To only clean my part of the office?

[Gojojogogogo]

Company is based in an old house with several rooms with people in from each dept. In my office/room there is me and 2 others.
There is a cleaner for the communal areas but we are expected to keep our own areas tidy and there is a cupboard containing hoover And sprays etc.
The others are in before me and leave after me so I am rarely alone. I keep my desk clean with dettol and while doing it will clean the others desks, they will get up And make a brew/ go for a smoke while I do it. I will also hoover the room twice a week and empty their bins when I do my own. I don't mind as it is 15 minutes away from my screen and it needs doing. Never do they do their own or mine.
I have just come back from some time off today and I am the only person in the office. Their bins are full, desks filthy with food and tobacco all over. Staples and hole punch circles all over. My desk is clean from when I left it although dusty. I have dusted down and hoovered but just around my own area.

Am I being pathetic leaving it as it is?

So they haven't bothered to clean/tidy their area at all while you've been off? I think you were super-nice cleaning for them at all. Definitely leave their desks as they left them for when they very back.

You get paid whether you clean or do other work. I think the state of the place bothers you more than it bothers the others so there's no harm in you doing it. But, on the other hand, if you're starting to feel resentful about it, just do yours. You are under no obligation to clean their parts too.

I wouldn’t be cleaning up after colleagues! They’ll be thinking it’s your job now - how rude of them to go for a smoke/brew whilst you clean their desks, and they’ve probably not cleaned whilst you’re been away as they now think you’ll do it for them.

Just stick to cleaning your own area from now on and ignore their mess.

I would just do your own. They have obviously gotten used to and come to expect you to do their side also to the extent that they didn't even attempt to clean up while you were away.

I would just ignore their mess.

The other view is maybe they e happy to live in the mess. Not nice but their choice I suppose

I think I'd be more annoyed that your employer is too cheap to pay the cleaner to do all the rooms

I think they are happy to live in the mess. Their houses are not exactly spotless.
And yes to the too cheap to pay for a cleaner!

Yeah I'd just do my own area from now on.

I'd be happy doing the whole area if they took a turn too, but if they've left the whole place to get in a tip because you werent there to do it, sod them. I'd maybe keep up hoovering the whole floor as it seems odd to only do one bit of that, but fuck cleaning their desks and emptying their bins for them.

If you resent it and it isn't your responsibility then don't do it.

It will be a little awkward at first because you have all gotten into the habit that this is something you willingly do/take responsibility for.

Ideally you should mention it to them, if not be prepared with a witty answer if they/someone mentions their areas look like a tip.

If they don't want it doing and you're doing it anyway then don't.
However I suspect eventually things like the bin will be unpleasant and that will then need to be raised with them as a separate issue

No no no, stop cleaning their desks and their part of the room!

I’d be annoyed at my employer too. I have worked in some not especially nice or well funded offices in my time and we’ve always had cleaners.

You need a cleaner or a rota.

People like that never learn unless there are consequences. I had this issue in a massive open plan office of about 40 people. There was a lovely little kitchen provided for us with a toaster, kettle, fridge, all new things. The hygiene was so appalling and dirty that the fridge ended up with silverfish in it. It made me feel sick, and as a result I couldn't use it any more for my lunch. Some of the people were just minging. Also had this when I was sharing with 5 people - in the end I got a plastic crate, lined it with a bin liner and any of their dirty washing up and minging stuff went in there for them to deal with. It often went mouldy to the point they had to throw it away (perfectly fine plates and cutlery).

With this, I don't know, it depends. Because like someone else says you're getting paid anyway, so you could view it as being paid to clean and tidy, and then at least you have a nice work space and it's not too big to do that. But I would resent it probably a bit because they are just letting you do it all.

The thing that gets me is they are taking a break while you are cleaning. It's not very fair, and... I don't really get how they could see you doing that and not help, it's kind of horrible.

Personally I'd try a bit of a change: I wouldn't empty their bins or clean their desks, but I'd carry on hoovering the whole room (as that affects me) and I'd clean my desk and bin. I'd also do it in work time, not at the same time other people are taking breaks. That isn't fair at all.

Been there, done that, you get no appreciation. Just do your area

Just clean your area. Eventually even the dimmest manager will notice that your colleagues are living in squalor.
You may have to invest in a surgeon- type face mask though. And possibly hoover a path to the door.
Seriously though, I’ve been in this situation and it’s demoralising.

No you're not being pathetic. You are not the office skivvy. If they ask why you haven't cleaned theirs I would say that you thought they must like living in a mess as they had obviously made no attempt to keep on top of things while you were away, and they are now too dirty for you to clean.

While I might hoover all the floorspace in the room, there is no way in hell I'd clean their desks or empty their bins. Fucking slobs! Keep your own space tidy and if they comment remind them you are not the cleaner.