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?

I power wash mine when I power wash the path every couple of years. I also hose it off if I'm hosing the front paving down for whatever reason
If it's got a bit mucky, I've never scrubbed it.

Never.

I used to clean my front door (white plastic) and cement step. Now that it's lively painted wood and stone I just brush it and clean the window. I am woman. Call me char.

Isn't that what the rain is for

Once a month I have a sweep up and weed in the front, shake the mat!

The paint wears off our front door step quite quickly enough without us scrubbing it! DP does brush it from time to time.

Never, but I actually have considered painting it!

I did it a lot when we first moved in, because I grew up with my nan polishing hers till it gleamed, and we have exactly the same sort of step (exact same 1930s house actually as we live in the next street). After a while, I realised nobody else did theirs so I stopped. I do sweep it and pour a bucket of soapy water over it from time to time.

I like char woman. A friend of mine is a cleaner and I'm going to start calling her that. My favourite term is Woman that Does, if I had a woman that does I'd definitely get her to clean the front step. As it is, I'm just going to keep eating my Doritos instead.

I think in the days of coal being widely used in industry and for keeping houses warm, everywhere was much dirtier including the doorstep.

I don't scrub it but I do regularly sweep it and I wash down the front door.

Mine's filthy, but our driveway is so long no one can see it from the road.

I'm not sure what this says about us.

OTOH if I did clean it then where would the spiders live?

The chap over the road gets his cleaning lady to hoover the front step and the door mat (both sides).

just call me Dorcas

@HoppityChicken I've been guilty of hoovering the patio before now. Sweeping gives me blisters and the cat hair that gathers on it could stuff a dead cat.

Thought this was a euphemism at first!! Rather disappointed to find out it isn't

Oh and either me or the cleaner cleans the hearth. 🤣

Out driveway is long enough you can't see it from the road, but I don't care what randoms think. I can see it. And so can visitors.

Can't imagine scrubbing it, but can't imagine it being filthy either...not sure what that says about me...🤣

I think jet washing is cheating. You have to be on your knees, scrubbing brush in hand, bucket of soapy water by your side, to get the full moral value.

I have an urge to clean my front step now. Definitely not with a pressure washer though - I specifically want one of those wooden handles brushes and a load of soapy water.

Hoovering the step does seem pretty genius actually.

OTOH if I did clean it then where would the spiders live?

Angst for arachnids does not hide your sluttish ways.

(Slut to describe an untidy woman is also another word that's gone by the wayside! )

I thought Americans called cleaning people "the maid"?

I’m with Princesstigerlily my house has kerb appeal, my front garden, door etc is a real feature of the house, formal Victorian with black and white tiles, no way would I have dirty steps spoiling it so I sweep and wash it regularly.

My dm refers to herself as being my personal charlady as I once asked her to feed my cat.

Do people in forrin still scrub their front step? There is so much filth in my house I’d need to clean before I even contemplated scrubbing a paving slab.

My Mother used to give me a bucket of soapy water and a scrubbing brush to do our front doorstep. I loved it and would often spend a good hour scrubbing away. With hindsight I think she did it to get me out from under her feet. I feel cheated that I never did it with my children, the peace would have been very welcome.