Hygiene of friends

Corelli

Crikey, we've loads of cats, but would be horrified if our house was like what you describe. If they are nice people apart form the hygiene issues, I too would recommend meeting them somewhere else. Once the friendship develops more you could gently bring up your concerns about their levels of cleanliness. But gently, and at an appropriate time. Unless children are involved, it is no one else's concern.

Errata wrote: »

Litter tray on the kitchen counter? I can't begin to understand why anyone would have a receptacle containing animal waste anywhere in their home.:eek:

It's one of the downsides of having animals in the family. I care about my neighbours and rejoice that every poo in the litter tray is a poo that didn't go in a garden, either mine of one close by. No, it's not particularly nice and I don't enjoy cleaning it out a few times a day, but I would rather that than have them doing all their business outside. But NEVER on a kitchen counter, or even in the kitchen at all. Bleugh

BarryBlue

There is a friend I have known for about 45 years who lives in a similar muckhole. We did at one time grit our teeth and accept invitations to eat there when we ran out of excuses not to. But the situation became worse over the years. The place was absolutely filthy with rubbish, dirty crockery and washing all over the place, made worse by numerous cats. So we simply arranged to meet them at a pub or restaurant for a meal instead. We have neither visited nor entertained them for over 10 years now.


We also know an eccentric chap who lives on his own in utter squalor and grime. Apart from the muck and rubbish, his furniture is all only fit for the tip, the electrics are shot and he hasn't had a toilet seat for at least 5 years. The odd thing is that he has plenty of money, he just won't spend any of it even to make life more comfortable.

pollypenny

The house we now live in was in a right state when we looked at it. The cobwebs had cobwebs and there was cat poo in the bathroom.

The carpets stank to high heaven. We didn't bring the kids with us on either viewing, as they'd have been appalled.

The dirty madam owner was a pharmacist! :cool:

Errata

Two of the mankiest houses I've ever visited belonged to doctors.

Callie22

David301 wrote: »

I'm still wondering why we were asked to take our shoes off tbh!?

Many years ago, my partner and I looked round a property to rent where the owner insisted that we take our shoes off before we were allowed in. It wasn't a cheap house and it was in a 'nice' area, so we initially thought this was a good sign (houseproud and all that) but it honestly was the most disgustingly filthy house I have ever, ever been in. The floors were sticky, damp, crunchy and furry, and they were covered in a rainbow of stains. We ended up just staying in the hallway and peering into the rooms - the kitchen was just covered in a layer of brownish-yellow grease and it smelt so rancid, and I refused to even go in the bedrooms as the floors were so disgusting and there were very obvious red, brown and yellow stains on the mattresses (which would have been staying, as it was 'furnished'). We made our excuses and left very quickly but we were amazed when the agent (who'd given us the 'tour') rang us up the day after to ask us if we wanted to rent the house. OH was very succinct in his answer and they never rang us back

j.e.j.

LameWolf wrote: »

Known as a "Gesunder" here.

When I worked for the Valuation Office, it was my job to go and measure new houses for rateable value purposes (yes, this pre-dates even the hated Poll Tax) and there was one brand new house I visited where I was absolutely hit by the stench of stale urine the minute I stepped through the door; the place was a tip, and there were several very grubby half-dressed children running around. I have never been so glad to get out of a place! What I couldn't understand was how a house that had only been occupied for a couple of months could get so bad, particularly to the smell.

Regards the smell, - the lift in our block of flats sometimes honks to high heaven. Bearing in mind that the smelly person would only have been in the lift for about half a minute at the most, if someone can make a place stink that bad in such a short space of time, it wouldn't surprise me if they could make a house stink and look filthy in a couple of months.

It's a shame though. Some of these newly-built properties are really nice places and they go to people who can't or won't look after them.

carefullycautious

I hung my hat and coat up many years ago and gave up a well paid job because I could no longer face what lay behind the front door.


The early mornings were the worse as I attempted to keep my breakfast down when all I wanted to do was run for the hills. I have seen it all and some.


Nothing shocks me any more and when I get bored with my office based job I think back and shudder that I lasted as long as I did.

DigForVictory

In a former career I visited a bunch of different locations & met a startling array of levels of cleanliness.
What got me down was realising my sister's house was the worst for doghair by a major length. But then she never used the opportunity of me visiting to review her place & commit to an overhaul.

As part of my job, I stayed polite, did my job & then got the heck out where it was bad & was warmly appreciative where efforts had clearly been made.

barbiedoll

The most disgusting home that I have ever visited belonged to a school teacher (who worked in a public school!). She was very glamourous, wore full make-up every day and had fabulous hair. Her house, on the other hand, was absolutely rank.

When I visited, her mother had come to stay, along with her two small dogs. The dogs had urinated on the carpet and someone had stuck a nappy over the wet patches to soak it up. There were stacks of old newspapers and manky books over every surface, I had to move a pile of papers to sit on a chair. Which had a very sticky seat pad, that I only noticed when I got up.

Her husband came home whilst I was there, he had taken their toddler daughter out for a walk. The little girl's face was smeared with dried-up cereal from her breakfast. I know that toddlers are messy eaters but most people give them a quick wipe before taking them out in public! I had a quick peek at the kitchen as I left, it was worse than the rest of the house.

The cleanest place that I've ever seen belonged to a traveller woman who had 5 children, ranging in age from teenagers to a newborn baby. You wouldn't think that anyone actually lived in the house, let alone 5 kids, it was absolutely sparkling clean. She had a very impressive collection of crystal glasses and ornaments, all of which looked very fragile. The place was spotless, as were her kids.

I've seen half million pound apartments which look like they're inhabited by squatters, and council flats on horrible estates which are like palaces inside. You really can't judge a book by it's cover!

BarryBlue

Errata wrote: »

Two of the mankiest houses I've ever visited belonged to doctors.

The first one I described above, the wife was a nurse.:(