Page 2 | Dirty sink.

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 2025-11-07T10:25:43+00:00

If you're a cleaner or housekeeper, how do you feel about this: Stay at home mum of two, kids at school all day. Very capable, no medical issues. Leaves milk out opened, dishes on the side of the sink, teabags in the sink. Dirty kitchen towel on the floor. Obviously have to pick the towel up to clean the floor but clearing the rest seems to be enabling her to do more mess. Easy option is to get another job of course, which I'm looking into, but how to deal with this day to day. First thing when coming into work is being confronted by this scene everyday. YABU- just clear up. YANBU- An adult should be able to do bare minimum and put stuff back/bin.

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 08/11/2025 08:02

EachandEveryone · 08/11/2025 08:01

You don’t like her do you? I’ve had major surgery on my leg it’s hard for me to take trainers on and off of I leave them in the living room the cleaner just puts them back. £16 an hour to hand I don’t think moving a tea bag is such a big deal

Comprehension is key!
No medical issues.

OP posts:

EachandEveryone · 08/11/2025 08:01

You don’t like her do you? I’ve had major surgery on my leg it’s hard for me to take trainers on and off of I leave them in the living room the cleaner just puts them back. £16 an hour to hand I don’t think moving a tea bag is such a big deal

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 08/11/2025 07:59

italianlondongirl · 08/11/2025 01:10

This is a wild post!

It's a teabag...why is it so disgusting?

She probably squidged it but didn't want to put her spoon near the bin because she needed to stir in the milk.

OK she's a bit lazy not to put the milk back...but it's not disgusting or even time consuming for you to do so.

SO very odd

It's not about being disgusting as such, just grates that she'd leave it in the sink instead of the bin, which is right there!

Sometimes more than one teabag, still the same principle.

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Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 08/11/2025 07:55

BluntPlumHam · 08/11/2025 00:18

Op you still haven’t answered what your job role is? What was the agreed brief between you and the client?

I have had to sack a number of cleaners before I found one that actually cleaned the house the way we agreed. So I’m interested to know what exactly is your agreement ?

I have answered, 3 days a week cleaning.
She wanted "a bit of help" keeping on top of things.
I offered to do it as she's a friend of an acquaintance. So more casual initially but we get on well enough and time flew by and getting close to 4 years with her.

Teabag issue started a few months ago. and she's begged me not to leave as I'm the best cleaner she's found.

@Brefugee hit the nail with things creeping up.

Remembered something else last night.
She'll leave shoes everywhere.
A pair under the kitchen table, another at the bottom of the stairs. Sit on the loo, remove shoes and leave them there. Seperate pair in the living where she'd sat etc.
I used to put them back in the bootroom but stopped as they'd sometimes be 5 pairs in different places.
Since I stopped putting them away, she's stopped leaving them everywhere.

OP posts:

italianlondongirl · 08/11/2025 01:10

This is a wild post!

It's a teabag...why is it so disgusting?

She probably squidged it but didn't want to put her spoon near the bin because she needed to stir in the milk.

OK she's a bit lazy not to put the milk back...but it's not disgusting or even time consuming for you to do so.

SO very odd

BluntPlumHam · 08/11/2025 00:18

Op you still haven’t answered what your job role is? What was the agreed brief between you and the client?

I have had to sack a number of cleaners before I found one that actually cleaned the house the way we agreed. So I’m interested to know what exactly is your agreement ?

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 17:26

WhatFlavourIsIt · 07/11/2025 16:16

I would just get on with it and clean it. Most important things about being a cleaner and going into peoples personal space is don't judge and meet them where they are.

This isn't how it was when I started though.
As i said in previous posts, it's crept up over the last 3 years and the teabags are possibly the last straw.

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WhatFlavourIsIt · 07/11/2025 16:16

I would just get on with it and clean it. Most important things about being a cleaner and going into peoples personal space is don't judge and meet them where they are.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 07/11/2025 16:05

It's a miniscule personal task that you shouldn't leave for someone to help with even if you are paying them for a similar role.
Most clients are capable of rinsing and opening the dishwasher, or putting a teabag in the compost caddy, she is not being asked to shine the sink or empty the dishwasher.

seratoninmoonbeams · 07/11/2025 15:44

I have a cleaner. I tidy up in general and wipe the toilets free of any wee splashes with toilet roll and make sure there are no skid stains before she comes. It’s basic respect and manners imo. She can then clean everything well in the two hours she has.

