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Am I justified to ask my cleaner to do these things ?

296 replies

DeleteIt · 25/10/2026 07:47

Cleaner has a long journey on public transport plus we are the last call of the day twice a week.
I have asked her to take shoes off in the house, please wash hands on arrival and to not hoover the doormat first as then she is hoovering round the rest of the house with the hoover head having been all over outside bacteria ? I’ve been rolling up the mat after she arrives as she kept doing it despite me asking !

I offered to provide some indoor shoes if she wanted but she declined. Am I being over the top?

OP posts:
mybeautifulemeraldparure · 25/10/2026 08:55

Lexibletheflexible · 25/10/2026 08:53

OP apparently does

I've never done this in my life, I didn't know it was a thing!

mybeautifulemeraldparure · 25/10/2026 08:55

Reallyneedsaholiday · 25/10/2026 08:55

Honestly it sounds as if you just need to do your own cleaning.

Yes, I think that's the solution.

Chenecinquantecinq · 25/10/2026 08:56

She's a cleaner not a carer. I would say it is reasonable to ask a carer to wash their hands if the person is vulnerable. Do you have OCD or other anxiety issues? Do you ever eat out you would not do so if you realised the level of hygiene😂

Mischance · 25/10/2026 08:56

The only way you can make sure germs do not spread round your house via the hoover is to disinfect the rollers between rooms ... are you really going to do that? Even if she did your doormat last ot will still be harbouring bugs from one visit to another.

Seriously you need to chill. Or do it yourself as I can't see you finding anyone willing to meet your OTT demands.

Once babies start crawling it is open season on germs ... unavoidable. It's how they build resilience and resistance.

It feels like a big jump from sterilising everything in sight to crawling about in the germ soup, but all babies do it and they are fine.

My cleaner rolls up and I make her a cup of tea and leave her to get on. She would have been gone long ago if I had been on her back with petty demands .... and quite right too!

Rosiemate · 25/10/2026 08:56

Planningatripsoon · 25/10/2026 08:44

I’m sorry @DeleteIt i can understand your anxieties given your baby’s history. However I think this is tipping to an unhealthy preoccupation with cleanliness. I think speak to a professional. I am a teacher, have three children and we are a shoes on house, we don’t wash our hands coming in from outside, we have a dog and a cleaner twice a week (she keeps her shoes on, although drives here).

No one has been ill (except the usual germs) and we’re all healthy and don’t stress about this stuff. We don’t even necessarily wash hands before eating! I do when cooking (knowing my husband he probably doesn’t!). And also I wash my hands before I leave the gym. That’s it. Oh and of course after using the loo.

Wishing you well and peace, as it sounds a stressful way to live.

Edited

Hear hear!

Freda69 · 25/10/2026 08:57

Maybe you need to get a new hoover just for the doormat!

PepsiBook · 25/10/2026 08:57

The shoes off and wash hands is surely normal for most people?
The door mat, that's your choice - but if you're paying her that's what you've asked then she should respect your wishes.

Pplareasthickasshit · 25/10/2026 08:57

JeatherLacket · 25/10/2026 07:55

Make sure to explain the doormat bacteria rules in the interview or you may find yourself having to repeat the process regularly

She shouldn't have to be told. A good cleaner would know not to do this. It's like wiping a spill from the floor with a cloth, then using the same cloth to immediately wipe the kitchen counter tops.

Lexibletheflexible · 25/10/2026 09:00

Pplareasthickasshit · 25/10/2026 08:57

She shouldn't have to be told. A good cleaner would know not to do this. It's like wiping a spill from the floor with a cloth, then using the same cloth to immediately wipe the kitchen counter tops.

It makes more sense to be wary around kitchens and bathrooms than the door mat.

