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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to expect cleaner to change hoover bag?

83 replies

Cutiecat · 12/12/2012 17:56

I have had this cleaner for 6 months and have in the past I have changed the bag inbetween visits but on a couple of occasions it has been full when she is here. When this has happened she has asked me to change it, which I have done and I have showed her how to do it. Yesterday I was in the middle of working (I work from home) and she came and asked me to do it. I asked in a cheery voice, that the bags were in the cupboard and could she do it. She did not reply and then went shortly after. I just go the hoover out to hoover up asmashed bauble (I know, why did I let DD aged 1 help decorate the tree) and bag was full to bursting. AIBU to think this is part of the job?

OP posts:

Phineyj · 12/12/2012 19:13

Hi OP, is it a Dyson? My cleaner was a bit scared of emptying it out when we got it (I must say I don't find it straightforward to do either). My lady did get the hang of it eventually. Hmm or maybe DH is actually doing it to save both our blushes... I am surprised at some of the posts on here...if you work from home and you're earning more per hour than you're paying the cleaner, why the heck would you do her job for her, does she want to do yours?!

BumpingFuglies · 12/12/2012 19:15

Just talk to her OP - sounds like either a lack of confidence or a misunderstanding. No big deal

ClutchingPearls · 12/12/2012 19:16

Maybe she has allergies?

In one of my previous jobs (not a cleaner though) I used to empty the hoover, bloody great big old thing, when pulling out the bag it used to puff dust everywhere. I can imagine that would be a nightmare with allergies.

What hoover is it?

somuchslimmernow · 12/12/2012 19:17

I am a cleaner, I change the hoover bag. I cannot think why a cleaner would not do this.

FivesGoldNorks · 12/12/2012 19:18

Is she asthmatic? Dh hoovwrs but emptying the damn thing is my job, as it sets him off. That said ours is a Dyson so there's lots of cursing, banging and dust flying around.

elfbambinos · 12/12/2012 19:18

If you like her and value you her as a cleaner just make a contract to include the emptying of hoover bags.....but don't think she'll shall just do do it for kicks and laughs......

You have entered into a contract .treat that with the respect, she is is a professional women trying to make a living

And I'd bet it's £12 a day you pay than £12 an hour

MaryQueenOfSpots · 12/12/2012 19:23

Elf why are you disputing the payment? It seems rather unnecessary as OP has clarified £12 per hour several times.

desertgirl · 12/12/2012 19:26

elfbambinos, her contract is to clean; emptying hoover bags is a perfectly normal part of cleaning, you really shouldn't need to spell out in the contract itself 'sweeping, hoovering, mopping, emptying mop bucket', etc. And OP has already confirmed it is 12 an hour. Why the chip?

justmyview · 12/12/2012 19:27

You are truly blessed if this is one of your biggest worries!

You change it or she does. Does it matter? It takes a matter of seconds

I think there is more to this, it's not just about hoover bags

somuchslimmernow · 12/12/2012 19:29

Gosh, why is the OP getting such a hard time?? I think it is totally reasonable to change the hoover bag, I also empty the dishwasher, hang washed clothes on the airer, take any dirty cups to the kitchen empty the rubbish...I get paid to do a job and I do it with pride...I like to make my customers homes a nice place for them to be and for them not to worry about stuff they pay me to do.

AfterEightMintyy · 12/12/2012 19:30

I imagine she came to ask you to change it because she had forgotten how to do it. I really doubt she was being precious about it, when presumably she cleans your toilets and rinses your pubes out of the shower?

AfterEightMintyy · 12/12/2012 19:32

My cleaner couldn't get to grips with emptying my Dyson. I showed her a couple of times ... honestly it was NO BIGGIE!!!

desertgirl · 12/12/2012 19:33

JMV, why would there be more to it? The OP is working at home. If I work from home, the last thing I need is someone interrupting me saying come and look at this, come and do this - the interruption itself takes more than seconds if you are deep in something. The OP is paying someone to clean her house. Why should she then get up in the middle of her own working day to go and assist the cleaner in doing the cleaner's job?

there seems to be a fairly widespread belief (I don't just mean on this thread) that working from home doesn't actually mean working, somehow, and that you are fair game to be interrupted, asked to just sort this or that out

AvonCallingBarksdale · 12/12/2012 19:35

And I'd bet it's £12 a day you pay than £12 an hour
eh? the OP has already clarified it's £12 an hour. I pay my cleaner £10 an hour and round here the going rate is anything btw £8-14 an hour, so £12 sounds pretty standard to me.

elfbambinos · 12/12/2012 19:40

oh .......i only saw 12 from the OP ............there was no indication of hter it was £12 an hour or £12 a day

AvonCallingBarksdale · 12/12/2012 19:43

£12 an hour for 4 hours
and Yes £12 an hour

just saying, y'know!

justmyview · 12/12/2012 19:44

desertgirl - I work from home myself, so I totally get what you're saying about interruptions, perceptions that you are always available etc. It's one of my bugbears.

I guess I just think that if I liked my cleaner and she liked me, then I wouldn't lose sleep over who changed the hoover bag. That's why I think there is a bigger issue going on. I think that little things assume greater importance if there are other problems too

I don't think £12 per hour is unreasonable. We used to pay £14 per hour

takataka · 12/12/2012 19:53

Exactly mintyy

Just ask the woman. Id bemighty pissed off if my boss came on an internet forum declaring I was lazy or passive aggressive, about an issue he hadn't even raised with me. Bit this kind of thing is fine about domestic staff huh?

elfbambinos · 12/12/2012 19:58

I've looked backed at the OP CutieCat has not said once it was £12 an hour

however to all of you that employ cleaners.........please just remeber that it is contract between 2 business women and not an opportunity to employ a 'lesser being' to make thm do what you want

Fakebook · 12/12/2012 20:00

YABU for not having a bagless Hoover in this day and age. Get with the times.

desertgirl · 12/12/2012 20:02

people do ask about their (anonymous) non-domestic staff on messageboards though - there isn't always someone you can ask in real life particularly as you can't then be anonymous. Eg lawyers asking if it was reasonable for a secretary to do X or Y.... yes there is a risk of identification if you are not careful with the specifics, but it happens and not only with domestic staff

AfterEightMintyy · 12/12/2012 20:03

Lol at domestic staff. Is this Downton Abbey all of a sudden?

desertgirl · 12/12/2012 20:05

Elf, the OP has said it, just not in the original post. At 19.05, 19.10 and 19.11

How is asking a cleaner to empty a hoover bag suggesting that they are a lesser being??

JamieandtheMagiTorch · 12/12/2012 20:05

What I don't understand is why people think the worst of people on here.

Why think "passive aggressive", when you could just as well think "Has forgotten how to do it and is too embarrassed to mention it"

Talk to the woman

AfterEightMintyy · 12/12/2012 20:10

Exactly Jamie. Exactly. And yet here is a thread full of people willing to be outraged at a mere cleaner refusing to empty a hoover bag and daring to interrupt boss-lady at her hugely important work, despite earning the magnificent sum of £12 per hour.

Mumsnet is full of fucking nutters sometimes.

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