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To have not realised I have a professional vacuuming qualification that I didn't know about?

216 replies

Mrsweasleysclock · 04/03/2023 17:19

My dh was doing his version of the vacuuming today. It took 5 whole minutes!! He then told me I should hoover after him to get the edges, under furniture etc that he doesn't know how to get. I politely informed him that he could take the bulky head off and do it. His response, "I'm not a professional hooverer, you'll have to do it."

I cannot believe I have allowed him to touch a hoover when I am so skilled in this area. I of course hung my head in shame and set off for a 48 hour stint of grovelling. 🤣

So tell me. What professional skills have you all unknowingly acquired?

lighthearted he did manage to do it in the end.

OP posts:
DanceForeverUnderTheLights · 05/03/2023 17:00

I removed 3 bottles of various men's shower gels and shampoos from around the bath this morning. I think they had been accumulating there for a while though, so I'm going to do a refresher course in the 'Spotting and Removal of Other People's Empty Toiletries in a Timely Manner' module.

My curtain-opening skills, however, are first rate.

Haas19 · 05/03/2023 16:56

I’m a finder of everything. Nobody has to look for anything in my house as only I know where they are

Yesiamtiredactually · 05/03/2023 16:53

I have the legendary skill of being able to load the dishwasher, not only so that things are in it, but so that they actually get cleaned too. I also have magical eyes that can find “lost” things, magical ears that can hear a toddler that wants something… I may be an actual wizard

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 05/03/2023 14:46

JudgeJ · 04/03/2023 20:11

The curtain thing sounds like my late MIL! We had a large rectangular bay window and had two pairs of curtains on each side that I opened all the way to the end. She however would move one pair to hang in the corners of the bay when she was visiting, I trained the children to move them back to the end whenever they saw she'd done this, I'm sure this really puzzled her.

If only I had the excuse of such a complex curtain arrangement. Alas ours are just a bog standard pair per normal window and still DH insists only he can arrange the curtains properly.

murasaki · 05/03/2023 14:45

I also have BEd in bed making, it seems.

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 05/03/2023 14:44

I also spend my life saying 'If only you had a machine in your hand that could answer that question for you' but no, apparently only my iPhone is capable of searching out information, whereas everyone else's is limited to browsing TikTok.

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 05/03/2023 14:43

I am the only person in my household with the BScEng(Chem) required to recognise that empty bottles of condiments do not actually belong in the fridge.

I also have a DipAdv(BioChem) in reviewing whether fridge leftovers have actually gone past the point of being edible, and a further MSc(MicroBio) qualification in actually removing them.

murasaki · 05/03/2023 14:42

I have a list on the fridge of what is in each drawer of the freezer below it. Items used crossed out, updated when added and completely re written monthly (by me).Totally visible when standing in front of the unit. Yet only I know where anything is, as he forgets to look at the list. Every time.

In his defence, he is at least post grad at noticing when it's needed to take bins out, drilling, driving and finding the quick pathways round IKEA. And making roast dinners.

MuggleMe · 05/03/2023 14:29

It's automatic now if someone (children or husband) says I don't know how or I'm not very good at it, to reply 'sounds like you need the practice'.

hookiewookie29 · 05/03/2023 14:26

Professional mover of all the bloody bottles of stuff that get around the edge of the bath! I'm the only one who has had the training to put them back in the flipping cupboard!

bigbluebus · 05/03/2023 14:19

Ihavedogs · 05/03/2023 14:13

I had forgotten that I am the sole professional in the finding things in the freezer department. The apprentice will give it a go, but frequently rearranges the drawer and declares that what they were in pursuit of was not in there, but the professional can locate it straight away even in the rearranged drawer. Needless to say, the apprentice does not have sufficient skill to be allowed to move up to the chest freezer.

Good grief @Ihavedogs definitely don't let the apprentice loose with the chest freezer. I have a system in mine - meat stacked on one side, veg and beige food on the other side, bread on top. DH goes in to find a joint of meat to cook at the weekend and the system goes completely to pot!
I have already accused him of strategic incompetence this afternoon after I asked him to fill the bird feeder without spilling the nuts all over the utility room. I only asked him as I was painting and he was playing on his phone at the time!

Ihavedogs · 05/03/2023 14:13

bigbluebus · 04/03/2023 18:06

Seemingly I'm the 'professional ' onion ring finder - even though they were in the freezer right next to the French fries he'd just got out!

