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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

DP's household hygiene, what to do?

158 replies

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 12:17

Been with DP 5 months but have known him 15 years.
This is our second time round trying the relationship thing.
We've always had chemistry, friends have always said we should be together, we generally get on great and laugh a lot.
From a DP point of view he is caring, generous, helpful and gets on well with DD ( who he also knew already before we got together through mutual friends get togethers that kind of thing, )

12 mths after I split from now XH, DP was the first person I dated. It didn't work out because I couldn't stand his lack of hygiene/attitude to housework type stuff.
DD was only 3 at the time ( he never met her then ) but I just kept thinking that I couldn't ever take her round there because of the dirt, dust etc
To clarify it wasn't just a bit of dust, it was inches thick, the kitchen was filthy and I hated eating or drinking there.

We still saw each other occasionally over the next few years through mutual friends events
And got on fine.

This led to us having the occasional night out together purely as friends but we always had a great time. During this time we were both on OLD sites too but nothing ever worked out except bad dates!

We talked a lot about our dating disasters which eventually got me thinking that perhaps we should try again. He jumped at the idea and said that going forward I needed to make sure I communicated clearly to him anything I was unhappy about.

This time He appeared to take on board everything I said about the state of his house and how much it affected me. Plus I scrubbed his kitchen top to toe so I felt better about being there ( just once I'm not doing it again )
Since we split the first time he has acquired 2 pets as he wanted the company. This however means more dirt and smells.

Every time I go round to his now he very proudly tells me how much he's cleaned up and tidied etc but as soon as I walk through the door the first thing that hits me is thesmell of the pet food. He leaves it out all day and the pets are messy eaters so it's all over the floor.
His solution is to burn a nice smelling candle by the front door to mask the smell!

Whenever I get a glass, mug or plate out of the cupboard to use it's inevitably dirty, greasy and has bits of stuff encrusted on it. So does the cutlery. If I take something off the drainer to use that's just been washed, it's the same.

I can't use a tea towel there because they're always manky , I opened his microwave yesterday to defrost something and it was filthy.

When I stay the night the pets always jump on thé bed and therefore walk over me too.

I've communicated til I'm blue in the face about all of this but it obviously isn't a big problem for him.
I'm also not houseproud as such but my house can be untidy but it's not fundamentally dirty. Everything gets washed and washed properly.

I'm getting to the stage again that I don't want to be in his house.
( his personal hygiene is absolutely fine and clothes clean etc )

He is the loveliest man and I feel so bad for constantly bringing these things up.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 16/06/2019 17:11

If I was currently single there is no way I would live with another man again! Date, sleep over but nope I'm happily going to retain my independence and not have to compromise and put up with another human in my space 24/7 ever again!

AttilaTheMeerkat · 16/06/2019 17:15

OP has known this man for over a decade already. He's always been a slob and will in all likelihood continue to remain as such. He fundamentally does not care about hygiene standards and its not and has never been on his radar for his own reasons.

OP should not have to tell him how to keep his house clean and tidy. If he wants to live like this then that is up to him but she should not involve herself in his life in any way, shape or form.

galaxy101 · 16/06/2019 19:15

Just be blunt, "that pet food absolutely reeks, how often are you cleaning it?!" Or "don't be ridiculous, you can't just use a candle to mask the smell, you need to be doing XYZ"

You need to spell it out.

AnnaNimmity · 16/06/2019 19:27

Can he afford a cleaner? At least if a cleaner comes 1 or 2 times a week, it will be more clean underneath the mess, and there'll never be many days mess to deal with.

Other than that, the pet food sounds revolting. Could you say you won't come round if the food is left out all day?

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 19:34

@galaxy101 I'm very blunt he is in-no doubt about what I think

OP posts:
Ruddygreattiger2016 · 16/06/2019 19:51

Eeeeewww, just thinking about the mankiness of his house would make me think his personal hygiene is pretty rank tooShock no fucking way way would I willingly sleep with someone that slobbish, yuck.

But you did scrub his kitchen from top to bottom. I can see why hes keen to have you as a girlfriend.

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 19:56

@Ruddygreattiger2016 Did you mean to be so rude?

OP posts:
IM0GEN · 16/06/2019 19:56

Why are you complaining to him about the state of his house? It’s up to him how he lives. Your choices are visit him and put up with it or don’t visit him.

As long as his pets aren’t neglected, it’s his choice.

You knew exactly what he was like when you got together with him this time. You have no right to try and change him to fit your personal preferences.

