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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this is gross and unacceptable

200 replies

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 10:04

Last night, our puppy wee'd on the rug, instead of soaking it up with paper towels, as we would both usually do, my partner just sprayed straight over it with the Stain & Odour removing spray. I was washing dishes, then letting the dog out at the time.

It was late and he had an early start this morning, which seems to be his 'reason'. When I raised it with him he said he'll do things as he sees fit, this does not bode well as his standards are almost non existent.

This has made me furious, our toddler plays on the rug and I find it disgusting that he couldn't be bothered to do a proper job of cleaning up. Shouldn't a basic level of cleanliness be a given?
We both work pt, and split the cost of everything 50/50. I do almost everything around the house and have had to convince him to take on the job of regularly doing the bins and He often doesn't fully finish jobs, for example;

-Empties bin, but won't put a new bag in
-Puts toddler to bed, but doesn't bring the empty bottle downstairs or wash it, & leaves clothes all over the bathroom
-Leaves his dirty laundry on the floor
-Leaves his clean laundry all over the place and won't put it away, it just hangs around the bedroom til he wears it again
-Goes food shopping. But doesn't put it away, or sometimes even in the kitchen

  • if he (rarely) cooks, leaves a huge mess
-takes toddler swimming, but doesn't sort the towels/ swimsuits afterwards

Am I asking too much? Do we just have different ways of doing things, which I should accept? For context, We are both in our 40s and have been together 4 yrs.

I'm also very curious if any men have an opinion on this. Thanks for reading!

OP posts:
howmanyflutes · 27/09/2023 11:17

KimberleyClark · 27/09/2023 10:54

Get a rug you can put in the washing machine. Sorted.

No he goes and buys a rug HE can put in the machine

It does seem more common that men are lazy when it comes to household management and I suspect it relates to upbringing -

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:18

randomchap · 27/09/2023 11:10

It's one thing to have different standards, but it appears that he has none at all.

Urine needs to be cleared up quickly otherwise it can soak into floorboards and make the house stink.

He seems to be doing shitty half jobs so that you will just take over and do them for him.

I honestly don't know if it's a conscious strategy, or just his default to wander off leaving things a mess and half done, but I'm finding it very frustrating!

OP posts:
Watchthedoormat · 27/09/2023 11:18

On the plus side he did actually spray something on it and attempt to clean it.
I know of many who'd have left it for their partner to do something.

LaviniasBigBloomers · 27/09/2023 11:19

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:12

We both have a responsibility to keep our home clean and tidy, and we actually agreed on some basic things before we moved in together.

The rug will be professionally cleaned, it's not really the point.

I can't relax in a mess, I won't live in a dirty house, he knows this.

He just doesn't seem to care, or be bothered. He says he prefers things clean and tidy, and appreciates that I keep the house in order. But not enough to do it himself?

So he likes living in a tidy house if someone else does the tidying for him. Unacceptable in my book. DH is the same, we've always had cleaners. They come out of household money now but when we were starting out and skint, he paid for them because it was him that was unwilling to do the work of cleaning and tidying.

Mercurial123 · 27/09/2023 11:20

PurpIe · 27/09/2023 10:22

Dogs in homes is filthy anyway. What's an extra bit of piss on the rug? It'll have its ass on there anyway. Gross.
What good is soaking piss up anyway? There'll still be piss on the rug unless you put it through the washing machine.

Not a dog lover then?! It's not the dogs fault.

Give0fecks · 27/09/2023 11:23

@Watchkeys this is such a stupid response.

There is a child who needs to have a basic standard of care. Their bottles need washing, this isn’t optional or open to interpretation of ‘his standards’. It’s a job that needs doing, not an extra nicety the OP is being fussy about.

randomchap · 27/09/2023 11:23

Whether it's a conscious strategy, or just laziness it doesn't really matter as the impact on you is the same

Does he understand how it affects you? Is he willing to change?

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:25

VenusInPrimark · 27/09/2023 10:38

@wittsendd I am totally with you it's gross and he is very annoying not to do a complete job but honestly it would be better to push him to work full time as he will be more useful then as I don't think he will learn or change. At least if he's bringing in money he'll be adding more to your family. You're doing too much right now.

Yes this would be ideal. He is self employed and is trying to scale up his business, but it's a slow process

OP posts:
Fiddlerdragon · 27/09/2023 11:27

Watchkeys · 27/09/2023 10:48

You seem to think things 'should' be a particular way, that things 'should' be cleaned to a particular standard, you 'should' have things the way you like them, you 'deserve' particular behaviours from him.

Why? Why doesn't he deserve for you to enjoy things his way? Why do you get to be the one deciding the standards? There are no rules. He's entitled to be a slob if he wants, isn't he?

Are you a bit thick or something? He’s not not doing something up to op’s ‘standards’, he’s not doing them at all. So you think him leaving his sons wet swimming things to go mouldy and rot in his swim bag between lessons is fine, the op just has different ‘standards’ actually expecting them to get a wash? That it’s normal to not put a liner back in the bin after emptying it? They can just throw their old food and rubbish directly into the bin which will end up festering and full of maggots. That it’s normal to leave the piss soaked rug, just spraying over it is fine? That it’s totally normal to do the food shop and not put it away, it can just live on the kitchen floor? God forbid he actually puts the perishables in the fridge/freezer to prevent them getting food poisoning. Are you really that grotty?

