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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To break up over toilet hygiene (or lack thereof)?

313 replies

wobblychicken · 05/01/2025 17:44

Name changed for this one.

So I've been seeing a new chap for several months - my first relationship since divorcing over three years ago, and with a lot of dead-end online dates in the interim. I.e. quite a big deal for me to have entered into. Lovely chap, very like-minded, considerate high-achieving professional, seems into me, etc. - and the relationship is exclusive.

I need a sense of perspective on this issue - not the only emergent niggle in the relationship, but the most "in your face" (as it were) in recent weeks.

Most of our "sleepover" dates are at mine for various reasons. I've noticed bad toilet hygiene at mine in terms of weeing on the seat / leaving poo stains, which I wasn't overly impressed with, but didn't say anything at the time. Last week I was at his - not the first occasion, but this round time the toilet / bathroom was pretty grim. Not Trainspotter bad or anything - but think piss and pubes caked into the ceramic and bristles / toothpaste residue all over the sink. The rest of his place is cluttered but clean enough.

I was again due to visit him at his today, and - after some agonising on the subject - sent a message during the week that he'd need to give the bathroom a once over first, to which he replied already on the list. And he did clean up, and even made a point of asking me if it was acceptable when I arrived.

Later that afternoon, we were taking it to the bedroom and I made a quick pit stop - only to find massive poo stains down the pan and wee over the seat from a visit he'd made in the meantime. It's hard for me to address these things directly, but I basically came out, said it was a massive passion killer and that I didn't expect to find the toilet like this at his or at mine, and if he wanted bedroom activity he'd need to factor in bathroom activity. He did clean it, apologised (blaming not having his glasses on - he did have his glasses on) and said my views were fair enough. I left soon after without re-initiating any sexual activity.

It's not the mess in itself that bothers me - I'm not a clean freak, and have literally used some of the worst toilets known to man in my time. It's the lack of respect it indicates - especially coming from someone so otherwise clearly intelligent / senior, etc. and not otherwise seemingly unhygienic. And the fact that I'd already pointed this out once before coming round - which is already unattractive enough to have to do towards a grown man. In his shoes I'd personally be dying of embarrassment, not making a mess of things that very same afternoon. Unless he was doing it deliberately to make a point right back to me, but that doesn't seem like him at all.

Either way, whether deliberate or just obliviousness, it's not attractive. I made a vow at the end of my last relationship that I wouldn't tolerate man children / incompetence (whether strategic or otherwise), so maybe I'm overthinking this one - but yeah it's irked me a lot.

Please do tell me if I'm being unreasonable on this one! I wouldn't end things "only" cause of this, but genuinely not sure if I'm just being a massive priss on this. TIA!

OP posts:
Boardgamedust · 05/01/2025 20:17

Dontsayyouloveme · 05/01/2025 20:10

This would give me the ick big time.. 🤢🤢 two previous bathroom icks… recent exbf took a cup of tea into the bathroom with him, to drink whilst he had a poo (min duration of 30 mins) 🤢🤢 and guy I previously briefly dated.. had just had as shower when I got to his… apparently!! Unfortunately I found out later that night.. that he’d clearly not used soap to wash his privates and got a nose full of stale wee smell Wtaf!!!! 🤢🤢🤢

I've not slept with a man in decades now, however the last man I ever slept with, was a nice man overall. He did struggle with hygiene however.

One day we were about to DTD and I noticed a strong whiff of pee coming from him.
I stopped kissing him, and gently said 'Eustace, look I am quite happy to have sex with you but I am not going to risk my health. I could catch an infection from stale urine. Kindly go in the shower first please'.

He did, but seemed to be out very quickly and when he came back to bed I was most confused to notice that he still smelt of wee!

Dirty sod had just dampened his hair under the shower, by the sounds of it, he was just damp and smelly now instead of dry and smelly wonder why I realised I was a lesbian

Devilsmommy · 05/01/2025 20:18

Mittens67 · 05/01/2025 17:53

Extremely unattractive behaviour in every possible way. It would also make me wonder about his standards in general. And of course the overgrown child aspect. So many men looking for a mum they can shag.

