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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to ask husband to clean layers of dust?

74 replies

ImmyMc · 20/09/2021 15:57

For context, I am five months pregnant and exhausted. I work full time (this week, I worked 5.5 days, as I sometimes have to work Saturdays), and I am also studying for a masters part-time, which I am trying to complete before the baby is born. This masters is 20 hours a week. I work, at my actual job, between 40 and 55 hours a week, depending on the week.

My husband is not currently in paid employment, but he is working unpaid on developing his own business, and he is often working 10-12 hour days or more on this. He also wants to launch the business before the baby is born, so he is trying to get it completed before then.

The house has not been properly fully cleaned since the beginning of July (no judgements, please). By cleaned, I mean dusted, floors washed, bathroom washed etc. There are quite thick layers of dust on all the furniture, and some cobwebs in the corners.

My husband does clean the kitchen more often than me, but usually the kitchen is a state. I often leave dishes, especially at the moment as I am falling asleep at night on the couch and getting up early for work, and he usually does those dishes. He also cooks every night for us. He sometimes gives the house a tidy once a week, and often it is my clothes etc. that is lying out. However, he never actually cleans the house, and he leaves things lying out as well, for example dishes etc. all over his work desk. I don't keep the house tidy or clean either on a weekly basis, but I always give it a thorough clean during my holidays (I work term times, so I have holidays every 5 or 6 weeks or so).

Basically, his parents arrive to stay with us on Wednesday. I have been asking him for about a week to start cleaning the house, as it needs a proper clean for them arriving. It is really dirty and dusty, and I feel like I just don't have time to clean it properly, but that it's not fair on them to arrive to stay in a dirty, dusty house. For example, the tiles in the bathroom are thick with limescale that has gone pink, and the floors badly need to be washed. However, we had a big fight tonight where he said he isn't going to be "pedantic" and dust "random bits of surfaces" for his parents coming out. But I'm not talking about a normal once a week dust that isn't obvious. I'm talking about surfaces that haven't been dusted in weeks.

We had a two-hour argument about it. It seems he thinks that I was unreasonable for pointing out things that he hadn't cleaned yet, for example, the cobwebs and the tiles. I did not mean it this way - he often doesn't see dirt and dust, so I just meant to point those things out to him for him to do, but he has taken it as me being a dick about it. Perhaps he is right about that, even thought it wasn't intentional.

However, the other part of our fight is my anger that he believes that he is doing more than me because he is working sometimes 12 hours a day on his business. He thinks because I take breaks while I work that I am working less than him. I am angry, though, because I am working full time, doing my masters, pregnant, and because I also do almost everything for preparing for the baby, i.e. sorting out the welfare applications, leasing a new car, getting our documents together etc. It takes up a lot of my time, plus midwife appointments etc.

I understand my husband also has a deadline of January, but my "deadlines" (i.e. the hours I have to be at work and the essay deadlines for the university this month) are immovable. But he makes his own hours. To my mind, he could easily take a day off his work, clean the house, and then make up the hours after his parents have gone by working an hour or two extra a day. I just can't do that.

Who is being unreasonable here? Or are we both being a bit unreasonable?

OP posts:
ImmyMc · 20/09/2021 22:06

@Lady1576 Yeah, I am a teacher. The exhaustion and the neverending to do list are very real. But it's not a masters in education, it's a conversion masters. The idea is to do it to get the hell out of teaching, earn more money, and ultimately have more time at the end of it. With only a few months to go, the end is in sight, but the baby is badly timed (though also very welcome!).