Tryingatleast · 07/11/2025 15:41

EmeraldShamrock000

I agree, lazy and entitled. Similar to clients who leave a pad in their underwear or shit stains down the loo, used condom on locker.

oh my god how are teabags in the sink the same thing?!

lazyarse123 · 07/11/2025 15:11

Sounds like she wants a skivvy not a cleaner.
I used to be a cleaner and had someone who left all her washing up for a week, the first time I did do it , she was single so not too bad.The second time she must have had people round. She had left my wage so I did it and then quit.
I think some people have the mind set that you're being paid so should do whatever. You need to make it clear in future what you're prepared to do.

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:58

Sartre · 07/11/2025 14:53

The teabags is the worst thing mentioned but I mean, as annoying as that is, I could probably overlook that. Leaving milk out- meh, guessing she was rushed and forgot. Tea towel on the floor- probably a one off, maybe to quickly mop up liquid someone spilt. None of it is earth shattering.

It's not once, like it says in my posts.

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Cosyblackcatonbed · 07/11/2025 14:54

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:52

Won't be finding a different job, just a different client.
Like I said, have had great clients before and as in the thread, there are people out there who don't leave teabags in the sink for the cleaner.

Show quote history

I had to throw a teabag in the bin so I'm quitting. 😂

Sartre · 07/11/2025 14:53

The teabags is the worst thing mentioned but I mean, as annoying as that is, I could probably overlook that. Leaving milk out- meh, guessing she was rushed and forgot. Tea towel on the floor- probably a one off, maybe to quickly mop up liquid someone spilt. None of it is earth shattering.

Notsurewhatisnormalanymore · 07/11/2025 14:53

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:52

Won't be finding a different job, just a different client.
Like I said, have had great clients before and as in the thread, there are people out there who don't leave teabags in the sink for the cleaner.

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Haha okay then good luck finding a job that doesn’t entail what the job title is.

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:52

Notsurewhatisnormalanymore · 07/11/2025 14:50

What’s not the same? You’re a cleaner, fucking clean up and leave the judgement at the door. I’m a teacher and guess what? I teach, even if the kids don’t want to learn! My OH is a customer adviser and he advises customers even if they’re rude. My son was a cleaner and he cleaned, even if it was mess that shouldn’t have been there. Just fuck her off if you don’t like her standards but by that logic if we all cleaned to a very good standard you would need to find a different job.

Show quote history

Won't be finding a different job, just a different client.
Like I said, have had great clients before and as in the thread, there are people out there who don't leave teabags in the sink for the cleaner.

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Notsurewhatisnormalanymore · 07/11/2025 14:50

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:33

Not the same.

Show quote history

What’s not the same? You’re a cleaner, fucking clean up and leave the judgement at the door. I’m a teacher and guess what? I teach, even if the kids don’t want to learn! My OH is a customer adviser and he advises customers even if they’re rude. My son was a cleaner and he cleaned, even if it was mess that shouldn’t have been there. Just fuck her off if you don’t like her standards but by that logic if we all cleaned to a very good standard you would need to find a different job.

AnnaFrith · 07/11/2025 14:42

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 11:20

I enjoy my job as a whole, other than the teabags.
Have cleaned for others before with no issues.
Had an evening cleaning job through university and still friends with the woman.

Might be a straw that broke the camel's back.

She'd be sat in the next room watching Eastenders, so it's not that she's too busy at all. She's free till the kids are back.

But she's paying you to do it! Precisely so she can slob out and watch Eastenders.

JLou08 · 07/11/2025 14:41

You don't sound like a professional. Wondering if you 'enable' her by doing a job your employed to do is a bit odd. You talk more like you're her partner with the enabling comment, the being on your feet the whole time is odd, cleaners are on their feet the whole time they're working (unless they're on knees scrubbing). Asking how people would feel if they get in from work to tea bags in the sink, I don't get that question? You're going in there to work/clean. She isn't messing up your house.

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:33

This reply has been deleted

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Not the same.

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Notsurewhatisnormalanymore · 07/11/2025 14:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:32

humblebea · 07/11/2025 14:28

Maybe stop judging her. If you don’t like the job she’s given you, you don’t have to work for her!

You don't say 🤔.

OP posts:

humblebea · 07/11/2025 14:28

Maybe stop judging her. If you don’t like the job she’s given you, you don’t have to work for her!

Original poster

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 07/11/2025 14:24

Brefugee · 07/11/2025 14:18

tbh, OP, i think you're just fed up with the creeping amount of mess she leaves and the teabags are emblematic of that.

Just leave and go elsewhere, and remember to tell them what you accept and what you don't.

Possibly this.
There always seems to be something else being left.
I don't like to leave until the place is spotless, even if it means going slightly over my time (except for the teabags 😅).

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