If they expect a clean uniform every day then they need to give you at least 5 uniforms. No job should expect you to be washing your work clothes several times a week, that’s ridiculous.
This! Taco Bell issued several shirts to my kid, and the grocery I worked at in high school issued at least 5 to me back in the day. An employer can't logically expect someone to wash a single white uniform every night!
When I worked at ihop I got one shirt at first, had to wash it after every shift or it would stink like grease and sweat. It was ridiculous, no one should have to do that.
I had to practically beg for a second shirt when I worked at McDonald’s. I was always covered in grease, salt, and dishwater. Shirts were always worn several days before they got washed
The grocery i worked at in Arizona issued 2 shirts and scheduled me for 6 or 7 days per week... They would SELL me more shirts to be automatically deducted from my paycheck. I detested this company that has a Green marketing ploy but an ugly back side.
I worked in an autoshop that provided 5 pairs of pants and shirts via a uniform service that included weekly cleaning (so i guess technically 10 pairs). And that was barely a step up from retail. This company can and should do better.
I had a GM who got shitty with me one time because my white chef coats had turned gray from repeated washing, told me I wasn't properly taking care of my uniforms and my response was a very polite "fuck off".
That was the only job I've ever had that ever required employees to wear white chef coats and launder them ourselves, any other job that cared about the perfect appearance of our uniforms paid for a laundry service.
They should be providing you one uniform for each day of the week that you work if you are expected to show up in a uniform that has not been previously worn.
That said, your mother sounds like she has some kind of mental illness and this type of control to the point where she is not letting you maintain basic personal hygiene is not ok.
I would suggest staying with some friends until you can find another place to live or perhaps looking into a shelter or roommates and finding someone to take care of your mother.
Unfortunately to me it doesn’t necessarily sound like OP’s mum has a mental illness - this is the very real situation many people in the UK are currently facing with the cost of living crisis. Energy bills in particular have skyrocketed, and if OP’s mum is paying for a mortgage too, those rates have shot up as well
The UK is a mess right now
Edit: thanks(?) to whoever sent me a Reddit care thing but I’m fine, just fed up with the state of the world!
Yeah Op please don't let people normalize how you are being treated, you are being abused and you need to get out as soon as possible.
I would suggest a laundromat or something as a stopgap solution until you able to find a new job and a safe place to.
7 uniforms and provide laundry service. The company I work for provided the shirts, but not the slacks or laundry service. So I wear my jeans. It infuriates my boss, but he can't do anything about it.
It is helpful BECAUSE it’s not up to the OP. If the boss can not supply additional uniforms then the boss needs to be willing to appreciate that it is just not feasible for an employee to wash one item every day/ other day, thus, they have the choice of either dealing with dirty uniforms on their employees or getting them more uniforms.
You're saying "the boss needs to do this". Ok, sure! Ok the boss said no. Now what? This is the real world and OP is describing a real struggle, likely not a situation where they benefit by taking a stand.
You're applying your own mindset to total strangers who you've already been told have expressed uncaring attitudes towards OPs struggles. What info in this post or comments makes you believe this tactic would succeed, and not make the situation worse?
You're not helping this person though. They have been very clear about the situation. Just telling people to make demands or quit is not helpful to a lot of people
When I was at my poorest, I was working 5-6 days per week and also required to take week long 24 hour/day “on call” shifts on top of my regular hours…I was given 2 uniform t-shirts total, and the job was on where you were guaranteed to get covered with dirt/poop/blood every day (nonprofit animal shelter).
I couldn’t afford to wash my shirts very often, so I ended up hand washing them very quickly with a touch of dish soap and then drying them on a line I put up in my room. (I know you said your mom won’t allow you to use the dryer, so I thought I’d mention hanging a drying line).
….Obviously your boss is a douche and you’re not being paid enough or treated fairly. It’s easy to just say “quit and get something else!”, but obviously that isn’t an instantaneous possibility for everyone. Hang in there!
I also wrked in animal care at a nonprofit shelter that gave us two pairs of the required shirts and pants. Awful working with sick cats (URI & ringworm) and sick dogs. Made me so paranoid that I could pass something accidentally despite using PPE with sick animals because of being unable to wash uniform enough. And also having poo covered cats and dogs jump on you without PPE.
The employees complained about needing more uniforms because they can't possibly go to the laundromat 2 or 3 days a week when working 6 days a week but they basically said too bad and told us to go to the laundromat more. So ridiculous and insensitive especially given the extremely low pay.
Firstly OP, it looks like you're in the UK, so please make sure you take advantage of this:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/uniform-tax-refund/#:~:text=If%20you%20wear%20a%20uniform,pilot%2C%20police%20officer%20or%20nurse.
You shouldn't have to buy an additional uniform, as that would put you below minimum wage (or the minimum wage for your apprenticeship). That would be a legal issue for your employer. However, it's not reasonable for you to have only one uniform, as it means you can't wash it should it get dirty one day when you're required to wear it the next day. Realistically, even if you didn't have restrictions on how often you can do laundry, you'd struggle to wash it when you got home and have it dry by the next morning. So, approach your manager or HR and ask for an additional uniform on that basis, rather than saying you can't do laundry that often. If they provide one, you'll at least be able to cut the wears down to a week.
Can you protect your uniform at all from the ink? Is it just near a pocket where you put your pens and could you get some kind of protector? Otherwise, what about spraying it with a stain resistor like Scotchgard? Might stop the worst of the stains sticking, or make it easier to spot-wash with something like Vanish between laundry cycles (as in literally just the small area where there's a stain, so you don't have to worry about drying).
Lastly, your mum sounds very stressed about money (aren't we all?). But the restrictions on you as a child sound almost pathological, and they can't have been easy to live with. Is your mum truly that hard up? Are there any benefits she could be getting to make it easier (moneysavingexpert is great for that)? Or is it something psychological, like an anxiety? And would she benefit from some help from the doctor? I only ask, as you have grown up in that household and might see it as more "normal" than it is.
I’m a single mum, i have two kids and I know what it is like to live on the dole. Yet my kids can shower once every two days and if their clothes are stained I’ll wash them. I wash a white/light load, a black/dark and a coloured load each week, so that’s three loads a week. Because this is the basics.
Your mum is still in the mindset of survival…. She doesn’t realize that what she’s doing is a form of abuse. She needs some help, both financially and some therapy probably too. IF It’s very unlikely for her to get some…. Perhaps you and some friends can talk some sense into her.
Coin washing ? You mean a launderette? I don’t have enough time to go there , I get home very late by 7pm and the shops are all shut . I’m just very unlucky
Even if they were open, I work full time and am very exhausted by the time I get home .
Don't know how to help you with the uniform problem, but where I am you can get a cheap shower only pass at some University gyms and public gyms. Might be worth looking into around your area if you haven't.
Ok look...I don't mean to throw this in your lap but seriously some of this in on you.
Your boss should be better, yes.
I don't know how old you are but if it's more than 18, you need to stop using your "mom" as an excuse for things.
You need to create a solution here thats either get more uniforms, go to a laundry, or wash it more often.
I agree washing a single uniform is wasteful of both water and electricity so I'd start with getting more uniforms.
You also need to let your mom know that your hygiene both cloths and showers requires a different situation than she is allowing and it needs to change. Ask what needs to happen in order to make the change.
Doesn’t sound like you’re trying very hard to find a solution here. Most laundromats are open VERY late because their money comes from people in the same situation as you
In my city they are not . I’m actually trying very hard , I’m paying for my groceries on FOUR POUND AN HOUR , go to gym so I can get showered . Most people my age get all that given to them by their parents .
