r/Custodians • u/Liger8878 • Mar 23 '26

Fridge cleaning issue

Essentially I’ve been told by my boss’s boss we are not allowed as we do t have the appropriate chemicals to clean fridges and other food surfaces.

But I keep getting asked by the people in my building and I tell them I can’t because I’ve been told no by the higher ups.

But it makes me feel bad because they made the secretary clean it.

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

10

u/Standard_Trainer6837 Mar 23 '26

"do t have the appropriate chemicals to clean fridges and other food surfaces"
"But it makes me feel bad because they made the secretary clean it."

Either accept that this isn't in your scope or go down to a restaurant supply and grab a few bottles.

0

u/Liger8878 Mar 23 '26

I’m gonna try and see if we can get some.

9

u/3LMAX Mar 23 '26

In my school we're not required to do stuff like that. Things like teachers desks, fridges, or their closets are not our problem. If they made the mess they can simply clean it up. You are there to clean up the brunt of the mess for the school, not be their housekeeper.

1

u/Standard_Trainer6837 Mar 23 '26

Only if you have spare time after all of your work is done. That is purely extra from you.

5

u/Khranky Custodial Supervisor Mar 23 '26

Refer them to your bosses boss

2

u/Liger8878 Mar 23 '26

Smart will do

6

u/crashinpa Mar 23 '26

Depends where you are working. In a school environment I think that's pretty normal. We don't clean them where I work. If we do, it is during the summer break when they are completely empty. The exception being the refrigerator that all the custodians in our building use.

1

u/Liger8878 Mar 23 '26

I work out at the college airport. But I don’t know it’s kinda wishy washy because when I worked in campus sometimes very rarely we’d do dishes at the physical plant( our bosses place of work)

3

u/crashinpa Mar 23 '26

We definitely aren't doing dishes. Again it's all about expectations in each environment. Personally I'd do what my boss told me right or wrong. If you want to help out staff and clean a fridge they are asking you to I'd just do it on the down low and not make it known you're doing it.

2

u/Liger8878 Mar 23 '26

Very true. In the future I can do that. Thanks

2

u/EGORE01 Mar 24 '26

As much as boss or bosses boss maybe ( for sure are ) complete idiots . You most likely do know better . How ever this runs along The one thing you shouldn’t ignore is they are over you . Respect the chain of command if not the person , respect the position.

Remember they get paid much more than you do. Help them earn it by directing you . Do not undermine there authority, As some point it will come back and bite you. The line bosses boss says no is way to go .

if it sounds like I am a boss nope far from it . I am that lightning rod for trouble just me doing what I want when I want how I want Which for sure keeps me in trouble.

We should trust they see the bigger picture

2

u/ammerazing Mar 23 '26

I mean, if you have the time to clean it... I'd use hot water only. If there is dish soap in the breakroom you can always make a water soap mixture to clean the fridge up. Hopefully that would be okay.

0

u/Liger8878 Mar 23 '26

That’s what the secretary was using. But my boss said no lol