We all host guests from time to time. Some invite family and friends several times a week, while others do so no more than once a year. However, no one wants to be known as a sloppy and unwelcoming host.
In this article, we have gathered 12 unpleasant moments that can spoil the mood of even the most loyal guest. Knowing about them, you will definitely not embarrass yourself.
Soap
The condition of the soap, as it turns out, is a very significant factor for many. First, all the old soap scraps should be replaced with new bars. Second, one should not forget about the condition of the liquid soap dispenser. All of this needs to be either removed, replaced, or cleaned.
I hate it when there is no liquid soap at a guest's house. I have to pick up a soggy soap scrap that has been used by who knows how many people. I immediately want to run away and never come back. Here are 13 more tips that will help you avoid embarrassing yourself in front of guests who have visited your bathroom.
Attempts to Forcefully “Introduce” Guests to Pets
Not all guests will be thrilled to find a fluffy white cat placed on their black pants. Some people are actually afraid of animals, and close contact with even a small Chihuahua can cause them stress. Many cats and dogs also won’t appreciate being shoved into the hands of a stranger. Sometimes, for everyone's benefit, it's better to close the pet in another room.
I visited my husband's relatives. They sat me in a chair and placed tea with cookies on the table. I was sitting there, drinking unpleasant weak tea, when a fluffy cat jumped onto the table and laid its tail in the plate of cookies. The hosts were all admiring, while I was not thrilled at all. I said, "He laid on the cookies." They replied, "Well, this is his table, his place; he ALWAYS lies there." So they put my tea in the cat's corner, which is the height of disrespect to guests.
Lack of Necessary Items in the Bathroom
Movie characters can sit at someone’s house for half a day without going to the bathroom, but real people have physiological needs. It’s not something you would wish on your enemy to find themselves in a foreign bathroom without a toilet brush or air freshener.
A guest should not have to rummage through cabinets in search of something to help them cover up the traces of a “bathroom crime.” A good host will leave necessary items in plain sight or simply explain where everything is. If a person finds only toilet paper in the bathroom (if they are lucky), various thoughts will cross their mind. Do the hosts want to put them in an awkward position? Do they not use a toilet brush themselves? Are they stingy with the “Toilet Duck”?
Too Personal Items in Plain Sight
A guest does not need to know that the host wears Smurf underwear or that the hostess prefers chamomile-scented pads. Personal hygiene items can be temporarily hidden in a cabinet, and the drying rack with laundry can be moved to another room.
The comb deserves a separate mention. One girl posted a TikTok video about how she cleans and washes hairbrushes. At the end of the video, she asked her followers if they do the same. Some commenters said they don’t bother with such things at all, but most were shocked that someone does not keep their brushes clean. So, a brush left in the bathroom with hair clumps can embarrass many guests.
Disorganized Items and Lack of Free Shelves
If a guest is staying overnight, it would be polite to designate a shelf or nightstand for them to place their belongings. Hardly anyone would be pleased with the prospect of putting their clothes on the floor or moving the host's scattered items to make space for their own.
If a person is just dropping by for a couple of hours, it’s worth clearing space for their outerwear and shoes.
Soft Toilet Seat Cover
Soft and fluffy, it probably seems cute to many hosts. But guests may experience chilling feelings. Is this cover washed? How can one tell if the fabric is truly clean? Is it even okay to sit on fluffy material after someone else? It’s not ordinary plastic — you can’t just wipe it down, and if the fabric is patterned, you might not even see the stains.
My grandmother has a soft toilet seat cover. I consider this the main fear for any guest. Even I can’t use her bathroom, let alone strangers.
Here are 12 more sneaky nuances that will make guests want to run out of your house as fast as they can.
Habit of Cleaning on the Go
If the host gets up in the middle of a meal to wash dishes or panics and grabs a cloth when a crumb falls near the table, guests may feel uncomfortable. Either they are silently being reproached for being messy, or the host wants to get rid of them quickly. To avoid putting anyone in an awkward position, it’s better to relax and enjoy the company, and take care of cleaning when everyone has left.
Unpresentable Dishes
The times when the prettiest dishes in the house were reserved for guests are gradually fading. But that doesn’t mean a person will enjoy eating from a poorly washed plate or drinking from a mug with brown streaks. By the way, tea and coffee stains can be easily removed with baking soda.
Once, I was visiting an acquaintance, and she took my plate, placed it on the floor, and called her dog. The dog came running and started licking that plate. I never go there again. © Mila / ADME
Cluttered Hallway
Imagine: you enter someone’s apartment, trip over scattered shoes, bump into a bicycle leaning against the wall, and end up flipping over a nightstand with a flower pot. This is not how ordinary friendly gatherings should start.
The host should clear space in the hallway in advance, and if it’s a private house, they should also tidy up the porch. It wouldn’t hurt to wipe the doorknob, as it is almost always dirtier than it looks.
Confusion with Towels
When a person first enters a foreign bathroom, a lot of questions swarm in their head. What should they wipe their hands with? Can they take that large fluffy towel, or is that brown rag meant for outsiders in this house?
Before guests arrive, it’s worth hanging a separate clean towel in the bathroom. Ideally, place it near the sink: that way, it will be clear that it can be used.
Unwritten Rule of “Everyone Here is Family”
Some people are not shy about washing the cat litter box in the kitchen sink while a guest is sitting at the table trying not to choke on cake. We want to believe that such hosts are in the minority, but sometimes you need to be prepared for anything when visiting.
We visited my husband’s relative, who had just had a baby. And in the middle of the meal, at some point, the hostess joyfully shouted, “Whose heavy diaper is this?” From her subsequent actions, we understood that she was about to change the diaper right there and then. Almost all the guests immediately found an excuse to jump up from the table. My husband and I agreed that we would visit that relative when the child grows up.
Working Television
Many of us are so used to having the television on all the time that we don’t turn it off even after guests arrive. But what we perceive as “white noise” can upset other people.
For some sensitive guests, the constant flickering and monotonous mumbling can cause a real headache. Moreover, a turned-on television subtly hints that the visitors simply cannot engage and entertain us.
Before the guests arrive, consider all the nuances mentioned above, and you will be known as the best host. And to quickly and easily clean your home, use our cleaning hacks.
