Managing Client Expectations & Keeping It Real

If you are a homeowner who employs the services of a domestic cleaner, you might be wondering what margin of error is reasonable to expect from them. While machines have acceptable margins of error built-in, cleaners are expected to maintain a high level of cleanliness with limited time and resources. For instance, a deep clean of a 2 bedroom house can take up to 8 hours to complete, yet cleaners are typically given only 2 hours every 2 weeks to achieve and maintain the same level of cleanliness. During these brief visits, cleaners are expected to wipe down door handles, clean visible dirt, dust skirting boards and vacuum floors, among many other tasks. When you hire a cleaner for your home, you are usually paying for a set amount of time as most charge by the hour. During this time, they are only able to perform a set number of tasks due to time constraints. As much as you may think we're Superwoman, there is a limit to what we can achieve in set time frames.

It's important to understand that achieving perfect results every time can be challenging, even with delicate skills and extensive practice. Despite their best efforts, cleaners may miss a bit of dust in an intricate nook or cranny. While it's reasonable to expect a certain level of cleanliness from your cleaner, it's also important to set realistic expectations and acknowledge the limitations of the cleaning process. For instance, while skirting boards may only receive a quick dusting, they may not be damp wiped during regular cleaning visits.

Similarly, while vacuuming may cover the majority of the floor, it may not always be possible to get the crevice tool around every edge without dedicating a significant amount of time. Additionally, lifting and dusting every single ornament in a room can be very time consuming and may not be practical during regular cleaning visits.

Ultimately, it's important to have open and honest communication with your cleaner about your expectations and their limitations. While it's reasonable to expect a certain level of cleanliness, it's also important to understand that achieving perfection every time may not be feasible. By acknowledging the challenges and limitations of the cleaning process and setting realistic expectations, you can help create a positive and productive working relationship with your cleaner that benefits both of you. Sometimes that means if you want to pay for less time it won't be perfect, which is why I ask you as a client for your cleaning preferences as obviously, perfection takes time! But I want to make sure everyone is happy and has their expectations met and that those expectations are realistic from day one.

You may have noticed that I sometimes show before and after photographs on my page. I think it's important to point out that whilst I will try my best to achieve these same standards with all of my clients, it is not always possible. The reason being is that each client's package is tailored to them. For example, what is achieved in a clean for one client may be completely different to another, depending on what those two different clients want me to do or concentrate on in that time. A deep clean of a single room can take the same amount of time as a basic clean of an entire house but the flexibility of my service allows you to choose what suits you and your home.

I like this photograph because it shows what I can and can't do as a cleaner. I get enquiries that can vary from downright rude to others who are lovely and polite but just have expectations that are completely unrealistic. For example when I clean your bathroom, it's going to look the best it can be. But I can't undo years of mould build-up, over compromised and stained grout, limescale etched glass or be able to 'clean off' metal reactions that have dulled the shine of your fixtures. It's just not possible. Like hangovers, the best cure for these things is prevention. This is one of the many reasons I only use professional and hand picked products and absolutely do not use bleach in my client's homes. The last thing I want to do as a cleaner is leave your home more susceptible to grime and bacteria build-up through damage to the surfaces I am there to clean.  

Having an initial longer clean is standard practice for most cleaners. It's our job to make and keep your home spotless. Telling us a budget is absolutely fine. But ignoring our expert advice? Not so much. Most cleaners genuinely want to give you the best service. When we quote it is not to swindle you. It's so you get what you asked for and the time it takes to do it. Will I get around to cleaning your whole house on a first visit? This is a difficult one to answer because it depends on so many factors. For some I might but for most, I probably won't be able to. It takes me time to get around and give a top to bottom clean of each room I am doing. I always try to advise when on an initial visit how long I think a property will take to clean based on client requirements. This however does not always match the time the client has asked for and can therefore be an influencing factor.

Other factors that can make a difference include whether the client has had a cleaner previously, how the home is lived in and if there are children or pets within the home. My social media is full of my client's beautifully clean, sparkling homes which I am extremely proud of. However, there was a time when their homes did not sparkle so much. Unfortunately I do not have a magic wand. For your home to be cleaned to my high standards, it takes a lot of time and a lot of effort which I am more than happy to work towards. Unfortunately but understandably, sometimes this just isn't possible upon the initial clean due to time restraints.

As a professional cleaner, I like to make sure I am doing the job right. I don't like to leave things half finished or not done to the correct standard. If a job is to be done it's to be done properly in my opinion. From my years of experience, I have found the best way to do this is to make sure I have thoroughly cleaned each room as I go, so those first few initial cleans may see me not getting round every area. However as we both settle into the new relationship, you will see and most importantly feel the difference having a cleaner, every week or fortnight makes to your home. Consistency is key. If you book regular cleans with weekly or fortnightly visits, your home will always look its best.