Coffee and Chat -- Wednesday 28th January 2026

@FearofUnknown sure, the cleaner comes once a fortnight and spends two hours giving the place a clean. The cleaning agency looks into whoever can commit to a time that suits me and calls to say when they have found someone suitable. The same person comes every fortnight unless they stop working at the service or their availability changes (this happens a lot, have gone through five different cleaners). Sometimes I point out particular areas that need a clean, but mostly they work from a set list of clean toilets, clean bathroom basin, mop bathroom floor, clean shower and vacuum all rooms. I do all my own dishes, laundry, dusting and plus a big pick up, pack away and basic wipe down of everything on the floor, tables and basin the day before they come over. I provide the vacuum cleaner, and they bring everything else with them.

I think the role can vary a bit depending on the particular needs of the NDIS client though. I know of other people who need a cleaner for the dusting and dishes too. The vacuuming seems to be the only task that is done for every client. Some people really struggle in between cleans to get anything done at all, so I think you need to be prepared for people leaving left over food, garbage and general clutter everywhere. If a client doesn't do a pre-clean, the cleaner usually just cleans around the mess, cleaners aren't expected to make the place look perfect if a pre-clean wasn't done.

I'm not usually told the specifics of why a cleaner is leaving, it is up to the cleaner if they want to tell me they are leaving and why, all but one chose to just get the agency to call me with the "no longer working at the service/no longer available in that timeslot" message. The one cleaner who told me she was leaving said she had moved house so now lived too far away for it to be worth the travel time.