Oh god your last sentence made me 🤢

MJconfessions · 05/01/2025 20:20

wobblychicken · 05/01/2025 19:57

You could be right, but feels a stretch. Greater likelihood is geeky / nerdy / good-hearted guy finally gets a girlfriend; fucks it up with ingrained (and therefore unto him long invisible) lack of toilet-based hygiene. Neither acceptable, but the latter option at least less deliberate.

He’s 53. He knows exactly what he’s doing. I’m half your age and guys my age would know exactly what they’re doing if they were him. You’re giving him way too much credit.

Shy, geeky, nerdy good hearted guys would be extra conscious about making things perfect for you. You had a conversation with him asking him to clean the bathroom. He agrees and says he will. He then leaves the toilet covered with shit and piss marks right before you have sex with the implication that you deal with the mess. He’s putting you back in your place.

You are giving this man who is of an advanced age, way more credit than he deserves

JT69 · 05/01/2025 20:22

He’s supposed to be impressing you at this stage. I would imagine he doesn’t wash his hands after either if he can’t be bothered to aim straight or bleach his toilet . Grim.

Sunhatweather · 05/01/2025 20:23

‘Dear X, I have really enjoyed my time with you, but there have been one or two things that I feel have made us incompatible, so I don’t want to take up any more of your time. I don’t want to be enigmatic - you deserve more than that - so I’ll just say that it relates to hygiene matters that have happened recently, which I have found extremely off putting. I wish you the best and you’ve been great company.’

Playgroundincident · 05/01/2025 20:24

He probably wipes his arse and makes food without washing his hands. If he's like that in thr bathroom what is going into the food. Grim fucking grim. Dump.

katepilar · 05/01/2025 20:26

PeloMom · 05/01/2025 20:04

I read your responses OP but didn’t see anywhere whether you’ve directly addressed it?
I’ve had a similar experience in the past and thought wasn’t worth throwing the whole relationship without addressing the issue. I was direct. It got resolved eventually (I had to bring it up another 3-4 times as looks like some people just develop blindness to those things and need to be reminded but eventually get it)

It was said in the OP that she addressed it directly. Twice.

OwlFeatures · 05/01/2025 20:26

@wobblychicken you seriously would want a phone call explaining to you that the man you've been dating is binning you off because you leave shit and piss in the toilet?

I mean, it takes all sorts but I personally wouldn't love that so much.

He knows why. All this hand wringing. By all means give him chapter and verse but for me, a message after a few months of dating is sufficient

InSpainTheRain · 05/01/2025 20:26

That would be an absolute deal breaker for me. YANBU.

wobblychicken · 05/01/2025 20:27

MJconfessions · 05/01/2025 20:20

He’s 53. He knows exactly what he’s doing. I’m half your age and guys my age would know exactly what they’re doing if they were him. You’re giving him way too much credit.

Shy, geeky, nerdy good hearted guys would be extra conscious about making things perfect for you. You had a conversation with him asking him to clean the bathroom. He agrees and says he will. He then leaves the toilet covered with shit and piss marks right before you have sex with the implication that you deal with the mess. He’s putting you back in your place.

You are giving this man who is of an advanced age, way more credit than he deserves

You may well be right. He will blame not having his glasses on - but ffs put them fucking on. They were on your face before and after, so I'm going to presume during too. And glasses don't obscure a shit ton of brown, after all.

OP posts:
wobblychicken · 05/01/2025 20:28

katepilar · 05/01/2025 20:26

It was said in the OP that she addressed it directly. Twice.

Thanks and correct.

OP posts:
Joelle84 · 05/01/2025 20:29

“Its not me, its you mate. Here a gift. Use it”
then put together a new bog brush, bleach, bathroom cleaner, marigolds, loo roll, wet wipes and air freshener.

then block him 👋

arcticpandas · 05/01/2025 20:30

@wobblychicken absolutely talk to him, don't break up by text. You can give general vague reasons if you prefer but if he really wants to know then tell him straight out. No woman would accept this in the beginning, it's such a major turn off.

wobblychicken · 05/01/2025 20:30

OwlFeatures · 05/01/2025 20:26

@wobblychicken you seriously would want a phone call explaining to you that the man you've been dating is binning you off because you leave shit and piss in the toilet?