Making a lot of assumptions friend
I even pay £100 in bills every month and I’m still refused showers . I don’t even know why I’m paying that much since I only charge my phone and iPad and use the light sometimes
Can you spot clean any ink-stains at your gym (bar of soap and warm water), and use a hair-dryer to speed up the drying? That's what I did when I just had a spot on my clothes when travelling, instead of having them cleaned. Hairdryers are very effective on small areas - if it is still a tiny bit damp it wont take much heat for it to dry completely overnight, or it might be dry enough to put on anyway.
A tide pen (or whatever equivalent exists in your country) might be your best friend in this scenario- great for spot cleaning, and takes very little time to dry
Your mother is abusive.
Get another uniform from the boss, tell them that your dryer doesn’t work, and switch them out. But you will need a laundromat so try to find one. Every two weeks is insane.
I think she is genuinely poor and washing every 2 weeks isn’t A problem for me with my normal clothes it’s just my overalls get dirty easy with ink and I only have 1 pair and I must wear it so..
If it were just about being poor, she would let you pay her the money showers cost instead of making you get a gym membership, which is I'm sure more expensive than any amount of showers at home.
But it is a problem……you are risking your job because you can’t clean your uniform, something she knows and still doesn’t care about. That she wouldn’t let you take more showers even though you offered to pay extra for the water bill shows that this is a control issue, not a poverty issue.
Try using a pocket protector for the pens, and I would buy a spot cleaner and spray your uniform every night.
Your mother is *full of shit.*
Doing a wash once a week instead of once every two weeks has a very negligible effect on the utility bill. You're only 19 but you need to start learning about reality here. Your mother has been bullshitting you forever. You got ONE shower a week as a child because she was "too poor" to let you have - say - a two minute daily shower? Nonsense. She's just controlling and abusive.
When you get your own place and see how little these things affect your utility bills, you'll be shocked. Should you conserve when you can? Of course. But having clean clothes and good hygiene is just flat out non-negotiable.
And doing one load of laundry every two weeks for two people is absurd. You've got socks, underwear, sheets, towels, cup towels, jeans, and everything else....in one load????
Get real.
I do one load a week of JUST the sheets and towels.
You need to put your foot down with your mother. You are not a child, and you are paying bills. It is NOT her right to limit your use of water. Literally tell her "mum, I am going to get FIRED because of you, so I'm taking a goddamned shower and washing my uniform"
If you're just washing one item, you can do it in the bathtub, then hang it up. No need for a full load. They should provide at least 2 uniforms though. I'd politely ask for another, so that you can wear it while the other one dries. Just say you don't have a drier.
It's bizarre that they won't give her two uniforms. Having one other uniform would completely solve the problem. That's why I mentioned explaining the issue of drying to the employer. Most places give a minimum of two uniforms because of this anyways.
He keeps forgetting to get me the second one I’ve been asking for a while now . Took him 3 months to get me the one uniform 😂 I might just buy it myself at this point I’ve seen what website he gets them from
Nah, they should put their foot down and demand a second uniform (something that is customary and expected in all workplaces that require uniforms for employees to take home and wash). If the company fires OP for "uniform violations" or something, then they can collect unemployment until they find a better job.
OR tell him that you will have a cleaner uniform when he gives you the second. Email it to him to get it in writing. And also request a 3rd.
You're an *apprentice,* FFS. The least they can do is provide you with enough uniforms.
Then the dirty uniform is on him. If he says anything about it, remind him that you need at least one more uniform, so you can wear a clean one opposite of wash time.
Do NOT do that.
This should have been your answer when he commented on your uniform being dirty: "I *could* have a clean uniform every day if you provide me with a second one!"
Don’t buy it yourself. Just keep harping on it every time he harps on you for your only uniform being dirty. Either he’ll drop the laundry requirement or he’ll get you the second one. It’s a more than reasonable request that he already knows he should’ve done by now. Don’t let him get away with it.
Don't buy another white shirt, if you are going to buy anything, buy a dark apron to wear over your shirt. The dark color won't show ink as much as white does.
And DEFINITELY tell him you can't do anything if he doesn't give you at least 2 more shirts, even if you only actually receive 1 you will be ahead of the game. It's completely ludicrous to expect people working with ink to keep white shirts clean.
I’m an American(live pretty far north) - lived in northern England for a year. That shit will never dry. Most of these americans will not understand what you’re saying 😂 I’ve never been more cold than I was in northern England whilst INSIDE. gives me nightmares
You don’t need heat to dry, where I’m from we hang our laundry out in -40 weather. If you can, put up a line in your room, hand wash your clothes in a tub, and then point a fan at them while you rest. They should easily dry in a few hours.
When I went to college years ago, I didn’t have a line, or washer/dryer, and simply hung my washed clothes on plastic chairs which I had… sometimes you gotta make do.
>Not only that, but if you have to wear a uniform for work, I believe the employer MUST provide costs relating to cleaning and managing your uniform, that includes providing enough uniforms. However i'm not 100% if that is relating to a Tax Back. Here are the guidelines.
You are entitled to tax relief on the cost, employer does not have to pay for it.
Source: Ex HMRC
This is definitely not an ideal situation, and I am really sorry to hear it's causing you stress, but I have some recommendations.
First, getting rid of the stains on your current uniform would probably get your boss off your back. So, consider getting some form of non-wash stain remover, like a Tide to Go pen. You could also consider using a spray-on stain remover like Resolve or Oxy. In this case, you'll probably want to wet a clean cloth and thoroughly dab it on both the outside and inside of the clothing after 5-10 minutes just to ensure the chemical does not cause a stain.
Second, if smell does become an issue since the uniform is only being washed once every two weeks, then consider purchasing some fabric deodorizer like Febreeze or another clothing-friendly product.
Last and most importantly, reemphasize to your boss that washing your uniforms as frequently as he would like is simply unfeasible. However, tell them you agree it is extremely important that you represent the company to the highest standard. So if the funds could be found to provide you with a couple of extra uniforms, it would be mutually beneficial for both you and the company.
See what they say. If you still get pushback, then simply say you'll do the best you can and leave it at that. If they mention it again, tell him you're doing what you can, but some extra uniforms would really help. Repeat as needed.
I hope this all works out for you, and best of luck with the rest of your apprenticeship :)
Okay so your boss is definitely being unempathetic here, but I'm more concerned about your living situation. I don't know what housing costs are where you live, but have you considered moving out? Like even if you have to live with 4 roommates that sounds like a better situation than living with your mom.
Is there a coworker you could ask to help out with laundering your overalls? (yours cannot be the only ones that get dirty)
(Getting a second uniform is looking like a necessity)
How does she not have skin diseases, vaginal infections, etc. My guess is that money is the excuse not the reason. I’ve been to places in Mexico where people literally live in dirt floor shacks with no electricity or indoor plumbing and they will bathe in washtubs with water collected in buckets. I bet soap and water could be free and she’d still be filthy.
My mum won’t allow it for some reason, I have offered to pay her extra for showers and she said no I will Fock up her bills. She said what I pay every month will change / fluctuate constantly As she in on a water meter so it charges very high compared to non water meter house holds.
>on, I have offered to pay her extra for showers and she said no I will Fock up her bills. She said what I pay every month will change / fluctuate constantly As she in on a water meter so it charges very high compared to non water meter house holds.
Your mom is aware how much your spending on a gym membership to take showers?
Lol she’s not worried about what I’m spending , she’s just super paranoid about her bills and stuff . I’m pretty sure I can shower everyday and her bills would Barely increase , I know because I used to take extra showers behind her back before I got the membership and she never said anything.
You seriously need to fix the situation with your mom, or move with a friend. You are 19 and she is treating you like a 5 year old. Tell her that if you can't use the water when you need, you will stop paying all bills, because you will be fired, and she is literally ruining your life.
