HOME HELP

I have a new lady cleaner. Ooops! I don’t mean a gadget to clean ladies with, I mean a new helping hand who happens to be female. I’ve had cleaners before but none were as thorough as this one. Her name is Hannah and I swear if I got in the way she would clean me as well.

Paola, my previous cleaner, went into the fingernail business and I think her heart was always in that rather than her cleaning duties. In order to give herself more time for fingernail work she wanted to change her hours. Her idea was to clean for three families in one day and I was the third. This meant cleaning for me would take place in the evening. No, thanks. Evenings are for relaxing in my house, not shifting from one room to another to accommodate the cleaner. So it was with regret that we parted company. Little did I know that she was actually doing me a favour.

The same day that Paola left I got in touch with an agency and had a new cleaner within two days, a young lady called Hannah. The agency arranged for me to interview her which was not only a surprise but it made me feel that the agency was both reputable and considerate. I save money as well. Paola worked one and a half hours and Hannah works two hours for less. It’s a win-win situation.

Hannah knows all there is to know about housework. She works on the basis that she likes her own home to be clean and wants the same for her clients. She thinks nothing of moving outside her role in order to help in other areas and even offers the services of her husband. It was he who recently shifted two chairs, an exceptionally heavy armchair and a recliner, from one room to another.

I caught Hannah cleaning the oven the other day and you have to admit that isn’t a job anyone relishes, especially when added to a million and one other jobs. Charlie is beginning to feel comfortable in her presence (it takes him time to relax with people) and he benefits from her caring nature. She has his feeding corner spotless and welcoming.

Within minutes of her arrival the house is turned upside down, or rather the furnishings are. Her first job is to pull all the chairs, tables etc. into the middle of each room. This is so that she can whiz round with the vacuum cleaner without having to stop and start. After that she replaces all the furniture and whizzes round again with the vacuum cleaner. Polishing comes next. Now if that was me I would do one item at a time. Chair out, vac, table out, vac, etc. The mop bucket comes out at the end. The new wood effect floor and the kitchen and rather long laundry area are all washed.

One thing is certain, she is efficient and thorough and a nice person to boot. What a pity she won’t be with me much longer! Yes, she’s taking a break from doing other people’s housework. I know I will miss her.