To feel sad & horrified by these comments from a former cleaner

[strivingtosucceed]

twitter.com/TabitaSurge/status/1260647664565121027

The lady in the tweets is a former cleaner who has spoken about the issues she had during her time as a cleaner. She's spoken of horrific things like clients leaving, sick, skid marks and crusted over appliances for her to clean. Others have also spoken about being 'tested' with money left out and casually followed about the house.

Judging by the amount of people who have cleaners on this board, she's probably one of you. Would anyone admit to it though?

This particular former cleaner despises all the ‘ladies’ who employed her. Clearly men have no responsibility for cleaning whatsoever; it’s a woman’s job whether she does it herself or hires another woman to do it. Men are completely absent from the whole discussion.

Yep good point.

Also someone else pointed out that OJ was hypocritical to not have a problem with porn but thought that it wasn't fair to have a cleaner due to the coronavirus. Unfortunately, the risk to women's health (pandemic or no pandemic) from being part of the porn "industry" is always high - so why is this an acceptable risk but going out to clean a house isn't?

Crouching I like your attitude. All these angry cleaner threads, twitter and here, don’t paint some in a good light.

Also this woman seems to have a huge chip on her shoulder. I have had cleaning jobs in the past and wouldn't have a problem cleaning a grill (why would you??) Puke and vomit is a whole other story!

Never had a cleaner, but surely she has jumped the shark with the claim to have spent two hours on her hands and knees because there was no hoover?

I thought a lot of companies brought their own?

@LambDhansak saying you 'don't trust them' and 'know they will cut corners' is really insulting. Are there any other professions you are prejudiced against in this way??

And yes, you should tidy (not clean!) beforehand, or prepare to put your hand in your pocket and pay for them to be there longer as clearing up and moving clutter slows them down. It doesn't need to be a feng shui minimalist haven, but if there's toys all over the floor, I'll have to spend time putting them away before I hoover etc. You can do it yourself or pay me to do it, I never minded either way.

@Al1Langdownthecleghole a hoover was the one thing I didn't bring. Trust me, with some of the places I've cleaned, you did NOT want the cross contamination between properties even after cleaning it out after each use!

Just before any more people launch into their poo / sanitary related stories, there’s been a few similar threads today. Off the top of my head, one started by a cleaner complaining about toilets and there’s another now about a DH and skid marks in the loo. So please be careful.

Sorry but there was s a big differences n the stuff being listed as unacceptable. Vomit, any shit stain not actually in the toilet: unacceptable. Some skid marks in the toilet: I have kids. I am usually (in our former lives) at work when the cleaner comes and won't have checked that no child left a skid mark before I bundle myself off for my 2 hour commute.

A friend used to work as a cleaner in a really fancy hotel. The amount of disgusting things people did (a dude who smeared shit all over the bathroom coz why not) was frightening!

Marsha thank you, compliment gratefully accepted.

One of those threads was mine!

I was asking whether this idea that cleaners are massively exploited, made to do seriously shitty (excuse pun) work etc is standard or not (from the cleaner's point of view). I think on the thread OP is referencing here, I was struck by how many cleaners were mistrusted by their employees, weren't provided with appropriate cleaning materials etc and I wanted to know how "normal" that is.

Certainly, as far as I know, most of my friends treat their cleaner well - lay out in advance what is and isn't expected, pay fairly, provide cleaning materials etc. But there were SOOOO many posts on that thread from cleaners who clearly didn't experience that. Even just refusing to buy a decent vacuum cleaner or mop was a common one which threw me completely!

I've done the money test twice now, and on both occasions they took the bait and stole from me.

Now I believe that you should treat people as you would wish to be treated. I tidied up beforehand, cleared up any animal mess, skid marks etc, made sure the floors were clear and there was nothing revolting or dangerous that was left out. In return I expected trustworthiness, efficiency, reliability and courtesy. I paid well and I paid on time. I tipped and gave annual and birthday bonuses. Note the tense. Because these cleaners stole from me I no longer trust anyone to help me with my house. It's a fucking ballache coz I'm shit at cleaning, I hate it and a cleaner was my much appreciated luxury.

