Page 5 | Things that have shocked me as a cleaner

CleaningDiscoveries · 2019-04-25T18:54:45+00:00

I have 15 clients a week 95% use ‘disposable ‘ wipes 90% don’t recycle (I root through their bins & recycle but it’s obviously only 1 day a week)

RagingWhoreBag · 25/04/2019 22:35

If you’re my cleaner, I DO recycle, you just put it all in the wrong bin

NewAccount270219 · 25/04/2019 22:38

I opened this thread with trepidation as I employed a cleaner today - but I don't use wipes for cleaning (do use them for the baby - we have cheeky reusuable wipes for home but we use disposable ones when out) and we recycle, so it isn't about me!

I was really shocked by how few of our neighbours recycle when we first moved here. We all have to put our rubbish out at the end of the shared alley running down the back of our house so we see each others, and most don't recycle at all and those few who do seem to be doing it completely ignoring the instructions! I lived in a really young and liberal area before moving here and everyone recycled so it was one of the many ways that moving here burst my little bubble about what 'everyone' does.

Catchingbentcoppers · 25/04/2019 22:42

so please don't act like I've got some super easy life and I'm just being lazy I'm sure I could find fault with your eco footprint, something I do better than you Why are you making this about me and you @Prequelle?

I didn't tag you in my post, why do you think I'm talking about you? Don't put words in my mouth.

greathat · 25/04/2019 22:43

Disposable wipes get used when someone's ill in my house. I have been known to give the bathroom light switch a quick anti bac wipe down whenever any family member with a stomach bug enters or leaves the bathroom. (And the flush and tap handles etc)

Prequelle · 25/04/2019 22:43

I explained why I found it hard and you post a post about people making excuses

ElectricDreamz · 25/04/2019 22:43

Where i live they collect recycling once a fortnight, food waste once a week and non recycling once a fortnight. Do the clients just put non recycled stuff out in recycling week? Don't the bin collectors reject it?

Kaddm · 25/04/2019 22:46

I don’t have a cleaner

I do recycle

But I do use wipes. I just can’t fathom how other people do these sorts of jobs hygienically and without doing 100 washing machine loads of cloths. I do understand people use spray cleaners but the spraying of stuff in the air makes me feel sick.

Eg: wipe bird shit off car
Wipe random nasty stuff off school trainers ready to re pack in bag
Wipe up pet turd accident
Wipe dogs face
Wipe up accident of elderly family member
Wipe food spillage from floor. Ok you can use cloth but with wipes you can gather the food and get a new wipe
Quickly wipe all work surfaces
Wipe kids fingers in car
Wipe raw chicken from work surface
Clean exterior of grimy school bag
The list goes on
My wipes are baby wipes and antibacterial wipes depending on the grossness of what’s happened.

But generally if people aren’t recycling, it’s because either they are exempt (some flats eg) or they are struggling to keep all the balls in the air. Certainly that is me.

NewAccount270219 · 25/04/2019 22:48

Do the clients just put non recycled stuff out in recycling week? Don't the bin collectors reject it?

In my experience of living in a row of non-recyclers: yes and yes. It drives me mad because people then leave it until the next week, and often bits blow around.

There was also an unfortunate spate of fly-tipping after DH got rid of our old sofa by using a legitimate council service that you book and pay for where they take large items at the same time as the rubbish. Word seemed to get around that you could just put stuff out and they'd take it, and people started putting out old fridges, furniture, etc - without paying for the service, so obviously it wasn't collected. Some of it sat there for months.

Catchingbentcoppers · 25/04/2019 22:49

I explained why I found it hard and you post a post about people making excuses.

That doesn't mean I directed my post at you @Prequelle, if I had I would have tagged you in it.

I DO think some people make excuses. You may not be one of those people, I've no idea - I don't know your circumstances and you don't know mine. We're both allowed an opinion.

Whynotnowbaby · 25/04/2019 22:50

This thread has totally put me off ever having a cleaner! Of course I knew they would think things about their clients but for some reason I imagined they would be professional enough not to wave their hands in horror to the world at large. Yes mumsnet is anonymous but if you suffer from anxiety then every post feels like it’s about you anyway. It would be nice to feel that every cleaner, doctor, teacher etc was fundamentally a kind person when you let them into your life and space- or at least that they would pretend to be!

GetOffTheTableMabel · 25/04/2019 22:50

I do recycle and I am sure that’s obvious in the kitchen but, as with other posters, all the other rooms have only one bin in them and, I sort the recycling as I empty them. Because of this, I have asked the agency not to empty the bins because the cleaners do not sort the rubbish (which I completely understand). As it’s an agency though, I get different cleaners week to week and I’ve just taken to emptying the bins myself the night before. I would hate to think that they believe we don’t recycle.
The house is extremely tidy but I don’t do much cleaning between their visits. Now I’m worried that they’re judging that too!

