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Office cleaner leaves desk in a mess

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Well, I wasn't very happy when I walked in to the office this morning and saw the state of my desk, it was like a whirlwind had hit it!

My phone was half pulled out, keyboard and mouse pushed out of position, pens thrown across the desk, piles of papers were no longer in piles, my flat screen monitor had been pushed to the point that it nearly fell back when I put it on this morning and even a couple of notices I had pinned up on the desk partitions had come down.  Did the cleaners by any chance attempt to clean our desks last night?  What’s worse is they didn’t even do a good job, I can still see a bit of fluff on my desk by my keyboard and mouse cables!

"The cleaners are instructed to only clean clear desks"

Cleaners instructed to only clean clear desks I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I really would much prefer that my desk is not touched by anyone if I have to come to this each time.  It wound me up so much that I emailed our Facilities Manager and she said that the cleaners are instructed only to clean our desks if they are clear and are not to move anything. Well my desk was clear apart from the usual things that are on most people desks, so that doesn’t explain why it looked like it had been hit by a mini hurricane.

So, I would say that the cleaners definitely weren't listening to their instructions.  Guess that’s was you get for cheap labour!

And whilst we’re on the subject of cleaners… we often have cakes and biscuits in our department.  Funnily enough they sometimes disappear over night.  I wonder where they go to?  I have been so tempted to plug a web cam in to my PC at work and leave it switched on over night just to see what really goes on when we’re not around.


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Jawahar

Jawahar

Reading your experience with the office cleaning situation is quite relatable. It's frustrating when expectations for a clear desk aren't met, especially when instructions are in place.
17/01 Jawahar
-1
Louby Lou

Louby Lou

I reckon a couple of co-workers had had some hanky panky on your desk after you'd gone.
25/02/11 Louby Lou
-11
Cristalex

Cristalex

I doubt very much that it was the cleaners who left your desk in that state. I'm not a cleaner, I'm a secretary and have been for many years. I have a great deal of respect for cleaners and find talking to them very valuable. All the cleaners I have ever spoken to over the years say they have specific instructions not to move anything on people's desks, they just clean the parts of the desk that are visible. I've worked in companies where colleauges who were still working late in the evening when the cleaner arrived, have complained to the cleaner that their desk is not clean; the cleaner normally replies that they only clean the parts of the desk that are visible, so if someone leaves files and other stuff on their desk most days, chances are their desk hardly ever gets cleaned.

Why should anybody have to clean other people's mess up anyway?

Alex
23/12/10 Cristalex
-4
MikeP

MikeP

What a farce this posting is. I can't believe that someone who has a job,and is more or less literate, has such a sad pathetic empty meaningless life that he can demean himself to post rubbish like this.
24/12/09 MikeP
-2
Dont Start Wars With the Clean

Dont Start Wars With the Clean

As for stealing your food: do you honestly think that the cleaner would be desperate enough to eat your leftovers - especially knowing your disgustingly poor level of personal cleanliness? Unlikely - it's probably the the infestation of rats and mice you've encouraged to take up residence in your office.

If it were one of my cleaners working at your office I would make sure that your workspace received the attention it deserves and ensure that everything is cleaned thoroughly.
I'd also ask that cleaner to not clean your desk with the cloth that is used to clean the gent's toilets (if possible) - which is unhygienic because it leaves streaks on the porcelain.
Chances are that I will have already told your facilities manager about the mixup in cloths on your desk and been told: "oh well, never mind - don't let it happen too often.."

By all means plug a webcam into your PC. And make sure you have your resumé up to date - you're going to be needing it when your sorry a*s is fired. Your worthless overpaid contribution to the company is nothing compared to the cleaner's rock-bottom prices and decent service.

You should be grateful that the cleaners don't blog about your shortcomings - they know more about your disgusting habits than anyone else on the planet. You'll never get another date - or job.

We'll find you - and clean you.

