinking of going down the cleaner route, but I reckoned that 2-3 hours a week would see almost all cleaning done (floors hoovered and washed, carpets hoovered, toilets/batherooms cleaned, maybe a quick kitchen clean). That's about what I'd get done in that time, well if it were un-interrupted.
 
When I was selling my last house and had a young baby I employed a cleaner for 3 months. It was brilliant - she came once a week for 3 hours and the house was spotless afterwards. She charged E12 an hour. Recently I was about to have visitors and with a new baby in the house at the last moment decided to get a 'once off' cleaner - I got her name from asking around at a mother and toddlers group. She was also fantastic - 3 hours at E10 per hour. I had phoned someone else and she charges E15 an hour which is a bit steep I find. Both rates were for Dublin.

A number of people I know have cleaners when both partners work - rather than spend your precious free time cleaning the house it's soooo nice to come home to a well cleaned house.

I got the name of the previous cleaner off the wall of a local newsagents. I asked her for refereneces which she supplied and I followed up on. I also got her home phone number and address so that I could track her down if anything ever went wrong. Never had any trouble at all.

As for showing what to do - if anyone has cleaned before then surely it will be okay. I just explained what I wanted and let her at it. Then afterwards I told her what I wanted done differently. no sweat!

If you're both working, have young kids and can afford to get a cleaner then do so - you'll never look back!
 
Hi

2 Small Kids.
Cleaner comes once a week for two hours - €25. She does a great job and its the best €25 quid we spend every week.

She hoovers / washes all the floors. Cleans the Kitchen and the Bathrooms. Dublin based.


Past30
 
Hi

Im in Dublin, have a part time cleaner .. very nice asian lady (not that it matters where she is from), €10 per hour - 3 hours in a morning, once per week ... cash in hand.

Get someone who is personally recommended to you .. you'll be more than pleased imho.

Cheers

G>
http://www.rpoints.com/newbie
 
Well I am convinced now. Only thing is to find someone who is recommended - my husband is paranoid about someone being in his house when we aren't there - he recokens it's an invitation to get broken into.

So can anyone recommend someone in the Lucan village area?

Thanks.
 
My boyfriend thinks the same monkey but I still want to get a cleaner. Anyone any recommendations in or around Balbriggan?

Also, do you stay in the house when the cleaner is there or do you give them a key and the alarm code. Obviously I'd prefer to stay in the house but if I had time to do that then I'd have time to clean.
 
We are in a similar position (i.e both working, young family), obviously word of mouth would be a good avenue, so here goes, anybody from the Naas area who could recommend somebody?

Thanks

S.
 
I have gotten a recommendation for a cleaner and she is coming to give me a trial next Monday so will hopefully be happy. She charges 7euro per hour and the person who recomended her has her for 2 days/week for 3 hours each time. Seems great value for 42 euro. Will see how it goes and post results next week!
 
Hi

FYI - we agreed a time for our lady to call, when at least one of us would be at home. While we are very very happy with her, she came recommended etc we still are not comfortable with giving out the alarm code & a key quite yet.

A little restrictive having to be in the house, but peace of mind & its' only circa 3 hours a week so fine really

cheers

G>
http://www.rpoints.com/newbie
 
Hi, does anyone know a good cleaner in cork, looking to get one for my house a couple of hours a week.
 
Gulp!
Ours comes for 3 days a week. She does everything - I work and cannot contemplate housework anymore.
Our home is a saner place with help. Otherwise chaos would reign, life and childhood are too short imho.
We got a cleaner for our workplace from an agency and house keeper/cleaner is a friend of hers.
Last housekeeper was Irish - she stayed for years, it was traumatic when she left, like losing a family member.
Think of your cleaner as a housekeeper - and an ally.
FG
 
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