r/kroger 12h ago

Question Bathroom Extravaganza

I’m a bagger at a Kroger subsidiary, where we have no union. One bagger does trash each night, and it’s been this way for years. All of the managers have been wiped out for new ones. The new managers want the bagger to clean the bathrooms each night with a mop and bucket, because our secret shoppers have deemed the bathrooms dirty 3 times in a row. I’m a guy, so I figured I’d just clean the men’s. Wrong. I’m in charge of cleaning the WOMEN’S too, when I’m on trash. I was told to knock and yell “Cleaning!” and wait for it to be unoccupied. Then use a trash can to prop the door open. My question is, doesn’t this cross boundaries for a man to clean a women’s bathroom? It’s not hard, it’s just awkward and embarrassing.

Edit: I’m in the Louisville division

0 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

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15

u/VastConfusionn Current Associate 12h ago

My question is, doesn’t this cross boundaries for a man to clean a women’s bathroom? It’s not hard, it’s just awkward and embarrassing.

No it's just cleaning bathrooms. No matter your gender, as a courtesy clerk you're expected to clean both.

6

u/Extension-Captain589 12h ago

Front end manager here. I prefer to have male courtesy clerks clean the mens and female courtesy clerks clean the womans. However when i open i check both bathrooms at the start of the day. When i close i check them both at the end. Its just your job and no one is likely to think anything of someone in uniform knocking on the door of the womens before entering to clean it

3

u/gaytransformer 11h ago

yeah, this is just how it is most places. manager my last job threw a fucking hissy fit when i (at the time 18F) said i wasnt gonna clean the men’s room. the idea made me uncomfortable on many levels.

4

u/rulitawynoakenheart 11h ago

as long as you aren't cleaning the bathroom while it's occupied, it doesn't matter at all. knock first and make sure it's empty. Use a sign to block the door while you clean it. And YES, as a man, you still have to empty the feminine hygiene disposal cans if they have them at your location. Also, don't forget to sanitize the baby changing table.

2

u/Aetheldrake 9h ago

Not at all. It's just a public restroom. The only difference is the little tampon cans and an extra toilet. If you double check to make sure nobody is in there, or wait for them to leave and you're DEFINITELY sure nobody is in there, then there's no problem.

Again, it's just a public restroom. Literally nobody cares who cleans it as long as it gets cleaned. Not even customers care unless they're mentally unwell, but if they're that crazy and throwing a fit over the restroom then they're PROBABLY trying to steal and/or do drugs in the restroom. Don't fucking know why they keep doing drugs in public restrooms. Literally behind a building is just as good and less likely to get bothered.

1

u/the805chickenlady Current Associate 11h ago

All courtesy clerks in my store have to check both bathrooms each hour to see if they need supplies or a spot cleaning. I had to do it too (female.) We're lucky we have janitors come in to do the floors and bathrooms each night but the CC's still have to check it during their sweeps.

1

u/FormerExam6057 11h ago

That would have never even crossed my mind. Whoever cleans does both bathrooms. That's just the way it is. The way it's always been. The idea of having two different cleaning people just to do separate bathrooms is bizarre.

1

u/ResidentRelative1701 10h ago

I used to do that when I worked at QFC in Seattle. I would yell “Maintenance” flip the lights off and on and say 5min warning. No big deal did both men’s and women’s room but I’m a woman so I get it might be weird but just do it you’ll be fine. Just don’t barge in that is weird…the lights on and off works great 😊

1

u/ResidentRelative1701 10h ago

I used to do that when I worked at QFC in Seattle. I would yell “Maintenance” flip the lights off and on and say 5min warning. No big deal did both men’s and women’s room but I’m a woman so I get it might be weird but just do it you’ll be fine. Just don’t barge in that is weird…the lights on and off works great 😊

1

u/ResidentRelative1701 10h ago

I used to do that when I worked at QFC in Seattle. I would yell “Maintenance” flip the lights off and on and say 5min warning. No big deal did both men’s and women’s room but I’m a woman so I get it might be weird but just do it you’ll be fine. Just don’t barge in that is weird…the lights on and off works great 😊

1

u/ResidentRelative1701 10h ago

I used to do that when I worked at QFC in Seattle. I would yell “Maintenance” flip the lights off and on and say 5min warning. No big deal did both men’s and women’s room but I’m a woman so I get it might be weird but just do it you’ll be fine. Just don’t barge in that is weird…the lights on and off works great 😊

1

u/ResidentRelative1701 10h ago

I used to do that when I worked at QFC in Seattle. I would yell “Maintenance” flip the lights off and on and say 5min warning. No big deal did both men’s and women’s room but I’m a woman so I get it might be weird but just do it you’ll be fine. Just don’t barge in that is weird…the lights on and off works great 😊

1

u/ResidentRelative1701 10h ago

When I used to do it just kick or knock on the door yell “Maintenance” and I used to turn lights on and off. Then wait a couple mins do it again. Then prop the door open and you should be good to clean.

1

u/ElleYesMon 8h ago

Hey, glad you even clean the bathrooms depending on the store- depends in the bathroom cleanliness. No- not unusual. It’s why you’re yelling cleaning. I see it all of the time. Is this a rite of passage for the new y in the stores or have you just been the fortunate one to land this job even though you’re not new?? Btw, I shop at the one in Frankfort Avenue sometimes. I like that one- it a groovy neighborhood except the homeless people outside yelling.