I had forgotten that I am the sole professional in the finding things in the freezer department. The apprentice will give it a go, but frequently rearranges the drawer and declares that what they were in pursuit of was not in there, but the professional can locate it straight away even in the rearranged drawer. Needless to say, the apprentice does not have sufficient skill to be allowed to move up to the chest freezer.

murasaki · 05/03/2023 13:52

I am a skilled Google operative. Apparently only I can ask it the question to get the answer required. Drives me insane.

MrsScrubbingbrush · 05/03/2023 13:04

Not a professional qualification but I am a qualified psychic, skilled in the art of finding missing things and knowing where anyone is at a given time.

Does this count?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 05/03/2023 13:00

KeepingTheWaterOut · 05/03/2023 12:05

I did this amazing course from which I learned not to put cardboard in the dishwasher.
DH has not done this course.

Mine missed the entire unit 'K102: Cutlery, Crockery and Utensils; Care, cleaning and storage'. Unfortunately he's having to Qualify By Experience instead, which means he's missed K102a Scraping plates before administering water, K102b: Application of thermal energy to hydrosanitisation procedures (subheading Hot Water Really Helps) and the whole topic of Kitchen Tetris Is Not A Thing - Stacking Neatly in both cupboards and dishwashers is not a sign of weakness.

He's part way through his apprenticeship - I suspect he may have gained the necessary experience by 65.

KeepingTheWaterOut · 05/03/2023 12:54

DH has a highly technical job, so he wouldn't get confused about iPads. But the technical aspect of not cleaning cardboard by dishwashing it has passed him by.

WarningToTheCurious · 05/03/2023 12:45

KeepingTheWaterOut · 05/03/2023 12:05

I did this amazing course from which I learned not to put cardboard in the dishwasher.
DH has not done this course.

Or iPads.

vimeo.com/37942209

KeepingTheWaterOut · 05/03/2023 12:05

I did this amazing course from which I learned not to put cardboard in the dishwasher.
DH has not done this course.

Funkyslippers · 05/03/2023 11:29

I'm skilled in taking things back that my OH has bought to get a refund. Also complaining in restaurants about other people in my family's food and using vouchers in restaurants. It's far too embarrassing for OH to do but he's more than happy to get the benefits 😉

Teatime55 · 05/03/2023 11:26

We have a professor of bin management on my street (she’s in her 70s) so helpful to have such a qualified academic nearby.

PinedApple · 05/03/2023 10:37

PhD here in Bin Management. Our bin collection system is 'too complicated' to recall by others untrained in the art. Green bin every other Monday & Blue bin every other Thursday. When I ask dp to take the bin out he must confirm the colour with me first each time AND double check by yelling at the back door 'JUST the blue one, yeah?'

medianewbie · 05/03/2023 08:44

@BBlogdog thanks for the Magic Coffee Table link- I'm showing my teens (exH already gone).
I have a PhD in NHS & LEA wrangling (2 teens with 'oh, they don't look Autistic ' ASD, SEN etc.

GreenPlaidShirt · 05/03/2023 04:32

thaegumathteth · 04/03/2023 23:29

Oh I have numerous

  1. General admin for birthdays / Christmas / events / holidays. Turns out dh didn't do the course in writing cards or buying presents or researching hotels or whatever.
  1. Recycling Refuse receptacle operative. I am the only person in this house able to sepaarate rubbish and put it in the correct bin.
  1. Kitchen plug cleaner. Apparently everyone else attended a course which said it was just fine to empty left over soup / cereal into the sink. I presume all the people on that course had someone on my course who were told how to clean it all out of the sink. It seems like there could be a better way of sorting this but hey Ho.

These too. I actually warned my children, that if anything happened to me, not to expect too much in terms of birthdays or Christmas, clean clothes, or any clothes or food . Unless Dad got a girlfriend, but even then, don’t get your hopes up.
I would also expect all pets to die from starvation

GreenPlaidShirt · 05/03/2023 04:28

UpUpAndAwol · 04/03/2023 17:32

I’m a professional dishwasher stackerer. It’s an art form where nobody else seems to be qualified to know how to stack the plates so they actually wash 🤔

Me too, it’s a rare skill

greenspaces4peace · 05/03/2023 03:26

oh can i join!!
i hold professional qualifications in bodily fluids clean up.
all pup accidents are covered up with a paper towel and "left" for me to clean :)
my skill set also includes fluids of all sorts (paint thinner to soup).
despite 1-1 training my dh does not have the wrist movement necessary to scoop anything from a flat surface, he just can't get the hang of that little flip action...no he does not have arthritis.