Feeling rubbish because I am a cleaner

[LAURAMINIMAQ88]

So...I am a young, educated woman and this year was very hard for our family so I had to take on a cleaning position which I didn't mind doing at first but now I feel absolutely rubbish because my friends and family make unpleasant comments about my new job.
I wouldn't mind ever as long as I am bringing a salary and paying my bills.
People where I work also look down on cleaners ( I clean offices) not all of them but I do get unpleasant looks..
The only support that I am getting is from my husband.
My husband works in airline industry and had been able to keep his hours through this horrible year however I have lost my contract 2 months ago so took on this job.

I dont know what I am looking for here, probably just a bit of support and to tell me that my job is also valued.

My parents in law said that I am too young to be a cleaner and it broke into pieces

My cleaner saves me from the divorce courts and from being depressed. I'd never stay on top of the cleaning without her help and I get very down if the place is a tip. My husband and I would also fight about who should do what. I am so so so thankful for my cleaner and it's one of the last things I'd give up. I appreciate everyone who cleans in whatever capacity, places (offices, streets, any public place) would go to the dogs in no time without cleaners. Don't ever feel undervalued, only total twats would undervalue you. Also, I greatly admire your work ethic.

I get where you’re coming from op. I work in a very large office as a customer service officer(although wfh currently), and I see it a lot. Not being vocally patronising, or I would definitely say something, but just general body language and glances, or even treating the cleaners like they’re invisible. It’s not management either, but usually people lower down the chain. Just hold your head high. We massively need cleaners at the moment to keep our environment safe, so your job is so important to all of us.

Your job is not the problem, your friends are if that's how they are treating you. Every job is important and cleaners are so important especially at the moment. Also, as someone who is terrible at cleaning I actually think it's skilled job. Be proud of yourself for working hard no matter what others may think

And there are so many bullshit jobs out there! Totally pointless ones. Cleaners definitely do not fall into that category. Absolutely essential workers.

Pay them no mind OP. Not worth the bother. I had a second job as an office cleaner decades ago now. I took it to get a house deposit together. Funnily enough the senior manager in his big office was as nice as pie and really chatty. The snobbiest people were the young ones. Junior office girls doing basic admin duties younger than me used to look me up and down like shit on their shoe. I used to smile to myself as my day job was in a laboratory doing extremely cutting edge DNA extraction procedures. We didn’t cross paths much unless they were working late and the evening bit of hoovering helped me unwind and helped me on my way to home ownership.

How horrible of your friends and family! Well done you for getting out there and taking a job to keep your family going. Kudos to you.

Let me tell you who the real hero's of the nhs are - the cleaning staff!

Even without COVID they clean infection rooms to high standards, surgery suites that look like an IED went off in a butchers,
It's the cleaners that keep the hospital running.

I always make sure they know they are seen and appreciated.

You are working to keep your family going - absolutely no shame in that.

Would they prefer you not to work? These people are arseholes OP. You're earning money to pay your bills and there is absolutely nothing wrong with cleaning. There is a lot wrong with people who look down on cleaners though.

I was a domestic cleaner in 1990's. I was from a 'posh' family and I picked up my first cleaning job when I became a single parent and I needed to start to earn better money than the min wage jobs I was doing to buy my ex out of the mortgage. I HAD to escape the marriage!

I took the first cleaning job and built up a round and because I charged more than double the minimum wage, it was then possible to take on a mortgage in my own name, and I got the house!

I KNOW what you mean about family and friends, I had all of that too but I had a roof over my kids head in a good area and that's what mattered to me! I screened out the negative chatter and took in the money.

To my surprise though, the clients that I served really valued me and treasured me, no negative chatter from them (in most cases). I began to love what I did and I became very proud of it despite the negative talk from my nearest and dearest.

To cut long story short I've built a domestic cleaning business which before Covid employed 17 cleaners and an office manager and even now we have 13 cleaners and have held on to our office manager. Looking likely to survive this into the future because still our clients TREASURE us and I LOVE what we do for them. I love my business, it brings pleasure to clients and also a higher paid employment to those willing to go the extra mile!

Honestly it's of so much value, you just have to believe in yourself, if you are good at it and like doing it fuck the naysayers, they can do their thing and you do yours and people will LOVE what you do. They will love you so much they will pay top dollar for what you do.

I can hardly remember the days when I felt like it was me against the world with what I wanted to do, all I feel is glad that I ignored 'the world' ie my family and listened to the clients who appreciated me and would pay what I needed to go further.

