I Work As A Cleaner. Am I Obliged To Wash Work Cloths In My Domestic Washing Machine?

[Rkh15900]

I work as a cleaner in a Gp's surgery and for the last 18 months my employer has made me take the microfibre cloths home to wash every week. Is this allowed by law? I haven't signed anything to agree to this nor is it in my contract. I am concerned about having these dirty cloths in my home and in my washing machine.

[SlackAlice]

Give the surgery an invoice for laundry costs to see what happens. Just to cover your expenses obviously ☺☺☺

If it's not in your contract I would view this as an 'extra'. Extras don't come free.

[Peter Pedant]

why are you raising this now ? what did you think eighteen months ago ?

anyway you have done it for eighteen months so I think it may be judged that you have agree by action to the necessary changes in contract

who employs you ? the surgery or an agency ?
do you have uniforms and who cleans them ( yes we do and they are never cleaned ....)

I think you could realistically raise
'cross infection' - you are afraid of infections from the surgery and also your children drip diarrhoea and pus on a regular basis

problem is they may lay you off and get a nonenglish speaking Thai girl to do it .....

[EDDIE51]

They are trying to save money, the entire idea of micro fibre cloths is that you throw them away once they are dirty. The cost of them in bulk is less than the cost of washing them, under 2p each . I assume you work for an agency as a doctors surgery should know better than to reuse disposable cleaning cloths!

[douglas9401]

Interesting, these modern children's names. :)

[woofgang]

Eddie, are you sure they are disposable? Mine aren't.

[douglas9401]

Not all microfibre cloths are single use, Eddie

[ummmm]

Mine are not disposable either. They actually come with washing instructions!

[EDDIE51]

The ones I get are disposable and come in a pack of 20 . Never considered washing them.

[gingejbee]

I would argue with EDDIE's statement that the whole idea of microfibre cloths is to throw them away once dirty....all the microfibre cloths I've seen have washing instructions with them and a statement that " these cloths can be washed so-many hundred times"'
There are cloths that are meant to be used and discarded, but they are usually paper/cellulose based.

[ummmm]

Eddie, are you sure you're talking about the right clothes?

[ummmm]

Obviously I meant 'cloths'

[gingejbee]

....sounds like EDDIE is using J-cloth type disposables...which are not microfibre....

[gingejbee]

...and if they are 2p each, they aren't microfibre for sure!

[ummmm]

That's what I was thinking.

[Prudie]

That's what I think too - my microfibre cloths last weeks. I dunk them in bleach solution to keep them fresh.

[EDDIE51]

OK but I would not expect to wash my working / cleaning equipment and I have worked as a cleaner in 3 care homes and and 2 schools.The cleaning equipment including cloths was supplied and maintained by the company. One place I worked in told you to wash your own uniform but we got a weekly allowance to cover the cost.

[ummmm]

Prudie...mine say not to use bleach and not to not tumble dry.

[Mamyalynne]

Simply state that for private reasons you are no longer able to wash the cloths and they will have to find an alternative.

[Prudie]

oo-err I've never read the instructions..

[Peter Pedant]

agree mamalynne
that is quite a good one......