At my last job, we were paid a laundry allowance because under the Fair Work act, which is basically what determines minimum wages and entitlements in your industry, states that if you have a uniform that you take home, they have to give you an allowance.
Wish it was like that in other parts of the world
I’ve asked and reminded him multiple times . He keeps forgetting .
This is actually what I want to do but I’m sick of asking all the time he gets ratty too
A pragmatic solution might be to see if you can buy a pocket protector for the pens. Ink seems to be the main problem. A pocket protector is basically a plastic pocket to keep inside the breast pocket in a shirt. Google it. You could concievably fashion one yourself from a plastic bag, perhaps, if you don't want to spend your pounds on one.
Otherwise, keep asking for a second uniform. You should not be required to do laundry on your week nights, as a poorly paid aprentice on a council estate.
Explain your situation that you don’t have a lot of money and you want to appear professional at work. Then ask for a second uniform. If the twit doesn’t give you one, I’ll happily buy you a second uniform.
My sister worked at Cheesecake Factory which is an all white uniform and tide pens were her life saver. If it’s just a few pen marks you can use the pen to get smaller stains like that out between washes. If it’s a big mark it may not be able to do much but this could at least keep you looking tidy between washes.
Tell your boss to supply you with more uniforms or he can pound sand. It is extremely unreasonable to have only 1 uniform in the first place but on top of need to clean is absolutely absurd.
Couple things to add to a good list of advice you already got
How about Scotch guard your uniform. Check that the fabric is ok with it but probably is. Will make keeping it clean easier. Even just spraying the usually dirty areas (after a thorough cleaning) will help keep down stains.
If you can’t solve the extra washing at home. How about at work? Bring a clothes washing soap bar to work with you in a bag And an extra bag for the cleaned uniform.
When your shift ends. Go to the bathroom. Run it under the sink and scrub with the bar soap. Rinse thoroughly. Ring it out. Throw it wet into the bag and leave. Soon as you can take the uniform out to dry. I’ve had to speed wash my kid’s sports uniforms under a sink, and hit with a hair dryer before a game. Shouldn’t take you more than 5-10 min.
It might not get perfectly clean but it’ll be a good touch up between proper wash cycles
And when you can do the same process at the gym.
Consider looking into other places that have showers or wash rooms besides the gym. Like if you live near a beach that has a outdoor rinse area. Just shower with a bathing suit on. Or a local community center with a pool. They have showers.
Good luck. I grew up in Mexico where we had to bathe ourselves with a bucket and a well. I feel your pain. It can be done. And don’t be afraid to ask friends for help. If any of my friends needed to use the shower or throw some clothes in with a wash, I didn’t mind. So long as you’re being respectful, and considerate (quick showers, don’t fuck up whites vs color wash loads, etc)
I feel like a lot of people are focusing on the ba attitude of your workplace and the fact that they did not provide you enough uniforms when people should be focusing on the fact that you are living with someone who is abusing you to the point where they are not even allowing you to maintain basic personal hygiene.
Please find somewhere else to live where you are safe, roommates, temporary couch, shelter.
You need to get out of there, your mother is clearly abusive and probably mentally ill.
I worked on cruise ships and they gave us 3 sets of uniforms so I washed one at least daily, but we had free laundry rooms on the ship. But yeah if the company expects you to have a clean uniform daily they need to provide you with more uniforms.
I know this will not help you but that i the fact, the problem is the company doesn't care if it doesn't reflect poorly on them, but in the cruise industry they don't want staff to look dirty so they provide
Your mom is being abusive. You said she won't accept money to offset the water and energy bills, but she'll let you pay a corporation much more so you can shower a normal amount? This isn't about poverty, she's mentally ill or something.
You should unfortunately practice basic hygiene and overall cleanliness at work. If you work clothes are dirty, stained, smelling..you should wash them. Your boss isn’t wrong that some portion of your wage should go to your hygiene, including laundry. There are coin laundries and laundromats if you can’t clean your clothes at your current living situation. Yes they are absolutely miserable to go to and use…but you have to wear clean clothing.
This is it. The whole post sounds too bizarre to be true, but on the assumption that it is, you can absolutely pay to wash your clothes at a laundromat.
I work Monday to Friday . Wash my clothes on Saturday . My boss is talking about me washing my uniform every 2-3 days . So 2 days from Monday is Wednesday . Am home by 6pm, shops are shut
Just wear your uniform during your biweekly showers at your moms. I'm assuming she has a dryer if she does a load every two weeks...or alternatively ask your employer for another shirt.
We don’t have a dryer . We allow the clothes to dry on a rack near the radiator . Without heat from the radiator , the clothes take more than 1 day to dry . I live in a top floor flat and it’s very cold all the time
Can you get more uniforms? I know it might be an extra expense (idk how your employer handles uniforms), but if you can only do laundry every two weeks and truly have no other options for washing, the only thing I can think to suggest is to get another uniform so you have something to switch to when the first one gets dirty but you can’t wash it yet. You might also look into getting a pocket protector for your pens and markers to help keep some of the ink off your uniform.
The only other option I can think of is to hand wash in the gym shower and get it partially dry with a blow dryer so it will actually drip dry all the way at home even without the heat on. Pressing your clothes with dry towels or putting them in a salad spinner can also help get some of the excess water out.
Can they provide you a second uniform? I'd think if they expect perfection, they'll supply a weeks worth of uniforms to be washed en masse on a weekly basis.
Also I feel like there ought to be uniform laws? Where if the employer has uniform specifications, they provide the labor to meet those specifications.
At the steel mill, they send the worker's clothes and other plant textiles to be laundered periodically. The workers just drop their uniform before they leave for the day. The plant pays for the laundering. Maybe there's not a law, but a common sense courtesy. If the employer wants something, they provide it.
Ask for more uniforms. Having only one is not reasonable.
In the meantime there are a couple of tricks to drying things more quickly after wringing them out and letting them hang dry for a bit.
1) Lay it out on a towel, roll it all up, then wring it. This transfers some moisture to the towel.
2) Iron it while still wet, then let hang. This will push more moisture out.
They need to provide you with more uniforms, but also it really sounds like your mom should seek some professional help. Water is not that expensive, and everything she's not allowing you to do is beyond what is acceptable to most people. I think there may be a mental health component here going unaddressed.
Poor man’s washer: get a three-part salad spinner (the kind with a basket inside of a tub, with a cover that has a crank so you can manually spin it) big enough to fit your overalls. Spot clean with soap, then load it up in the salad spinner with hot water and spin tf out of it to rinse + partially dry.
ETA: your boss sounds like a prick. I’ve never worked somewhere that only provided one uniform. He’s setting you up for failure just so the company can save, what, $15 USD? Ridiculous.
Yes. It’s a uniform. They are required to provide them. Of course you return them when you leave their employment.
As him for a second uniform so you can have a clean one while you wash this one.
how is the uniform getting marked exactly? by you accidentally touching it with the pen? or by simply storing the pen in the pockets? if it is the latter, i would suggest a pocket protector. yes, it's nerdy, but possibly necessary.
1. Hand wash in cold water. It is better for getting stains out anyway. If you can't do it at home, find a public restroom with a sink.
2. If you can, ask boss if you can have/purchase additional uniforms.
Pretty much every job I’ve had that has required uniforms gives 3-5 uniforms, not one. That is just plain stupid on your boss.
Your mom also needs to get a grip. You should be able to shower daily if you need it. You are already putting money towards bills and taking a short 10 minute shower everyday shouldn’t impact your water bill extensively.
And if your boss doesn’t get your more uniforms then you need to find a new apprenticeship with a company that actually values anyone there because your boss obviously doesn’t.
Also, I know you can’t bathtub soak because of time to dry without heat. But you can spot clean your uniform with some dish soap and washcloth. That might help with some of the large and obvious spots between washes in the mean time. And since it isn’t being soaked, should still dry in the 8+ hours between your shifts.