Do what you do, and do it to the highest standard, keep learning to improve within the industry, then you can charge the top rates you are worth, and then you can feel you've made a great thing happen for all around you and you can feel very proud of this! Nobody can tell you different! It IS needed and it IS valued and brings comfort to many people.

I am a cleaner (don't clean myself so much now) and I feel very proud of me for it!

It does sometimes feel a thankless job and you do sometimes feel invisible but that says far more about them than you. I was a cleaner for 15 years and a dinner lady and worked in a shop all part time, i only work in the shop now (knees are too knackered for cleaning). I remember once parking in someones space, not allocated she just thought she owned it and i always remember her saying "THAT cleaner is in my space" unfortunately for her i was behind her so i informed her that i had a name and was just as important as her. Funnily enough i got more respect after that. Be proud of yourself op.

Whoever looks down on cleaners are idiots. I know someone who works in a professional role but cleans at the weekend for income top up and has done for years.

My DH and I have JUST been discussing whether he should leave his stressful IT job and do something more practical. Cleaning is current top idea - physical work rather than brain work, requires care and focus to do it well, can be reasonably flexible. During a public health emergency I can't think of many more important jobs than cleaning.

The low status and low pay of jobs like cleaning is based on pure misogyny. It is a devaluation of jobs with a typically or traditionally female workforce. IT DOES NOT REFLECT YOUR WORTH OR THE VALUE OF THE WORK.

Personally, I will always have gratitude and respect for any job done well.

I work in a school kitchen, the school has cleaners for the dining area and common room area (secondary and sixth form) as well as other areas.
We always get the same lovely young woman, she is absolutely amazing- sometimes the area she has to clean is left in an awful state after 1000 teenage boys have been through and she works absolute magic! There was a few days she way off and they sent the caretaker and you could definitely tell the difference.
Our dining hall cleaner is hired by the kids club who use our premises to clean after them and she does an amazing job. We also had her perform our annual deep clean of the kitchen and it was amazing. She is skilled in her attention to detail and has amazing work ethic. We value her a lot.
If the people judging you are not offering their own cash to pay your bills tell them to get lost. Be proud of your work and hold your head high x

You’re not only doing a valuable and skilled job (especially in the current climate where hygiene is more important than ever). You’re bringing in money to support your family. You’re doing great things and you should be proud.

You need better friends, less judgemental ones
I totally agree with this.
Our cleaner is one of our team.
Absolutely no one looks down on her, she is included when people brew up, general conversation and nights out etc.
Why wouldn't she. When she is off we certainly know about it.
I'd be asking your friends and family what on earth their problem is and stop being so bloody rude.
Stand up for yourself and be angry with them and proud of yourself

Absolutely nothing wrong with being a cleaner, it's an honest days work. You are supporting yourself, contributing towards society. That's something to be proud of. I'm a nurse and neither I nor any of my colleagues could do our jobs without the domestics.

Regardless of our jobs, we are all just little cogs that work together to keep society going. People who look down on you are the ones with the problem.

I love anyone who would clean for me. Thanks for doing it and sorry your so called friends are arses

I'm well educated too, and today I applied for a job cleaning a facility which disposes of animal carcasses. Plus I'll have to walk seven miles or so each way for a job that's just a couple of hours a day. We all do what we need to do. The people who look down on you are bastards and I hope they all lose their cushy jobs soon!

Hold your head up high OP. Anyone that would look down on you obviously is very insecure about themselves.

I will always say this...
Cleaners arethe most important people in any working environment... without you no one else could function, we need a clean environment to be productive in. So thank you

You'd think Coronavirus would have taught them the importance of cleaners. Good for you.

Sorry OP, I voted wrong, got confused as to what was the right answer!
Fuck people putting you down, you a doing a worthwhile decent job.
Where I work cleaning is part of my role, everyone knows I’m the best at it and I take great pride in it

Why anyone should look down on a cleaner is beyond me. I can't understand the mean, childish behaviour from your family and friends. As someone else said, you provide a vital service and have done your best in very difficult times. Glad to hear your husband is supportive.

For those in the office that look down on you - shame on them.

I work in an office and I listened to a presentation by our head of facilities how everyone contributes something to the organisation.

He thanked housekeeping for ensuring that meeting rooms were clean each day. New clients are seen in these meeting rooms and first impressions count.

So no one should look down on anyone

I too love my cleaners. They are the only thing in my life that actually gives me time back, time to do things like play with my kids and exercise- priceless.
Totally agree about having to have solid ethics too they know a hell of a lot about you!