To wonder why people can't keep their houses in a basic state of cleanliness?

[HarderToKidnap]

Disabilities aside, why can't people keep their homes basically clean?

I work part time, have a messy dog, a demanding toddler, am extremely lazy but my house always looks OK. You couldn't eat your tea off the top of the door frames but the kitchen surfaces are clean, floors hoovered, sofas plumped and inviting, toilet free of poo crumbs. It's easy and doesn't take long. So WHY do I go round to so many of my friend's houses and see they live in complete pits? Gritty nasty sofas that are horrible to sit on, filthy kitchens, poo smears and crumbs all over toilet, minging hand towels, floors covered in bits. IT IS NOT HARD to do the basics. I've just done a house once over and it's taken 45 minutes.

I understand not wanting to spend all day dusting your books or whatever but when people are coming over why wouldn't you want them to feel clean and comfy in your house? I'm not talking about people that physically can't do it because of illness or disability, but the rest of you? WHY??!!!

Well obviously that's a bit shit for them. Does it preclude them from keeping basic standards of cleanliness though? To me, if you've got kids, keeping food prep areas, toilets and floor basically clean is a priority. Even if you work long long hours. It's hard and a bit crap but its one of things you just sort of have to do, along with feeding them, bathing them and keeping them in clean clothes. Annoying, time consuming, you'd rather not, but just got to be done.

YANBU. I do a bit each day to stay on top of it, I learnt my lesson when rushed into hospital the day before my usual weekly clean a few years ago, when I came home it was a complete shit tip so now every day its given a quick onceover rather than once a week. I work pt and have a toddler, 8 year old and messy 42 year old dh

LittleRobots - there's nothing wrong with old towels, it's smelly ones that you don't want to dry you hands on. Some of ours are older than me!

Our house is a bit of a state because we both work, I'm heavily pregnant and struggling a bit, I was in hospital all weekend and today I've prioritised other things over cleaning. Tomorrow I'll do a bit. The bathroom's not too bad though and the kitchen will be ok for the short window between me washing up the cake-making stuff and cooking the dinner.

I had never come across this much poo talk till I found Mumsnet.

I am slightly OCD and clean constantly. I don't even use the dishwasher cos I can't bear the thought of dirty dishes sitting in it. But, I am only like this in my home. I visit friends like me and polar opposite to me and visit them to be with them ~ not fussy what their homes are like. Don't know anyone who lives in total squalor thou!

BTW I have 5 DC who must think cleaning fairies come in the night cos I clean when they go to bed and get up early to clean. I can't do school run without beds being made, breakfast cleared etc ~ I wish I could relax my cleaning regime, but I just can't .........everyone is different but YABU to judge those that aren't the same as you.

The fact that you have been debating this (incredibly boring) subject over the course of 5 hours just goes to show how much time you have on your hands OP

As people have pointed out, some of us work 50 hrs + a week and like to spend free time with their family/friends enjoying life rather than with their hands down a toilet

Is that really so hard to understand?

When DS1 was a baby, I had enough of a struggle to stop myself from self harming and keep DS1 fed and content. Housework didn't register on the radar when I was fighting with myself.

If any of the few people I knew judged me, that would have tipped me over the edge.

Yes, I do find it hard to understand when it means your house is filthy. Not untidy, not messy, not dusty, not cluttered, but FILTHY. I do find that hard to understand, I admit.

Livid why are skids accepted in your household?
Because I live alone Bumblequeen. I never had the problem with my last toilet but every time I use this one it leaves marks Having a septic tank means I try and avoid putting too many chemicals down so I tend not to clean it every day. If I lived with other people it would be different though. Damn toilet, I wonder if it's a design flaw

I also don't think working FT is an excuse as DP and I both work 50 hours work and do work in the evenings. I'm not saying a martyr, I just think it's priorities. And as others have said - untidy is no big deal, filthy to the point of being a health hazard is another thing.

Given all the houseworky types on this thread, you can solve my pillow problem
dd reguarly pukes on her pillows but when I wash them the inner bulky bit turns around inside the outer cover thingy. So it isnt pillow shaped anymore. How can I make it pillow shaped again? Those buggers are expensive.

I just don't believe that many people's houses are absolutely filthy. 99.9% of people do the best they can to keep things ticking over even if its just minimum cleaning.

And btw, dog shit in the garden is what I would consider filthy esp with children running round in it

Can't do much about the dog shit in the garden when you have a dog. Just have to make sure I clean it up regularly. I love my dog so he is worth it.

Twisty, get a good thick pillow protector then hopefully the sick wont go through it and you can just wash that.

I also have a poo catcher toilet. The shape of it means skids pretty much every time. I wipe it off with some toilet roll straight away and then flush.

So your friends appear to be struggling to keep up with housework etc and instead of wondering if they might be finding it a bot tough you just judge them, very nice.
I find it hard to fit in housework for various reasons, hopefully though my friends are nicer than you.

i pay my kids to do the cleaning the not doing well lately i might sack them

What willemina you really have time to clean in the eves? Between doing childcare pickup, cooking, homework basic essential dishwasher and laundry loads, dd in bath / shower and bed I do not have time to clean! I do have to go to bed pretty early too as I get up at 5/6 for work but even if I could have 30 mins of "spare" time in the eve would I spend that cleaning?? Would I fuck!

DP will clean toilet bowl if he leaves it in a state though and it's only him who does because I do really neat poos

Please will one of you housework-loving mumsnetters come round and blitz my house? I have home made cake (made in a cleaned kitchen, I promise).

I also have a poo catcher toilet. The shape of it means skids pretty much every time. I wipe it off with some toilet roll straight away and then flush

Mine just collects marks below the water line so I physically have to use the brush and cleaner

Well a coupl eof years back it was due to severe depression and horrendous anxiety. I honestly felt like I couldn't physically move to start the clean up.

Now it's a bit messy cos I'm lazy and I know my friend doesn't care. Simple as that really.

It's been soooo much easier since I started work as no one is here making a mess in the first place and I feel motivated to live once again.

Two people working full time would make housework a doddle.

SDTG, I already asked.

I have homemade gluten free brownies.