To point out mistakes to DH?

[Fretful]

Okay, DH has painted the inside of a cupboard today, on his day off. It's needed doing for months and I think he's pretty proud of himself for getting round to it.

I have said thank you and commented that it looks good. Should I leave it there, or am I 'allowed' to also point out that white paint is now everywhere - sink, carpet, washing up liquid bottle, scourer, his clothes...?

There is a reasonable chance he will strop, sulk and shout if I raise any of these issues, so I genuinely need to know if I am entitled to raise these points or if I should just keep quiet?

TIA

To be fair, he's not made a mistake. He's just not cleaned up after himself. Does he know where the cleaning stuff is?

Having never felt the need to paint the inside of a cupboard, I can't really comment, but - I suppose it depends how much effort went into the job.

Of course you should. If you're going to maintain something, you need to do so without wrecking everything else in your path!

My DH did this last week. Restaining the decking... wood stain everywhere, as well as mud from the garden trampled throughout the house. I wasn't happy about it and told him.

There is a reasonable chance he will strop, sulk and shout if I raise any of these issues

This isn't a good sign. :(

Just say 'would you mind cleaning up the paint now you've finished?'

As above, can't you just say, rather lightheartedly as if it doesn't matter at all, "could you clean up the little bits left behind please darling"...?

If you just asked him if/when he was going to clear up, what would his reaction be?

Tbh, sulking, stropping and shouting isn't a good thing even if you were being unreasonable.

I have a fear of raising it with him, which I know isn't a good sign. He did attempt to clean, which is why it's in the sink, on the washing up liquid etc.

Why ate you fearful. My DH can get sulky but I don't fear him and have no qualms in telling him if I'm not happy about something.

I've got one of these! Great that he does stuff around the house and better at it than me but it's a standing joke now that he doesn't clear up and so I call him Half Job!

He fixed a light the other week where the bulb blew itself out the socket but left the bayonet part in which meant the circuit kept shorting out. He disconnected it, sorted it and out it back together and it worked. Then left the screwdriver, pliers and old bulb on the hallway table while he went for a sit down. I asked him if he needed them to complete the job at which point he tidied it up but it was like it hadn't occurred to him!

I would definitely tell me DH if he did this. It's part of finishing a job properly.

DH has done lots of courses about 'effective communication' through work, and always says to comment positively first, and then bring the less positive comment at the end to soften the blow but make the person more receptive to the criticism?!

If I were you I would just thank him for his work but let him know that you think there is still a bit to go before he's finished the job.

If he goes off in a strop like a teenager leave him to it, he'll probably realise that were right after he's calmed down...

DH has done lots of courses about 'effective communication' through work, and always says to comment positively first, and then bring the less positive comment at the end to soften the blow but make the person more receptive to the criticism?!

Also know as a shit sandwich!

Why are you affraid to tell him. If my dp got paint all over the carpets and floors I would be fucking livid! I doubt I would be thanking him for painting part of his own house either.

My dh is a painter by trade. There is always paint coming home and depositing itself somewhere, and he gets told every single time. That's working outside the home, if he had paint all over the place after doing a wee job at home I'd definitely bollock him.