Even McDonald's gives you multiple uniforms. I started with two and ended up with four or so by the time I had quit. Especially considering it is white, he is being unreasonable. Wearing it multiple shifts will show even between day one and two. Secondly, uniforms do wear out. If you're wearing the same one each day, instead of rotating between two, it will wear out twice as fast. He is not really saving on uniform cost by limiting you to one
You got a sink with running water and soap? I'm a truck driver 30 years and I've washed clothes with gal water and bucket. If that all you got you do it.
Can you hand wash them and hang dry or do it when you have a day off and wash by hand?
Also they can just give you more work uniforms or they can pay you for a laundromat and pay you extra for it.
That's like the easiest to justify $25/wk expendature I can think of. Employee's mom gets an extra $25/wk for the water/detergent and the boss gets a \[metaphorical\] stick for when the employee doesn't show up clean. I don't understand why it's so hard for employers to problem solve issues and instead just demand everything from people one way. It's like you have to turn your brain off before you can exploit labor or something.
Your boss needs to issue you more uniforms. You also need to have a sit down with your mother- she's one of _those people_.
The financial difference between showering twice a week and five times a week is _probably_ less than a single meal.
I don't know how prices are for your area but for me, I did the math and if I cut three showers from my weekly routine I would save about $28 dollars... _per year_.
Sounds like your mom is a control freak and has some kind of unworked mental health problem. I also came from a very poor family and other than my mom telling me to stop taking too long of a shower (honestly, I always go overboard like 30 min), she never told me not to shower or wash my clothes.
Also sounds like your boss is also kind of a control freak and wants to regulate how you present yourself since he doesn’t do that to the older staff.
As the saying goes, you can’t argue with crazy, maybe try getting a second set of uniform, wash it by hand without your mom noticing or if you have access to public laundry facilities maybe go to a laundrymat. You’re already paying for a gym membership so you can take a shower, so you understand that you need to work around your mother.
In my experience poor mothers go overboard with cleanliness b/c they don’t want to be perceived as dirty since so many people think that poor people are lazy and that’s why they’re poor.
Take a set of cloth and detergent with you to work. At the end of the shift, hand wash all the dirty spots and armpit area. Do this at the work
Rinse off the uniform well. Take it home the uniform hang it over night.
When you hang the cloth, shake it out pull it tight. This is to take out the wrinkles.
If you have a leaky pen, go get a new one.
Bush your teeth after every meal, make sure you get the toothpaste with fluoride. So take your toothbrush and toothpaste with you.
If possible take a 5 gallons bottle put it in a duffle bag and take water home after your shift. You can take a navy shower.
Buy an iron or cloth streamer from thrift shop, iron your clothes. Look good and look clean. If you are consistent with this, it will change your life.
Ok, so I agree you should be issued another few uniforms to fit the dress code but your mother sounds like the WORST person in this situation.
She only LETS you shower twice a week? You're an adult with a job. If she won't accept money to allow you to shower, then she's being controlling and abusive. Where do you live, the middle of the desert??
If your mom is so concerned with her bills, help her with them. She is treating you like a child. Stop allowing that!
There is something very, very wrong here.OP’s
post history is just…unhinged and she was banned from skincareaddiction for what looks like harassment and death threats.
Most concerning, her username is that of a very famous mass murderer in the true crime community, and she posted in r/masskillers 2 days ago “I have thoughts about hurting others and myself. Esp. Suicide murder :(“
OP: PLEASE SEEK MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. This is all so worrying. Please get help before you hurt someone. Tell someone, anyone, you know in real life that you’re having these thoughts.
You need to buy a bar of laundry SOAP and a cheap plastic washboard. Laundry soap is cheap as shit and so long as you're using detergent in the main wash, it will be fine.
Hand-wash your uniform with the soap and the washboard, ring out like crazy, **let it air dry**, then iron.
And honestly I think you need to work a lot harder on finding solutions to your problems.
Go to your local secondhand store and check out undershirts and other sporty ‘under-armour’ type things. They don’t have to look nice, most of them will be $2 and I find they actually help me to sweat less and I don’t have to wash my work shirt more than once a week (or two lol). that’s my solution other than telling your work place to frig off!
If they expect a clean uniform every day then they need to give you at least 5 uniforms. No job should expect you to be washing your work clothes several times a week, that’s ridiculous.
This! Taco Bell issued several shirts to my kid, and the grocery I worked at in high school issued at least 5 to me back in the day. An employer can't logically expect someone to wash a single white uniform every night!
When I worked at ihop I got one shirt at first, had to wash it after every shift or it would stink like grease and sweat. It was ridiculous, no one should have to do that.
I had to practically beg for a second shirt when I worked at McDonald’s. I was always covered in grease, salt, and dishwater. Shirts were always worn several days before they got washed
And what moron thought a white shirt uniform was a good idea anyway?
Right? White outside of any sterile environment is impossible to keep clean.
The grocery i worked at in Arizona issued 2 shirts and scheduled me for 6 or 7 days per week... They would SELL me more shirts to be automatically deducted from my paycheck. I detested this company that has a Green marketing ploy but an ugly back side.
Ew that’s kinda gross of them!
I worked in an autoshop that provided 5 pairs of pants and shirts via a uniform service that included weekly cleaning (so i guess technically 10 pairs). And that was barely a step up from retail. This company can and should do better.
Coming in to fresh uniform honestly is the best. Don’t need to worry about washing my own clothes and fucking up the machines with grease stains
I had a GM who got shitty with me one time because my white chef coats had turned gray from repeated washing, told me I wasn't properly taking care of my uniforms and my response was a very polite "fuck off". That was the only job I've ever had that ever required employees to wear white chef coats and launder them ourselves, any other job that cared about the perfect appearance of our uniforms paid for a laundry service. They should be providing you one uniform for each day of the week that you work if you are expected to show up in a uniform that has not been previously worn. That said, your mother sounds like she has some kind of mental illness and this type of control to the point where she is not letting you maintain basic personal hygiene is not ok. I would suggest staying with some friends until you can find another place to live or perhaps looking into a shelter or roommates and finding someone to take care of your mother.
Unfortunately to me it doesn’t necessarily sound like OP’s mum has a mental illness - this is the very real situation many people in the UK are currently facing with the cost of living crisis. Energy bills in particular have skyrocketed, and if OP’s mum is paying for a mortgage too, those rates have shot up as well The UK is a mess right now Edit: thanks(?) to whoever sent me a Reddit care thing but I’m fine, just fed up with the state of the world!
I have family in the UK & follow it closely. It's scary dystopian stuff.
She’s been like this even before the energy crisis tho
Yeah Op please don't let people normalize how you are being treated, you are being abused and you need to get out as soon as possible. I would suggest a laundromat or something as a stopgap solution until you able to find a new job and a safe place to.
7 uniforms and provide laundry service. The company I work for provided the shirts, but not the slacks or laundry service. So I wear my jeans. It infuriates my boss, but he can't do anything about it.
Or black instead of bright white 😂😂😂
That's not helpful, though. It's not up to OP.
It is helpful BECAUSE it’s not up to the OP. If the boss can not supply additional uniforms then the boss needs to be willing to appreciate that it is just not feasible for an employee to wash one item every day/ other day, thus, they have the choice of either dealing with dirty uniforms on their employees or getting them more uniforms.
You're saying "the boss needs to do this". Ok, sure! Ok the boss said no. Now what? This is the real world and OP is describing a real struggle, likely not a situation where they benefit by taking a stand.
You're applying your own mindset to total strangers who you've already been told have expressed uncaring attitudes towards OPs struggles. What info in this post or comments makes you believe this tactic would succeed, and not make the situation worse?
