Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Xtremely Clean on August 21, 2012, 09:11:23 pm
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I gave up smoking over a year ago now and don't fancy passive smoking when cleaning customers carpets, for those that don't smoke do you politely ask them not to smoke and air the house out before you get there?
Thanks
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As a non smoker I hate working in houses were they smoke,I often feel like telling them as this is my place of work I think it right that you dont smoke.
I dont know how the legislation on the smoking ban covers these situations.
Its a difficult situation when they are paying you :)
I must say its only on rare occasions that i work in smokers' houses
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why dont u ask them beforehand if they smoke or not . if u do a survey then you'll know as u would smell it . if u quote over the phone then ask . sorry mate but their hiring you . no way can you ask them to not smoke in their own home .dont matter if its a council house or a million pound home .. its theirs.. you cant smoke in restaruants or pubs now so u cant tell people what to do in their own homes . if u dont want the work then dont do it . im sure there are plenty of cc in your area who would gladly do it
dan
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why dont u ask them beforehand if they smoke or not . if u do a survey then you'll know as u would smell it . if u quote over the phone then ask . sorry mate but their hiring you . no way can you ask them to not smoke in their own home .dont matter if its a council house or a million pound home .. its theirs.. you cant smoke in restaruants or pubs now so u cant tell people what to do in their own homes . if u dont want the work then dont do it . im sure there are plenty of cc in your area who would gladly do it
dan
You can look at it that way but is it really asking too much for someone not to smoke for a couple of hours while you do a job for them, as for council houses the council do request that you refrain from smoking half an hour before the worker turns up till after they leave :)
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sorry clarkey but that is their HOME you cant tell anyone what to do in their own home . do you ask them not to smoke for a few hours beforehand ??? i know what my missus would say to that !!! i dare anyone to tell me what i can and cannot do in my own house . u decide who u want to work for . so make better choices
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I'm with Dan on this one. Different if they're hanging over you with a fAg in their hand, but half an hour before you arrive?
I hate second hand smoke, but asking someone in their own home not to smoke for potentially a few hours - I wouldn't do it myself, but its your perogative. As Dan said, there'll be someone else who doesn't mind doing it.
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I wasn't thinking of them not smoking at all but maybe having them at the front or back door while im there, well im going to try it ill let you all know how I get on ;D
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If you leave your machine at the front door, and run the hoses into the house, then the door will be open..... Otherwise you either have to put up with it.... Or refuse the job... IMHO
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Looks like im alone on this one :'(
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I would say so... And I stopped smoking 18 months ago too...
But I would have told anyone who asked me not to smoke in my own home to take a running jump.....
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tell you what dont bother buying a cleaner and save yourself a few quid if this is the way you treat your custmors now befoure you have any
i hate to think what you will be like when your in there homes belive with an out look like this when you first start you wont last long ask the 1000s of landlords that now on the dole about smokeing they will tell you the real story
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Our local council tell their tenants they cannot smoke in their house for up to 2 hours before workmen arrive,yes some moan but if they do smoke the workmen walk and they don't get the work done
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But they're council workers so will be getting paid anyway.
Just about every smokers house I've been in the owner
has either gone outside or to a room I wasn't doing.
John
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Under the smoking ban, customers should not smoke in the house while they have a worker in, be it a doctor, care worker, tradesman or a cleaner!
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I cant believe some body is actually considering asking a potential customer not to smoke in their own home ::) are you in a postion to turn work away ? because I would say 100% of them will tell you take a run and jump. As for the law, what a load of twaddle, do you actualy know any body who has been prosecuted for smoking whilr work men inside? the law even supposedly stopped smokers from work vehicles, i see dozens every day of work men smoking in a van or a lorry, it simply is not enforcable, again does any body know of any body smoking in a works vehicle ?
I have a suggestion for Clarky, either get in the real world ;) or change your occupation to some thing like ermmmmmmmm , ermmmmmm , hmmmmm , the dole maybe ,please dont tell me your allergic to pets and you wont work if the custy owns pets ;) then you will be really stuggling
Geoff
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Well thanks for your comments constructive or not ;D, like I said ill be asking them not to smoke and if they are decent people who actually care about other peoples health even though they don't their own ill be happy to clean their carpets and ovens, if they insist on smoking ill be happy not to clean them as I wouldn't want them as a customer ;D
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(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1345655509_fire mask.jpg)
what about one of these clarkey ;D
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Well thanks for your comments constructive or not ;D, like I said ill be asking them not to smoke and if they are decent people who actually care about other peoples health even though they don't their own ill be happy to clean their carpets and ovens, if they insist on smoking ill be happy not to clean them as I wouldn't want them as a customer ;D
[/
quote] ;D
YOU ARE JOKING ARNT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
gEOFF
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I can't remember the last time a client smoked in my presence, so it's not a problem.
