House proud people

M0nica

People say they aren't slaves to houseowrk, yet clean loos daily and the kitchen floor 3 times a week?

I trained my family to make sure loos are clean when they leave them. Cleaning materials are to hand, and I clean them once a week. Washing the kitchen floor? I hoover mine once a week and only wash it when it looks dirty. The floor is quarry tiled, so that isn't often. I have only ever owned a cooker with a black drip tray, as it does not show the dirt.

I have invested all my thought and energy in finding ways of not doing housework

All the furniture either has legs high enough to hoover under without moving it, or the base lies flat on the ground.

My mother and grandmother thankfully had lives that were far too busy and interesting to waste on housework and I follow in their grand tradition.

Totally agree with you, how can you dislike housework yet clean the toilet every day? I live alone, I don’t pee on the toilet seat and flush every time, why should I clean it daily? As for my kitchen, a wipe round after I cook or eat, a quick vac of any bits on the floor every few days and that’s about it!

But I did begin using a cleaner a few months ago as my arthritis in my knees has got so bad that I am in pain every step, so even basic housework was painful and took a long time. She comes every fortnight for two hours and has time to clean all my regularly used room thoroughly with ad hoc cleaning in spare bedrooms. This week for instance after her regular areas, she did the windows and Venetian blinds in two rooms and will do the other blinds next visit.

I thought I would have to clean a little in between but in reality I rarely do unless I’ve made a mess cooking. I do wipe the toilet and bathroom sink if I have visitors but not otherwise, I don’t make a mess and my germs don’t seem to hurt me!

I’m so lazy aren’t I!

I just so daily cleaning around the house like dusting, cleaning the kitchen and toilet and giving it a quick hoover and mop. I very rarely go in cupboards and clean unless it is completely empty and if I need to get shopping in then I will give it a quick wipe down. I honestly don't have the time to be house proud x x

Some comments are really funny, most go along with what I think. I too go through my dried food cupboard about twice a year, more if I'm Im looking for something. I'm glad I'm normal but no disrespect to those who are House proud I do like to visit a nice tidy home but I feel uncomfortable in case I spill my tea or drop crumbs.
I had another aunt who was so bad that she would get out the floor sweeper, one of those ew bank things and she would sweep around our feet while we had our tea and biscuits. She was an old fashioned housewife. Heaven preserve me from them.

My sister, who lives abroad, has two interests in life, cleaning and her health which have now morphed into one, she's finding it difficult to clean the house! She is excruciatingly boring! I have no interest in cleaning, do the minimum, have a weekly cleaner and shut off the parts of the house that are not in use. tbh my husband does more cleaning than I do.

My mum wasn’t house proud, she preferred being outdoors helping her husband with their small holding. I like things to be clean and tidy, but don’t care for hoovering and dusting.

My sister makes a virtue out of housework, always decorating, ‘bottoming’ rooms, her husband’s motto seems to be ‘tidy, tidy, tidy’. I know her house would put mine to shame, but as we don’t see each other very often as we live some distance away from each other, it doesn’t really matter.

My sister's solution is if you are never in a house it doesn't need cleaning since the COVID rules were relaxed they seem to have been on one long holiday with Facebook reports of them being in Belfast, Edinburgh, London, and many places in between.

etheltbags1, I have an old fashioned Ewbank carpet sweeper - rescued from a friend who was going to chuck it. I love it - it’s brilliant for getting a few bits off the carpet when I can’t be bothered to get the hoover out. (Which is often.)
It’s remarkably efficient - and saves electricity!
What’s not to like?

M0nica

My sister's solution is if you are never in a house it doesn't need cleaning since the COVID rules were relaxed they seem to have been on one long holiday with Facebook reports of them being in Belfast, Edinburgh, London, and many places in between.

Now there’s an idea! ?
If only I had the money....

I can’t live in chaos but hate housework so have had a cleaner most of my long married life, and would go without a great deal rather than not have help. We all work out what suits us, and superficial order matters to me. The state of cupboards and drawers is another matter and has to wait for the spirit to move me (infrequently).

Re kitchen cupboards, mine get cleaned out once in a blue moon, so it was interesting during the first lockdown, when supermarket shelves were often empty, to see what had been lurking there for ages.

Pleased to say that among other things I used up some yellow split peas and some gluten free flour, both several years out of date, but still fine. TBH I rather enjoyed concocting something nice out of what we had.

If things (eg oven) are not cleaned as often as they should be, it sometimes requires scouring. Has anyone else noticed how difficult it is to find scouring powder (Vim or Ajax) these days? Has it been banned for some reason?

My stepmother was extremely house proud and would pass comment on other people’s homes after she visited them. I hated having her in my house and would tell all sorts of lies to avoid her coming to visit. She missed out on all sorts of events as a result because she was so nasty.
My aunt’s adage was, ‘Housework is for boring people!’ I much prefer that way of thinking.

I'm more concerned about clutter. I hate clutter, ornaments and stuff in general. The less clutter you have, the easier it is to keep a house looking clean and tidy. I clean when necessary but everyday push the Dyson cordless (best purchase ever!) around and clean the toilets and make the bed. Surprising how little can make a house look OK.

I am house proud but I certainly don't clean the toilet daily, and I don't bleach my kitchen!
It sounds like other members of your family may have ocd, but even if they don't tell them not to be so rude !
It's your home do as you please ?

My house is a tip. I don't care and frankly anyone who criticised it would not be welcome again

Offer to let them clean your house for you while you get on with more interesting stuff

Quentin Crisp was famous for saying that after about 4 years the dust doesn't get any worse....

Well I am a lost cause. I live on a boat and am forever treading in goose or Swan poo left by my dear friends who visit for a snack. Recent cataract surgery showed me how dirty the windows were and how much dust there was. I gave cleaned them now....hahaha. I have a sign hanging up at entrance to my boat.. 'I cleaned my boat yesterday...sorry you missed it' Just ignore these people. Live your life and enjoy x

etheltbags1

I’m so with you !!!

There’s a great poem that my cousins read at my Aunts funeral, she was an Artist and avid gardener and spent little time on housework !! Poem is called “Dust if you must” Read it, it’s fab !

Too much cleaning leaves nothing behind for your immune system to practice against. When I was young (a long time ago) we played in the dirt and then went in to eat our sandwiches or you'd share bottles of pop with your mates. Nobody got ill. Simples. My favourite fridge magnet says " My house was clean last week. Sorry you missed it."

Deedaa

As long as my house is free from fleas, mice and any other "things", no one has been poisoned and we all have clean clothes to go out in I'm really not that bothered. My main argument about house work is that you can spend hours forensically cleaning and nobody will even notice.

Great attitude and made me smile !!

I expect all those cleaning devotees in your family are of a previous generation where it was expected that the main part of a woman's day was spent cleaning the house - many didn't go out to work after they either got married or started a family!
I personally never feel comfortable in a house that is "minimalist" with absolutely no ornaments etc and everything absolutely spotless. I prefer my home to look lived in , as long as it looks clean!

My Granga e me good advice many moons ago The hoose will be here when you're no ie don't live to do housework

I need to have clean clothes and be clean myself. Bathroom and kitchen are cleaned but when it comes to dusting and such like it can wait until it annoys me before it gets done. I am a widow and live alone so can leave books and different things that are being done at various times as they are. I have a very bad back and so it is more of a matter of being able to reach things I need rather than they are looking tidy. What energy I have is for more interesting things.

With you on this! Sums up my attitude too although bizarrely when certain people come round I go crazy making it look ‘perfect’ even whilst knowing this is ridiculous!