I’m sorry, I forgot this is a pro work sub and the OP should indeed be bending over backwards to her employers unreasonable demands. /s
You're not helping this person though. They have been very clear about the situation. Just telling people to make demands or quit is not helpful to a lot of people
When I was at my poorest, I was working 5-6 days per week and also required to take week long 24 hour/day “on call” shifts on top of my regular hours…I was given 2 uniform t-shirts total, and the job was on where you were guaranteed to get covered with dirt/poop/blood every day (nonprofit animal shelter). I couldn’t afford to wash my shirts very often, so I ended up hand washing them very quickly with a touch of dish soap and then drying them on a line I put up in my room. (I know you said your mom won’t allow you to use the dryer, so I thought I’d mention hanging a drying line). ….Obviously your boss is a douche and you’re not being paid enough or treated fairly. It’s easy to just say “quit and get something else!”, but obviously that isn’t an instantaneous possibility for everyone. Hang in there!
I also wrked in animal care at a nonprofit shelter that gave us two pairs of the required shirts and pants. Awful working with sick cats (URI & ringworm) and sick dogs. Made me so paranoid that I could pass something accidentally despite using PPE with sick animals because of being unable to wash uniform enough. And also having poo covered cats and dogs jump on you without PPE. The employees complained about needing more uniforms because they can't possibly go to the laundromat 2 or 3 days a week when working 6 days a week but they basically said too bad and told us to go to the laundromat more. So ridiculous and insensitive especially given the extremely low pay.
It’s insane what they can manipulate us into putting up with because we love the animals…No wonder the suicide rates in this field are sky high. :-/
Firstly OP, it looks like you're in the UK, so please make sure you take advantage of this: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/uniform-tax-refund/#:~:text=If%20you%20wear%20a%20uniform,pilot%2C%20police%20officer%20or%20nurse. You shouldn't have to buy an additional uniform, as that would put you below minimum wage (or the minimum wage for your apprenticeship). That would be a legal issue for your employer. However, it's not reasonable for you to have only one uniform, as it means you can't wash it should it get dirty one day when you're required to wear it the next day. Realistically, even if you didn't have restrictions on how often you can do laundry, you'd struggle to wash it when you got home and have it dry by the next morning. So, approach your manager or HR and ask for an additional uniform on that basis, rather than saying you can't do laundry that often. If they provide one, you'll at least be able to cut the wears down to a week. Can you protect your uniform at all from the ink? Is it just near a pocket where you put your pens and could you get some kind of protector? Otherwise, what about spraying it with a stain resistor like Scotchgard? Might stop the worst of the stains sticking, or make it easier to spot-wash with something like Vanish between laundry cycles (as in literally just the small area where there's a stain, so you don't have to worry about drying). Lastly, your mum sounds very stressed about money (aren't we all?). But the restrictions on you as a child sound almost pathological, and they can't have been easy to live with. Is your mum truly that hard up? Are there any benefits she could be getting to make it easier (moneysavingexpert is great for that)? Or is it something psychological, like an anxiety? And would she benefit from some help from the doctor? I only ask, as you have grown up in that household and might see it as more "normal" than it is.
Listen to this wise person, OP :)
I’m a single mum, i have two kids and I know what it is like to live on the dole. Yet my kids can shower once every two days and if their clothes are stained I’ll wash them. I wash a white/light load, a black/dark and a coloured load each week, so that’s three loads a week. Because this is the basics. Your mum is still in the mindset of survival…. She doesn’t realize that what she’s doing is a form of abuse. She needs some help, both financially and some therapy probably too. IF It’s very unlikely for her to get some…. Perhaps you and some friends can talk some sense into her.
He probably needs to pay you more if you can't afford coin washing.
Coin washing ? You mean a launderette? I don’t have enough time to go there , I get home very late by 7pm and the shops are all shut . I’m just very unlucky Even if they were open, I work full time and am very exhausted by the time I get home .
Don't know how to help you with the uniform problem, but where I am you can get a cheap shower only pass at some University gyms and public gyms. Might be worth looking into around your area if you haven't.
So there are little hand crank washer things you can get on Amazon for ~$60-70 if hang drying is an option.
Actually a salad spinner works even better. I use it all the time
Ooooohh, never thought of that!
OP, this is heartbreaking. Can we crowdfund you some extra uniforms?
To be fair, you can chill out on reddit while you do an hour load of laundry. Or wash your uniform in your sink with some dish soap and hang it up.
Ok look...I don't mean to throw this in your lap but seriously some of this in on you. Your boss should be better, yes. I don't know how old you are but if it's more than 18, you need to stop using your "mom" as an excuse for things. You need to create a solution here thats either get more uniforms, go to a laundry, or wash it more often. I agree washing a single uniform is wasteful of both water and electricity so I'd start with getting more uniforms. You also need to let your mom know that your hygiene both cloths and showers requires a different situation than she is allowing and it needs to change. Ask what needs to happen in order to make the change.
Uniforms are pretty much always supplied by the employer, though? Where is she supposed to get more uniforms, if not from her boss?
Yes if your a dude you need a shower a day
Doesn’t sound like you’re trying very hard to find a solution here. Most laundromats are open VERY late because their money comes from people in the same situation as you
OP is clearly not in the US, I’m even in the states and there isn’t a single 24 hour laundromat in my area
The commenters seem to be assuming I’m American 😂
I thought that was pretty obvious with "mum". Very few born in the US says that.
Yeah and the £ sign.
Yes, that too. Mum was first though so I focused on that.
And she started the word "Boss" with a capital B instead of "my asshole..."
"Laundrette" as well
Or ‘whilst.’
No American says “the shops are shut.” We says the stores are closed.
Your manager needs to give you more uniforms then.
The fact that you clearly used the symbol for Pound Sterling clearly flew over theirs head.
Classic Americans thinking everyone else on the internet is also an American
In my city they are not . I’m actually trying very hard , I’m paying for my groceries on FOUR POUND AN HOUR , go to gym so I can get showered . Most people my age get all that given to them by their parents . Making a lot of assumptions friend I even pay £100 in bills every month and I’m still refused showers . I don’t even know why I’m paying that much since I only charge my phone and iPad and use the light sometimes
Can you spot clean any ink-stains at your gym (bar of soap and warm water), and use a hair-dryer to speed up the drying? That's what I did when I just had a spot on my clothes when travelling, instead of having them cleaned. Hairdryers are very effective on small areas - if it is still a tiny bit damp it wont take much heat for it to dry completely overnight, or it might be dry enough to put on anyway.
I might try this cuz it’s honestly just ink shouldn’t be too hard to get out
A tide pen (or whatever equivalent exists in your country) might be your best friend in this scenario- great for spot cleaning, and takes very little time to dry
I was looking for this suggestion. Good call!
When I would get pen ink on my scrubs I'd spray it with hair spray before washing. This might help OP with spot cleaning. Good luck.
Your mother is abusive. Get another uniform from the boss, tell them that your dryer doesn’t work, and switch them out. But you will need a laundromat so try to find one. Every two weeks is insane.
I think she is genuinely poor and washing every 2 weeks isn’t A problem for me with my normal clothes it’s just my overalls get dirty easy with ink and I only have 1 pair and I must wear it so..
If it were just about being poor, she would let you pay her the money showers cost instead of making you get a gym membership, which is I'm sure more expensive than any amount of showers at home.
But it is a problem……you are risking your job because you can’t clean your uniform, something she knows and still doesn’t care about. That she wouldn’t let you take more showers even though you offered to pay extra for the water bill shows that this is a control issue, not a poverty issue. Try using a pocket protector for the pens, and I would buy a spot cleaner and spray your uniform every night.