GreekDogRescue · 27/09/2023 11:29

If you’re working full time at home why are you splitting bills 50 50. Tell him how much he’d have to pay to get someone in to do all your jobs.

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:34

Laviniasbigbloomers

Yes we might have to get a cleaner, maybe that's a solution. He would hate paying for it, so maybe it would make him re-think his approach

It just seems a waste when we are both home a bit, as we both work part time. Also it wouldn't help his half finished jobs..

OP posts:
RantyAnty · 27/09/2023 11:35

Sounds like you got yourself a defective man.

You're paying this minger's keep.

There's nothing 50/50 about the relationship.

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:36

Exactly!

I'm not asking for anything excessive, just what I think are the very basics

OP posts:
BodenCardiganNot · 27/09/2023 11:39

*I can't relax in a mess, I won't live in a dirty house, he knows this.

He just doesn't seem to care, or be bothered.*

There's your answer. He doesn't seem to care or be bothered about you either (as well as the house).

neilyoungismyhero · 27/09/2023 11:44

PurpIe · 27/09/2023 10:22

Dogs in homes is filthy anyway. What's an extra bit of piss on the rug? It'll have its ass on there anyway. Gross.
What good is soaking piss up anyway? There'll still be piss on the rug unless you put it through the washing machine.

Delightful post

Iwasafool · 27/09/2023 11:45

Spidey66 · 27/09/2023 11:03

If you have hard floors and rugs, get rid of the rugs. When our dog was a pup, it was more inclined to have an accident on the rug. I think it's more comfortable for them (when she's out, she's more inclined to go on grass rather than pavement). She's an adult now so any accident is because she's not well or something. We have hard floors everywhere except the bedrooms and she's not allowed there. Pet accidents are so much easier to deal with on hard floors.

Don't you find they go back to the same spot as well, however much you clean it.

We don't have dogs anymore, I just can't face losing another one and our last two were 18 and 19 when they died, I'm not sure I'll be up to looking after an ageing dog when I'm in my very late 80s so dog days are done for us.

Fallingthroughclouds · 27/09/2023 11:45

I'm assuming that you would do more than just soak it up with paper towels? And yep to just spray, gross.

I'm a scruffbag so I think I could probably forgive the other stuff. We'd find away round it. Everyone's standards are different, being messy would not prevent me having a child or puppy with this man (not that I want him mind you). Some couples live in messy bliss, but this isn't what you want so needs resolving. How......I have no idea.

Cerealforever · 27/09/2023 11:46

Why do you need a man's point of view????

You know his behaviour is utterly unacceptable.

Unfortunately for you, he does not and clearly never will. He has no respect for you and does not care if you lose respect for him.

Your marriage is going to suck the life out of you, so get on with becoming a higher earner and get out.

Waffle78 · 27/09/2023 11:54

Soak it with lots of water to dilute it. Then put some white vinegar on it great for getting rid of odors. Then give another clean with laundry detergent.

asrh618120 · 27/09/2023 11:54

It might be worth considering he has ADHD, sounds similar to my partner. Not an excuse for his behavior but identifying it, accepting it and exploring ways to work around it will help.

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:55

@Fallingthroughclouds

But when it's stuff that needs going, dishes, basic cleaning, putting things away, would it bother you if your partner simply didn't do these things, even though you don't mind a bit of mess?

OP posts:
wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:56

asrh618120 · 27/09/2023 11:54

It might be worth considering he has ADHD, sounds similar to my partner. Not an excuse for his behavior but identifying it, accepting it and exploring ways to work around it will help.

That's interesting and a possibility, I certainly think he's very spectrumy at times!

Doesn't much like socialising, doesn't like big groups, parties or too much noise.. quite a narrow focus on one area..

OP posts:
SurprisedWithAHorse · 27/09/2023 11:57

Watchkeys · 27/09/2023 10:48

You seem to think things 'should' be a particular way, that things 'should' be cleaned to a particular standard, you 'should' have things the way you like them, you 'deserve' particular behaviours from him.

Why? Why doesn't he deserve for you to enjoy things his way? Why do you get to be the one deciding the standards? There are no rules. He's entitled to be a slob if he wants, isn't he?

What do you think "should" be done with piss on a rug, especially with a toddler in the house?

wittsendd · 27/09/2023 11:58

Cerealforever · 27/09/2023 11:46

Why do you need a man's point of view????

You know his behaviour is utterly unacceptable.

Unfortunately for you, he does not and clearly never will. He has no respect for you and does not care if you lose respect for him.

Your marriage is going to suck the life out of you, so get on with becoming a higher earner and get out.

I'm curious if many men would think it's acceptable, that's all.

It's not acceptable to me.

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 27/09/2023 11:58

My DHs opinion, which I know without asking, is that he's being a crap Dad and partner. DH works full time, I'm a SAHP.

He doesn't leave the kitchen in a mess if he cooks altho I clean it more.
He always does all bin linked duties unless he's away.
He is fully capable of providing full care to his multiple children.
He doesn't think I'm his maid.
He doesn't expect me to be his mother.