OP posts:
ImmyMc · 20/09/2021 22:08

@Cocomarine

Is there a reason you’re not answering the questions about the viability of your husband’s business? I know people who’ve worked all hours building a business up that they’re actually running. Not so much 12 hour days when they haven’t even launched 🤷🏻‍♀️ Why can’t he ease back to 8 hour days and launch 2 months later?
Yes, there is a reason but I've not said it because to explain it would be revealing, and I don't want to do that. It's not just a business he's setting up, but he isn't pretending. He is working on something real, and there is a reason he isn't in paid work right now, too.
OP posts:
Cocomarine · 20/09/2021 22:10

That’s all you had to say - no-one was asking for the exact detail, just confirmation that he wasn’t chasing a vanity project! It’s just it wouldn’t be the first time on MN 🤣

Embracelife · 20/09/2021 22:10

Get a cleaner

Hoppinggreen · 20/09/2021 22:13

@Floralnomad

Alternatively get his mum to do it when she arrives .
Or his Dad
GoWalkabout · 20/09/2021 22:18

When you are both overstretched things fray and you both feel hard done by. This is not sustainable and your little one is going to be born to burnt out parents. Ask for some outside help or decide what's going to give. Cancel the in laws or tell them you need help.

Ell17 · 20/09/2021 22:19

@Slippy78

Why does it matter if your house is clean or not?
What?!
R3ALLY · 20/09/2021 22:22

Is he doing something like writing a book? Not being nosy, just concerned he is putting time into something that may or may not work out financially. Either way, as others have said the baby is going to hit you both like a freight train time wise so id advise you to get a cleaning rota sorted now. No matter what he’s working at!

Mateypotatey · 20/09/2021 22:46

I have cobwebs but I'm just keeping them until Halloween as decorations 🤷‍♀️. What's your masters in? Interested as a fellow teaching escapee

Floralnomad · 20/09/2021 22:53

@Hoppinggreen I’m working on the theory that if he’s a lazy sod who can’t clean that his dad will be the same .

DoylyCarte · 20/09/2021 22:54

I’ve only scanned down the first page, as had already formulated my response halfway through the op and I’m sure I’m just adding my own voice to the mn choir chanting “cleaner, cleaner, cleaner”

But nevertheless… surely just get a cleaner!?

Briony123 · 20/09/2021 23:04

In the 2 hours you spent arguing you could have cleaned the house. Or, better, in the 2 hours you spent arguing, you could have hired a cleaner to sort your house out while you and DH went for a nice walk.

OneMoreStitch · 20/09/2021 23:13

It's utterly ridiculous to have an argument for 2 hours when that time could have been spent cleaning and probably gotten the worst of it done.

If he won't help clean, I'd just let it be a mess when his parents arrive, then apologise on his behalf for the dust and scum. He'll love that, I'm sure. Hmm

lynntheyresexpeople · 20/09/2021 23:22

Honestly, it's more important to get your house clean and prepared for a baby than finishing the masters before the baby arrives.
You both need to prioritise getting it sorted. It's only getting worse whilst you argue over who does it.
Divvy it up between you and get it sorted. If you can't sort this between you, a baby will be one hell of a shock.

ohthatbloodycat · 20/09/2021 23:32

@DogFoodPie

What are his parents like? Are they nice, would they pitch in with a bit of non-judgemental cleaning?
I'd die a death before I asked this of my guests Shock
IceLace100 · 20/09/2021 23:33

I'd pay for a cleaner on a one off basis.

After that you're going to have to work out how to split it fairly.

Given that you're going to be heavily pg, then just given birth, your OH is going to have to pull his thumb out.

Also, side note, why would he (a) work for zero money on the run up to the birth of a child and (b) launch said business just as his baby is born? Seems mad timing to me.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 21/09/2021 04:25

@viques

That two hour argument could have been four hours of combined house cleaning! I know you are both exhausted but you need to get yourselves a bit more organised. When the baby comes you will be knackered and he will be even more involved in the business.

Twenty minutes a day each, (combined ) that is forty minutes of cleaning , it would be plenty. One of you tidy and dust the other mop or hoover. You could do two rooms a day. After the first week it will easier, you could probably reduce that time. Draw up a timetable , make sure you have cleaning cloths/products in the right places.

This....

I loathe cleaning.... But since we had an initial blitz... In your shoes I'd hire a cleaner...

15mins each per day is loads! It will also stop cups/ crap piling up as you'll have to move to clean.

timeisnotaline · 21/09/2021 04:34

The op is too tired to do 15 mins, plus it would probably be 15 mins from her, plus 30 mins getting him to do his 15.

