How often do you (or your charwoman) scrub your front step?

[Coquillage]

Not a serious question. Just felt pressured to join in with all the how often do you shower, how often do you wash your towels, how often do you change your PJs threads.

It's been hygiene obsession week on Mumsnet.

Out of interest have you known anyone refer to a 'charwoman' since the 1930s?

If you should feel the urge to scrub your front step have a small sherry and a sit down until the symptoms have passed.

Apparently, until 1960, the term "charwoman" was used as an official job title by government agencies in the United States, including municipal and state governments and by federal agencies

Every day’s a school day

er... when my mum comes for the weekend I might chuck a bucket of water over the step if it looks grubby.

One year for our holidays we rented a place on a posh street near Hyde Park. The first morning the whole lot of us were agog at the window watching maids/cleaning people on their hands and knees scrub the front steps. we'd never seen anything like it.

About as often as I sweep the hearth and lay a fire. So never.

I have never ever cleaned my steps in anyway.
If I had a charwoman, she would be too busy washing the windows!

pallisers, did this holiday take place in, ummmm, the 19th century? I've only seen that kind of action in the film version of Oliver. I'm sure during the 'who will buy my sweet red roses' tune all the maids are out scrubbing the step.

My old neighbour used to say that when she was a young housewife in the 50s she used to scrub her front step at 7 in the morning so that her competitive neighbours would think she had finished all her chores! (Apparently scrubbing your step was usually the last job you did).

Batshit

I just had to think if I HAD a front step. I have 2 in fact, which shows how much I notice or care. One has a mat on for foot wiping. I have never scrubbed it though.

I think you should only sweep the hearth if your name is Dorcas. That's a very hearty sweepy name.

I did mine on Monday, cleaned the door frame and door, swept and washed the step and washed the window frames. I probably do it 2-3 times a year. Am I a bit odd ? Or am I in the 1900's ?

My next door neighbour scrubs her front step at 9am every Monday morning on the dot and has done for the 14 years we've lived in our house - puts me to shame

Char woman

heymammy, can you imagine feeling obliged to be seen to scrub your step just so the neighbours wouldn't sneer about how much of a slattern you were. Stifling!

Never ever.

I am very disappointed that ‘getting a char woman in to scrub your front step’ isn’t a euphemism.

My Nan use to “take in steps” to earn cash.

I thought the thread was going to be the gynaecological equivalent of a dental hygienist visit.

I clean my front porch about every fortnight. Depends on the weather how dusty it is.
I think it's sad that people mock keeping the step clean - apparently they have nothing better to do. I am an old gimmer and really miss the clean streets and pavements you used to get. Shopkeepers cleaned in front of their shops. Everyone washed their step and some even the pavement in front of their house.
The UK is pretty scanky these days imv, cut backs to council budgets not helping.

It's all very well scrubbing it, but you've forgotten the donkey stone afterwards.

Is the donkey stone the whitewash?

I have never scrubbed my front step. I did sweep all the leaves and cobwebs off it the other week when I bought a new doormat. I frequently get the urge to wash my front door. I have never acted on this urge. The fingerprint powder is still there from when someone broke in about 5 years ago.

I do sweep my hearth quite regularly, because it gets covered in ash whenever someone opens the log burner. Just call me Dorcas.

I clean mine.

I sweep it every few weeks and a couple of times a year we power wash the hell out of it. I bloody love pressure washing time! When you've finished drawing penises or writing naughty words in your grubby paving slabs you can blast them all to a satisfying pristine clean state. Door step included.

Here in Paris it is very common for the building caretaker (gardienne - almost always a woman) to the front step(s) everyday, as well as sweeping then hosing down a large stretch of pavement in front of the building. They also splash soapy water up against the wall, presumably cos of dog piss.

A bit annoying splashing through it all in the summer when you're wearing sandals. And odd when its freezing outside...

I get the Karcher on mine once a year in spring. It does a marvellous job of getting rid of the winter moss and grime.