JoleneJoleneJoleneJoleneJolene · 25/10/2026 09:01

DeleteIt · 25/10/2026 08:04

Rinse then soak the head in antibacterial soap and hot water, leave to dry then use dettol spray on it

Wow

Fortuity · 25/10/2026 09:04

Lexibletheflexible · 25/10/2026 08:16

I wasn't going to log in to this site again as people from here have stalked me around other places on the Internet like Facebook and Instagram but I'll do a cleaning thread as I am a cleaner.

Lets start here: The most harmful germs in your home aren't around your front door. They are in your kitchen and bathroom

Unless you properly sanitise your hoover after each clean, your hoover is always germy. Part of the reason that knowledgeable cleaners prefer to use a client's hoover is because you really have to decontaminate the machine by cleaning, a new bag and new filters after each client and that costs time and money.

It's less of a health risk if everyone uses their own hoovers in their own homes.

So you starting out knowing that the hoover is essentially spreading germs from one room the other. But most of the cleaning you do in a home isn't actually to disinfect the home. You're not trying to kill all bacteria amd viruses at every stage of the clean and you'll rarely achieve that anyway.

The ways you can minimise contamination is by having separate machines for separate areas. So perhaps keep one just for the living room.

The other thing is that after you vaccum, you disinfect the floors anyway. You can buy a fabric disinfectant to spray around on carpet but all hard floors will be cleaned anyway, right?

I vaccum bathrooms and I keep an attachment that I only use for that. That doesn't protect the hose and pipes from miniscule amounts of urine and faeces from the bathroom, but it does mean I don't have to clean the attachment before I use it in other places in the house. Sweeping your bathroom is typically not enough to consistently keep it hair and dust free.

You need to clean your vaccum often. All parts. Probably about once a month or 6 weeks max.

I can't imagine how people think the human race survived before vacuum cleaners and disinfectant cleaners were invented.

Wexone · 25/10/2026 09:04

oh swetblord please let her go and honestly you will struggle to get someone else. Good cleaners are like gold dust and hard to come by.
I am sorry your baby was in icu my sisters kid was too it was a hard time. but she is not at all like you. you need to get some help. her house ( and everyone else's house is a shoes on house ) none of this nonsense of having to wear socks or slippers. my houses is a farm too. we do change shoes but from wellies to runners - came in yesterday from shopping wore my runners that god forbide I wore in town all around the house cleaning tidying etc and lay on the sofa in them 😱 I am not dead. I wash my hands after coming in from the animals etc but not if have been in town or in the office. germs are everywhere kids will have a period they are constantly sick with snuffles colds etc you obsessely cleaning etc is not going to prevent that. in fact will make it worse for them. it will be your child in years to come going to school picking up every bug going and spreading it around where now my sis 7 year old hardly ever sick. they help out here feeding etc aswell as on their grandads farm too they are not sterilised coming in to the house every single time. a bit of cop on now.
your cleaner needs to be wearing proper shoes with a grip for cleaning if she falls or slips wile in your house she can sue you bear that in mind
I remember a good friend of mine slipped in her tights feet as she was at a friend's house and was asked to take of her shoes at it she fell and broke her jaw waa wired for 8 weeks she could only eat smooth food.
husband had surgery recently where he was on crutches he was sold he wasn't to wear slippers Cross or backless anything as from health and safety point of view not suitable he was to wear proper shoes
shoes are needed
just to add bloody love it when my cleaner has been here to come home to a clean house is absolutely pure bliss and to know that weekend I don't have to Clean is pure joy for me. this is how you should be feeling to have your time freeded up to enjoy cuddles with your baby

HambleDoll · 25/10/2026 09:05

I’m saying this kindly as I’ve been there. I would see a GP for your anxiety Flowers

Chocoholic27 · 25/10/2026 09:05

I am fully with you on this one in regards to hygiene and infection control (bringing noravirus in; which is only effective with thorough handwashing) especially if touching foodware items. You will probably need to get a new cleaner though. Not sinking in with them.

