Yick: Host Houses That Haven't Been Cleaned for a Show!

[Sheila]

I did a show last year where the host told me that she had been cleaning all day in preparation for her show. When I arrived, there was still laundry on the couch, toys in the floor, etc. I was actually helping her clean before the guests arrived.

So this weekend, she was hosting another show. When I arrived, I am not kidding when I say that the house smelled like dog poop. (It wasn't THAT bad last year.) It took a good 20 minutes for me to get to the point where I couldn't smell it anymore. It was so nasty.

Despite requests to not have children there, they did anyway. All of the kids were upstairs playing for the majority of the demo, but they came down towards the end & stayed to eat & through checkout. One of the guests kids was saying that the host's son had pooped on the floor. He kept being persistent and repeating it. The host finally spoke up out of anger & told the child that YES, her son had an accident earlier in the day. Yup, you guessed it. She left it on the floor!!!!

The kids were upstairs playing in a room with human feces on the floor. :yuck:

I swear, that could NOT have been what we were smelling when we walked in the house. It must be a common occurrence for this to happen and they must not be cleaning the carpet afterward.

I was actually sitting on the carpet talking to a guest when I heard the news. I came home & scrubbed down in the shower like you wouldn't believe!!! And my clothes went straight into the washing machine. I'm shuddering again just thinking about it. :yuck:

It was a first for me. I've never been in a host's house that was so nasty.

Okay, go ahead. Share your horror stories!!! LOL

 

[wadesgirl]

Ew! I drove 1 1/2 hours for a show. I brought my 15 year old neice along since it was a long ride. We get to the house and they have two large dogs. There is hair everywhere, dishes, toys, boxes, junk, you name it. The host hadn't even done the sink FULL of dishes or cleaned off the counter. She actually cleared a spot off for me and just threw it onto another counter. I went to set up in the "dining room". The table was cluttered full of stuff, I had to help the host clear it off and she just basically put it all behind the couch. The whole time during the show, I smelt DOG, not just normal dog smells but severe dog smells. To make it worse, two people showed up placing $33 in orders and I never heard back from the host to close her show! I drove 3 hour round trip and ended up loosing money covering direct shipping for the two orders that had been placed.

I had actually told this host that I don't normally drive that far for a show and she guaranteed me 5-8 people there. The two people that actually showed up had thought the show was the day before. When they showed up the day before they told the host they may not even be back the next day. Luckily they showed up, there would have been nobody there.

 

[raebates]

Ewww! Ewww! Ewww!Most of us who have been in the business for any length of time have had to deal with a messy house. Your experience is beyond anything I've ever had to deal with, though. Ewww!

 

[Sheila]

wadesgirl: I'm lucky in the fact that I'm on a small island, so I don't have to worry about having to drive too far. But with all the red lights & no highway, it does sometimes take 30 min's to get 10 miles.Rae: I agree, YICK!

 

[Sheila]

I actually thought about stepping out to the car for the bottle of febreeze that I knew was in my floorboard! LOL

How rude would THAT have been to go out, come back w/ Febreeze & start spraying down the host's carpet & couches???

It's 11:10 PM here. I have to quit laughing at that thought before I wake the family!!!

 

[DEBBI]

Does your hostess live in base houseing... If so someone should report them. You are a brave soul to walk into that mess.

 

[dkitten13]

How disgusting! Some one I'm close to is a little like that where the kitchen counter tops are all dirty and sticky and she has guests there - totally icky.

I hate to say it but it makes me feel better! I am messy but never when guests are coming or with dirty dishes or counters or anything like that. Just clutter. Its nice to know I could be worse!

 

[Sheila]

Deb, yup. Base housing. When she moves, she'll have to pay to replace all the carpet. I know the inspector & that certainly will not fly.Deborah, I can't claim to be a neat freak either. I definitely have clutter. And with 2 little ones under the age of 2 in the house, we are constantly stepping over toys. But filth is a whole other matter. If she were in the states, I feel pretty confident that Child Protective Services would be intervening on this case.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I had one show where the stench in the house was so bad, I could hardly make it through the demo. Honestly, I can't tell you want the smell was. The house was a complete mess, and my feet were sticking to the floor.
The kitchen counters were so cluttered and dirty, that I couldn't figure out where to set my stuff, and the host was scurrying around, saying that the kitchen had been clean, but her kids and DH had just messed it up. It was quite apparent to me that this was not a "just messed up" mess, but an accumulation of dirt and clutter over a long period of time.
When I had arrived, I'd asked if I should enter through the garage, but apparently no one could get through the garage, because it was so full of garbage.

