Housekeeping slob employer or normal.

[Treesandsheepeverywhere]

A friend has started a job as a housekeeper.

The very first week there the kids and parents leave clothes on the floor for her to pick up. Fine for kids, also kind of fine for parents clothes, but, they also leave their underwear on the floor!!

I've said for her to quit bit obviously that's easier dlsaid than done.

I posted about her job previously where they expect her to do overtime hours for bo extra pay.

She's months in now so wishes she'd said something sooner, but what and how?

When I've worked as a nanny I used to pick up the kids clothes and put them o. Their beds for them to sort.

I've suggested similar but she thinks it's passive aggressive.

Any advice please?

She'll read the replies as she's not on Mumsnet.

Just to add, picking up boxers feels different to thongs with discharge or

Y-fronts.

Thanks.

Can she use those long grabber things? Or just have a separate clean sweeping brush and pan she can put them in there then into laundry basket? Or gloves? It's gross, but if it's part of her job then I guess she has to. There's no way she should do any unpaid hours whatsoever. She must invoice for every hour worked.

Unless I was unwell, immobile etc - i don’t think my pride or dignity would want anyone to do that for me

You could argue that anyone who employs a cleaner/housekeeper to clean and tidy up their mess is 'a slob' or lazy but your friend has taken on the job for these people and whether she is willing to pick up their discarded clothes is entirely up to her but the alternative is finding alternative employment

YABU to expect randoms on Mumsnet to decide whether your friend looks for a new job or not

She could put a load of itching powder in their clean clothes!! They sound horrible people to work for.

I definitely wouldn't want people picking up my underwear but it doesn't sound like a hard thing to do? And she can wear gloves?

Does she then wash it or just put it in a washing basket?

eew who leave discharge thongs on floor that's vile

If their clothes are there, not so surprising that so is their underwear. Do you expect them to dump their clothes on the floor, and then put their underwear nicely in a wicker washing basket? Underwear's no different to the clothes.

People have different standards of cleanliness and I assume the reason they employed a housekeeper is because they need and can afford the support. Personally, it wouldn't bother me as I would just wear gloves and get on with it. Yes, I wouldn't dream of leaving dirty underwear around ever but my BIL and his wife do and happily have us over without batting an eyelid.

It doesn't sound great, but I'm more concerned about the expectation that she works extra hours for free.

I guess if picking up clothes and/or putting them in the laundry is part of the job, then technically that would include underwear - but I personally would die rather than leave my dirty knickers on the floor for a stranger to pick up! I'd hate the thought of someone seeing my worn undies, let alone having to pick them up, and I'm amazed that her employers seem to think this is fine.

If this is part of your friend's job, and leaving is not an option, then I guess the only advice I could give is for her to wear rubber gloves, which I assume she already does for other household tasks like bathroom cleaning etc. But it sounds like a horrible job,

I had to rush out earlier for an appointment and my clothes from last night and pj's are on the floor next to my bed. I completely forgot to put them in the basket. It's bothering me knowing they are left there now and my house is empty! Apart from my judgemental cats. I'll be getting looks from them when I get in!

I don't think she should have to pick up after slovenly people. They've got a cheek leaving their dirty clothes on the floor. How bloody entitled of them. What does her job description state?

Hard to advise without any job description beyond “housekeeper “ Live in? Salary or paid per hour? Employed/ self employed?

I work as a self employed cleaner, charge per job and establish all tasks I will under take before taking on a new client.

If I’m cleaning for someone then it’s not my place to judge their standards or gossip about them to friends.
Yes I handle dirty clothes if I’ve agreed to do laundry while I’m there. I also scrub dirty toilets, empty stinky bins, sanitary products etc. I wear gloves- it’s part of the job.

There is huge demand for self employed cleaners in most areas.
Perhaps your friend can set herself up like this, obtain a UTR code, establish what she will and won’t do as a cleaner and advertise locally.

Does your friend have poor English skills? It’s so easy to register with an email address on here otherwise.

I think discharged knickers are totally different to clothes. Yuk.

I’d assume it was part of the territory as a housekeeper tbh. Most people who feel the need for one know that they aren’t great at being tidy and picking things up - keeping in top of chores would be easy to do themselves if they were. Presuming she wears gloves, is picking up underwear much less sanitary than cleaning toilets, taking out trash, changing dirty bed linen, sorting out litter trays / dog poo etc, which is standard for a housekeeper or cleaner?

If she doesn’t want to do unpaid overtime then she needs to say so. If they’re annoyed about it, that’s the logical reason for finding a new job.

Agreed. You really can’t be squeamish about dirt or unpleasant bodily functions if you’re working as a cleaner.

If I’ve agreed to do laundry then I’ll sort clothes including underwear into dark and lights and stick it in the machine. I’m certainly not inspecting knickers for discharge (which is an entirely normal bodily function for women).

This is all a bit odd really.

Really depends on whether this is part of the terms of service. You haven't made that clear OP.

If it isn't then using gloves to put the clothes on their bed so that she can hoover floor etc makes sense to me. And she absolutely should not be doing any overtime for free!!

It is common. Working extra hours unpaid is not.

Thank you all for the replies. The job is Housekeeper/looking after the house. It doesn't state actual duties which I suppose would make things easier, although can't imagine someone putting "pick up our underwear" as one.

I guess it's like those who tidy before the cleaner comes and those who don't.

I wouldn't be comfortable letting another woman/man pick up my dirty knickers but obviously some don't care.

It's the second issue that's come up in a short space of time and she's said one more and she's out.

If she is employed (rather than self employed) then she can request a contract of employment. This should include wage, hours, duties and her rights to sick pay, paid holiday and pension, as well as details about a probationary period or the steps to follow when handing in notice.

Regardless of whether she stays in this job or not, unless this is casual cash in hand work, then she needs to be more aware of her rights as an employee, and the responsibilities of her employers.

If self employed then she needs to set her own terms from the outset; including the services she offers and what she charges.

I wouldn’t have a problem with picking up used underwear and sticking it a laundry basket as a cleaner.

The issue is that the whole job sounds very undefined and her employers may take advantage of her naïveté or lack of English skills.

I think having to pick up someone else's "mongy nuckers" (as my friend from the Black Isle would say) is gross but if she wants to keep her job, definitely get one of those grabber things.

"I guess it's like those who tidy before the cleaner comes and those who don't."

Kind of, but the boundaries are often a bit different with a housekeeper role because many can't tidy the entire house for the cleaner, down to the most private spaces, several times a week. Being a housekeeper involves a level of acceptance of this. If she cleans their toilets or does their laundry I wouldn't see it as a deal-breaker myself, but all the same there still need to boundaries. The hours thing is absolutely not on. I wonder if this laundry issue is symptomatic of a much bigger problem she is experiencing, but struggling to pin down, around underlying boundaries and respect.

Your friend is free to resign if the job is not working for her. She doesn't need outside validation of her reasons. It's her life and her choice. There are plenty of employers who would not presume on her to work for free.

Picking up the clothes is fine – she's a housekeeper, not a nanny. Unpaid overtime is not fine.

Exactly. I in no way expect my cleaner to pick up my discarded underwear, but neither am I one of those Mners who tidies before their cleaner arrives 'so they can clean, not have to tidy and then clean'. I made it very clear when I hired our lovely cleaner, that she would be coming into an untidy house, and how I expected her to negotiate that within the amount of time she has.