What fucks me off most about this Tweet is the line "I despised every single one of you" - well maybe she made that clear and they treated her accordingly. Be as you would be done by. I bet most of the time money was left out wasn't to test her, but was because she was trusted but coz she's got such nasty attitude she assumes they were testing her.

Also there was a thread along the lines of “AIBU to not pay my cleaner during lockdown,” followed by”Why do cleaners expect to be paid during lockdown? followed by “Cleaners what do you think of your employers?” ( cue loads of stories about poo and “dirty f**ers”) and now this. All in 24 hours Plus another one about a DH and skid marks. Hmmm......,

Cleaners should have some sort of professional qualification and maybe people would have a bit more respect for the job. Instead, lots of start ups are just hiring people with no experience, background checks etc for low pay taking a cut, so people end up with rubbish, finger pinching and unreliable cleaners.

Seriously, cleaners should get paid more than they already do and people should think twice before paying a pittance for someone with no credentials. What do you fucking expect paying minimum wage to clean your skid marked loos

I've done the money test twice now, and on both occasions they took the bait and stole from me

Did you leave out a penny?

I'm sure that "test" is to see if they've cleaned in that area. Maybe it just drop when they were wiping down the sides?

@HappyLemonSadLemon I'm so sorry that happened to you (twice!) I think you may be right, that her general bad attitude and resentment was picked up on and reflected back to her iyswim. I found a client's lost engagement ring (lost for YEARS!), an iphone that again, had been missing for over a year, and the client had suspected a repairman of stealing it (it had fallen under the fridge), as well as finding loads of other things. Gives you an idea of a) how thoroughly I cleaned and b) how honest I am

Coins can always fall out down the back of sofa cushions. Or you might just put your change down on a surface somewhere if your purse isn’t to hand or whatever. Everyone does this from time to time. If a cleaner assumes this is a “test” it says more about her/ him than anything else.

I pay my cleaner by the hour to clean, sometimes it's quite messy - I do clean the toilet in between visits of course and she doesn't do bedrooms anyway. If cleaners don't like having to clean i suggest a different job

No comment aimed at the male party employing the cleaner who is probably the origin of the skid marks.

I think there's been a lot of discussion about cleaners in the media recently, which is why we're all talking about it.

I've never had a cleaner (only had one in once to finish tidying up after a home invasion) but I did grow up in a culture where we had 'live in maids'. I just can't imagine people would leave days old bodily fluids because a cleaner is coming in later to clean.

Not really manky stuff no, but I am considering not restarting the cleaner or reducing hours because I find that I clean things immediately now rather than thinking oh it’s not worth it as cleaner is coming... which is much more pleasant!

Well, I did agree with OJ’s original point which was that it was wrong to expect a cleaner to work during a pandemic and if possible they should be paid to stay at home.

We are working class shiftworking keyworkers (one working extreme earlies and one extreme lates) and we usually have a cleaner, she is now not coming and we are still paying her until the country is at a later stage of lockdown easing. We are also trying to help the kids with school work.

If the children have to miss a piece or two of schoolwork because chores need to be kept on top of then that’s fine with me. It won’t hurt them to miss the odd assignment. If something has to ‘give’ in the household then in ours the schoolwork gives, or standards give, or downtime in the evening gives. Not the health of the cleaner.

I guess we all come at it from different perspectives. I know five people who have lost parents to this virus and I think it’s rife in my corner of London.

Yes - I think it's been discussed a lot in the media and on SM over the last few days. I think a government minister was even asked about cleaners on the BBC a day or two ago. Hence it's top of mind. And a lot of people who have cleaners are trying to work out if they can/should get them back and a lot of cleaners are probably having a similar internal debate about whether they should go back. Based on current government guidelines, they should. But the nature of the work being in people's homes etc means a lot of people are not sure. Understandably.

It's not a one sided argument, I have probably had 4 cleaners in my time.

1. Broke things, started off well but then the standard dropped considerably

1. As above but no breakages

1. Ok at first, then hit and miss, even if I wasn't working I had to go out, she'd just stand and chat. Fancied my husband but not really a problem as I don't fancy him. She also cleaned next door after me, she'd left her phone, I took it round, she was asleep with her head on the kitchen table.

1. Young girl across the road, she was fantastic, I'd just leave to do what she wanted and let me know how many hours. Sadly she got a job in an office, I'd have her back like a shot.