If you have children at home, you probably know the feeling. You finally book some help with the cleaning, then spend the night before the first visit picking toys off the floor and hiding the washing pile in the spare room. By the time the cleaner arrives you are worn out, and you wonder whether it was worth it.
It does not have to work like that. At Ellia, our helpers come into busy family homes in Cheltenham and across Gloucestershire as they really are, not as they look on a good day. Nobody needs to tidy before we arrive.
Why so many busy families put off getting a cleaner
Lots of parents tell us the same thing. They would love some help, but they feel embarrassed about the state of the house. Or they assume a cleaner will only wipe surfaces that are already clear, so there is no point until they have caught up.
So the help never gets booked, and evenings and weekends disappear into chores. Meanwhile the jobs keep piling up, because family life does not pause.
A cleaner for busy families should take things off your list, not add a new one. If you have to tidy before every visit, you are doing half the job yourself.
What happens when your helper arrives
Our helpers get stuck in. They pick up the toys, gather the stray shoes and see what needs doing. If the kitchen table is covered in school letters and craft projects, they will clear it carefully, put things somewhere sensible and then clean it properly.
A typical visit might include:
Picking up toys and putting them back in boxes or bedrooms
Loading or emptying the dishwasher and cleaning the kitchen
Cleaning bathrooms, including the bath that gets used every night
Hoovering and mopping once the floors are clear
Changing beds and putting a wash on
Folding clean laundry so it is ready to put away
You tell us what matters most to your household, and we start there. If the bathroom is the room that gets you down, we can do that first every time. You can read more about how this works on our cleaners for families page.
One regular helper who gets to know your home
Every Ellia client has one regular helper. That makes a real difference when you have children. Your helper learns where the cereal bowls live, which bedroom belongs to whom, and that the football kit needs washing before the weekend. You are not explaining your house to someone new every week.
The children get used to seeing a familiar face, and you get to know the person who has your key. If something changes, such as a new school term or a house full of visitors at half term, you can simply let your helper know and they will adjust.
More than cleaning when you need it
Family life rarely fits into one neat box. Alongside the cleaning, the same helper can take on laundry and ironing, a trip to the shops or other jobs around the house. Our helpers are insured to drive, so errands and lifts can be part of a visit too.
Every service costs £25 an hour, and each visit lasts at least two hours. Many families find that a regular visit each week gives them back a good part of their evenings and weekends, and the house stays on an even keel instead of lurching from one big catch up to the next.
We work across Cheltenham and the surrounding area, as well as Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury, Cirencester, Swindon and more. Our Cheltenham cleaners page has more about helpers near you.
Questions people ask
Do I really not need to tidy before my helper comes?
No. Picking up and putting things away is part of the job. Your helper will clear what needs clearing and then clean underneath it. The only thing we ask is that you let us know about anything fragile or anything you would rather we left alone.
Is Ellia only for families?
Not at all. We help working people, couples, people living on their own, people with disabilities or long term conditions, and older people. The approach is the same for everyone: one regular helper, working the way that suits your home.
How much does it cost?
Every service is £25 an hour, with a minimum of two hours per visit. There is no separate price list for different jobs, so cleaning, laundry and errands are all charged the same way.
If you would like a cleaner who takes your home as it is, we would love to hear from you. Call us on 01452 447 109 or get a free quote and tell us a little about your household.