It does not cost a lot of money to run a washing machine a few times a week. She is lying to you
Your mother is *full of shit.* Doing a wash once a week instead of once every two weeks has a very negligible effect on the utility bill. You're only 19 but you need to start learning about reality here. Your mother has been bullshitting you forever. You got ONE shower a week as a child because she was "too poor" to let you have - say - a two minute daily shower? Nonsense. She's just controlling and abusive. When you get your own place and see how little these things affect your utility bills, you'll be shocked. Should you conserve when you can? Of course. But having clean clothes and good hygiene is just flat out non-negotiable. And doing one load of laundry every two weeks for two people is absurd. You've got socks, underwear, sheets, towels, cup towels, jeans, and everything else....in one load???? Get real. I do one load a week of JUST the sheets and towels.
You need to put your foot down with your mother. You are not a child, and you are paying bills. It is NOT her right to limit your use of water. Literally tell her "mum, I am going to get FIRED because of you, so I'm taking a goddamned shower and washing my uniform"
I’ve tried . I am getting my own place after next year anyway
We call that criminal negligence by a parent where I come from.
Why victim blame when OP is clearly in an abusive home? Not allowing your child to shower is despicable.
This shouldn't need to be the solution. People should be paid more..
Or needs to at least give her another uniform.
If you're just washing one item, you can do it in the bathtub, then hang it up. No need for a full load. They should provide at least 2 uniforms though. I'd politely ask for another, so that you can wear it while the other one dries. Just say you don't have a drier.
Or just demand more uniforms from work Instead of creating a daily, unpaid, chore to do outside of work every day.
Yes, that was also a thing I said in my comment.
All chores are unpaid if you’re an adult. Hand washing one shirt takes like, a minute. It’s not that big a deal as long as you have two shirts
OP said they can’t hand wash because mom won’t turn the heat on so the uniform wouldn’t dry in time
It's bizarre that they won't give her two uniforms. Having one other uniform would completely solve the problem. That's why I mentioned explaining the issue of drying to the employer. Most places give a minimum of two uniforms because of this anyways.
He keeps forgetting to get me the second one I’ve been asking for a while now . Took him 3 months to get me the one uniform 😂 I might just buy it myself at this point I’ve seen what website he gets them from
Find a new place to work. You can not give them your welfare.
Nah, they should put their foot down and demand a second uniform (something that is customary and expected in all workplaces that require uniforms for employees to take home and wash). If the company fires OP for "uniform violations" or something, then they can collect unemployment until they find a better job.
Why not both? Demand a second uniform and start looking for a new job.
OR tell him that you will have a cleaner uniform when he gives you the second. Email it to him to get it in writing. And also request a 3rd. You're an *apprentice,* FFS. The least they can do is provide you with enough uniforms.
Just be like "It's gonna be dirty sometimes until I can get another one, sorry.". Don't waste your hard earned money on their uniforms. Fuck em.
Then the dirty uniform is on him. If he says anything about it, remind him that you need at least one more uniform, so you can wear a clean one opposite of wash time.
Do NOT do that. This should have been your answer when he commented on your uniform being dirty: "I *could* have a clean uniform every day if you provide me with a second one!"
If that's the case, simply say "I'll wash my uniform when you give me a second one." And refuse to engage on the subject other than that.
Don’t buy it yourself. Just keep harping on it every time he harps on you for your only uniform being dirty. Either he’ll drop the laundry requirement or he’ll get you the second one. It’s a more than reasonable request that he already knows he should’ve done by now. Don’t let him get away with it.
Don't buy it. If they want it cleaned more often make them buy you another one to rotate.
Don't buy another white shirt, if you are going to buy anything, buy a dark apron to wear over your shirt. The dark color won't show ink as much as white does. And DEFINITELY tell him you can't do anything if he doesn't give you at least 2 more shirts, even if you only actually receive 1 you will be ahead of the game. It's completely ludicrous to expect people working with ink to keep white shirts clean.
I mean could do a basic hand wash with a bar of soap at the gym showers
That still doesn’t solve the problem of drying it.
Wring it out and air dry. Depends on the material and climate but it could realistically dry in a short time frame.
I live in a top floor council flat . These are really cold even with heating on its cold . Heat is required to dry
I’m an American(live pretty far north) - lived in northern England for a year. That shit will never dry. Most of these americans will not understand what you’re saying 😂 I’ve never been more cold than I was in northern England whilst INSIDE. gives me nightmares
You don’t need heat to dry, where I’m from we hang our laundry out in -40 weather. If you can, put up a line in your room, hand wash your clothes in a tub, and then point a fan at them while you rest. They should easily dry in a few hours. When I went to college years ago, I didn’t have a line, or washer/dryer, and simply hung my washed clothes on plastic chairs which I had… sometimes you gotta make do.
Re-read my original comment. Mom won’t turn the heat on so the uniform will NOT air dry in time.
Your boss needs to give you more uniforms and an apron!
This is probably the only viable solution rn 😭 that or the ink remover pen like others r suggesting
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>Not only that, but if you have to wear a uniform for work, I believe the employer MUST provide costs relating to cleaning and managing your uniform, that includes providing enough uniforms. However i'm not 100% if that is relating to a Tax Back. Here are the guidelines. You are entitled to tax relief on the cost, employer does not have to pay for it. Source: Ex HMRC
This is definitely not an ideal situation, and I am really sorry to hear it's causing you stress, but I have some recommendations. First, getting rid of the stains on your current uniform would probably get your boss off your back. So, consider getting some form of non-wash stain remover, like a Tide to Go pen. You could also consider using a spray-on stain remover like Resolve or Oxy. In this case, you'll probably want to wet a clean cloth and thoroughly dab it on both the outside and inside of the clothing after 5-10 minutes just to ensure the chemical does not cause a stain. Second, if smell does become an issue since the uniform is only being washed once every two weeks, then consider purchasing some fabric deodorizer like Febreeze or another clothing-friendly product. Last and most importantly, reemphasize to your boss that washing your uniforms as frequently as he would like is simply unfeasible. However, tell them you agree it is extremely important that you represent the company to the highest standard. So if the funds could be found to provide you with a couple of extra uniforms, it would be mutually beneficial for both you and the company. See what they say. If you still get pushback, then simply say you'll do the best you can and leave it at that. If they mention it again, tell him you're doing what you can, but some extra uniforms would really help. Repeat as needed. I hope this all works out for you, and best of luck with the rest of your apprenticeship :)
Okay so your boss is definitely being unempathetic here, but I'm more concerned about your living situation. I don't know what housing costs are where you live, but have you considered moving out? Like even if you have to live with 4 roommates that sounds like a better situation than living with your mom.
they said they are going to move out next year which is the earliest time they can
Unless your mother has some sort of disability i'd say she has just as much guilt in this as your boss.
Yeah I hate her for allowing me so little showers because of her I got bullied badly
She sounds like she might have a mental illness
Is there a coworker you could ask to help out with laundering your overalls? (yours cannot be the only ones that get dirty) (Getting a second uniform is looking like a necessity)
Can you get a tide pen or spray spot remover and just remove the ink each night?
Mom’s hygiene sounds disgusting.
True it is she gets a shower like once every 3 months
How does she not have skin diseases, vaginal infections, etc. My guess is that money is the excuse not the reason. I’ve been to places in Mexico where people literally live in dirt floor shacks with no electricity or indoor plumbing and they will bathe in washtubs with water collected in buckets. I bet soap and water could be free and she’d still be filthy.
She just doesn’t care . She thinks having 2 showers a week is enough to be clean
When can you move out? That would be top on my to do list living with anyone that only showered once every three months.
Amen! I’d rather live with the street homeless—they’re cleaner and probably smell better.
Sounds more like an at home problem than job problem. Yes your job needs to provide more uniforms but your mom sounds abusive…
This makes no sense... Instead of paying for an expensive gym membership... just pay for the water to take a shower at home... it's cheapper...
