volunteering and cleaning toilets

[ethandron]

if you were a volunteer at a visitor centre type of place and were asked to clean what are, in effect, public toilets used by up to maybe 100 people a day, would you be happy to do so, if it had not previously been mentioned to you that this would be something you would be asked to do?
thank you for any opinions.

[ethandron]

if it was just the staff toilets, used by the few staff and volunteers there, then i probably wouldn't feel as i do about it, it's almost like cleaning your own toilet in those circumstances. it's the fact that there are lots of members of the public using them, so it's like cleaning a public convenience, and we all know what they can be like.

[sara3]

I guess if everyone took a turn... but I wouldn't be overjoyed.

[237SJ]

I wouldn`t be too happy to be honest. If I volunteered to work in a place like that I`d imagine myself making cups of tea or serving etc. Cleaning the loos wouldn`t enter my head. My way of thinking would be that if they can afford paid staff as you say, then they can put their hand in their pocket and pay for a cleaner.

[Smowball]

Just out of interest, how many toilets are you being asked to clean?

[Athley]

I'd do it as long as I knew I wasn't the only one and it was on a rota basis. Also I would need the proper equipment rubber gloves !!!! etc and loads of bleach !! I'm not squeamish if properly equipped :o)

[Eve]

I wouldn't mind either and have had a cleaning job (including toilets) and jobs with cleaning as a part of the job, including toilets, in the past - although now physically I'd find it harder going.

I've also done a lot of voluntary/charity work and have dealt with allsorts and cleaned up many things.

The type of centre might make a bit of a difference as could it be that the paid staff allocate jobs anyone could do to free them up for tasks only they can do, especially with all the rules and regulations and policies about these days and things like insurance considerations. Make the most of the free volunteer help for the more efficient (financially and practically) running of the centre to keep it going and put funds to the best use?

[boxtops]

I would want to know before I started the cleaning job that the centre was providing me with proper training about hazardous "waste", sharps etc. (all stuff you can find in toilets), that I was being provided by them with adequate personal protection clothing (shoes, aprons, gloves - goggles if necessary), and training on the use of cleaning materials etc - COSHH comes to mind if you have to use bleach or deal with personal body fluids (wee, poo, or vomit). OK it might be infrequent, but they still have a duty of care to you as a volunteer. I wouldn't do it without those things.

[woofgang]

I wouldn't take on a volunteer role where that was part of the job and if I found out after taking it on that it was, then I would leave. I worked in the Nhs and part of my job there was helping people with the tasks of everyday life. That involved personal care assistance and cleaning up when things go wrong so I have done it.....I also used to clean the pub toilets when we ran the pub for my in laws. I didn't mind doing it but I wouldn't volunteer to do it and if it hadn't been mentioned as part of the volunteer role I would be peeved enough to leave.