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

[Tootsey11]

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.

I had one man who without fail went for a shit 5 minutes before I cleaned the bathroom, that really pissed me off.
I don't mind clients being in as I'm a chatter, what I don't like is when the house is like a morgue with no radio or tv on if they're working and I can't put my radio on.

I usually go out running errands to stay out of my cleaners way. Times when I’ve needed to stay home I’ve stayed upstairs while she does downstairs, then switch.
That said, I’d probably not appreciate you complaining if I wanted to make a brew in my own house. Although I wouldn’t expect you to clean a room again after me either so YABU and YANBU 🤷‍♀️

[quote Tootsey11]@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.[/quote]
Its NOT your HOME.

You don't trump that. Even if its your workplace.

You fail to grasp this.

You 'sack' them as clients then. And cut your nose off to spite your face.

If I knew my cleaner was bitching on social media about my habits whilst working from home on the internet, I'd be looking for a different one...

So its probably for the best you part company.

Problem solved.

@imageforu

Opposite problem in our house, cleaner comes and expects a half hour sit down and a lengthy chat. YABU, you need to be able to work around people whose homes you are working in.

Are you paying her for that half hour? If so, I wouldn’t be having that!

If I knew my cleaner was bitching on social media about my habits whilst working from home on the internet, I'd be looking for a different one...

Yawn.

So if you had someone come in to paint your living room you'd think it fine to waltz in and out because it's your home?

You sound delightful

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?

No I wouldn’t “refuse” to come. Common sense seems to be in short supply here.

I don’t understand why you cleaning is such a hazard with the family around

Ok. You don’t understand.

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).

Very different from children in their own home. But yes, you don’t understand.

I wouldn't feel obliged to stay at my desk for two hours because someone else was working in the house. I'd try not to be a nuisance, but I'd carry on with getting drinks, going to the loo etc if I wanted to.

@Redtoothbrush I'm self employed. My terms I set myself. I make these clear before taking on any household. If you agree to them at the start, then blatantly ignore them a few weeks later, then I will have a problem with it. I can 'bitch' all I like as this is public forum.

I'm glad the concensus on here is that I'm not being unreasonable in expecting an occupant to use a vacant bathroom not the one I'm cleaning, and that for me to repeatedly to stop and start rooms is not workable.

I generally stay out of the cleaner’s way, but I don’t lock myself in the study when she’s here. You’re being a bit unreasonable to expect them to delay lunch if it is lunch time. If they’re charging up and down the stairs and into bedrooms then that’s a bit much, but going between study / lavatory / kitchen is totally fine.

If our cleaner asked me to stay out of any room she happened to be in at any given time then I think I’d soon be looking for a new cleaner.

@Lubaluca, you didn't read what I originally wrote. It's not about them going to the loo, it's about them stopping me cleaning one bathroom so they can use it even though there are other toilets in the house. Why can a bloody adult not grab what they need just before I arrive, how hard is that. Its only 2 hours. If I can manage 5 hours in a house without eating and drinking then surely they can just let me get on without constant interruptions.

@towers14

I had one man who without fail went for a shit 5 minutes before I cleaned the bathroom, that really pissed me off. I don't mind clients being in as I'm a chatter, what I don't like is when the house is like a morgue with no radio or tv on if they're working and I can't put my radio on.

Get Bluetooth earpieces

@jaundicedoutlook I've done this job for many years. Apart from these few households, all clients know to stay out of the room I'm working in. It's good manners, likewise if I walked into a room were someone was, I would apologise for disturbing them and go to work in another room. And with covid, no one should be in an enclosed space with a cleaner who is working multiple houses. Some of you clearly have no thought for your cleaners.

[quote Tootsey11]@jaundicedoutlook I've done this job for many years. Apart from these few households, all clients know to stay out of the room I'm working in. It's good manners, likewise if I walked into a room were someone was, I would apologise for disturbing them and go to work in another room. And with covid, no one should be in an enclosed space with a cleaner who is working multiple houses. Some of you clearly have no thought for your cleaners.[/quote]
We’ll, as I said, I generally stay our of our cleaner’s way but I don’t expect her to get too stroppy if I have to go where she is momentarily.

Happily, she’s quite relaxed and professional about it.

The vast majority of my clients are normal people with brains and stay out of my way when I’m working. The ones that make a nuisance of themselves don’t stay clients for long.

You are unbeatable redtoothbrush your post is positively dripping with sneering superiority.
My bet is on you being more than averagely good looking OP and these men looking for any excuse to ogle.

Look, people red toothbrush I will come out and say it: it is demeaning for someone to stare at you whilst you clean a toilet.

There. Just have some decency FGS

Also “cut your nose off to spite your face” you wish.

Where on earth are you that it’s so easy to find a good cleaner?

@MolyHolyGuacamole

If I knew my cleaner was bitching on social media about my habits whilst working from home on the internet, I'd be looking for a different one...

Yawn.

So if you had someone come in to paint your living room you'd think it fine to waltz in and out because it's your home?

You sound delightful

Well yes tbh. Cos I'd want to check if they wanted fucking tea!

Unbearable my post at 23.37 meant to say

She hasn’t mentioned anyone specifically and bitching is such an unfortunate phrase. Do you mean complaining?

@Firetimeagain

Also “cut your nose off to spite your face” you wish.

Where on earth are you that it’s so easy to find a good cleaner?

I do it myself tbh. This is why i dont have a cleaner. Don't want people coming in my house intruding on myself and then posting all over the fucking internet about how ungrateful I am for them disrupting their day (remembering the context of this thread is about how some one is wfh). I certainly couldn't relax and work whilst someone was doing the cleaning - too much of a distraction - but knowing i needed to be 'present' at work all the same so cant just fuck off out. Nor i like cleaners judging my cleaning standards and complaining about how they shouldnt have to do this or that blah blah blah.

I couldn't stand the idea of having a cleaner in my home. It would feel like a massive invasive of privacy and make me incredibly uncomfortable. Especially if the ettique is somehow to tip toe around said cleaner...

Fucksake just get on with the job or dont.

I do my best, and plan, to keep myself and DSs (when home) out of the way as much as possible.

The problem with doing housework is that its like painting the fourth bridge. You clean something and it needs cleaning again a few weeks later. So you mop the floor and workmen walk across it with their muddy boots. You clean the kitchen work surface and someone makes a cup of coffee and leaves a stain. That doesnt take away from the fact that it WAS cleaned. Leave it be. You know you did it and that should be enough.

@simitra

The problem with doing housework is that its like painting the fourth bridge. You clean something and it needs cleaning again a few weeks later. So you mop the floor and workmen walk across it with their muddy boots. You clean the kitchen work surface and someone makes a cup of coffee and leaves a stain. That doesnt take away from the fact that it WAS cleaned. Leave it be. You know you did it and that should be enough.

Quite.

If they complain just say I cleaned it then you walked on it. If you are daft enough to do that when its wet and im on a time limit its kind tough.

@MrsRobbieHart
Yes I think I'll put them on my Xmas list.