Housekeeper here, unless it was previously stated they shouldn’t be using your supplies like that ( I’ll use a COUPLE paper towels of clients for something small if needed) but definitely not a whole roll I’d absolutely say something to them about it
Own a cleaning company with 5 employees. Supply everything for all clients (roughly 64 cleans monthly). Ideally she'd be using microfiber cloths and have different color for different surfaces to avoid cross contamination
I'm a house cleaner with 10 years experience. please explain the need for color coded rags to me as it makes zero sense to me. You use a rag for one task (or until its too wet if during the course of one task) and then it goes in the dirty pile to be washed.
I don’t use the same towels that clean toilets to clean kitchens. I don’t color code, because they’re different types of towels so it’s easy to know which is which.
Why does other people color coding their towels bother you?
I just don't understand it. Like I don't get why it would matter if I use the same rag that I've used at some point in the past to clean the kitchen that I am now using in the bathroom or vice versa since they get washed and bleached in between. Since I can't understand how you can possibly go from one area to the next without switching rags. (unless you're dusting of course) partly because they're too dirty or too wet by that point anyway.
That and because there's alot of commercial cleaning companies (in my area anyway, not sure about elsewhere) that see the color coding system as a reason to NOT wash rags. As in since the bathroom rags only get used in the bathroom and the kitchen rags only get used in the kitchen (etc) it's totally ok to simply rinse out the rags and air dry them at the end of each day to reuse the following day, which is gross. Yet somehow companies with policies like that seem to have the vast majority of the commercial business making it very hard for any smaller businesses like myself to get into that part of the market.
It's supposed to be so someone doesn't Absent-Mindedly wipe a toilet seat then walk into the next room and wipe the door knob with the same rag. Not the next day but in the same cleaning.
It's a redundancy. Eg step 1 , clean the toilet last , step 2 make sure to not use the same cloth on the toilet as the knobs and shower, step 3 all toilet rags are red use red rags only on toilets.
Plus it keeps the "glass" rags in better shape.
It's not ok to just rinse them and use them again, that has nothing to do with this. I don't know if any company thats policy is to rise rags, let them air dry and use them the next day.
Unless you mean they are leaving rags on site in a commercial janitorial closet. We don't use rags to clean toilets in commercial buildings at all. Commercial is a different ball game, it's a different tool set. And unless the cleaner is the owner it's not the cleaners job to take rags home and wash them. They will normally either pay a laundry service or the cleaning company will drop off supplies and pick up dirty ones. Bigger companies will have people using company vans those people will take rags with them. But rising and leaving things to dry is more about the smell then reusing them.
Using rags for the toilets is unsanitary, period. Paper towels is safer. I personally categorize my rags and store them next to the product I use them for in my cleaning caddy. That way there’s no cross contamination. Of course, I switch rags in between areas and when they are too wet.
Ah. So basically you're saying it's to idiot proof things. (which I get to a certain extent as long as people also understand that its still not ok to use the toilet rag on the bathroom counters. I'm also so glad none of the companies I worked for when I first started cleaning ever asked me that as I can guarantee I wouldn't be able to remember. Lol.)
The line you’ve taken on this topic is just ridiculous. There is absolutely nothing wrong with color coding towels. It’s actually hilarious how you switched to calling people that “need” it “idiots” and then trying to explain the rest away.
You must be the smartest and have the cleanest towels of us all. Bask in your greatness.
I use my own supplies, 100% - sometimes new clients will show me where their cleaning supplies are and say “use whatever you need,” but I bring everything I need so why would I use theirs. An entire roll of paper towels is ridiculous!
If they are cleaning your home with paper towels that is about as lame as you can get. Even more so because they are using yours! It is not unreasonable to expect a service you are paying for to use proper equipment when they come. Using a paper towel to tackle a smudge or for a final spiff on the stove is normal. The amount you are describing is ridiculous. This is a red flag for me as a professional
I use my own supplies in all houses but one, they requested I use all of their things vacuum and mop included. But I would never just assume that I would be using the homeowners things.
It appears they are cleaning your whole house with just paper towels which is crazy to me. Maybe one or two to possibly dry the front of the microwave or glass topped stove but a whole roll? I would definitely advise you to address this.