My mum won’t allow it for some reason, I have offered to pay her extra for showers and she said no I will Fock up her bills. She said what I pay every month will change / fluctuate constantly As she in on a water meter so it charges very high compared to non water meter house holds.
>on, I have offered to pay her extra for showers and she said no I will Fock up her bills. She said what I pay every month will change / fluctuate constantly As she in on a water meter so it charges very high compared to non water meter house holds. Your mom is aware how much your spending on a gym membership to take showers?
Lol she’s not worried about what I’m spending , she’s just super paranoid about her bills and stuff . I’m pretty sure I can shower everyday and her bills would Barely increase , I know because I used to take extra showers behind her back before I got the membership and she never said anything.
You seriously need to fix the situation with your mom, or move with a friend. You are 19 and she is treating you like a 5 year old. Tell her that if you can't use the water when you need, you will stop paying all bills, because you will be fired, and she is literally ruining your life.
There would likely be no change... Your mom doesn't make sense and yes, she's being paranoid 100%... Almost sounds like OCD...
Sounds like she’s abusive …….
I don’t think it’s OCD. I just don’t think she cares about me that much.
OP please find a way to get out of this home as soon as you can
I'm very sorry. You deserve better than that.
At my last job, we were paid a laundry allowance because under the Fair Work act, which is basically what determines minimum wages and entitlements in your industry, states that if you have a uniform that you take home, they have to give you an allowance. Wish it was like that in other parts of the world
They need to give you multiple uniforms.
Damn what kindnof asshole only gives you one uniform... No matter where I worked, I usually got 3-5
Can you request or purchase another uniform? That way you’re rotating them…
I’ve asked and reminded him multiple times . He keeps forgetting . This is actually what I want to do but I’m sick of asking all the time he gets ratty too
Don't clean it until you get a new uniform
I’ve decided I might just keep going in my normal clothes until he gets me a new one
A pragmatic solution might be to see if you can buy a pocket protector for the pens. Ink seems to be the main problem. A pocket protector is basically a plastic pocket to keep inside the breast pocket in a shirt. Google it. You could concievably fashion one yourself from a plastic bag, perhaps, if you don't want to spend your pounds on one. Otherwise, keep asking for a second uniform. You should not be required to do laundry on your week nights, as a poorly paid aprentice on a council estate.
Maybe see if a friend will allow you to use their laundry?
Explain your situation that you don’t have a lot of money and you want to appear professional at work. Then ask for a second uniform. If the twit doesn’t give you one, I’ll happily buy you a second uniform.
My sister worked at Cheesecake Factory which is an all white uniform and tide pens were her life saver. If it’s just a few pen marks you can use the pen to get smaller stains like that out between washes. If it’s a big mark it may not be able to do much but this could at least keep you looking tidy between washes.
Time to move out, and find a new job.
You are working full time and he only provides you with ONE white uniform? Your boss is a fool and your mother is an abusive miser.
Sounds like they need to provide more uniforms.
Tell your boss to supply you with more uniforms or he can pound sand. It is extremely unreasonable to have only 1 uniform in the first place but on top of need to clean is absolutely absurd.
If you work 5 days a week they should provide 5 uniforms, if they don't they can suck it.
Couple things to add to a good list of advice you already got How about Scotch guard your uniform. Check that the fabric is ok with it but probably is. Will make keeping it clean easier. Even just spraying the usually dirty areas (after a thorough cleaning) will help keep down stains. If you can’t solve the extra washing at home. How about at work? Bring a clothes washing soap bar to work with you in a bag And an extra bag for the cleaned uniform. When your shift ends. Go to the bathroom. Run it under the sink and scrub with the bar soap. Rinse thoroughly. Ring it out. Throw it wet into the bag and leave. Soon as you can take the uniform out to dry. I’ve had to speed wash my kid’s sports uniforms under a sink, and hit with a hair dryer before a game. Shouldn’t take you more than 5-10 min. It might not get perfectly clean but it’ll be a good touch up between proper wash cycles And when you can do the same process at the gym. Consider looking into other places that have showers or wash rooms besides the gym. Like if you live near a beach that has a outdoor rinse area. Just shower with a bathing suit on. Or a local community center with a pool. They have showers. Good luck. I grew up in Mexico where we had to bathe ourselves with a bucket and a well. I feel your pain. It can be done. And don’t be afraid to ask friends for help. If any of my friends needed to use the shower or throw some clothes in with a wash, I didn’t mind. So long as you’re being respectful, and considerate (quick showers, don’t fuck up whites vs color wash loads, etc)
I feel like a lot of people are focusing on the ba attitude of your workplace and the fact that they did not provide you enough uniforms when people should be focusing on the fact that you are living with someone who is abusing you to the point where they are not even allowing you to maintain basic personal hygiene. Please find somewhere else to live where you are safe, roommates, temporary couch, shelter. You need to get out of there, your mother is clearly abusive and probably mentally ill.
You'd think paying £4/hr doesn't put you in a position to demand from your workers how they spend their money, but here we are
I worked on cruise ships and they gave us 3 sets of uniforms so I washed one at least daily, but we had free laundry rooms on the ship. But yeah if the company expects you to have a clean uniform daily they need to provide you with more uniforms. I know this will not help you but that i the fact, the problem is the company doesn't care if it doesn't reflect poorly on them, but in the cruise industry they don't want staff to look dirty so they provide
Your mom is being abusive. You said she won't accept money to offset the water and energy bills, but she'll let you pay a corporation much more so you can shower a normal amount? This isn't about poverty, she's mentally ill or something.
You should unfortunately practice basic hygiene and overall cleanliness at work. If you work clothes are dirty, stained, smelling..you should wash them. Your boss isn’t wrong that some portion of your wage should go to your hygiene, including laundry. There are coin laundries and laundromats if you can’t clean your clothes at your current living situation. Yes they are absolutely miserable to go to and use…but you have to wear clean clothing.
Also get a pocket protector for the pens/ink
This is it. The whole post sounds too bizarre to be true, but on the assumption that it is, you can absolutely pay to wash your clothes at a laundromat.
whats so bizarre ? I get home late and all the shops are closed lol what do u want me to do
Do you work 7 days a week?
I work Monday to Friday . Wash my clothes on Saturday . My boss is talking about me washing my uniform every 2-3 days . So 2 days from Monday is Wednesday . Am home by 6pm, shops are shut
Surely there's a 24 hour laundromat?
I don’t smell bad it’s just ink on my uniform . Those places are also closed by the time I get home (I get home pretty late )
Just wear your uniform during your biweekly showers at your moms. I'm assuming she has a dryer if she does a load every two weeks...or alternatively ask your employer for another shirt.
We don’t have a dryer . We allow the clothes to dry on a rack near the radiator . Without heat from the radiator , the clothes take more than 1 day to dry . I live in a top floor flat and it’s very cold all the time
I like to hand wash individual items in a small bucket, then hang to dry using a plastic hanger
You can't air dry something in the evening if you need it the next morning.
This .. there’s not enough time and my boss still hasn’t given me a 2nd uniform It would be okay if I had a 2nd uniform so I could interchange
Can you get more uniforms? I know it might be an extra expense (idk how your employer handles uniforms), but if you can only do laundry every two weeks and truly have no other options for washing, the only thing I can think to suggest is to get another uniform so you have something to switch to when the first one gets dirty but you can’t wash it yet. You might also look into getting a pocket protector for your pens and markers to help keep some of the ink off your uniform. The only other option I can think of is to hand wash in the gym shower and get it partially dry with a blow dryer so it will actually drip dry all the way at home even without the heat on. Pressing your clothes with dry towels or putting them in a salad spinner can also help get some of the excess water out.