I mean, it takes all sorts but I personally wouldn't love that so much.

He knows why. All this hand wringing. By all means give him chapter and verse but for me, a message after a few months of dating is sufficient

Possibly, but it's about what feels right to me rather than what he necessarily deserves. And this one (admittedly dire) issue doesn't negate all the good stuff over the last few weeks and months.

OP posts:
wobblychicken · 05/01/2025 20:31

Joelle84 · 05/01/2025 20:29

“Its not me, its you mate. Here a gift. Use it”
then put together a new bog brush, bleach, bathroom cleaner, marigolds, loo roll, wet wipes and air freshener.

then block him 👋

Edited

He has one!! Right there by the loo!! A clearly under-utilised utensil.

OP posts:
PrinceYakimov · 05/01/2025 20:31

OP, I just saw that you said further up 'And yet he seems made up to have a gf at last'

I think there's now very little mystery about why he hasn't been able to attract a GF so far!

PeloMom · 05/01/2025 20:33

@katepilar my bad. Sorry.

Tahlbias · 05/01/2025 20:34

🫣

BlueSky2023 · 05/01/2025 20:38

Yeah, it’s bad and would put me off but ( trying to defend him) if he has been living on his own for a while maybe he has let his standards drop, it really depends on how much you like him and if he manages to improve on this issue

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 05/01/2025 20:38

Boardgamedust · 05/01/2025 20:17

I've not slept with a man in decades now, however the last man I ever slept with, was a nice man overall. He did struggle with hygiene however.

One day we were about to DTD and I noticed a strong whiff of pee coming from him.
I stopped kissing him, and gently said 'Eustace, look I am quite happy to have sex with you but I am not going to risk my health. I could catch an infection from stale urine. Kindly go in the shower first please'.

He did, but seemed to be out very quickly and when he came back to bed I was most confused to notice that he still smelt of wee!

Dirty sod had just dampened his hair under the shower, by the sounds of it, he was just damp and smelly now instead of dry and smelly wonder why I realised I was a lesbian

Eustace is a king never mind a prince 😂
I just have never understood why people don’t enjoy the feeling of being clean.
And it takes little effort, and it’s not exactly expensive!

wobblychicken · 05/01/2025 20:41

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 05/01/2025 20:38

Eustace is a king never mind a prince 😂
I just have never understood why people don’t enjoy the feeling of being clean.
And it takes little effort, and it’s not exactly expensive!

Eustace clearly needs a bit of a Scrubb! 😂

OP posts:
BellaCiaoBellaCiao · 05/01/2025 20:43

That’s beyond vile.
If he doesn’t clean his toilet, he sure as hell doesn’t clean his stinking arse.
And no, wiping it with toilet paper does NOT clean it ffs.

If you got shit on your hand, would you wipe it off with loo roll? Hell, no!!
You’d WASH it off. With SOAP.

You don’t need to get in the shower every time although I certainly would if sex was on the cards. But the bare minimum would be some liquid soap on the toilet roll after an initial wipe.
Asda loo roll is strong enough to cope with this!

There is no excuse for having a shitty arse. It’s disgusting. And yes, it IS shitty unless there is an application of soap in some form or another!

There is no way I’d be getting up close and personal with anyone like that.

Lwrenn · 05/01/2025 20:43

TomatoSandwiches · 05/01/2025 17:58

I would no longer find him attractive at all so there would be no point continuing this.
He probably hasn't been washing his hands either 🤢

The hands was my first thought and I actually feel queasy thinking about it! 🤮

Get Rid OP!

Gggglinda · 05/01/2025 20:43

🤢 I can only imagine what his bum smells like

BellaCiaoBellaCiao · 05/01/2025 20:44

Gggglinda · 05/01/2025 20:43

🤢 I can only imagine what his bum smells like

Agreed. See my post just a few comments above yours.

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