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Original poster

Is your house inexplicably cleaner now?

132 replies

GrumpiestOldWoman · 13/04/2020 19:30

We have been at home all day every day and haven't had our usual 4 hours of cleaning each week - but I'd say our house is definitely cleaner and tidied than before Confused

We're both still working full time, albeit from home, and we have fairly full on jobs so putting in our full hours. I would say my working hours are slightly longer as I don't need to rush to pick up DD sp tend to work a bit later.

Is anyone else noticing this?

OP posts:
THATscurryfungeBITCH · 14/04/2020 07:53

Love this thread

Our is awful!

5 dc inc a baby under one

Its like a tornado went through

Snowdown24 · 14/04/2020 08:01

Surprised people are saying no. Of course more people are in the house but then that’s more people to help. Don’t any of your family members tidy up after themselves? Even my young child takes her plate out after dinner-it isn’t hard.

eaglejulesk · 14/04/2020 08:03

Um - no! I live alone and seem to be doing less housework with each passing week Hmm Confused

TheHeathenOfSuburbia · 14/04/2020 08:05

I'm mystified by how quickly our hall gets filthy when no-one is using the front door Hmm

Ginfordinner · 14/04/2020 08:07

No, because DD is home from university, but my garden is manicured to within an inch of its life, my patio has been power washed, and the cars are spotless Grin

motortroll · 14/04/2020 08:08

Ha ha...no

Mimishimi · 14/04/2020 08:11

No. My watercolours are everywhere, bits of pencil shavings, my son's Lego spread out over the entire dining table, a mixture of guinea pig hair and threads on the floor from sewing masks. Kitchen is ok

TheHeathenOfSuburbia · 14/04/2020 08:14

@WTFisthiseven

Don't lose hope! Or, well, lose it for a day and then find it again...

This isn't forever, we've just got to get out the other side. And there's not going to be any medals for who used their time most productively

I think you might have used up your reserves of giving-a-shit too early with the decluttering and cleaning. Wink

Do you think it'll be better once the kids are back at online school? I'm finding the holidays a nightmare because we've lost the routine we'd got into, and of course we cant replace it with any of the usual holiday activities. Everyone's just mooching round bored and grumpy.

(And you can buy a vacuum cleaner online... if you really want to)

LaurieMarlow · 14/04/2020 08:15

Even my young child takes her plate out after dinner-it isn’t hard.

My almost two year old is willing, but not actually effective in any way.

A lot of it is trying to keep them entertained while getting work down. Lots of toys/crafts coming out during the day. Then being far too exhausted to deal with it properly in the evening.

MyHeartIsBrokeButIHaveSomeGlue · 14/04/2020 08:18

This thread has made me feel SO MUCH better! Originally the title made me feel worse- my house is awful right now.

But thanks for the tip @snowdown24. Now I know to make my three year old take her plate after dinner the house is sparkling 🙄

EricaNernie · 14/04/2020 08:20

parts,
the door handles, for a start, and light switches.

MajesticWhine · 14/04/2020 08:21

No. I am the only one bothering to clean so with 5 of us plus two dogs, it is fairly mucky.

Frequency · 14/04/2020 08:22

I scrubbed the kitchen ftom top to bottom last night. It was gleaming. It was cleaner than the day it was it fitted. I did this because it's my office atm and I like it clean so I can concentrate. My teenagers know this.

I walked into this morning to find a jar of coffee left open on the counter, the stick blender covered in cream and coffee left on the counter, a baking tray also covered in cream and coffee and what appears to be melted ice also left on the counter. Coffee down the cupboard front and pooled onto the floor and a sink full of coffee glasses. That's what they've done to the kitchen in the 6 hours I've been asleep. I dont even want to check the front room and bathroom, so no my house is not cleaner. The oldest is usually in her room and the youngest is usually at school or out with friends. They're messier than ever atm

ShakespearesSisters · 14/04/2020 08:22

Nope, messier than normal. DD1(8) and DD2 (6), despite being asked countless times seem to leave small bits of plastic toys everywhere, bring grass into the house on their feet, the other day worms had taken up residence in a cupboard in their bedroom, they had made them beds out of soil and everything. There's 3 meals a day plus snacks going on so I'm constantly sorting dirty dishes. Managing to get the laundry done but my 3 child free days where I could clean and sort while the kids were at school are a distant memory.

LaurieMarlow · 14/04/2020 08:28

But thanks for the tip @snowdown24. Now I know to make my three year old take her plate after dinner the house is sparkling

There’s nothing like a bit of total cluelessness mixed with judgement, huh? Grin

A MN trademark.

justanotherneighinparadise · 14/04/2020 08:37

🤣 nooooooo.

THATscurryfungeBITCH · 14/04/2020 08:40

My 3 year old will move his own plate. However while doing this he usual tips anything left onto the floor or the bin lid Grin

userxx · 14/04/2020 08:44

@Slat3 My friend is a cleaner and was really worried last week about finances, I told her to enjoy this quiet time because she's going to be super busy soon with all the deep cleans.

I also think oven cleaner people will do nicely out of this.

homeschoolchaos · 14/04/2020 08:46

No - it’s a complete tip. Toys everywhere, endless kitchen mess now that I’m apparently running a cafe. We are trying to keep on top of things but there’s wfh, two kids, in and out the garden, endless arts and crafts, Lego, train sets, and scalextric out it’s just a complete mess. At the end of the day we just flop on the sofa and ignore the debris on the living room floor!

Beeep · 14/04/2020 09:31

When things are happening around you that are stressful and over which you have literally no control I think it helps to do what's it takes to feel calm. Cleaning and Having a tidy house helps me feel relaxed. Crazy but true. I can only do it because my kids are adults.

I'm doing other stuff too - exercise,Reading, games, phone calls etc but I don't like sitting around doing nothing.

Frequency · 14/04/2020 11:52

Mine will clean. If I ask them to clean or tidy a whole room they generally will. I need to nag the younger one a fair bit and when it comes to the mess she creates in her own room she gets overwhelmed and needs it breaking down into steps ie take all the pots down, then sort the laundry etc.

My issue is getting them to keep clean whole I'm sleeping or working and unable to remind them to tidy up after themselves plus my homeworking involves taking calls do there's a lot of cleaning we can't do while I'm at work such as running the hoover round or using the washing machine or dd2's case anything at all because she is just so loud. By the time I log off work the house is trashed and I'm so pissed off I either lose my temper and everyone goes stomping off to their room slamming doors on the way or I angry clean and end making moreess while pulling cupboards etc out.

Yogawoogie · 14/04/2020 11:58

Mine is much cleaner. We’re both still working (more than usual) but I’m anxiety cleaning on my days off.

midnightstar66 · 14/04/2020 11:59

No, my house is a complete disaster and I just can't get on top of any of it

AuntieMarys · 14/04/2020 12:03

I was so bored yesterday I washed all the woodwork...doors, skirting boards, staircases. Dh powerwashed the drive for 2 days. 3 bathrooms gleaming. All washing done and beds changed.
All I'm doing today is reading.

userxx · 14/04/2020 14:15

@AuntieMarys What did you use for the woodwork?