Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to expect my clients to stay out of the way?

161 replies

Tootsey11 · 27/09/2021 16:55

I'm a cleaner, I have a number of clients who are WFH. All men. Their wives all assured me that 'they will keep out of the way' while I am cleaning. They don't. All the cleans are 2 hours so not a long time. But they all are up and down stairs, toilet breaks, coffee making, lunch making, just getting a drink, I'm meeting them on the stairs, I'm hoovering and turn round and they are there. Am I wrong to be fed up with it. Why can't anyone just set themselves up where they are working and stay there until I leave. These are all pre booked appointments so they know when I am due round.

If you wfh do you constantly get in the cleaners way.

OP posts:
CaptainHammer · 28/09/2021 19:06

[quote BasiliskStare]@CaptainHammer - that is not how I took this - if another loo available - use it - don't ask the cleaner to move out of the bath room he / she is in the middle of cleaning. That would be unreasonable. If only one loo & desperate and not allowed in - quite a different matter. I would expect cleaner to serve notice under the circumstances which may arise but I may question how reasonable people can be.

( Is that too jokey for you )[/quote]
Yes, I agree with you. But this thread is about this poster and her particular issue in which there is another toilet available hence my first reply to you

shrunkenhead · 28/09/2021 19:12

I'm a cleaner but I'm also friends with all my clients (we were either before or after they asked me to clean for them and have cleaned for them for a number of years) most are out when I'm there but I have older retired people who are around when I'm cleaning and we work around each other and sometimes chat. Some of the wfh usually tell me to ignore their office/work station but we always have a chat when they make me a brew etc.
I think many wfh-ers found it quite lonely initially and actually enjoyed having another soul in the house to talk to.

shrunkenhead · 28/09/2021 19:19

And as for school holidays I usually send a generic text message to all with kids asking if I am required over hols or not. That way I can plan my own childcare, days out etc.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 28/09/2021 19:27

If kids sick I expect client to inform me and give me the option of rearranging or cancelling. and that if I chose to come kid would be staying in one room that I wouldn’t be cleaning. This is what has happened previously

If they’re contagious, that makes sense. But what if they’ve been on antibiotics 48 hours for an ear infection, or sustained a knee injury or fractured ankle playing football? Would you refuse to come in case the child needed to use the loo or hobble from one room to another while you clean?

I don’t understand why you cleaning is such a hazard with the family around, when in workplaces cleaners are part of the team and hoover your office, empty bins etc while you work. In hospitals they chat to patients as they clean (and have to dodge all manner of moving beds, wheelchairs etc).

BasiliskStare · 28/09/2021 19:41

@CaptainHammer - I suspect we are violently agreeing. To not use another loo available is entirely unreasonable.

All best to you

Seboqueen · 28/09/2021 20:21

“ I don’t understand why you cleaning is such a hazard with the family around, when in workplaces cleaners are part of the team and hoover your office, empty bins etc while you work. In hospitals they chat to patients as they clean (and have to dodge all manner of moving beds, wheelchairs etc).”

Accidents can and do happen when you’re cleaning and they’re more likely to happen if you’re working in someone’s home with the family. Children (and adults)can and do forget that wet floors, electric cables, chemicals can cause trip hazards. The cleaner and their equipment are seen as a novelty: we have pretty coloured bottles, noisy vacuum cleaners which look like fun to play with etc. We don’t have eyes in the backs of our heads and it’s difficult (and time consuming) trying to make sure children aren’t going to harm themselves.

BasiliskStare · 28/09/2021 20:30

I think if you are concerned about having a cleaner in with children around - then don't have the cleaner. If the cleaner is worried about causing and accident - then perfectly OK to say I won't be there.

I am elderly - never ( touch wood) have I or any of my friends not managed to herd DCs so that they really do not cause the cleaner a problem or indeed cause themselves a problem by running feral round the cleaner.

Lucky - me? - It would be pretty to think so

MolyHolyGuacamole · 28/09/2021 20:44

[quote Tootsey11]@ImNotDancing, no, it means they stay out of my way as I've only got a set amount of time to get the job done. Would you get under a decorators feet or a plumber doing their job, no you'd stay outa the way.[/quote]
You're absolutely right. But some people on here think that cleaners need to know their place Hmm

Seboqueen · 28/09/2021 20:48

” But some people on here think that cleaners need to know their place hmm”

^^ this!

ladygracie · 28/09/2021 20:52

I don’t work from home but my son is often here when our cleaner is and he stays in his room the whole time. My daughter did the same when she was here. It is rude not too especially as they know when you are coming. Could you message whoever you booked with to say that the times don’t seem to be convenient so is there another time that works better? That might make the point.

