Whether we’re talking about personal hygiene or household cleanliness , it’s important to set and maintain a certain standard .
Most people would agree that this is true, but most people also have differing standards — and as many couples know, this can lead to arguments and drama .
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One exasperated wife has had enough of her hubby’s cleaning habits, and she wants to know if she’s being reasonable.
“Huge row with DH! Help me!!”
For those who aren’t familiar with British English or shorthand, ‘row’ means ‘fight’ and ‘DH’ means ‘dear hubby.’
With that out of the way, let’s have a look at the post made on mumsnet.com , a forum for moms.
She usually cooks dinner, and he cleans up while she puts the kids to bed.
It sounds like they have an effective routine, but there’s been no shortage of stress lately.
“This evening I came downstairs and found him sweeping the kitchen surfaces with our dustpan and brush!” she wrote.
This sparked a big fight.
When OP asked her husband why he was using the dustpan — something used to sweep floors — on the counter rather than using a kitchen cloth, he totally didn’t understand why she was making that argument.
She thinks it’s disgusting.
Her husband says his method is to use the dustpan, then to wipe the surfaces down with a cloth after. Then, he issued an ultimatum.
“He said he’s not cleaning up anymore if he’s not left to do it his way,” she concluded.
Is she being unreasonable?
This was the central question OP asked, so let’s get into it. One commenter offered a completely reasonable, simple solution to the specific problem at hand: buy another dustpan and brush. One can be used for the floors, the other for the counters. That way, OP’s hubby can continue to clean in his own way.
Doesn’t the wipe-down clean things up anyway?
Some commenters were grossed out by the idea of floor germs getting transferred onto countertops, but others didn’t see what the big deal is.
“If he’s wiping it with a cloth and some sort of soap/disinfectant after I really can’t see the problem,” one wrote.
Maybe hubby needs to hear this.
In a message addressed to OP’s husband, one commenter wrote: “PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD educate yourself about cross contamination! Stop being revolting and clean your kitchen PROPERLY OR buy a special Dustpan and Brush set that is SPECIFICALLY for countertop use! You’re putting your wife and DC at risk of illness…. You’re transferring all those nasty germs from the bottom of your shoes/pets feet etc onto the countertops.”
It all comes down to different standards.
Navigating these standards is tough within the context of a relationship. You can kind of see both sides of the argument here, with OP thinking her hubby’s methods are gross, with her hubby seeing them as reasonable.
How would you handle this?
We’ve all had big arguments, whether with parents, kids, partners or roommates, over chores. So let’s hear some of your horror stories. Let us know what the issue is, and how you addressed it, in the comments section.
