Cleaning client ignoring social distancing

[B3ttyBoop]

AIBU?

I have been working for this household for several years. We had a break last year due to the pandemic and resumed when it was safe on the understanding we would keep our distance. Currently both parents and children are at home full time so I agreed to do a shorter clean. They all have separate spaces where they can study/work away from where i'm cleaning.

However, the last few times the husband has been in and out of the kitchen whilst i'm cleaning. He ended up standing next to me to get a cup. I moved away quickly. Most of the family are coming in and out of the kitchen whilst i'm working there. Wet floors aren't an issue either despite me raising concerns that they could fall over. I wear a mask in the communal areas and make sure windows/doors are open for ventilation.

I've previously raised concerns about distancing etc which is effective for a few weeks but is then disregarded. I'm getting annoyed and jumpy about this situation and their disregard for distancing. If I stop cleaning for them, i will lose income at a time when it will be hard to replace. Am i overreacting or not?

Could you start prompting them before starting a room, like asking 'does anyone need anything from the kitchen before i start cleaning, will be out of use for about 20 mins' or something like that?

Would allow you to have a daily (or however often you are there) reminder for them that they arent to come in.

@SakuraEdenSwan1

This is not essential work therefore they should of furloughed you and cleaned their own house.

@SakuraEdenSwan1

The purpose of furlough is not for the government magic money tree to pay anyone who isn’t a nurse. It’s to stop companies that are struggling from making people redundant. If you can work you are expected to work. If you have to leave home to do it then that is what you are expected to do.

If we all just stopped working the economy would be in an even worse state. I realise this has nothing to do with the OP (cleaners are self employed) but people like you drive me insane - the point of lockdown is to minimise social contact to keep the NHS going, it is not to totally collapse the economy so the next three generations are paying for this. Do you really not understand that money doesn’t grow on trees?

@ScottishStottie

Could you start prompting them before starting a room, like asking 'does anyone need anything from the kitchen before i start cleaning, will be out of use for about 20 mins' or something like that?

Would allow you to have a daily (or however often you are there) reminder for them that they arent to come in.

This is a really good idea. I like this

@ScottishStottie

Could you start prompting them before starting a room, like asking 'does anyone need anything from the kitchen before i start cleaning, will be out of use for about 20 mins' or something like that?

Would allow you to have a daily (or however often you are there) reminder for them that they arent to come in.

This works well with my other clients but it hasn't with this family. They agree with it but they forget.

Op, I'm a cleaner and I've the same problem with one family. In my case it's a mother and pre teen. They stated that they would be in one room while I work. In reality they both are constantly walking around the house. One minute I find them separately sitting in two rooms, few minutes later in another room or turn round to find them behind me while I'm hoovering. They won't open the doors and windows downstairs either, it's too cold apparently. I've worked for them a number of years, and don't really want to have to replace them, but they have shown me a different side.

Why is it so difficult for anyone to set themselves up in a room with everything they need and just stay there til the jobs complete.

Ultimately you have a job, it’s your decision if it’s worth the aggro. Personally if I needed the money I’d do it and get on with it. But ultimately it’s your choice OP!!
Grit your teeth or chuck your toys out the pram!!

get a new client and fuck these ones off. Tell them why.

@Brefugee

get a new client and fuck these ones off. Tell them why.

If i was the 'chucking the toys out the pram' type i would've left this family a long time ago. But their behaviour is really difficult to ignore. We've had workmen in here and i made sure i opened the window and stayed in the other room. It isn't difficult.

@Tootsey11

Op, I'm a cleaner and I've the same problem with one family. In my case it's a mother and pre teen. They stated that they would be in one room while I work. In reality they both are constantly walking around the house. One minute I find them separately sitting in two rooms, few minutes later in another room or turn round to find them behind me while I'm hoovering. They won't open the doors and windows downstairs either, it's too cold apparently. I've worked for them a number of years, and don't really want to have to replace them, but they have shown me a different side.

Why is it so difficult for anyone to set themselves up in a room with everything they need and just stay there til the jobs complete.

^ this! They agree to staying out of the rooms you're working in but in practise they ignore it. It's easy to take drinks and snacks in your work space. The room's out of use for a relatively short time so it's no great hardship. The last session was a joke - he was in and out a number of times and then the other two came in.

Is there any way you could ask them to put on a mask at least? when entering the same room as you

They may agree to it but i can guarantee they won't do it

At the end of the day you have 3 options imo..
Ask them to put on a mask repeatedly until they get the message, risk it or look for another job. I'd go for the first option.
It's for your protection, so be more assertive, if they don't like it leave, it's not worth the money and they'll have trouble finding anyone else who'd be happy taking the risk weekly!
(i clean and work in retail, so have had to put my foot down in the past too)

Do they agree and then just forget? And it’s awkward to keep reminding them. If so, close the kitchen door whilst you are in there and pop a polite sign on it.

