To hate having workmen in my house?

[Blaise19]

Yesterday was a typical example. A workman arrived as booked, needing access to the kitchen (downstairs) and the bathroom (upstairs). I have an indoor cat who was shut in her cat-safe room (due to previous bad experiences with workmen!).

Shortly after he arrived he asked to use the toilet. I showed him to the downstairs loo and then continued working in my study which is across the hall from the loo. He flushed the loo and immediately came out - he definitely didn't wash his hands (which, in my experience, happens every single time a workman uses the toilet!). He then continued working in my kitchen! (Would you have said anything? As a woman who lives alone, I just wouldn't feel comfortable doing so.) While doing the work he'd been called for he went up and down the stairs, touching bannisters, light switches and door handles with his unwashed hands (not to mention the kitchen sink area and surrounding work surfaces!).

To give him his due, he did clear up after himself, taking a large cloth (that he'd brought with him) to wipe up water off the kitchen floor. He then used the same cloth to wipe all the work surfaces....

I can't stand it! I then have to spend ages after workmen have gone, washing and disinfecting everything. Just wash your hands!!!!!!

Get a grip fgs, just be grateful you managed to get a tradesman to come and do the work, they are like gold dust atm.

It must be tiring being you

Slightly annoying, but just one of those things. No, I wouldn't have confronted him about washing his hands either.

Did you even have running water if he was sorting out an issue with your kitchen AND bathroom?

I don’t like having workman in the house. It makes me anxious which is mostly down to the disruption of having work done. (Things being a bit all over the place)

What relevance is the cat to today's experience?

Get a grip, nowt a packet of anti bac wipes can't sort out!

I understand. I’m like that when people don’t take their shoes off in my house.

You're ridiculous.

Have you some form of germ phobia?

Op is the only people you habe in the house workmen? Does no one else visit, or do they know about the germ thing and audibly wash their hands to put uou at ease?

I get you op. A food delivery driver asked to use our loo the other day..... and obviously had a tummy upset. What do you do? You can't say no. I completely disinfected the downstairs loo and changed the towels after. Bleuch.

When we had our bathrooms done last year, the lads were actually pretty good. Shoes off at the door (and they were going in and out continuously), but using the downstairs loo all day, because they drank A LOT of tea! Every evening DH and I had to clean the bannisters, and the toilet and basin, and change the towel. Now, I know they were washing their hands, because the towel was soaking and black. But workman are, unfortunately messy. I always have a good clean when they have gone.

Ridiculous - how do you know he didn't flush after washing? What were you doing, listening out for the sound of a running tap?

As a tradesman perhaps he has his own supply of heavy-duty hand wipes or hand gel that he prefers to use, rather than using up a customer's soap and towels? He did after all use his own cloth to wipe up water rather than steal one of yours.

YANBU at all to dislike having work done in your house. A lot of people hate the disruption. But if you are so paranoid about the toilet habits of visiting tradespeople then just learn some DIY and do these jobs yourself.

YADNBU. It's stressful anyway, they are often cocky as though they own the place and can tell YOU what to do and be in your own home.

That's without hand hygiene (sometimes, oftentimes?) being abysmal.

Now, I know they were washing their hands, because the towel was soaking and black.

If they were washing their hands properly with soap they wouldn't be leaving black marks. At least they were trying. Although wet half-washed hands aren't great for hygiene. Is that the best we can expect from (work)men? To vaguely show their hands some water sometimes and otherwise disregard everything every set of guidance about personal and food hygiene says?

Actually aren't they supposed to still be trying to prevent spread of Covid (and flu, norovirus etc on top) by adhering to a bunch of better hygiene methods?😉

He did after all use his own cloth to wipe up water rather than steal one of yours.

Fresh out of the packet or laundry was that? Use the customer's clean ones, if provided or state that you use a fresh one for each job.

Complains about germs from workman, but forgets about the cat.😂
I suppose the cat undergoes a sterilisation process daily.

Have you some form of germ phobia?

It's not actually 'germ phobic' to be concerned about actual basic hygiene when people are working in client homes with bathrooms and kitchens including with medically vulnerable clients and in the era of Covid no less. And to say this to the OP does a disservice to her as well as those who really do have germ phobias.

There is a sort of alternative problem I find with some people (clearly including the PP who wrote this) where their resistance to everything anyone tells them about how germs do spread, food hygiene, etc. is so strong that it also manifests like a psychological problem.

People with disgusting approaches to basic hygiene don't get a second invitation to my house. Their loss, not mine. Don't care who they are.

Hmm... Sounds like an alarming number of Mumsnetters don't wash their hands after using the loo!

Gosh I always bleach the house from top top bottom after a workman (shudder) comes in.

You might catch working class from him.

Jesus, why are you hanging around listening to people using your loo and monitoring their behaviour? Creepy much?

Urine is sterile, or was it a poo? You were listening hard!

@maplesaucewithbacon

You have serious issues, I suggest getting help asap before your life is over and you have wasted it worrying about germs/covid and all the other ridiculous things you have said.

Good luck to You.

I feel your pain. Some are an absolute nightmare. They just don't give a toss about your home. We had a carpet fitter in the other day. First he trod mud and dog shit over our hall carpet (he didn't bother to even try to use the doormat), then he came in and out from his van a few times and we looked in the room to see he'd put a costa cup on our brand new fire surround and it's left a ring stain that we can't get off. Then, of course, he wanted the loo and left it in a right state with poo on the seat and down the bowl. I just don't understand the mentality of them being so careless, thoughtless and clumsy.

We've had some brilliant workmen who've actually respected our home, and have done our utmost to keep them for future jobs, but some must live in an absolute pigsty if the way they treat their customers' homes is anything to go by.

These days, we'd actually prefer just not to have things done nor buy anything new, and try out utmost to make do with what we've got as we now regard having workmen or delivery drivers in the home as a last resort.

The best work(wo)man I ever had was a woman electrician. She was quiet and clean and respected my home and managed to complete a lot of work without making a mess.

She was expensive, but worth every penny. She never has to advertise for work, it's all personal recommendations.