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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

New man’s house is filthy

605 replies

merrygoroundsss · 17/08/2025 22:53

Not really sure what to do here!

The new guy I’ve been seeing is lovely. We really hit it off and have a lot in common. He treats me well and puts in a lot of effort.

Just to give you some background, I have some OCD tendencies, especially when it comes to cleanliness. My house isn’t perfect, but it’s clean and tidy. He knows this.

He currently has 2 dogs, but he used to have 9 (not sure why, something related to his ex) and they trashed the house. His ex moved out at the start of the year. I'm not sure if things were like this while she was living there or if it started after she moved out. He told me prior to my visit that his house wasn't as clean as mine, but he was making an effort to improve it, though it might take some time. I didn’t expect much, but when I visited his house for the first time yesterday, I was gutted. It was filthy.
Picture dirty, grimy, and sticky. There were dog hairs everywhere. They’re allowed in every room, on the sofa, beds, you name it. He attempted to clean up before I arrived, which is probably why I feel bad for feeling this way, but his whole house needs several deep cleans!

I don’t think he hoovers, so when he mops, he’s just pushing the dirt and dog hairs around. The bathroom was especially awful. I don’t think the toilet had been cleaned in months (there were skid marks, the bowl was black, and the toilet seat was dirty too). The bathroom also had a strong smell of dog urine. He does mop up any accidents but I guess the urine has just soaked into the floor or something?! I kept my socks on while I was there, but he was walking around barefoot and his feet were black! The back garden was a mess too with dog shit and rubbish everywhere.

If I want to keep the relationship going, I need to spend more time at his house because of the dogs. I wouldn’t mind it if the house was actually clean. I’m supposed to stay there again next week, but just thinking about it makes my skin crawl. I feel terrible though, because he’s said he’s trying to sort it, so he’s not in denial or ignoring the issue. But when I left early this morning to come home, he said he was just going to have a lazy day before he had work tomorrow, which showed no effort to clean up or even start tackling the mess.

WTF do I do? I really like this guy, and aside from this one issue, he's great!

OP posts:
cheesycheesy · 20/08/2025 10:05

The d must be good for you to put up with a piss stinking house even when drunk

MounjaroMounjaro · 20/08/2025 10:12

I agree, @cheesycheesy. How desperate can you get?

Bowies · 20/08/2025 14:31

I would have had to have left within the (probably half) hour - by suggesting getting a coffee out.

I am not terribly fussy, but OPs your descriptions of the place alone are visceral enough to cause nausea in most of us.

I don’t doubt your diagnosis OP, but wouldn’t take it too personally if others have queried it and in responding to them, unfortunately it’s slightly derailed the focus.

I think most of us are just incredulous that you could tolerate the place, especially to stay there (no matter how drunk) when even without a diagnosis and not even having high cleaning standards, we couldn’t.

Anyway, hopefully a bit more clarity on the situation, what’s your next move?

Elle771 · 20/08/2025 18:41

Arlanymor · 19/08/2025 23:41

Don’t get derailed OP. There are lots of other posts on here giving you advice. You haven’t responded to any of those.

This. Is this a deal breaker for you??

DarklingIlisten · 21/08/2025 00:16

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ due to privacy concerns.

notanothersummercold · 21/08/2025 00:32

Massive ick

Laxoverhols · 21/08/2025 06:07

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ due to privacy concerns.

Both people in this grotty shit show will have generally pretty fucked up lives even when you completely put this issue aside.

Both hopeless. That’s always been the case for some people and always will. We just have to hope that no children involved.

thinkagainafter · 21/08/2025 06:30

That’s unnecessarily harsh @Laxoverhols

Lex345 · 21/08/2025 07:47

I definitely, 100% couldn't put up with this. I would be willing to accept untidiness to a certain degree becauae I know I am fussy and a pain with it, but the filth I don't even think I could stay for a brew and the rest you described is just so far below how anyone should be living :(

And I am not convinced anyone could possibly have any standard of personal hygiene when they only have a piss soaked, skidded toilet bathroom to clean themselves up in and then proceed to walk around bare foot and get black feet. Just no.