Making an issue of it could well be a problem.
I would think carefully before telling someone what they can or can't do in their own home, or you could have a short career in carpet cleaning.
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(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1345655509_fire mask.jpg)
what about one of these clarkey ;D
Cheers Dan problem solved :D
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I can't remember the last time a client smoked in my presence, so it's not a problem.
Making an issue of it could well be a problem.
I would think carefully before telling someone what they can or can't do in their own home, or you could have a short career in carpet cleaning.
Thanks Steve, if that's the case then im worrying about nothing :)
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Just set out your stall.
Nicely tell them you have a no-smoking policy where you or your staff do not work if people are smoking in the rooms in which they are working.
It's not about telling people what to do in their own home it's about mutual respect.
Anyone who inflicts their smoking on a non-smoking visitor to their home is bad enough; anyone who insists on smoking when a non-smoker is working in their home isn't worth further consideration as a customer.
My daughter uses the above policy as a self employed hairdresser and I use it when cleaning the insides of peoples homes.
99% are respectful anyway - the "home is my castle I'll do what I like" merchants are just selfish and disrespectful. Why would you inflict your death dealing addiction on someone else? ???
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Just set out your stall.
Nicely tell them you have a no-smoking policy where you or your staff do not work if people are smoking in the rooms in which they are working.
It's not about telling people what to do in their own home it's about mutual respect.
Anyone who inflicts their smoking on a non-smoking visitor to their home is bad enough; anyone who insists on smoking when a non-smoker is working in their home isn't worth further consideration as a customer.
My daughter uses the above policy as a self employed hairdresser and I use it when cleaning the insides of peoples homes.
99% are respectful anyway - the "home is my castle I'll do what I like" merchants are just selfish and disrespectful. Why would you inflict your death dealing addiction on someone else? ???
Nicely put gold, thank you for your constructive input ;D
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What a bunch of girls!.
If someone comes in my house and they said that I would say no problem mate you had better fk off then. :D
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It would suit me fine.
I have walked from a job where the smoke poured from the front door as the cust opened it.
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It would suit me fine.
I have walked from a job where the smoke poured from the front door as the cust opened it.
Well it's your prerogative but I think people are a bit precious these days. You would never have had that choice a few years ago if you worked in a bar or wanted to frequent many public places.
As for the health risk, smoking one cigarette is the equivelnt risk of death to cycling a mile on british roads. Damn those statistics LOL!
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You had a choice whether you worked in a bar or not and knew before hand about the smoke.
I stopped in 1984 and now smoke makes me feel ill.
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You had a choice whether you worked in a bar or not and knew before hand about the smoke.
I stopped in 1984 and now smoke makes me feel ill.
You are absolutely right. This is one of the main benefits of being self employed. Personaly it wouldn't bother me, if it did I'd just put my respirator on. In fact I am more worried when they leave Jeremy Kyle on the tele. It's the main reason I got a noisy truckmount. :D
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Its only a bit of smoke ya big poofs!! :-*
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Why would you inflict your death dealing addiction on someone else? ???
Because I don't like people...... ;D
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I suspect Carpetdawg smokes- otherwise he would know how much it stinks.
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OMG I think it's plainly obvious who's been brought up in the nanny state of it's always someone elses fault.
This is turning into a game of who was brought up during the period of
'everyone's a winner - no such thing as losing'
'conkers are banned unless you wear eye protectors and gloves'
'you mustn't climb a tree unless you wear arrest gear, hard hat and have a team of paramedics within 10 feet.'
You must be doing something drastically wrong is you allow customers to be within 5 feet of where you are working never mind the smoking aspect. In the horrible situation where ou might inhale some second hand smoke over the couple of hours you are in a property I doubt it will amount to anymore than having smoked a full woodbine over a week, and anyway we deal on a daily basis with the crap that is in soft furnishings, never mind some of the chemicals we have to use to clean some of these deathtraps.... and you're worried about a cigerette.
You stand more chance of being killed on route to the premises than dying from someones habit. I'm not saying it's good or right but get a sense of perspective here.
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you can argue the to55 all you want guys, each to there own but lets look at it from a different angle.