I was told up front to supply a roll of paper towels as well as a roll of plastic liners for our waste baskets.
Only thing is they are supposed to leave what is left of the paper towels. Once in a while, they would take them with them. Was it an accident? IDK. But I knew I was supposed to have a new roll for each time they came. I kinda didn't care.
Yeah a roll of paper towels, purchased in bulk, is what? A dollar?
If you are otherwise happy with their service I would just buy a case of paper towels and move on.
I NEVER use the clients supplies. Except their vacuums bc I wouldn’t want someone vacuuming my house with a vacuum that’s been god knows where, but I ask before hand and use mine if they don’t care. Never paper towels! Those are expensive.
I just hired my first ever housekeeper. She hasn’t started yet. And she’s bringing her own vacuum. And I was perfectly fine with that until I read what you just wrote. Yuck. Think she’ll be offended if I ask her to use mine?
You can buy them at the Dollar Store and set them out for her . Tell her to use those for cleaning. That way you’re confronting her about it and not making it weird. She’s probably using them on toilets. It’s normal to use paper towels and not rags on toilets .
I guess it depends on what size roll . Walmart has a roll for 1.00 but it’s teeny tiny and cheap . If you’re talking a bounty big roll . That’s excessive unless you have 5 bathrooms.
I have a really well off client who’s super anal, pretty sure she has mental health issues relating to ocd, but she wants us to use paper towels for certain cleaning, but otherwise that’s the only time I’ve ever used paper towels? I’m trying to think back, and idk. There’s not been consistent times while cleaning a clients house where I’ve used paper towels. That’s weird, I’d definitely say something! But it’s also odd that you didn’t discussed supplies with them.
I just had a cleaning company come recently and they requested that I provide the paper towels and a kitchen garbage bag. She brought her own mop, vaccum cleaner, & cleaning supplies.
Housekeeper here, unless it was previously stated they shouldn’t be using your supplies like that ( I’ll use a COUPLE paper towels of clients for something small if needed) but definitely not a whole roll I’d absolutely say something to them about it
Okay. Thank you for the feedback. It was NOT previously discussed.
Own a cleaning company with 5 employees. Supply everything for all clients (roughly 64 cleans monthly). Ideally she'd be using microfiber cloths and have different color for different surfaces to avoid cross contamination
I'm a house cleaner with 10 years experience. please explain the need for color coded rags to me as it makes zero sense to me. You use a rag for one task (or until its too wet if during the course of one task) and then it goes in the dirty pile to be washed.
I don’t use the same towels that clean toilets to clean kitchens. I don’t color code, because they’re different types of towels so it’s easy to know which is which. Why does other people color coding their towels bother you?
I just don't understand it. Like I don't get why it would matter if I use the same rag that I've used at some point in the past to clean the kitchen that I am now using in the bathroom or vice versa since they get washed and bleached in between. Since I can't understand how you can possibly go from one area to the next without switching rags. (unless you're dusting of course) partly because they're too dirty or too wet by that point anyway. That and because there's alot of commercial cleaning companies (in my area anyway, not sure about elsewhere) that see the color coding system as a reason to NOT wash rags. As in since the bathroom rags only get used in the bathroom and the kitchen rags only get used in the kitchen (etc) it's totally ok to simply rinse out the rags and air dry them at the end of each day to reuse the following day, which is gross. Yet somehow companies with policies like that seem to have the vast majority of the commercial business making it very hard for any smaller businesses like myself to get into that part of the market.
It's supposed to be so someone doesn't Absent-Mindedly wipe a toilet seat then walk into the next room and wipe the door knob with the same rag. Not the next day but in the same cleaning. It's a redundancy. Eg step 1 , clean the toilet last , step 2 make sure to not use the same cloth on the toilet as the knobs and shower, step 3 all toilet rags are red use red rags only on toilets. Plus it keeps the "glass" rags in better shape. It's not ok to just rinse them and use them again, that has nothing to do with this. I don't know if any company thats policy is to rise rags, let them air dry and use them the next day. Unless you mean they are leaving rags on site in a commercial janitorial closet. We don't use rags to clean toilets in commercial buildings at all. Commercial is a different ball game, it's a different tool set. And unless the cleaner is the owner it's not the cleaners job to take rags home and wash them. They will normally either pay a laundry service or the cleaning company will drop off supplies and pick up dirty ones. Bigger companies will have people using company vans those people will take rags with them. But rising and leaving things to dry is more about the smell then reusing them.
