To think it’s not normal to have thick grey dust on skirting boards?

[GosPort]

Went around to SIL house today and I’m by no means a neat freak but just thought it was unacceptably dirty. Not cluttered, just nothing was cleaned. For example her skirting boards had thick grey dust on them, on top and falling down like snow. Paw marks on them from the rabbits as well so it was so obvious. And the hair that had built up on them too was visible and a bit gross.

AIBU to think you should regularly clean and dust your house if you are inviting others into it?

No, I don’t think it’s normal to have that much dust, but I also think you sound judgey AF and a horrible sister in law. Maybe she is going through something and needs support rather than you bitching about her to strangers?? You assume she is lazy, but most people with a lack of cleaning might be in that position because os any number of things - feeling overwhelmed, stressed, poor health etc. maybe you could ask if she is ok rather than judging her, hmm?

Where is your brother in all of this?

If he lives there too then he is just as gross and so perhaps tell him how you feel and that he needs to clean if he wants you to come again.

It’s mainly the judginess we don’t like. Who comes on here to bitch about their SIL like that? What are you hoping to achieve? That we’ll all join in and bitch too? Will that make you feel superior? Maybe your SIL doesn’t have great cleanliness standards but maybe she’s a nice person. I know what I’d prefer in a family member.

Sorry, no. With the best will in the world I would only aim to clean my loo once a week. Once a day seems overkill to me unless you have a toddler with poor aim? Even then, I would only wipe the splash, not clean the whole loo.

People's skin cells are generally visible?

Is your SIL a single parent? Or is there a BIL or DB on the scene?
Maybe they could help out with the dusting, since it sounds like she doesn't have time.

I clean my house and it looks perfectly acceptable. Then I leave my reading glasses on when walking to another room and fuck me, some dirty bugger has come into my house and ruined it. Dirty marks everywhere 😯

It's the rabbits. I adore my bunnos but Christ alive they make a mess. I literally swept my grass lawn yesterday. They malt really really fine hairs that no hoover can get all of.

The room my rabbits live in is dusty within about ten minutes of it being dusted. There is constant dust / fine fur floating around in the air. It is genuinely impossible to keep on top of even though they’re cleaned every other day. It wouldn’t take many days for it to get how the OP describes.

I'm with you, OP!#

This would make me uneasy on several levels - partly for the well-being of the host. We might all notice a light scattering of dust on things sometimes, but this sounds extreme. I always think - if they don't clean that, what's everywhere else like?

Wouldn't be happy accepting food or drink there. Sorry.

Lol imagine dusting skirting boards every time someone is coming over

@GosPort Totally agree with you.

However, I misread the tite as 'dust on skirt' so perhaps be grateful that you left in clean clothes!

How do you never clean your bathroom? That’s a room literally full of s*!

have you tried using the toilet to shit in? It’s magic

Clearly, these are dust bunnies.

I have a little brush that fits on my vacuum clear that does skirting boards…it’s fantastic!

I agree with you OP. Dust exposure long term often causes allergies (which might explain why they are more common in countries where regular dusting / wet washing of floors isn’t done) - I can stand literally anything else but dust and mould are big icks.

Surely if she’s got children, or anyone has children, it’s responsible to show them how a clean, well cared for home looks? You don’t want the DC to be embarrassed about bringing mates back! We’re not always the tidiest but do a decent clean every weekend. Don’t do skirting boards every week, granted, but I’d never be embarrassed to invite someone in if they knocked on.

Because all women should be obsessed with housework and how clean someone else’s house is?

It’s no longer the 1950s.

It's sad that only one or two posters have said 'we' in relation to the cleaning of their house, everyone else had said 'I'. Women's work judged by other women, will we ever move on?

Dull women have immaculate homes as the picture on my wall tells me.

I don't seem to get much dust on my skirting boards I'm feeling left out.

Yes that sounds horrible tbh. I'm no clean freak but i wouldn't let it get to that level. My in laws have a very dirty - in their 80s and I suspect they couldn't see it. I struggled with taking my baby DC there. When they dropped a bib and I picked it up, it would be covered with cobwebs/dusty stuff. There was a thick layer of dust. DD would roll it into shapes. We didn't go often and I was careful when the DC were small. I'm sure they never washed the towels and bedding before/after we came. Nothing ever looked/smelt/felt clean.

I'm actually surprised how many people have dirty homes as I'm really not OTT with it and struggle to keep on top of dusting and deep cleaning. When I've fed friends' cats and had to use their fridges, I've been quite shocked at the state of them - old/mouldy food, not covered properly, smelly.

Clean them yourself!

Clean skirting boards in a house I don’t live?

I feel really uncomfortable in immaculate houses. Terrified to touch or sit on anything. Much rather a place like your SILs.
Is the toilet really caked in poo though or did you just add that in as no one was agreeing with you? In house house we ship in the toilet and then flush it away. No where would get caked in shit even if we didn't clean for months.

Its up to people who they keep their house but I wouldn't like my skirting boards to be that dusty. I am a busy woman with a career and a family but it takes a few minutes to dust round the skirting boards people who suggest that they have more pressing things today and that only someone with too much time on their hands worry about such things are just lazy and yes, dirty!