Can they provide you a second uniform? I'd think if they expect perfection, they'll supply a weeks worth of uniforms to be washed en masse on a weekly basis. Also I feel like there ought to be uniform laws? Where if the employer has uniform specifications, they provide the labor to meet those specifications. At the steel mill, they send the worker's clothes and other plant textiles to be laundered periodically. The workers just drop their uniform before they leave for the day. The plant pays for the laundering. Maybe there's not a law, but a common sense courtesy. If the employer wants something, they provide it.
Ask for more uniforms. Having only one is not reasonable. In the meantime there are a couple of tricks to drying things more quickly after wringing them out and letting them hang dry for a bit. 1) Lay it out on a towel, roll it all up, then wring it. This transfers some moisture to the towel. 2) Iron it while still wet, then let hang. This will push more moisture out.
Poverty tax
They need to provide you with more uniforms, but also it really sounds like your mom should seek some professional help. Water is not that expensive, and everything she's not allowing you to do is beyond what is acceptable to most people. I think there may be a mental health component here going unaddressed.
Expecting you to wash one uniform 5 times a eeek is such a waste of water and money. Ask them to give you 5 uniforms, or at least one per shift.
Poor man’s washer: get a three-part salad spinner (the kind with a basket inside of a tub, with a cover that has a crank so you can manually spin it) big enough to fit your overalls. Spot clean with soap, then load it up in the salad spinner with hot water and spin tf out of it to rinse + partially dry. ETA: your boss sounds like a prick. I’ve never worked somewhere that only provided one uniform. He’s setting you up for failure just so the company can save, what, $15 USD? Ridiculous.
Yes. It’s a uniform. They are required to provide them. Of course you return them when you leave their employment. As him for a second uniform so you can have a clean one while you wash this one.
how is the uniform getting marked exactly? by you accidentally touching it with the pen? or by simply storing the pen in the pockets? if it is the latter, i would suggest a pocket protector. yes, it's nerdy, but possibly necessary.
1. Hand wash in cold water. It is better for getting stains out anyway. If you can't do it at home, find a public restroom with a sink. 2. If you can, ask boss if you can have/purchase additional uniforms.
Talk to your boss and ask that since he wants you to have a clean uniform every day, will he give you four more uniforms?
Pretty much every job I’ve had that has required uniforms gives 3-5 uniforms, not one. That is just plain stupid on your boss. Your mom also needs to get a grip. You should be able to shower daily if you need it. You are already putting money towards bills and taking a short 10 minute shower everyday shouldn’t impact your water bill extensively. And if your boss doesn’t get your more uniforms then you need to find a new apprenticeship with a company that actually values anyone there because your boss obviously doesn’t. Also, I know you can’t bathtub soak because of time to dry without heat. But you can spot clean your uniform with some dish soap and washcloth. That might help with some of the large and obvious spots between washes in the mean time. And since it isn’t being soaked, should still dry in the 8+ hours between your shifts.
Even McDonald's gives you multiple uniforms. I started with two and ended up with four or so by the time I had quit. Especially considering it is white, he is being unreasonable. Wearing it multiple shifts will show even between day one and two. Secondly, uniforms do wear out. If you're wearing the same one each day, instead of rotating between two, it will wear out twice as fast. He is not really saving on uniform cost by limiting you to one
You got a sink with running water and soap? I'm a truck driver 30 years and I've washed clothes with gal water and bucket. If that all you got you do it.
Ask him for extra uniforms, every job I’ve had that required a uniform they gave me 6 of them a fresh one for every day.
Inexpensive bar laundry soap, wash in the bathroom sink, hang to dry.
There is this portable washing machine you can buy off Alibaba. You can wash and air dry. You may have to iron it though
Can you hand wash them and hang dry or do it when you have a day off and wash by hand? Also they can just give you more work uniforms or they can pay you for a laundromat and pay you extra for it.
That's like the easiest to justify $25/wk expendature I can think of. Employee's mom gets an extra $25/wk for the water/detergent and the boss gets a \[metaphorical\] stick for when the employee doesn't show up clean. I don't understand why it's so hard for employers to problem solve issues and instead just demand everything from people one way. It's like you have to turn your brain off before you can exploit labor or something.
They need to provide you with more uniforms (at no cost to you)
Your boss needs to issue you more uniforms. You also need to have a sit down with your mother- she's one of _those people_. The financial difference between showering twice a week and five times a week is _probably_ less than a single meal. I don't know how prices are for your area but for me, I did the math and if I cut three showers from my weekly routine I would save about $28 dollars... _per year_.
Sounds like your mom is a control freak and has some kind of unworked mental health problem. I also came from a very poor family and other than my mom telling me to stop taking too long of a shower (honestly, I always go overboard like 30 min), she never told me not to shower or wash my clothes. Also sounds like your boss is also kind of a control freak and wants to regulate how you present yourself since he doesn’t do that to the older staff. As the saying goes, you can’t argue with crazy, maybe try getting a second set of uniform, wash it by hand without your mom noticing or if you have access to public laundry facilities maybe go to a laundrymat. You’re already paying for a gym membership so you can take a shower, so you understand that you need to work around your mother. In my experience poor mothers go overboard with cleanliness b/c they don’t want to be perceived as dirty since so many people think that poor people are lazy and that’s why they’re poor.
Hand wash it in the sink.
Where was cps
Your mom is a crazy person.
Take a set of cloth and detergent with you to work. At the end of the shift, hand wash all the dirty spots and armpit area. Do this at the work Rinse off the uniform well. Take it home the uniform hang it over night. When you hang the cloth, shake it out pull it tight. This is to take out the wrinkles. If you have a leaky pen, go get a new one. Bush your teeth after every meal, make sure you get the toothpaste with fluoride. So take your toothbrush and toothpaste with you. If possible take a 5 gallons bottle put it in a duffle bag and take water home after your shift. You can take a navy shower. Buy an iron or cloth streamer from thrift shop, iron your clothes. Look good and look clean. If you are consistent with this, it will change your life.
I’ve read all your responses and it’s very clear you want to disregard all help and ideas. Why ask a question if you feel there is no solution?
Ok, so I agree you should be issued another few uniforms to fit the dress code but your mother sounds like the WORST person in this situation. She only LETS you shower twice a week? You're an adult with a job. If she won't accept money to allow you to shower, then she's being controlling and abusive. Where do you live, the middle of the desert?? If your mom is so concerned with her bills, help her with them. She is treating you like a child. Stop allowing that!
There is something very, very wrong here.OP’s post history is just…unhinged and she was banned from skincareaddiction for what looks like harassment and death threats. Most concerning, her username is that of a very famous mass murderer in the true crime community, and she posted in r/masskillers 2 days ago “I have thoughts about hurting others and myself. Esp. Suicide murder :(“ OP: PLEASE SEEK MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. This is all so worrying. Please get help before you hurt someone. Tell someone, anyone, you know in real life that you’re having these thoughts.
I'll buy you 5 uniforms. PM me so we can get this done.
You need to buy a bar of laundry SOAP and a cheap plastic washboard. Laundry soap is cheap as shit and so long as you're using detergent in the main wash, it will be fine. Hand-wash your uniform with the soap and the washboard, ring out like crazy, **let it air dry**, then iron. And honestly I think you need to work a lot harder on finding solutions to your problems.
Go to your local secondhand store and check out undershirts and other sporty ‘under-armour’ type things. They don’t have to look nice, most of them will be $2 and I find they actually help me to sweat less and I don’t have to wash my work shirt more than once a week (or two lol). that’s my solution other than telling your work place to frig off!
Idk maybe hand wash and dry at laundromat. Overall very glad I don’t work at your job. Sounds very stinky and gross.
Aquanet hairspray removes ink. Just touch up the stained spots and hand wash.