Ruddygreattiger2016 · 16/06/2019 20:03

Not rude at all. Said yourself you scrubbed his kitchen, even though as a grown woman its not your job to clean up after him. This is who he is, this is how he is, you said so yourself.
And if someones house is as manky as you say it would naturally be assumed their personal hygiene was iffy aswell.

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 20:06

@Ruddygreattiger2016 I also stated in my op that there are no problems with personal hygiene

OP posts:
Ruddygreattiger2016 · 16/06/2019 20:10

Whats his bathroom like op?

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 20:29

It's not brilliant but it's not too bad

OP posts:
Sproutsandall · 16/06/2019 21:05

Could he have problems with his eyesight? Both my DH and my dad do, so sometimes they don’t see that something they’ve “washed” isn’t actually clean.

Otherwise, yeah, you can make him change for the better if he’s willing and you’re willing to put the work in. It is a lot of work for you, though, so try to be sure he’s worth the time and effort before/if you decide to do this.

SavingSpaces2019 · 16/06/2019 21:06

Plus having been single and dating so long before getting together I know exactly how much worse the men out there are
Don't make the mistake of 'settling' for less just because there are worse men out there.

i know the type of lack of hygeine you're talking about - and i'm surprised you continue pursuing things with him.
He's 56 and is not going to change.
My guy was early 30's and was like this. The first time i walked into his house i was too shocked and polite to say anything.
His personal hygeine seemed ok - but he was using those manky towels, greasy cutlery n pots n pans, touching filthy doors and surfaces...he was living in that filth.

I found it downright disrespectful and embarassing.
Like you, i'm not one for picking up after or training a man.....and i wasn't interested in pursuing a half-life with him.
He would pay lip service too but change/do nothing.

I blame the idiocy of being in my 20's for carrying on with him for another 6 months and sleeping with him.

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 21:14

@Sproutsandall yes he does have eyesight problems and is always losing his glasses too.

But I've pointed out the dirty crockery and cutlery so many times wouldn't you think he'd double check when he knows I'm coming round?

OP posts:
Sproutsandall · 16/06/2019 21:55

:Gallic shrug: If he doesn’t see it, he doesn’t see it. I just hand back all the ‘not washed properly’ cutlery/delf to my Op and tell him to wash it again. No big deal.

(My Dp can’t wear his glasses when he’s washing up as they get steamed up, so he genuinely doesn’t see things. I don’t take it personally.)

RandomMess · 16/06/2019 21:59

@IndieTara GrinGrinGrinGrin 20 years on I've given up on the dirty dishes (only non dishwasher stuff) it's a running joke that his washing up is crap!!!! It does piss me off that I often have to wash stuff up before I (rarely) cook Wink

Gardai · 16/06/2019 22:11

I was thinking eyesight too. It’s just he doesn’t perhaps see the dirt etc. If he’s personally clean the rest doesn’t make sense...specsavers may be the solution OP !

fedup21 · 16/06/2019 22:12

Sadly, if you were to move in together, you will end up clearing up after him because your standards are higher than his. The alternative is nagging him or him magically changing. What do think is the most likely?

Obviously you will have choices to make.

LittleDoll · 16/06/2019 22:12

Some people simply aren't naturally driven to be clean. It looks like hes making an effort. I'm not naturally driven to be clean and tidy and I'm aware it's a pain for people to live with. I work from home for ourselves. DF has a night job aswell as doing more work than me so I see it as part of my job at the minute to make sure the place is clean and tidy.

If it were just for me to sit around in thered be clothes and make up everywhere.

Pets are always going to produce smells though. Theres only so much he will ever be able to do about that.

If its incompatible with your lifestyle then just call it quits and move on.

SaintEyning · 16/06/2019 22:15

I dated a man whose tiny house was both cluttered and dirty. The only saving grace was that he was incredibly fastidious about his laundry and personal hygiene. I only coped for 8 weeks and had to say bye bye (for lots of reasons, but the massive difference in how we lived was a factor).

RandomMess · 16/06/2019 22:42

Fortunately DH is very tidy and minimalist, I am good at cleaning and he curbs my natural messy tendencies Blush

The OP doesn't need to ever live with him???

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 22:51

I have no plans to live with a man again

OP posts:
RandomMess · 16/06/2019 22:56

IndieTara - snap!!!

A mature widowed lady once said "I'm happy to pay my own way, holiday together but I am never washing another man's pants ever again" Grin

IndieTara · 16/06/2019 23:09

I'm with her!

OP posts:
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