Napkins. Empty cans. Water bottles. Sweet potato fries. Brussels sprouts. Plates. Cups. Silverware. Floss. Socks.
This is the reality of an average day for a cleaning services worker at PLU.
According to the PLU website, the cleaning services team consists of “about 32 custodians
providing 24/7 service to all of campus to ensure the best service is provided for sanitation.” The Mast spoke with a cleaning services member, who, for the safety of their job, preferred to remain anonymous. They stated that “This year has been more destructive than most years.” The interviewee shared that they normally cover a few floors in multiple residence halls or clean whole buildings, such as the UC. They also noted that on the daily, “we always have to take a look around and reroute our day depending on how dirty [places are].” When talking about the Commons, the cleaning services staff member recalled salt container lids popped in so that when people used the shakers, all the salt fell out. They noted that the majority of the mess occurs during dinners, near the green chairs
in the back of the Commons. Cleaning services workers aren’t the only folks responsible for a well-kept dining hall — so are the Commons student workers. According to the cleaning services staff member, Commons student workers are responsible for picking up trash in the dining hall and cleaning the tables. The staff member continued that it regularly does not look like the tables and the dining area have been cleaned at all.
A former student worker for the Commons, who requested to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, spoke to their experience on the other side. During their time working for the Commons, they noted that “It was mostly students running students, so there was not much directive at all.” “The student managers were expected to run around and
do everything,” they elaborated, “[so] when we were given directives it would only be when we’re supposed to close or if it got super dirty. They would tell people to sweep, but even then they wouldn’t oversee it and make sure that it’s done.” The student mentioned that sweeping under the tables was a rare request, with chair wipe-downs never mentioned.
The former worker commented that students are only directed to wipe the tables down at the end of every shift, this being done by the cashiers or front-of-house staff. This job is supposed to take 15 minutes after the Commons closes, but it rarely does if done properly. The student also explained that if a student manager needs to fill in for a cashier who called out, they only fill that position but do not assist in the required cleaning process. “You get a bucket, and you fill it with sanitizer, and then you dip the cloth in it… it’s up to the discretion of the worker how much sanitizer they want to use and how wet they want the tables to get… you just wet the table and wipe the table down.” In
addition to wiping the tables, student workers are also required to wipe down the trash cans by the condiments, which this worker notes is not done by all regularly.
The cleaning services staff member spoke to the frustration and daily headaches of the mess, as well. “It is frustrating at times because they are adults. Would you do that at home?”
The cleaning services member said that they try to ask students to pick up after themselves, but if they don’t listen, they just have to pick it up themselves. They note that this frustration is shared among others at PLU, specifically in dorms and residence halls. Complaints of dishes in the sinks, hair left in shower drains, and toothpaste in the sink are common tasks that cleaning services staff members have to endure.
While the majority of the work is done by Commons student workers and cleaning services staff, they urge the PLU community to remember where they’re at. “We are all supposed to be in the Lute Dome together.” The cleaning services members want PLU to “be courteous to other students, other staff… [we] are all here to care about one another.”