Laxoverhols · 21/08/2025 08:07

thinkagainafter · 21/08/2025 06:30

That’s unnecessarily harsh @Laxoverhols

oh come on
Almost certainly the case

Laxoverhols · 21/08/2025 08:17

I'm not sure who asked this, but I’m guessing the urine smell in the bathroom is from the dogs. I don’t think it’s from him

one of the more disturbing comments from the OP

imagine being someone who you only “don’t think” the smell of piss in the bathroom is because he can’t direct his flow and piss goes everywhere

LillyPJ · 21/08/2025 09:00

Laxoverhols · 21/08/2025 08:17

I'm not sure who asked this, but I’m guessing the urine smell in the bathroom is from the dogs. I don’t think it’s from him

one of the more disturbing comments from the OP

imagine being someone who you only “don’t think” the smell of piss in the bathroom is because he can’t direct his flow and piss goes everywhere

Edited

Also - is it really much better if it's 'only' dog piss?!

Laxoverhols · 21/08/2025 09:01

LillyPJ · 21/08/2025 09:00

Also - is it really much better if it's 'only' dog piss?!

Exactly

2 people
Both will have multiple issues, appalling benchmarks (whether for cleanliness or relationships)
and as long as they don’t procreate (fingers tightly crossed) hopefully won’t spread

squaredoff · 21/08/2025 09:12

OP - i wonder whether you suspect it is only your OCD is putting you off him and his house. Take heart: your instincts are correct. His house is revolting sounding to everyone. Not one of us thinks you are being unreasonable. You are incompatible. Stop seeng him with clear conscience.

Blondeshavemorefun · 22/08/2025 13:11

So what did you decide @merrygoroundsss

PillarPansy · 24/08/2025 13:03

Reading some of the rude comments, the onslaught, yet people are surprised the OP didn’t come back?!

I hope you’re OK, OP 🌷

OnlyHasEyesForLoki · 25/08/2025 16:05

This happened to me. Went on a few dates, went to his flat and it was like something out of “How Clean is Your House”. Rubbish everywhere and it stank. The bathroom like a filthy men’s toilet in a back street pub. I said “it’s so dirty in here I honestly don’t even want to sit down, never mind have a drink or sleep in that bed or use that toilet. I’m goIng home.” I never saw him again. There’s untidy and there’s health hazard and no one should expect someone else to be in that environment. Your OCD is not the issue here, it’s his filth. YANBU!!!

Amazingstoke · 26/08/2025 07:42

I suspect that he has some sort of unresolved MH / ND / subs abuse issue that you have not yet picked up - or a combination of all 3.

Muffinmam · 01/09/2025 22:53

merrygoroundsss · 19/08/2025 23:34

So what you’re saying is I’m a liar, I haven’t been diagnosed and I don’t have OCD? Ok.

Did you dump the dirty man you’ve been sleeping with?

I can’t believe you slept in a house that filthy! 🤮

Blondeshavemorefun · 01/09/2025 23:42

I’m sure I asked if the bed sheets were clean or skanky and crusty/smelly

I couldn’t stay in a bad bed

AlertEagle · 02/09/2025 00:57

I feel itchy reading this

Hufflemuff · 02/09/2025 01:02

Hes a dirty fucker... throw him back and tell him why!

Bleachedlevis · 05/09/2025 20:38

Bin him. He thinks it’s ok to invite you over and expect you to use a filthy toilet?
. And ignore the tiresome posters who are binding on about OCD. FFS.
YANBU, OP.

Bleachedlevis · 05/09/2025 20:52

How can these dirty fuckers not realise they live in a midden? They go in ‘normal’ houses and see acceptable levels of tidiness and cleanliness. Surely they recognise it?
I have no patience with excuses for laziness and filth ( apart from obvious MH problems, before anyone springs to their defence). I am now in my mid 70s and I have been in several pretty dirty and untidy homes throughout my life and nearly all of them are inhabited by lazy people.

Katemax82 · 05/09/2025 21:01

CoolPlayer · 19/08/2025 01:14

Maybe see if he’d consider paying a cleaner to do some deep cleans to get the house back to where it should be?

I feel sorry for that cleaner...