Having delivery guys use your bathroom

M

mosmom

Registered User
Ok, this is, I think, a delicate one... The question about it came to my mind again as I was reading Katie's thread about deliveries and tipping.
About two weeks ago, IKEA delivered a table (nothing else). Afterwards, one of the two delivery guys asked me "Miss, can I use your bathroom?" I said "Sorry... no." The delivery guy backed off immediately and politely said: "It's okay, no problem." He was really nice, so I immediately felt bad..
Reasons for my negative response are: 1. My dad always used to hate guys asking to use our bathroom. He thought of them being filthy, and that they would 'mess around'. He also always wondered why delivery guys never went somewhere else to do their biz. 2. I think my dad is right to a certain degree: most delivery guys (though not all, and of course it's a guy's thing that they never seem to be able to 'aim', LOL!) do mess around, and I really feel disgusted of a guy 'spraying around' in my bathroom, and I need to do the cleaning-up afterwards. And 3. when they need to go, they need to go, and in the urgency of the situation don't take of their shoes, either.
This was actually the first time I told a delivery guy not to use my bathroom, and immediately felt a bit bad about it. I wonder what THEIR company policies are and etiquettes that I on my part should follow. Do these poor lads never get a chance to do their private business during all day of delivering things?
I also thought that, just delivering one piece of furniture/the table didn't entitle him to 'attack' my bathroom. Plus, I was home alone and didn't feel safe about letting one in and having the other waiting at the door..
I know I put lots of self-defense in my arguments, but would really be interested in what your attitudes / experiences are. It just always seem to happen to me when I have a delivery. Many thx!
 
If you have a maid's room with bathroom I think it's ok to let them use that. I totally understand you not wanting them to use yours. Ideally of course, they wouldn't use either.
 
i think instead of saying no next time, maybe you can think of a modal answer, like "there's a bathroom downstairs at the managment office" so it sounds better & it doesn't make you feel as bad. heh heh.

and yes, i agree with everything you say.
 
Joannek, thanks for your very good suggetion. I had similar experience and I didn't know how to say 'NO' so I ended up letting the guy use the bathroom but felt totally uncomfortable at it.
 
aussiegal said:
If you have a maid's room with bathroom I think it's ok to let them use that. I totally understand you not wanting them to use yours. Ideally of course, they wouldn't use either.
Click to expand...

Presuming you don't have a maid, of course, and the bathroom is not used!
 
Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't have a problem with it. It's bad enough finding toilets in HK at the best of times so I'd imagine it's even worse for those poor delivery men who are on the go all day.
 
Kashishmum, I haven't met too many delivery guys, particularly from Ikea that are that bad so even if my maid was home I'd let them use her bathroom. It happened just a few weeks ago and in fact one just marched down the kitchen looking for her bathroom to use! It's absolutely not ideal but she didn't seem to mind and she is vocal when she does. In any case, if I let them use our bathroom I'd just be sending her in after them to clean up so there's not much difference.

Really, i'm uncomfortable with anyone using my bathrooms that hasn't been invited into the house, a friend, a guest etc.When we had a home open to rent out our house I hated the idea of strangers using my bathroom and found it very rude. I've since read guidelines on inspecting people's homes and they say you should never use the bathroom, it's just too rude and it invades the owner's privacy.

So I agree with one of the first posters that they probably shouldn't be asking in the first place. Another suggested directing them to the facilities in the complex if there are any and I think that's a great idea.I'll be using that one.
 
I second madabtcows. don't have problems lettting them use our guest bathroom and have in fact let them used it the few times I had deliveries. I do go in to check afterwards and wipe down the place just to make sure. They have probably been holding it in for a bit before asking so I sympathise with them. There are many a time I am in desperate need of washroom while out shopping (can't seem to hold pee well after delivery!) and some kind shop ladies let me use their toilets before.
 
Joanne, I like your choice of polite answer. Indeed, we do have a clubhouse with a washroom, so this makes good sense. Thank you :banana:
 
I think it's sad and pathetic to refuse somebody who asks you politely to use the bathroom. It really isn't that big of a bother to 'disinfect' the toilet afterwards...
 
Nursie, you must have been lucky enough in life to never enter a toilet after somebody has finished destroying it, so to speak. What's so pathetic about not wanting some one's urnine all over your floor an on your toilet seat?
 
Assiegal - I don?t know if this is what you meant but it is how it has come across. That it is not OK for an outsider to use your toilet but that you don?t have the same sensibilities about them using your maid?s toilet.

Whereas I would be more protective of my maid?s toilet than my own. After all by allowing an outsider to use my maid?s toilet I?m invading her privacy. Maid?s have so little privacy having to live in our homes, that it is important that we request the small amount they do have.
 
Barbwong, I did point out that it wasn't ideal and I would actually choose to send them downstairs to our facilities toilets.

But either way, of course i don't have exactly the same sensibilities when it comes to letting someone use my maid's toilet as I would mine - it's called human nature and as I'm paying the bills it's just the way it is. I'm sure if you were honest with yourself you'd see you have double standards too.

If this is the worst thing I can be charged with as an employer than I think that's pretty good.

My maid eats for example exactly what we eat (even the expensive meat that some employer's don't share- which is no biggie it's just not our way), she comes and goes as she pleases as soon as her day is finished (I don't own her after all), she can take as many showers of use the washing machine as much as she wants without asking. The list goes on.
 
Thought I would throw in my thoughts on this. I actually feel that as I have a guest bathroom, and my maid does have so little space, I would prefer them to use ours like Barbwong. This is because our helper has her personal things in the bathroom and all delivery men come in via her room anyway, I can't invade on her privacy any more than we already do.

Having said that they tend to spot her toilet and ask to use it, if she says yes, that is her perogative, I have said I wouldn't let them and tell them to use ours, but ultimately, her bathroom her choice.
 
Felt compelled to respond again. To those who don't allow strangers to use their bathrooms: do they always 'destroy' your bathrooms with pee all over floor or seat?
I never thought of letting them use my helper's bathroom as they would have to enter her room first which is a total invasion of her privacy. And yes, helpers are human beings too and like us, they feel shy and awkward about strangers going into their room and viewing their private things.
As far as I know, clubhouses do not allow non residents to use facilities let alone let them enter.
 
I guess some of us are talking based on bad experiences in the past and some have been luckier.

I've had worse than pee on the floor...
 
Yeah, I think everyone has had different experiences, and everyone has a different feel of hygiene level. That's perfectly okay. The reason why I initially posted this thread was I really thought there would be a certain etiquette about this. From either side! (delivery people/companies and us). Of course, in the end, it's not the biggest matter... Btw: I only have one bathroom and no maids to clean up after me.
 
I've been there, done that. The technician from PCCW Broadband asked to use my bathroom and I said yes. He used the guest bathroom and no, his aim wasn't that accurate! After that, I just cleaned the bathroom again (a simple act of slapping on marigolds and using paper towels/bathroom disinfectant) and tossed one of the rugs into the washer. Although I hate dirty and smelly bathrooms, I feel sorry for the guy because I know the feeling of needing to go!
 
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I would also ask them nicely to use the bathrooms downstairs in the management office. My extra bathroom is my daughter's bathroom and I wouldn't feel comfortable.
 
i dont have a problem with this either, when u gotta go u gotta go. as long as the toilet seat has been wiped afterwards, its fine.
 
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