OneandFiveOnly · 25/10/2026 09:05

YABVU

Pplareasthickasshit · 25/10/2026 09:05

Brokeandold · 25/10/2026 08:47

I agree with washing hands on arrival, we have kept that covid habit, also taking shoes off inside the house.
Hadn't thought about the mat by the door, some germs are good to build up resistance-we all know that.
I don’t know about premature babies and their health but I understand as a mother you want to keep them safe.
I wish we could afford a cleaner, been hoovering our house for 27 years, no-one else is bothered to do it.
I need to hoover today and for some reason its making me want to start screaming and never stop.

Get a robot hoover.

OneandFiveOnly · 25/10/2026 09:07

DeleteIt · 25/10/2026 07:54

I have to stop her and say to as I’ve asked for her to do the doormat last or not at all, recently when she’s arrived I’ve rolled it up so nothing can be done to it as she was ignoring my request to do it last

What would happen to the hover after the doormat was hoovered last? Throw it out a mind get a new one?

Lexibletheflexible · 25/10/2026 09:11

Fortuity · 25/10/2026 09:04

I can't imagine how people think the human race survived before vacuum cleaners and disinfectant cleaners were invented.

How was survival back then? Before we knew about germs and things?

Mischance · 25/10/2026 09:11

How old is your baby? If he is old enough to be crawling he will be exposed to trillions of bugs every day whatever you do and past the stringent rules that applied when he first came home. I can understand how these rules are lodged in your brain and it is hard to grasp the idea that you have now tipped over that elusive-to-define fulcrum where you can let go.
I do get this anxiety but it is time to relax a bit now .... watch your fellow young mums and see what they are doing. I am sure they are not plagued by germ worries. Wait till he tries eating a worm!!

Babies go from stringent hygiene to grubby little buggers in a blink. It is hard to get your head around!

mrsm43s · 25/10/2026 09:11

I think this is way over the top, and points to you having an anxiety disorder (which I think can happen after pregnancy, particularly premature birth). I'd have a chat with your health visitor or make an appointment to see your GP.

Kalanthe · 25/10/2026 09:14

DeleteIt · 25/10/2026 07:50

No but she is doing tasks such as emptying the dishwasher ?

I would never let a cleaner touch clean plates after she's cleaned the bathrooms. Surely it's easier to empty the dishwasher yourself (takes 5 minutes) than police her to wash her hands

OneCalmSquid · 25/10/2026 09:15

DeleteIt · 25/10/2026 07:56

It’s just because she was hoovering that then straight into the front room and ds crawls around in there and was a preemie so I’m always worried about him picking something up.

Here's the thing. Regardless of what order you ask her to do things, the fact remains that the hoover has always come into contact with the doormat. Unless you clean the hoover after each use.
Do you remove the brush after every use and sanitise the bottom?. If not, then you will alwats be using a vacuum in other areas that's come into contact with the mat.
You are being over the top.
You sound very unreasonable

Glittertwins · 25/10/2026 09:15

Totally over the top. Mine does take her shoes off but that is her, we have never asked her to do this and she works around the house in a logical for her so the hall/mat is the last thing she does anyway. Are you watching over her?

duckfordinner · 25/10/2026 09:15

You are not unreasonable. Different people got different expectations. It’s a cultural norm in some countries to wash your hands when you come from outside, etc. I totally get your requests.

Wilfulignoranceabounds · 25/10/2026 09:18

OneCalmSquid · 25/10/2026 09:15

Here's the thing. Regardless of what order you ask her to do things, the fact remains that the hoover has always come into contact with the doormat. Unless you clean the hoover after each use.
Do you remove the brush after every use and sanitise the bottom?. If not, then you will alwats be using a vacuum in other areas that's come into contact with the mat.
You are being over the top.
You sound very unreasonable

Why comment if you can’t be bothered to read what the OP has said? I get that no one has time to read all of the replies but at least read what the OP has said.

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