Seek help.
24/12/09 Dont Start Wars With the Clean
7
Dont Start Wars With The Clean

Dont Start Wars With The Clean

Looks like you had to crawl under your desk to find dust near your keyboard cables. You need psychriatric help. The cleaner must have really pi**ed you off. Or did you get a reprimand from your line manager again?
Hit back at the machine - take it out on the cleaners.. A*****e (you get the 5 star rating).

BTW, have a word with your IT guys. It looks like the cleaners have managed to bend the glass in your flat screen monitor too.

The cleaners don't have the luxury of an 8 hour shift to loll about cleaning your office. It's a hard slog from the minute they arrive for the entire two hours - especially because of people like you who want their cake and eat it - then tread it into the carpet to give the lazy sods something to do.

Instead of whingeing to your facilities manager, why not simply ask the cleaner to clean your desk only when it is clear (very rarely by the sounds of it)? It usually gets results if you ask nicely. You will find "nice" explained in the dictionary.
24/12/09 Dont Start Wars With The Clean
-5
Dont Start Wars With The Clean

Dont Start Wars With The Clean

A bit of fluff near the cables? Jeez.. They sound like good cleaners to me.

You try moving that dell keyboard without deleting your company's entire network - because you seem the type to leave the PC running all night so you save a few precious seconds by not having to log on in the morning.

Looking at your desk - they obviously got rid of your toenail clippings, eyelash hairs, nasal droppings, screen sneezes, ink stains, snotty hankies, mug rings, paper dots plates, bowls, cups, assorted crockery and mouldy food and crumbs that have accumulated on and around your desk.

Did the cleaners steal the prtscrn button from your keyboard too?

Looking at the pic, do you actually know what a clear desk is? Clear = free of obstruction.
Piles of paper? Shouldn't that be stacks of paperwork? It seems you have issues with organising your working life.

Anyways, why not try tidying up after yourself from time to time?

Having worked both sides, the cleaner probably had no choice after getting an undeserved bollocking from the supervisor for not cleaning the desk properly because of your crap all over the place. Try cleaning it yourself once to realise the difficulties the cleaner faces - and 10 minutes is not a realistic timeframe. Try cleaning it thoroughly in less than a minute - and organise your pen collection within that minute.
24/12/09 Dont Start Wars With The Clean
-2
nicci247

nicci247

Since you are old enough to work in an office and are able to chew solids, I would say that you are quite able to clean up your own mess. And could have cleaned it instead of using company time to gripe about it.
26/07/09 nicci247
10
phil

phil

I am the the person who eats your biscuits! can I have chocolate digestives next time I hate rich tea. I clean offices & I know how messy people can be,Remember the cleaner on minimum wage please..
13/05/09 phil
-3
Get in the real world.

Get in the real world.

Your cleaner actually cleans your desk - how fortunate are you!
It is this simple, if you dont want to clean then dont be a cleaner.
09/04/08 Get in the real world.
-3
pp

pp

I think this posting speaks for itself. This sad individual who probably earns twice as much as the cleaner has spent a good few minutes writing a whole page about an untidy desk. I guess they probably think they are superior to them as they can order their own paperclips without authorisation... Just very misplaced snobbery really. If I was a cleaner and came across your biscuits I would probably lick the inside out and put them back in the packet. Cheap Labour? Pound for Pound I bet they achieve far more in a working day than you!

In a word - Knobhead. They are probably hated and laughted at by their colleagues!
21/12/06 pp
7
agasima

agasima

you are very lazy why dont you tie up before the person come and clean these is childness
24/04/06 agasima
12
cleaner

cleaner

Theres nothing more annoying than coming into your work and having your things moved. I hope your paperwork didnt have confidential information!!!! Ha ha ha Paperwork is like children, if you cant see it, it could be anywhere!
19/04/06 cleaner
-6
H.P Flashman V.C etc etc

H.P Flashman V.C etc etc

TOP TIP = Beat at least one cleaner a day for their own good and your'e own amusement.
10/03/06 H.P Flashman V.C etc etc
-6
jimmy

jimmy

If thats the biggest thing you have to worry about then you are lucky.
Get a life and stop being so lazy! clean your own desk!
19/02/06 jimmy
1

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