If they are just agreeing for the sake of it with no intention of being considerate, then leave them. Line up a new client first if you need but ditch them as fast as you can.

If they are just agreeing for the sake of it with no intention of being considerate, then leave them. Line up a new client first if you need but ditch them as fast as you can.

I doubt whether it's just forgetfulness but it's hard to prove. The last session came across as ' this is our place and we'll do what we like'. And the man was finding any excuse to come in while i was working. I don't see the point in a battle of wills. If they want the place cleaned then why harass the cleaner?

I would tell them you have taken on work for someone CEV and you need to ensure for their safety the rules you put in place are adhered to. Explain they are your only clients who put you at risk. Tell them if they continually break the agreed terms you will have no option but to discontinue the contract to ensure your safety and that of your other clients.

Just line up another job and dump them. If they are continually disregarding your health they are not worth the agro.
It's hardly throwing your toys out of the pram to decide your working conditions don't suit!
How would they like it if their employers insisted they went to work instead of staying at home?

I would tell them you have taken on work for someone CEV and you need to ensure for their safety the rules you put in place are adhered to

They're already aware (told x3 times) that we are responsible for a CEV person but it has made very little difference.

At this point I would just be blunt and tell them that you have been polite and asked them to respect your requests for appropriate social distancing measures but as they aren't doing so you are considering whether it is practical to continue working with them.

I'd use the last visit as an example - "I have asked you to not to come into the area I am working in but on Tuesday I was in the kitchen and was interrupted X times, the living room Y times and hall Z times and this is not the first time this has happened. I understand it can be difficult to avoid spaces in your own home, but if you cannot allow me the space to work for the relatively short time I am in your house then I will have to reconsider whether I can continue this working relationship."

Call the wife and tell her this. Exactly.

The last few times I have cleaned, there hasn’t been any social distancing. At first, I put it down to forgetfulness. But on the last clean, your husband came right up to me repeatedly when I was cleaning the kitchen. It is making me feel very uncomfortable. Please could you speak to your husband and children about this again.

This shouldn’t necessarily be dumped on the wife but realistically she is more likely to get her husband to back off than you are.

I think this is tricky as there is clearly a mismatch in covid anxiety levels - not uncommon throughout the country atm I guess. Some people are, understandable, at peak anxiety and others have gone the other way.

I will be honest that I fall into the latter camp, however, last March I was completely at peak anxiety so I do get both sides.

If you were my cleaner I would obviously respect your anxiety (and the overall copied situation) but I would, honestly, keep forgetting that you are actually as anxious as you are (as I don't go to shops etc so I don't see people in masks). Honestly - I would also think (in my head) that you need to stop believing all the mainstream news (sorry, just being honest). So this might be what they are thinking. That said, I wouldn't intentionally want to come near you/scare you. But I would keep forgetting. And actually seeing you in my house in a mask would be really stressful too.

I'm sure it is v frustrating for you and you must be in high demand so it might be a case of dropping this particular client?

Honestly - I would also think (in my head) that you need to stop believing all the mainstream news (sorry, just being honest). So this might be what they are thinking. That said, I wouldn't intentionally want to come near you/scare you. But I would keep forgetting. And actually seeing you in my house in a mask would be really stressful too.

What a peculiar way of thinking .

Find another client first and ditch them. They don't deserve you.

When you’re in a room,close the door and blu tack a notice to the outside of the door at eye level?

@BitOfFun

Honestly - I would also think (in my head) that you need to stop believing all the mainstream news (sorry, just being honest). So this might be what they are thinking. That said, I wouldn't intentionally want to come near you/scare you. But I would keep forgetting. And actually seeing you in my house in a mask would be really stressful too.

What a peculiar way of thinking .

Maybe, but maybe not as unique as you think. Lots of people are v scared of Covid (obviously) and lots of people aren't scared of Covid (which may not be obvious to the people that are v scared of Covid). Some people have been both v scared and not so scared during the last twelve months.

OP, perhaps find a family to work for where you can get on with your work without feeling jumpy.

OP, I wish you were my cleaner. I've had to pause our regular arrangement because our cleaner kept ignoring social distancing guidelines and had a really half-assed approach to mask wearing. (She actually removed her mask in order to talk to me the last time she was here...) She'd call us over to make small talk about what she'd bought in the local shop or whatever. But she did come out and tell us that she is not going to have the vaccine, so I think I know how she feels about the whole situation. It seems like people fall into two different camps at the moment and it can cause problems when you encounter people who take the opposite view on all of this. I'd find new clients if you can. They might change their behaviour of your remind them again, but you'll be on edge for the next time they "forget".