December 2, 2003

Why can't they keep it clean?

I don't use my white board much. Usually it's completely empty, or what is written there was put by someone else. I only use it for doodling or very occasionally to show somebody something. For the past month or so had been some notes someone else was taking while I was on the phone, and today I decided I was ready to remove them. I found some cleaner and cleaned it and then looked around my office for other things to clean. I do a pretty good job on my furniture, it stays dusted for the most part without nasty stuff accumulating everywhere. However, the floor is another matter. It's disgusting! The janitors apparently never bother to vacuum in the offices, because there's stuff stuck in the carpet all over the place, and it's not as if I can easily bring a vacuum from home to do it myself. You'd think they could make a pass through once a month or something.

That makes me think of something else. I go to other people's offices a lot and work at their computers to fix things. Sometimes I replace keyboards or PCs or whatever, and when I have to lift things off the desk, it's kind of terrifying what might be lurking underneath. There is the obligatory hair everywhere, for both men and women. And the mutant dust bunnies, and just dirt and grime. I don't know how people deal with that, and don't even bother sweeping around with a tissue from time to time. That's just ridiculous, and kind of a health hazard. It doesn't help my allergies, anyway.

Once a month I let the cleaning crew into our server room so they can empty the trash and sweep the floors. They don't do a very good job most of the time, but then they aren't really allowed to do a very thorough job. Still, how hard is it to get into the corners? I don't get it sometimes. Why are we paying these people anything to do a lousy job?

Published: December 2, 2003
Editor: stacy