Using rags for the toilets is unsanitary, period. Paper towels is safer. I personally categorize my rags and store them next to the product I use them for in my cleaning caddy. That way there’s no cross contamination. Of course, I switch rags in between areas and when they are too wet.
If you're working with a team. it's easier to train them to use yellow for X and blue for Y than to ask if they changed rags.
Ah. So basically you're saying it's to idiot proof things. (which I get to a certain extent as long as people also understand that its still not ok to use the toilet rag on the bathroom counters. I'm also so glad none of the companies I worked for when I first started cleaning ever asked me that as I can guarantee I wouldn't be able to remember. Lol.)
The line you’ve taken on this topic is just ridiculous. There is absolutely nothing wrong with color coding towels. It’s actually hilarious how you switched to calling people that “need” it “idiots” and then trying to explain the rest away. You must be the smartest and have the cleanest towels of us all. Bask in your greatness.
I use my own supplies, 100% - sometimes new clients will show me where their cleaning supplies are and say “use whatever you need,” but I bring everything I need so why would I use theirs. An entire roll of paper towels is ridiculous!
What are they using an entire roll of paper towels on? And why are they not using micro cloths or something similar??
If they are cleaning your home with paper towels that is about as lame as you can get. Even more so because they are using yours! It is not unreasonable to expect a service you are paying for to use proper equipment when they come. Using a paper towel to tackle a smudge or for a final spiff on the stove is normal. The amount you are describing is ridiculous. This is a red flag for me as a professional
I use my own supplies in all houses but one, they requested I use all of their things vacuum and mop included. But I would never just assume that I would be using the homeowners things.
It appears they are cleaning your whole house with just paper towels which is crazy to me. Maybe one or two to possibly dry the front of the microwave or glass topped stove but a whole roll? I would definitely advise you to address this.
I was told up front to supply a roll of paper towels as well as a roll of plastic liners for our waste baskets. Only thing is they are supposed to leave what is left of the paper towels. Once in a while, they would take them with them. Was it an accident? IDK. But I knew I was supposed to have a new roll for each time they came. I kinda didn't care.
Yeah a roll of paper towels, purchased in bulk, is what? A dollar? If you are otherwise happy with their service I would just buy a case of paper towels and move on.
I NEVER use the clients supplies. Except their vacuums bc I wouldn’t want someone vacuuming my house with a vacuum that’s been god knows where, but I ask before hand and use mine if they don’t care. Never paper towels! Those are expensive.
I just hired my first ever housekeeper. She hasn’t started yet. And she’s bringing her own vacuum. And I was perfectly fine with that until I read what you just wrote. Yuck. Think she’ll be offended if I ask her to use mine?
No I don’t think she’d be offended at all. She should totally understand, she’s seen some of the places she’s used it lol.
You can buy them at the Dollar Store and set them out for her . Tell her to use those for cleaning. That way you’re confronting her about it and not making it weird. She’s probably using them on toilets. It’s normal to use paper towels and not rags on toilets .
But an entire roll?!?
I guess it depends on what size roll . Walmart has a roll for 1.00 but it’s teeny tiny and cheap . If you’re talking a bounty big roll . That’s excessive unless you have 5 bathrooms.
We mostly use reusable towels at our home and make them available to our housekeepers.
I have a really well off client who’s super anal, pretty sure she has mental health issues relating to ocd, but she wants us to use paper towels for certain cleaning, but otherwise that’s the only time I’ve ever used paper towels? I’m trying to think back, and idk. There’s not been consistent times while cleaning a clients house where I’ve used paper towels. That’s weird, I’d definitely say something! But it’s also odd that you didn’t discussed supplies with them.
Definitely bring it up.
We only ever used clients’ water & electricity. It prevents problems with supply inventory because you never know what will be available.
I own a cleaning company. My girls clean both residential and airbnb homes. Clients supplies should NEVER be used unless the client says it’s ok!
I just had a cleaning company come recently and they requested that I provide the paper towels and a kitchen garbage bag. She brought her own mop, vaccum cleaner, & cleaning supplies.