2 identical companies, but with one difference, company A advertise that they are a non smoking company. as a non smoker myself i would choose the non smoking company, 1) because i wouldn't have to smell there smoke from there van (and i can do, in fact i can smell smoke at traffic lights from the person in front) 2) because without all them fAg breaks they will be more productive. and 3) smokers really are a smelly lot, seriously guys, not just smoke but real stagnant smelly disgusting vomitty type smell, you just don't realise it, when someone says about smelling like an ashtray, they mean, smelling like an ashtray, and not a fresh ashtray either. them ashtray smells you get when you empty a full one first thing in the morning type smell. oh and 4) the smoking company would have to charge more to fund there habit. not cheap you know.
so i would say clarkey, if you put on your literature that you are a non smoking company, you will never have to ask people not to smoke, and you may lose one or 2 customers because of it but i would guess you'll gain more than you lose. might even try it myself. after all, i am a non smoker.
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you can argue the to55 all you want guys, each to there own but lets look at it from a different angle.
2 identical companies, but with one difference, company A advertise that they are a non smoking company. as a non smoker myself i would choose the non smoking company, 1) because i wouldn't have to smell there smoke from there van (and i can do, in fact i can smell smoke at traffic lights from the person in front) 2) because without all them f*g breaks they will be more productive. and 3) smokers really are a smelly lot, seriously guys, not just smoke but real stagnant smelly disgusting vomitty type smell, you just don't realise it, when someone says about smelling like an ashtray, they mean, smelling like an ashtray, and not a fresh ashtray either. them ashtray smells you get when you empty a full one first thing in the morning type smell. oh and 4) the smoking company would have to charge more to fund there habit. not cheap you know.
so i would say clarkey, if you put on your literature that you are a non smoking company, you will never have to ask people not to smoke, and you may lose one or 2 customers because of it but i would guess you'll gain more than you lose. might even try it myself. after all, i am a non smoker.
The ones that have just given up are always the worst!!!!!!!! ;D
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you can argue the to55 all you want guys, each to there own but lets look at it from a different angle.
2 identical companies, but with one difference, company A advertise that they are a non smoking company. as a non smoker myself i would choose the non smoking company, 1) because i wouldn't have to smell there smoke from there van (and i can do, in fact i can smell smoke at traffic lights from the person in front) 2) because without all them f*g breaks they will be more productive. and 3) smokers really are a smelly lot, seriously guys, not just smoke but real stagnant smelly disgusting vomitty type smell, you just don't realise it, when someone says about smelling like an ashtray, they mean, smelling like an ashtray, and not a fresh ashtray either. them ashtray smells you get when you empty a full one first thing in the morning type smell. oh and 4) the smoking company would have to charge more to fund there habit. not cheap you know.
so i would say clarkey, if you put on your literature that you are a non smoking company, you will never have to ask people not to smoke, and you may lose one or 2 customers because of it but i would guess you'll gain more than you lose. might even try it myself. after all, i am a non smoker.
The ones that have just given up are always the worst!!!!!!!! ;D
;D ;D ;D ;D
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Is there any evidence that passive smoking has ever killed anyone ?
Its not very nice and as an ardent non-smoker who has never smoked I hate being around those that do.But mainly because it makes you stink and there's not a lot worse than some elses stale smoke on your clothes and skin,
But asking someone in their own home to stop when you are around is a liberty after all it ain't going to kill you.
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I only work in smokers homes if they smoke Malborough Lights, as I consider these upper class smokers. I refuse to work for anyone is they smoke super kings or drink full fat milk in their tea.
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I like to go into a house that have plug in air fresheners in every socket, motion sensor ones on the mantle piece and turn them all off.
Then I say you won't need those when I'm finished, you will only smell fresh air. Apart from the initial whiff of bullpoop of course.
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you can argue the to55 all you want guys, each to there own but lets look at it from a different angle.
2 identical companies, but with one difference, company A advertise that they are a non smoking company. as a non smoker myself i would choose the non smoking company, 1) because i wouldn't have to smell there smoke from there van (and i can do, in fact i can smell smoke at traffic lights from the person in front) 2) because without all them f*g breaks they will be more productive. and 3) smokers really are a smelly lot, seriously guys, not just smoke but real stagnant smelly disgusting vomitty type smell, you just don't realise it, when someone says about smelling like an ashtray, they mean, smelling like an ashtray, and not a fresh ashtray either. them ashtray smells you get when you empty a full one first thing in the morning type smell. oh and 4) the smoking company would have to charge more to fund there habit. not cheap you know.
so i would say clarkey, if you put on your literature that you are a non smoking company, you will never have to ask people not to smoke, and you may lose one or 2 customers because of it but i would guess you'll gain more than you lose. might even try it myself. after all, i am a non smoker.