There were 2 EXTREMELY dirty fish tanks in the home (in the part that I could see) and one housed a turtle. There was a dog that seemed to run wild through the house, and who knows what else contributing to the smell...but it was so bad, and so pervasive, that when I got home, I smelled like it, and all of my products, tote bags, papers, etc...did too. DH and DS both just about gagged when I walked into the house. I had to wash my clothes, and stick everything from my kit in the dishwasher, and air out my totes and use Febreze on them to get rid of the smell.

The host re-booked, and I was so happy when a friend of hers decided to sign up - I gave her the show.

 

[Nanisu]

Well, if in fact her kid had pooped on the floor and it hadn't been cleaned up the first call I would have made when I left (or the first thing the next morning) would have been to child protective services....that's disgusting

 

[Sheila]

Becky, that's FUNNY! Nancy, we are on a Military base in Japan. We do not have Child Protective Services out here. Yes, I probably could have called base security, but things are not private on a military base. In the states, when you dial 911 you are protected by federal law. They are not allowed to release your personal info or anything that could identify who made the 911 call. It's not the same here. They take all of our info before they will even respond. And, since I didn't actually SEE the feces on the floor, it's not really grounds for an investigation. Sad, but true.Being such a small community on this military base, I can't afford to have the host or her guests out there spreading rumors that I called the MP's on her. Since she only had 4 guests all of whom apparently frequent her house on a regular basis, the blame certainly would have been pointed at me. AND 2 of the 4 guests booked shows. So I don't want to burn bridges with them either.I'll mention it to my friend who is an inspector for the housing office & get her advice on how to handle it.

 

[chefann]

I had a show that was supposed to be outdoors, but got moved inside on the day of the show because it was unseasonably cool. When I got there, the host (a coworker) had a friend mopping the kitchen floor while she sat on her very substantial rear, supervising. The house smelled like cat urine because she had 5 (or more) cats, and the litter boxes were right off the kitchen. The host wanted to make a large pitcher of punch from a mix she got from Schwann's. No problem - I had brought the FSQSP for that. So we mixed up the punch and I opened the fridge to put it in there to cool. There was mold growing on the inside of the fridge. :yuck: When a mere fraction of the expected guests showed up, there was punch leftover. I lied and told the host that I needed the pitcher the next day, and couldn't leave it for her to bring to work on Monday.

Of course, that show was topped by the Potty Party, which was not only disgusting, but was in a very dirty house, too. (Use your imagination. It's still probably not as bad as the actual show was.)

 

[colegrovet]

I've been lucky, the worst I've had to deal with is house smelling of Cat/dog or smoke.

 

[PamperedMom07]

Yuck!!!! I hope I never have to deal with stuff like that. It's hard enough just going to anyone's house that's not mine, I'm not OCD but man I could be if I wanted to lol.

 

[suzipooh]

I pulled to up to a very nice house, got all my things out of the car and walked up the driveway, rang the bell,...asked the host if she'd like us (I had a helper that day) to take our shoes off. She said yes because they carpets had just been cleaned...no problem. We step in and begin to remove our shoes when the overwhelming stench of cat urine hits us....we step from the entry way on to the carpet and ...squish...squish... immediately my socks were soaked....I squish through the living room into the kitchen where I am greeted by a feeding station for a giant dog...the feeding station is covered in vomit!!! I continue into the kitchen where there is absolutely NO room for me to set anything.... I politely move a few things around so I can have a work space... I go to the fridge to get some of the ingredients I'll be needing...open the door...whoa! a smell that I can not even describe! (no mold, though...at least not that I could see!)
I start the show...do my thing...my helper goes to put the recipe in the oven...(I kid you not) there is dog hair in the oven! Not just a little...clumps, and clumps.....
I get through the show in record time... my helper stepped outside several time just to get some fresh air.... when I got home I took off my wet, now black bottomed-white socks, covered in dog hair that smell like urine and put them in the trash!!! I washed all my clothes all the dishes and my totes!
Gross gross gross I syill get the heebie jeebies!

 

[kdangel518]

I am positively nauseous from reading all these...:yuck:

 

[crystalscookingnow]

Really & truly, these stories are so disgusting. I don't have any nearly this bad to share. I'm so thankful for that!

 

[BadGirl]

Answer this for me: why do people live like pigs when they don't have to?

I mean, a bottle of Lysol isn't that expensive. A bottle of dishwashing detergent lasts a really long time, and washing dishes really isn't that difficult, providing that you wash fresh dishes and not leave them to dry and cake up for weeks at a time.

Washing one load of laundry a day is manageable, but washing twenty loads in one day can be overwhelming. I get that, but why not do a little bit at a time?

I just don't understand why people would VOLUNTARILY live in filth, vice living in a CLEAN house. I'm not talking about being untidy, I'm talking about filth....dirt, grime, and a gut-wrenching stench that rocks your world. Why?

 

[robochick84]

Reading these this has been one of my biggest fears!

I am extremely sensitive to smoke due to my illnesses. As you begin to branch out of your 'inner circle' has anyone had to ask certain accommodations be made for them during the party such as no smoking?

