Hiring a cleaner does not have to mean handing over every job in the house. For most households in Woking the best results come from a split: you keep the quick daily tasks, and the cleaner takes the slower, more thorough work that tends to slip. This guide sets out which cleaning jobs to do yourself and which to outsource, and how to get the most from each visit you pay for.
Signs you could use some help
- Weekends disappear into chores.
- The bathroom never feels properly done.
- Dust is back a few days after a big clean.
- You put off inviting people round because of the state of the house.
The returning dust is the real case for help: a cleaner brings rhythm, the same tasks to the same standard every visit, so the big cleans shrink into small touch-ups.
Jobs worth keeping
These are quick, happen every day, or cannot wait for the next visit:
- washing up and loading the dishwasher
- wiping the kitchen worktops and the hob after cooking
- tidying toys, post and shoes
- a quick vacuum after a spill or muddy paws
- the laundry cycle and making beds
- emptying bins when they are full
None of these takes long on its own, and a cleaner who arrives to a tidy house spends the time cleaning rather than clearing.
Jobs worth handing over
These take time, need the right products, or are simply the ones nobody wants:
- bathrooms: descaling taps, shower screens and tiles, and cleaning the toilet properly
- kitchen detail: splashbacks, cupboard fronts, the outside of appliances, the sink and its plughole
- floors throughout, including the edges and under furniture
- skirting boards, doors and door frames
- dusting high and low, from shelves and picture frames to light switches
This is the core of a regular domestic clean, and it is where weekly or fortnightly visits make the biggest difference.
Jobs for an occasional visit or a specialist
Some work is not needed every week, but makes a big difference a few times a year:
- inside the oven, the fridge and the microwave
- inside windows and their tracks
- grout and heavy limescale
- carpets and rugs
You can add some of these as extras to a regular clean, book a one-off deep clean using our deep cleaning checklist, or read how often carpets need a professional clean.
A simple split
| You | Your cleaner, each visit | Once or twice a year |
|---|---|---|
| Dishes and worktops after meals | Bathrooms and toilets | Inside the oven |
| Tidying and laundry | Kitchen surfaces, sink and appliance fronts | Inside windows |
| Quick vacuum after spills | Vacuuming and mopping throughout | Carpet cleaning |
| Bins when full | Dusting, skirting boards and doors | A full deep clean |
Getting more from every visit
- Tidy before the cleaner arrives. Five minutes of clearing surfaces and floors means the time goes on cleaning.
- Name your priorities. If the visit is a fixed length, list the rooms that matter most, such as the kitchen, the main bathroom and the lounge.
- Mention delicate surfaces. Tell the cleaner about natural stone, wooden floors or products you would like used or avoided.
If you are still weighing up the cost, read whether a cleaner is worth the cost.
To talk through which jobs you would like taken off your list, call 01483 773531 or send us a message.