To think you can’t expect somebody to clean this?

[askmeagainin5]

DH is a tradesman and his car is filthy. Seats and dashboard completely covered in plaster dust, he has to eat in there if it’s raining outside so there’s been drinks spilt that have just been unsuccessfully wiped up and are now sticky, there’s mud all over the floor, etc.

After he finishes really long days doing physical work he obviously doesn’t fancy getting stuck in and cleaning it, which I can appreciate. He said that when car valet places reopen he is just going to take it there and pay for a full deep clean. I said there is no way you can expect anybody to clean that for any amount of money, you’ll have to at least have a go yourself first to make it a bit better.

DP was at this and said he’d obviously pay a lot more because the car was really dirty and he’d tip very well (which I don’t doubt, he is very generous with money). But I still think you can’t take something like that to be cleaned by somebody else! It prompted a (light-hearted) debate on whether you’d give your house a quick tidy if it was in a proper state before the cleaner comes and I said I would?

Who is being unreasonable MN?

I think as long as he pays them a very good tip then there isn't an issue.

Honestly, I'd be far too embarrassed to send in my car like that. Take out any rubbish, give it a quick hoover and wipe before going would be my advice to him. Otherwise his car may end up on one of those LadBible type sites as 'look at the state of this car before we cleaned it' (I've seen it happen!).

I don't know but it might be that there are some mobile valets around.

I'd maybe sweep it out first and take the surface of muck out but my neighbour does mobile valleting And I'm sure a big tip would swing it!

Pretty sure it's fine to get someone to clean it.

Up to the valeters to price accordingly, or decline the job if they don't want it.
I do this too, but in fairness I always get them to look at my shitheap of a work vehicle before they give me a price.

Is that the point of a valet? To clean your car? I'm sure they will tell him if they can't do it!

I'd take it but ask first for a price and point out the filthy state of it
And if it were me I'd definitely clean it a bit first

The car valet business is cleaning cars, they can just charge him extra.

I think if it's that bad he'll be charged extra for it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking it for a quote! If he was expecting them to clean it for the price advertised on the boards (small/med/4x4/van) I would say no way.
It doesn’t sound like this is the case.
They’ll give him a ‘bespoke’ price & service.

Just ask them to take a look before giving a price and they will charge what they need to.

So long as he pays fairly, it sounds fair enough to me. You can't hoover up a load of brick dust with your domestic vacuum anyway. Unless you fancy buying a new one.

He should fish out any detritus himself though - sandwich wrappers, drinks bottles, that kind of thing.

They clean cars. I'm sure they've seen it all before and if he pays well they won't mind.
There's not a body in the boot of shit on the seat, I think most people (me included) would clean it for good money.

This is like the people that used to clean their house before I came to clean it! Yes pick up rubbish (and in the case of the house give the loo a quick going over). Otherwise let them crack on.

Of course you can. It might cost more but he will easily find someone to do it.

He can do it, he can talk to the valet companies and deal with it?
So yabu. I wouldn’t get involved.

I’ve known some turn people away when they are busy if it’s the vehicle is that bad. The valet company would either charge more or say no, if they have an issue with it.

It'll be fine. We have a farm so my car is always filthy in the winter. I take it in to be cleaned in the spring and just pay the surcharge for an extra dirty car.

There’s a mobile valet near me. I’ve seen his before and after photos. I had no idea people let their vehicles get into that state. We are rural, but he does tractors and all sorts. The muddier the better it seems.

I think it's fine if he pays a fair price. I'd be removing any rubbish and clutter first but other than that, that is their business and i would treat them with the professional respect to have better knowledge, skills and equipment to be able to complete the task.

Honestly, it's their job. They will price accordingly. A friend of mine is a cleaner with a standard rate, however recently took a client who gained control of a family home full of animal hair, feces, food waste, rubbish etc as a result of years of neglect. She tailored a bespoke price and got stuck in. It's her job and the financial reward is worth it. For the right person, no job is too big or too grim.

MNers he is beaming from ear to ear and very much ‘I told you it was okay!!!’

I was thinking it’d be akin to leaving your table a complete state with food all over the floor in a restaurant and your poor waitress has to deal with it. But then I’ve realised the waitress is getting minimum wage and won’t get paid more for dirtier tables and as you have all pointed out the valet people will just charge him according to the state of the car. And now I understand!

It’s his birthday in two weeks, maybe I should buy him a voucher

My DH used to have a similar van and before a valet he would empty it out, hoover the dust (he bought a separate vacuum) and wipe everything down but it still needed a regular proper valet. On occasion he has had some people refuse as it was too time consuming for them to be worth the money.

As for a cleaner I don’t expect my cleaner to tidy, just clean. However if my house was untidy or filthy and I wanted someone to do it I would have to pay over the odds for that specific service.

I would expect it to be expensive to have that deep cleaned so if he’s prepared to pay then it’s up to him. Probably cheaper to buy a vacuum cleaner and keep on top of it at weekends and pay less for a valet.

I have a friend who is a mobile car valeter and he's working so there's that option, I would just say to them it's really really bad I'd be happy for you to look at it first. But most valeters are doing it because they like a challenge and love to see the end result of their hard work. I wouldn't sweat it, just get a mobile one booked.