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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are you being told to clean toilets at work?

549 replies

noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 14:03

If cleaning toilets wasn’t previously anywhere near your job description?

It’s being claimed on another thread that this is just part of the new normal, everyone is pitching in. I’m not convinced.

YABU - I’m being asked to clean toilets

YANBU - I’m not being asked to clean toilets

If you are, are you ok with it?

OP posts:
spanieleyes · 13/07/2020 14:05

We all are, teachers, teaching assistants, and the Head. It's part of the routine now.

Comefromaway · 13/07/2020 14:07

I'm still working from home but everyone in the office is being asked to use bleach & wipe down surfaces with anti viral wipes after use.

InfiniteSheldon · 13/07/2020 14:07

Yes of course thousands of dedicated toilet cleaners aren't going to suddenly pitch up we all need to do our bit xx

GinDaddyRedux · 13/07/2020 14:08

@noblegiraffe

If cleaning toilets wasn’t previously anywhere near your job description?

It’s being claimed on another thread that this is just part of the new normal, everyone is pitching in. I’m not convinced.

YABU - I’m being asked to clean toilets

YANBU - I’m not being asked to clean toilets

If you are, are you ok with it?

What's your profession and office size?

If you're in an office of teh people, then I'd expect you to be asked because the normal end of day building cleaner isn't going to be covering the cleanliness and wipe-downs needed for COVID.

If you're in a school, then perhaps similar (like the first reply you got).

If however you're working for Goldman Sachs, you're probably not even in the office so this may not apply to you - but if you were in the building, rest assured a cleaning contractor would be answering the question of increased cleaning rotas and it wouldn't be done by you.

So yes @noblegiraffe what is your sector? And do you think for the other sectors on this other thread (I haven't read this other thread!) that there is unreasonableness there?

WaynettaIsMyStyleIcon · 13/07/2020 14:10

Yes. NHS clerical worker (staff toilets only, not in a Covid area). We are now asked to bleach down all toilet and sink areas after use.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 14:12

Ok, some office workers are being asked to clean their staff toilet after they have used it.

What about toilets that other people have used? Clients and the like? Are you cleaning up after other people?

OP posts:
Dilbertian · 13/07/2020 14:13

I'm in your sector, NobleGiraffe, and we are cleaning surfaces in the loos - so, seats, taps, handles - but not the toilet bowl itself, nor the floors. The cleaners are still doing those. We are doing wipe-downs between bubbles.

WaynettaIsMyStyleIcon · 13/07/2020 14:13

And yes I am fine with it, as is everyone else as far as I am aware, this has caused way less of a fuss than being asked to wear masks!

DomDoesWotHeWants · 13/07/2020 14:15

Noble giraffe is talking about teachers having to clean school toilets. Used by hundreds of kids.

I hope they refuse.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 14:15

Only after your personal use,Waynetta, is that right? Not that you’re on a rota to clean the loos once a day?

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 13/07/2020 14:17

Clients and the like (yes, we would be expected to make sure that clients/customers either cleaned the toilets themselves or we would be asked to do it.).

The boss does most of the cleaning but everyone is expected to pitch in at the moment.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 14:21

GinDaddy

Teachers who are reluctant to roll their sleeves up and clean school toilets during breaktime after the kids have used them are being assured that accountants, chefs, office workers and so on are all doing similar without complaint.

OP posts:
Inituntiltheend · 13/07/2020 14:26

I work in the nhs,we haven’t been asked to do this but I actually would like to have the stuff in the toilet to clean it. I might actually suggest it

LindowMan · 13/07/2020 14:27

I'm not in your sector but we are cleaning toilets.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 14:29

Lindow which sector are you in? Is it a wipe down after you use it or some sort of rota?

OP posts:
LindowMan · 13/07/2020 14:30

Commercial, it's a rota, we're all doing a bit extra.

BeccaB1981 · 13/07/2020 14:31

mostly our office staff aren't back in office, it's WFH unless by genuine rare exception (like, cannot work from home because you're in a flatshare and confidential client work cannot be done privately.. or there's a genuine need to access paper files which cannot be given permission be digitised due to the nature of the work, etc).

however, our offices would have cleaning staff so i know we've been asked to wipe down after our personal use.. but absolutely not after other people.

i don't think it's a good use of professional staff time to be doing so, and would expect people to be pushing back.

this is for facilities management to deal with - yes, by bringing in new cleaning contracts or rotas if need be.

example: i wouldn't be happy paying our 50k a year head accountant to wipe piss from toilets twice a day on some sort of fucked up new rota, i think she has more valuable work to be doing for us, and if i found out one of my directors had suggested this, i'd take a dim view to their resource management skills.

professional cleaning is a skill (to do it quickly and effectively) and a genuinely viable business needs to recognise that - not some quick wipe down from someone who's unwilling and not best placed to be doing it. it's ridiculous.

(I say this as someone who's worked crap cleaning jobs years ago via an agency but also as someone who now holds a professional role.)

BarbedBloom · 13/07/2020 14:34

I wouldn't clean up after other people but I am immune comprised and have mobility issues. My friend was however asked to do this, the only woman in the office with no sort of rota and she, in my opinion quite rightly, has told them no

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 14:38

My friend was however asked to do this, the only woman in the office

Shock glad she told them where to shove it!

I wonder if these bosses and head teachers that are cleaning up after others are female.

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 13/07/2020 14:40

My office hasn't gone back yet, but I know from other offices in the same building that our regular cleaners are coming in on an increased schedule, and then all users (including clients) are expected to clean up after themselves each time (wipe down surfaces etc).

DH's school (independent secondary) is the same - they have increased cleaning staff, students and teachers expected to clean up after themselves with signs everywhere and packs of wipes in every toilet stall, also students will be expected to antibac every time they enter a building or when they go into any dining area (teacher supervised).

Sinuhe · 13/07/2020 14:41

Honestly, I have been cleaning work toilets all along. Ours is gender neutral (3 tiny rooms with lockable door & basin)
Some men are filthy and I don't like the thought of piss everywhere. So IF I have to go, I will make use of the beach on standby!! So nothing new to me.
Same with the desk (previously a hot desk to book for when in) definitely a quick clean before I use it...

annabel85 · 13/07/2020 14:43

Yes cleaning toilets will be the new normal as cleaners will be at a premium. It's a trade off.

It's not ideal but we're all going to be have to be grateful to have a job.

HowFastIsTooFast · 13/07/2020 14:43

Still WFH so sadly yes I am required to clean the facilities myself Hmm

In seriousness though when we go back to the office I expect we will need to clean the bathrooms after ourselves, and we are currently closed to the public so no worries about cleaning up after anyone else.

Maryann1975 · 13/07/2020 14:45

I think every toilet should have a packet of wipes in there and a bottle of bleach and you should just wipe the toilet after you have used it. It’s really not hard and if everyone does this, the toilet will stay sparkly clean all day and the job for the cleaners at the end of the day will be super easy. It should just be social etiquette that everyone does this. But then I’ve never left a toilet in a state in my life, whereas I have been in some disgusting toilets in my time (and walked straight out of them)
I’m a childminder, so toilet cleaning has always been in my job role, but I’m doing it Far more often than normal And really grateful I have two loos so my own family can use the upstairs one leaving the downstairs one for work (3 less children to clean after). I obviously don’t expect children to follow my social etiquette, but I think preteens are definitely able to wipe a toilet after they’ve used it.

SimonJT · 13/07/2020 14:45

Our office now has a very small number of staff, they attempted to make staff do the cleaning (including the toilet), the ones who are in office have refused because firstly it puts the cleaner out of work, but second they wouldn’t be paid if they did take the duty on.