I’d be worried about when the baby comes. What kind of parent will he be? 1 year olds don’t eat at 10pm so will he adapt and cook in advance sometimes or you just have to do it all for the baby?

Cadent · 21/09/2021 04:39

@viques

That two hour argument could have been four hours of combined house cleaning! I know you are both exhausted but you need to get yourselves a bit more organised. When the baby comes you will be knackered and he will be even more involved in the business.

Twenty minutes a day each, (combined ) that is forty minutes of cleaning , it would be plenty. One of you tidy and dust the other mop or hoover. You could do two rooms a day. After the first week it will easier, you could probably reduce that time. Draw up a timetable , make sure you have cleaning cloths/products in the right places.

She’s doing 75 hours of work and study whilst pregnant.

Why can’t her husband do it?

KindnessMyFriends · 21/09/2021 05:10

@Comedycook

I don't want to worry you but how on earth are you both going to cope when you have a baby? Even with work and study, I'm baffled that two adults can't keep their home clean.
Why are you baffled? OP has explained they are both overworked and exhausted. Something has to give. I'm baffled that you are baffled!
Simonjt · 21/09/2021 05:57

To be honest if I had a partner who didn’t cook, left clothes lying around and left pots everywhere I wouldn’t be impressed if they saw cleaning as my sole responsibility.

You chose a masters, thats great, did your partner 100% agree that this removed your responsibility for cleaning your home, or did you assume?

I hate cleaning, we had a cleaner until recently, we haven’t found anyone good enough to replace her yet so we are doing it ourselves. We live in a decent size flat with a six year old, dog and a cat, cleaning our flat properly really doesn’t take long, lots of tasks (like dusting) are no more tiring than watching TV or reading a book.

If you can’t afford a cleaner now how will you cope financially when the baby arrives, are you either getting generous maternity pay or going back after six weeks?

Hont1986 · 21/09/2021 08:22

She’s doing 75 hours of work and study whilst pregnant. Why can’t her husband do it?

Because her husband is also working 70 hour weeks on setting up the business and already does the majority of the housework. These are two people who have chosen to overwork themselves silly and can't see the obvious answer to pay for a one-off deep clean then maintain it little and often.

ImmyMc · 21/09/2021 08:31

@Simonjt

To be honest if I had a partner who didn’t cook, left clothes lying around and left pots everywhere I wouldn’t be impressed if they saw cleaning as my sole responsibility.

You chose a masters, thats great, did your partner 100% agree that this removed your responsibility for cleaning your home, or did you assume?

I hate cleaning, we had a cleaner until recently, we haven’t found anyone good enough to replace her yet so we are doing it ourselves. We live in a decent size flat with a six year old, dog and a cat, cleaning our flat properly really doesn’t take long, lots of tasks (like dusting) are no more tiring than watching TV or reading a book.

If you can’t afford a cleaner now how will you cope financially when the baby arrives, are you either getting generous maternity pay or going back after six weeks?

He actually did agree this, and said he would take on board the bulk of the cooking and cleaning while I did this, which is I guess where a lot of this argument comes from as I wouldn't have taken on a masters had we not had this discussion.

If I finish the masters before the baby arrives, I will also have finished paying for the masters, so we will have the cash we are not spending on the fees. Also, if the business does launch, then we will hopefully be bringing in a bit of revenue from that as well. And, I will have seven months of paid maternity leave, so we will be fine. The financial difficulties are now.

It's also true that if I don't finish the masters before the baby arrives then I will lose what I have paid for the year and, therefore, won't actually get my masters at all without having to resit part of it. So it's important to get it done. The baby was a bit of a surprise, so we didn't deliberately time it like this. We're just trying to do the best we can to get our situation sorted before he arrives.

OP posts:
gannett · 21/09/2021 08:40

Your real problem is that both of you, who apparently have so little time in the day, are still either so stubborn/argumentative/bad at communication that you can spend two hours arguing over this instead of doing something about it. I genuinely don't think I've ever had a two-hour argument in my life.

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