BasiliskStare · 28/09/2021 20:59

Some people seem to think that cleaners need to know their place

I am sure that is true for some people & I cannot argue against lived experience. In general I think that is not quite fair. Why would you not respect someone coming into your house and not want to have a proper professional discussion e.g. - you want me out of x room to do your job, will do my best , but I need to get into x room to get a coffee / sandwich in my 3 min window between x time and y time so I can do my job.

mobear · 28/09/2021 21:00

My DP doesn't leave the room he's working in but he never makes it easy to shoo him out so that that room can be cleaned. I'm on mat leave at the moment though so I can manage him out.

ImNotDancing · 28/09/2021 21:08

You're absolutely right. But some people on here think that cleaners need to know their place hmm

@MolyHolyGuacamole

I do hope that’s not aimed at me Hmm

LittleMG · 28/09/2021 21:08

The main point here is that all these women think their husbands are working from home when really they are just bobbing about all day!!!! Grin

MolyHolyGuacamole · 28/09/2021 21:14

@ImNotDancing

You're absolutely right. But some people on here think that cleaners need to know their place hmm

@MolyHolyGuacamole

I do hope that’s not aimed at me Hmm

I couldn't even tell you what your comment was, this is aimed at all saying 'I'm paying you and it's my house, I can do as I please'. If you're one of those then yes, otherwise don't take everything so personally Grin
ellyeth · 28/09/2021 21:41

I think people need to go to the toilet - and making a hot drink isn't really a big deal is it. But if they are constantly hanging around I can see that could be rather annoying.

Perhaps you need to find different clients.

fiorentina · 28/09/2021 21:57

I WFH and stay out the way of our cleaners. I’m lucky that we have a room I can be in and a couple of them are here for 90 mins. I make sure I have a flask of hot water and snacks.

ImNotDancing · 28/09/2021 22:10

@MolyHolyGuacamole you were directly commenting on a reply to my comment. Glad to have cleared it up

MolyHolyGuacamole · 28/09/2021 22:25

[quote ImNotDancing]@MolyHolyGuacamole you were directly commenting on a reply to my comment. Glad to have cleared it up[/quote]
Fair, I didn't check your user name and I didn't see your comment. I was agreeing with OP's reply but realise now as I quoted her that you probably were notified

Kiduknot · 28/09/2021 22:26

Are you particularly attractive, op?

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 28/09/2021 22:27

I'm shaking my head reading some of the comments on here. I'm glad that the majority of my clients have the commonsense to give me space and peace to work. It's not difficult to understand that a better quality of work is achieved this way. For me it is simply a bit of respect for the person coming into your home. A few attitudes on here stink.

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 28/09/2021 22:30

@Tootsey11

I'm shaking my head reading some of the comments on here. I'm glad that the majority of my clients have the commonsense to give me space and peace to work. It's not difficult to understand that a better quality of work is achieved this way. For me it is simply a bit of respect for the person coming into your home. A few attitudes on here stink.
Its THEIR home first. Your workplace second.

But you read like the world should revolve around you.

Not going to happen in their private space. You know, their home. You've got some wishful thinking going on. To put it politely.

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 28/09/2021 22:30

@Kiduknot, that made me smile, I'm slim with long honey blonde hair, but I'm nearly 50 and a bit of a sweaty menopausal mess, so no!

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 28/09/2021 22:33

@BasiliskStare

Some people seem to think that cleaners need to know their place

I am sure that is true for some people & I cannot argue against lived experience. In general I think that is not quite fair. Why would you not respect someone coming into your house and not want to have a proper professional discussion e.g. - you want me out of x room to do your job, will do my best , but I need to get into x room to get a coffee / sandwich in my 3 min window between x time and y time so I can do my job.

Its not about 'knowing their place'.

Its about understanding anyone in their own home is going to feel like they should just do their own thing, precisely because its their private space.

The same is true of any social status and isn't about looking down on anyone. Its just wanting to use their own space without others telling them what to do - its the only place they can set the rules...

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 28/09/2021 22:34

@Redtoothbrush, then don't expect someone to come in, work their ass off for a strict amount time and leave a house spotless, while you then decide to walk in and out repeatedly while they are trying their best to do a first class jobs. I would sack you on the spot.

OP posts: