What's your least favourite cleaning job?

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PW in Polemi
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What's your least favourite cleaning job?

Post by PW in Polemi »

Many people hate cleaning ovens, but my late husband used to clean the oven, however doing it myself wasn't too bad.
The post-winter clean of the cottage shutters is potentially messy, especially if the birds have been sitting on the opened shutters, but again, not too bad.
Toilets? Loo brush and rubber gloves sort that out.
Hair in the shower drain? Doesn't bother me. It's been washed already, after all!
No, up to now, my least favourite cleaning job was kneeling down on hard floor tiles to hoover under the beds. (My knees are bad and I can't always get back up without holding onto something, plus the tiles are bruising.)
However, I have now discovered something far worse. Something my late husband used to do, so I never had to contemplate it before now, let alone do it myself.
Yes, I admit it, I was spoiled and very well looked after.
Now I'm having to do it all myself (or get someone in to do it for me), I realise just how much my beloved Dave used to protect me.
So,this yukky cleaning job? Well, it's emptying the cloth bag in the hoover. I know cloth bags are supposedly more environmentally friendly, but really, they are just so messy to empty. I took ours outside and tried to empty it directly into a carrier bag to avoid touching any of the yuk inside. That didn't work. The bag was so full, the stuff wouldn't come out. I had to grit my teeth and put my fingers inside the bag to remove great wodges of hair and dust.
Several handwashes later, I still felt unclean.
Yuk yuk yuk.
Dogs have masters. Cats have slaves!
farley
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Post by farley »

Hi PW
I’m currently struggling with the big spring clean. With each passing year I become slower and carry more aches and pains. Yes, I agree, kneeling on hard surfaces is very uncomfortable🙁
We tend to ‘dovetail’ where tasks are concerned and I’m sure I couldn’t do everything my hubby does. You have my utmost respect for taking on 100% of the tasks.
Take it slowly and don’t get overtired.
Passing on lots of positive hugsxx
FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

Ovens are never difficult as long as you don't let them get past a certain point. Little and often is best. Loos are my least favourite job. For the hoover bag, just keep those rubber gloves on!

As regards the kneeling, have you thought about getting a garden kneeler to eliminate the hard floor bruising problem? You can even get ones which have a sort of frame around them so you can hoist yourself up more easily. I know you are not in England but this is the sort of thing I was thinking of
https://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/ga ... gI_v_D_BwE
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Oh PW you caught me at the start of prepping the house for rentals. ..my most hated time of the year :shock:

I've just finished cleaning the dreaded shutters on 9 windows, thank god I removed the ones on the kitchen windows. Watch it rain now!
That's at the top of my list followed by the actual windows.....I never get them streak free. The sun s hines on them and I'm up trying to get the marks off them I can't see when the sun goes off them. Drives me to distraction!
Finally comes the oven. I get filthy!

So here we go....heading in to our 14th summer of rentals. See you on the other side!
:roll:

Mousie
x
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pambon
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Post by pambon »

FelicityA wrote:Ovens are never difficult as long as you don't let them get past a certain point. Little and often is best. Loos are my least favourite job. For the hoover bag, just keep those rubber gloves on!

As regards the kneeling, have you thought about getting a garden kneeler to eliminate the hard floor bruising problem? You can even get ones which have a sort of frame around them so you can hoist yourself up more easily. I know you are not in England but this is the sort of thing I was thinking of
https://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/ga ... gI_v_D_BwE
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vacancesthezan
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Post by vacancesthezan »

Has to be between BBQs and the inside of kitchen extractor fans.

Even after putting stuff (that will) through the dishwasher you are still left with this concealed mess which defies all cleaning products.

Plus we only seem to notice just how bad they have got when we have finished everything else and the renters are due!!

Oh the joys we have to look forward to for the next 5 months!
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Drains.
Rodding out our private drainage system after some inconsiderate tw@t of a guest has decided that “Do not flush wet wipes” doesn’t apply to the ones they use.
That.
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

greenbarn wrote:Drains.
Rodding out our private drainage system after some inconsiderate tw@t of a guest has decided that “Do not flush wet wipes” doesn’t apply to the ones they use.
That.
Same here - one particular bright spark decided J cloths were flushable!
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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

Thankfully, we have never had anything as bad as that.

The worst we had regarding drains was our ex-long term tenant deciding that cotton buds should go down the sink, and then complaining to us that the drain was blocked....
:roll:
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Cymraes wrote:
greenbarn wrote:Drains.
Rodding out our private drainage system after some inconsiderate tw@t of a guest has decided that “Do not flush wet wipes” doesn’t apply to the ones they use.
That.
Same here - one particular bright spark decided J cloths were flushable!
Q: “Is it okay to flush J-cloths?”
A: “Yes, but only after you’ve eaten them...”

I might change my 'What not to flush’ notice to something along the lines of “The following are only flushable if you’ve eaten them:” with a list of wet wipes, cotton wool etc etc - but I’d never have thought of putting J-cloths on the list...
Some things can be made idiot-proof, but nothing can be made guest-proof.
CarolineJ
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Post by CarolineJ »

greenbarn wrote:Drains.
Rodding out our private drainage system after some inconsiderate tw@t of a guest has decided that “Do not flush wet wipes” doesn’t apply to the ones they use.
That.
Sympathies, that's been me this week as well. Not like there's a very large printed sign on top of the toilet or anything... :roll: :roll:

I hate cleaning showers, I end up chasing rogue hairs around the tray.
Faint heart never won fair holiday let...
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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

Ah, hairy showers... If I recall correctly, somebody on here (Mouse?) hoovers the shower tray first, then cleans. I daren't do that because the water traps here are so shallow, I'd worry about sucking up the water!
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Tournesol
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Post by Tournesol »

Oh yes, the shower.
Shiny black plastic on two sides which shows every mark. I end up using a lot of vinegar and nearly choking on the fumes.
And while not cleaning, ironing super king sheets and duvet covers is a p.i.t.a.
What you've never had you never miss!
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