Whynotnowbaby · 25/04/2019 22:52

Yy to Mabel, how many times are we supposed to clean a week? I thought getting my house shipshape once a week was pretty good going. Would a cleaner then come and judge me for not having cleaned in between?

FunnysInLaJardin · 25/04/2019 22:52

If my cleaner judged me for using wipes and not recycling I would get rid of her. It's not her job to judge me.

NewAccount270219 · 25/04/2019 22:52

For probably most of what you list (though not things like wiping down surfaces, getting food off the floor - I'd use a cloth for those. It'd go straight in the wash after being used on the floor, rinsed and changed every couple of days for the surfaces) I'd use kitchen roll or toilet paper, kaddm - so still not ideal as disposable, but a lot better than using wipes which don't break down.

Travellinghappy · 25/04/2019 22:54

When I was a cleaner it was the smeary vibrator left on the bedside table that really got to me. At least have the decency to wash it after use if you must leave it out.
In my current job see far too many crusty vibrators and dildos too, I have no problem with people using sex toys but put them away after use or at least wash them or I will judge.

OrangeJuiceandArmchairs · 25/04/2019 22:58

When I broke my arm I treated myself () to wipes in each bathroom. It was at that point when that one thing was going to mean I could keep on top of it (single parent) in winter.

It felt like a guilty secret and I'd just keep thinking about skinny polar bears and oceans full of crap.

It spoilt it for me as I couldn't 'unknow' the harm it was doing.

I'm back to cloths and spray now. They just go in with whatever is being washed next tbh. We don't use fabric softener now anyway.

GabsAlot · 25/04/2019 22:58

i dont use wipes at all and rumour has it they'll be banned soon enough so might aswell get used to using cloths again

SihtricsHorseWitnere · 25/04/2019 23:00

People love to use excuses.

I don't have excuses. I use wipes. I like them. They make things easier for me.

HolesinTheSoles · 25/04/2019 23:01

I knew a cleaner who said she cleaned for a family that literally wouldn't move a muscle in the house without her. They'd eat their breakfast/lunch/dinner and leave their plates in a pile on the table. She'd come three times a week and sort it out. If one of the kids spilled milk on the floor it stayed there until the cleaner came. They had a dishwasher but didn't use it just waited for the cleaner. They'd leave dirty nappies all over the floor. She quit in the end.

Yabbers · 25/04/2019 23:05

We use disposable wipes and have good reason for doing so.

Glad you’re not my cleaner, you seem very judgemental. Can’t believe this is what shocks you so much you need to post about it.

SpeedyBojangles · 25/04/2019 23:07

If my cleaner judged me for using wipes and not recycling I would get rid of her. It's not her job to judge me.

You wouldn't know though. They'd come on an anonymous forum and post about it.

OP could be your cleaner.

Yabbers · 25/04/2019 23:08

they'll be banned soon enough

Oh fucking great. Yet another thing that makes the lives of those with disabilities much easier, that eco warriors can jump on the bandwagon of and insist are banned in order to virtue signal how wonderful they are. 🙄

GlamGiraffe · 25/04/2019 23:08

I have a cleaner.

I am a militant recycler. Our green waste bins are checked before collection and non compliant bins are left. Imagine if they looked in our dustbin and found them to contain recyclables and didn't collect. That would be an incentive!
Wipes...What is wrong with cotton wool and water? It's gentler to babies and easy to do at home or out and about.or wet tissue for adults bums?
Wipes should be banned.so many people use them irresponsibly and their environmental impact is so great just stop selling them. Maybe sell just degradable ones. Pretty sure everyone would stop buying them as they are so expensive.

HolesinTheSoles · 25/04/2019 23:10

If my cleaner judged me for using wipes and not recycling I would get rid of her. It's not her job to judge me.

No you wouldn't because you wouldn't know she was judging you. If you're selfish and lazy everyone else probably judges you too!

HolesinTheSoles · 25/04/2019 23:12

Oh fucking great. Yet another thing that makes the lives of those with disabilities much easier, that eco warriors can jump on the bandwagon of and insist are banned in order to virtue signal how wonderful they are

As much as I have sympathy for people with disabilities and would happy to pay more tax to provide people with biodegradable wipes where necessary your post is just stupid. The planet simply cannot cope with people using products like these. We have to stop. No Ifs no Buts.