Cleaning at work | Imamother

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Forum -> Working Women

Cleaning at work

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amother

Indigo

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 9:40 am

So I work in a home business out of the owners home. There’s a few of us here. There are definitely perks to my job, but there’s one thing that irks me. I’m curious to hear others input.
We all have garbages by our desk. My boss has a cleaning lady for her house and sends her to the office sometimes to clean the office and bathroom as well.
As a result of my upbringing, I never took out the garbage and still don’t. Bh we have the cleaning help we need. Every so often my boss will give me a little speech about the garbage bag in the garbage under my desk. Something to the effect of “if you see the garbage is full you should take it out”. Or “ the bathroom garbage is spilling over, you should really push it down so it doesn’t spill over.” Or “if you notice the sink isn’t draining well please clear the drain so it does.” And by taking out the garbage she means bringing it out to the can. Her reason for all of this is that we have customers coming in and out.
Now I agree and totally understand that we need our office to look presentable. My house is spic and span. I can’t stand messes. In no way am I ever creating a mess at work, but at the same time, I'm sorry, I’m not pushing down your bathroom garbage. If I would not do it at home without gloves, I should do it at work where many people use the bathroom?! I feel like, if you have a home business, you need to provide adequate cleaning help. I never heard of larger offices or any offices at all requesting this from their employees.
I don’t come to work to clean. I definitely clean up after myself, but to do more cleaning in my office than I do at home ( because of my cleaning help) really irks me.
Am I wrong? Am I just spoiled?

groovy1224

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 9:52 am

Uh, no. No no and no.

It is absolutely not your responsibility to take out (or push down??) the bathroom trash or clear the drain. The cleanliness of common areas of the office is 100% her responsibility, though of course it is common courtesy that you be as neat as possible.

allthingsblue

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 9:55 am

You are not spoiled.
They should have cleaning help once or twice a week to care care of all this. Please request it.

essie14

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 9:56 am

groovy1224 wrote:

Agreed. She should have larger garbage cans or have a cleaning person come more often.
It is not your responsibility to take out the garbage.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 10:06 am

My job does not include cleaning. I would never do what your boss asks of you. It is the boss's responsibility to keep the office clean.

amother

Indigo

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 10:06 am

What a relief!!! I try not to be spoiled, and this was irking me so. Thanks for all your responses.

amother

Pewter

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 10:19 am

I might be the odd one out here. I say a huge definite NO about cleaning anything in the bathroom or common areas. Obviously if you made the mess you should tidy it up. But unless your job description includes cleaning- not your responsibility to do anything more than that.
However the trash under your personal desk, I would think if it is overflowing you should take it out. But that should be occasionally- if it is happening daily she needs to hire more help.
Where I work I have my own desk. They have a regular cleaning crew but I do throw out my trash if it is overflowing and they won't get to it in time. And I am a professional but I don't think it beneath me to throw out trash.

meme6

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 10:35 am

Taking out the garbage by your own desk is normal to do daily by many jobs. But anything else is not considered normal for you to do.

Last edited by meme6 on Tue, Feb 12 2019, 10:38 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

White

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 10:37 am

When I worked at a therapy center, we had a rotation for taking out the garbage each day. I don't remember why, maybe the cleaning help didn't come daily? And if we left the garbage it would be smelly and attract creatures. We were also expected to wipe down the mats in the therapy room daily. No one seemed to think it was outrageous.

In your case, I would certainly take out your own garbage if it's full or has something smelly in it. Why ever not? It's not professional to leave it til the end of the day, and also not something you need to bring cleaning help in for.

oliveoil

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:18 am

You've never taken out the garbage? Yup, that's pretty much as spoiled as it gets.

mha3484

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:21 am

I work in a tiny office. We have a cleaner every other week. The weeks she does not come I take out the trash since the majority of it was produced by me. I think if you have multiple co workers you can work out a rotation to fill in when the cleaner does not come but someone should come on a schedule to clean the toilet etc. If I clean up as I go along my day there is rarely a big mess in the end.

naturalmom5

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:22 am

No offense
But if I was your boss I would fire you yesterday and give the job to someone who really needs and appreciates it

SixOfWands

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:23 am

oliveoil wrote:

You've never taken out the garbage? Yup, that's pretty much as spoiled as it gets.

Pretty much.

Its no big deal to take out your own trashcan if it overflows before the cleaning help comes. I've pretty much always worked in corporate offices, and I've done it if I have a lot of trash during the day. And its even less of a big deal to push down the bathroom trash. Use a paper towel over your hand.

groovy1224

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:34 am

SixOfWands wrote:

If I read the OP correctly, the bathroom is being used by customers. It's one thing to take out your own trash by your desk, it's another to be expected to take out trash generated by business foot traffic. The business owner should take care of that.

watergirl

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:38 am

Part of my job description is “other duties as assigned”, and this would fall under that category. What is your job title? And is everyone expected to pitch in around the office with this stuff? Or just you? How many people are using the bathroom that would make the trash overflow? And how often is it cleaned? Not enough details.

amother

Indigo

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:51 am

naturalmom5 wrote:

No offense
But if I was your boss I would fire you yesterday and give the job to someone who really needs and appreciates it

Wow that’s a little extreme. Did I say I’m making a fuss about it? Did I say I’m not doing it? I said it irks me.
Do you have any idea how much revenue I bring in for my company? Do you have any idea how valuable I am to them?
I wouldn’t jump to saying that... especially if you know nothing more about the situation, except that I am irked by something that is personal.
Relax

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:55 am

Naturalmom5, you would really fire an employee for not taking out the trash??? That's what cleaning ladies are made for. I dont go to work to clean up, and certainly not in the bathroom. Employees should be expected to keep their own space tidy, thats about it.

ShishKabob

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:58 am

Another vote that you do not have to clean up the common areas, especially not the bathroom. Absolutely no bathroom duties other than throwing your paper towels into the garbage cans and leaving the place decent.
OP, you may be spoiled, but not for this reason. lol Smile

ra_mom

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 11:59 am

If you have a small personal garbage bin under your desk, it makes sense to make sure not to put any food items there if you know it won't be taken out that day. If you do put wrappers or other food trash in there, then take it out with you or remove your small garbage bag and place it into the bigger can within the office before you leave. Make sure your personal bin is never overflowing.

In the bathroom, don't touch anything, but don't add to overflow and spillage. If it's already high, either push down while only touching your own paper towel, or take it with you and place it in a different garbage bin within the office that's not so full.

amother

Bisque

Tue, Feb 12 2019, 12:22 pm

I’ve had jobs where there was a cleaning lady or janitor who did all the cleaning. But I’ve also had jobs, at a therapy clinic or private practice where I was asked to pitch in with housekeeping such as changing toilet paper rolls and other light tasks. No one is asking you to mop the floor op. And your post does come off as spoiled.

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