The ones that have just given up are always the worst!!!!!!!! ;D
;D ;D ;D
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The absolute s*it that plug in air fresheners pump out
will kill you much quicker than so called passive smoking
ever could. Some of those fresheners have over 3000
chemicals in them many of which are carcenogenic.
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What a bunch of girls!.
If someone comes in my house and they said that I would say no problem mate you had better fk off then. :D
Like I said: "Selfish and disrespectful."
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I suspect Carpetdawg smokes- otherwise he would know how much it stinks.
nope I dont smoke and never have.
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What a bunch of girls!.
If someone comes in my house and they said that I would say no problem mate you had better fk off then. :D
Like I said: "Selfish and disrespectful."
And if you had that attitude, I'd throw you out. Cheeky beggar.
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Sorry to malign you Carpetdawg- My wife never smoked and was a lot more tolerant than me.
It is not the threat of the smoke that gets me - just the smell turns me up big time.
I am afraid I am with Derek on this one.
At £6 a packet you may as well be sitting there burning fivers. And I packed up when they were five bob for 20!!
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What a bunch of girls!.
If someone comes in my house and they said that I would say no problem mate you had better fk off then. :D
Like I said: "Selfish and disrespectful."
And if you had that attitude, I'd throw you out. Cheeky beggar.
Blood pressure on the rise? ;D
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I have never smoked and find passive smoke difficult
When I lived in Newcastle they wanted us to ditch Cars and go by Public Transport. I used to ride the bus and when I got to shop felt ill for first 15 minutes.
Since I have been doing Carpet Cleaning I think I have been to two house where stale smoke or customer smoking causes a problem, I think they were both where there had been a tragedy . I simply say I need all windows and doors open
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What a bunch of girls!.
If someone comes in my house and they said that I would say no problem mate you had better fk off then. :D
Like I said: "Selfish and disrespectful."
And if you had that attitude, I'd throw you out. Cheeky beggar.
Blood pressure on the rise? ;D
Naah I've just been chasing the dragon so BP is fine. ;D
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I think it's all down to market positioning. In well over 10 years I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I've found myself in the same room as a customer smoking, and those are the very rare times I've found myself working down the lower end of the market.
Aim posh, the air is clearer :D
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i have had a customers ask me if the smoke bothered me and when i have politely said i would rather not be in the same room as them whilst they smoke it has not been a problem. I think most decent people realise it is not the done thing these days with just a few selfish or ignorant people being the exeption.
On the very few occasions when people have smoked in the same room i have just said "do you mind if i open your window as the smoke is getting into my chest they usually take the hint.
No i would not ask someone outright not to smoke in their own house.
By the way Derek well done mate keep it up
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Last year i turned up to clean a three piece suite.
They were a very nice couple but both heavy smokers it turned out.
As i started work they both pulled up a dining chair and sat watching me work for the entire three and a half hours!
Both smoked one fAg after the other.
I had the windows wide open but i was still coughing away.
When i arrived they offered me a ciggy but i said i didnt smoke.
Thought they would have got the message!
when i emptied the machine the colour of the water was unbelievable!
andrew
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Unbelievable isn't it, the way smoke/nicotine covers things. I once set about cleaning a brown/beige draylon sofa.... that turned out to be green! Sure I took a photo but can't find it unfortunately
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Unbelievable isn't it, the way smoke/nicotine covers things. I once set about cleaning a brown/beige draylon sofa.... that turned out to be green! Sure I took a photo but can't find it unfortunately
I had one years ago much the same. Was I surprised when with the first pass a four inch blue patch appeared :o
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As part of my retirement fund I own a one bed flat.
When I first bought it I redecorated it by stripping it back to the plaster as it was rather stinky from smoke- everything was brown.
When I stripped the paper off the walls there was a brown stripe about an inch wide where the stain had soaked in where the paper join was. I scrubbed the ceiling with a floor brush. Even the plug sockets were brown.
When I got home and had a shower I still stank.
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I once cleaned a lovely brown dralon suite this young lass had just bought second hand for her new flat.
Problem was PINK didn't go with her new decor.
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Smokers are the ones who ask if our chems are harmful to their health , always makes me laugh.