 

[pc_jessica]

wow and i thought my last hosts house was awful! i showed up and was met by two giant dogs and 3 cats. the house smelled of urine and poop. and while i was setting up one of the dogs actually pooped right in front of me! ick. and not to mention both dogs licked every single one of my items that i had out! gross. when i got home i had to wash everything, and wash out my totes and febreeze everything. i felt totally nasty!
but nothing like your child feces on the floor WOW! 'i bet she won't get the mom of the year award' lol

 

[chefann]

These stories, while bad, aren't typical of our hosts. Most people have some sense of pride in their home. I don't mind a little clutter - I'm a clutterbug myself. But there's no filth in my house. And most of my hosts' homes have been clean, too. The homes like those mentioned in this thread are the situations that make you appreciate the "just a little cluttered" shows.

 

[chefjeanine]

I am extremely sensitive to smoke due to my illnesses. As you begin to branch out of your 'inner circle' has anyone had to ask certain accommodations be made for them during the party such as no smoking?

I don't think about this at all anymore . . . unless I see a Host directing guests outside to smoke. I have this posted on the bottom of my incentives/tip flyer that goes out with each guest list.

P.S. I am highly allergic to cigarette smoke. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your attention to this matter. If you or your guests must smoke while I am in your home, please let me know so I can make other arrangements.

 

[robochick84]

i don't think about this at all anymore . . . Unless i see a host directing guests outside to smoke. I have this posted on the bottom of my incentives/tip flyer that goes out with each guest list.

p.s. I am highly allergic to cigarette smoke. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your attention to this matter. If you or your guests must smoke while i am in your home, please let me know so i can make other arrangements.

thank you!

 

[Sheila]

I literally get an upper respiratory infection when I'm in a smoking environment. So far, it hasn't been an issue. But I wouldn't hesitate to ask the guests to step outside. They CAN go outside to smoke. I shouldn't be expected to go outside to breathe. I have a high allergy to cats too. My Sunday host warned me that she had cats & I forgot to take allergy meds in advance. But when I arrived HER house was extremely clean!!! No cat hairs laying around and if I hadn't seen the cats I probably would not have known that she owned THREE of them (and a dog)! I ended up hanging out & visiting (I've known her a couple of years through a mutual friend) and was there for about 3 hours. I left feeling fine!! I couldn't believe that in that time period I didn't start itching or sneezing. Cleaning goes a LONG way!! (She was the Debbie Downer host - for those of you who read that post)

 

[PamperedChefLayla]

How disgusting! Some one I'm close to is a little like that where the kitchen counter tops are all dirty and sticky and she has guests there - totally icky.

I hate to say it but it makes me feel better! I am messy but never when guests are coming or with dirty dishes or counters or anything like that. Just clutter. Its nice to know I could be worse!

I have a friend like that too...her house is such a mess she won't even have a party. LOL

 

[fikibiff]

I posted this in a different thread - but it fits here:

At my second show in business I thought about walking out before I even started. I showed up 1 hour befor the show, as I had told the host I would do. She was in dirty sweats and a ripped t-shirt. Her cabinet doors were all over the kitchen, because she was painting them. And, her daughter's cabinet doors were all over her front entery way - the were refinishing them. She showed me around the house and introduced me to her dog and 5 cats. Looking around, I thougt there were at least 10 cats, but realized the were just hairballs. We talked about it and decided the livingroom was the best place for everyone to see the demo and then she said, "ok, wel I'm going to run to the store now, to get your ingredients." I could't believe it. Not only had she postponed her show twice, but then when she did finally have it she was no where near ready. So, she left and I proceeded to vaccuum, dust, scrub the kitchen counters, and clean the outside of the disgusting garbage can. I was afraid to touch it at first. Now, I am not the best house keeper in the world, in fact, my husband does way more cleaning than I do, but I could not work in the condition that the house had been in. When she got back 1/2 hour later I was sweating and irritated, but at least I wasn't totally grossed out anymore. I thought it might be worth it, she had told me earlier in the week that she was expecting 10-15 people.

Well, she never changed clothes and the first person arived, she seemed fine with what she was wearing. We waited another 1/2 hour and her daughter and 1 neighbor showed up. That was it, 3 guests and the host. When I left the party was at $130. I collected an outside order, so I could get it over $150, but she had nothing else for me.

It was funny, before I left I was cleaning up my stuff and she said, "Oh, did you clean the garbage can?" She didn't notice the vaccumming or the dusting or the counters being scrubbed.


After 3 years in business, this was really the only gross house I've been in for a show.

 

[dkitten13]

I get through the show in record time... my helper stepped outside several time just to get some fresh air.... when I got home I took off my wet, now black bottomed-white socks, covered in dog hair that smell like urine and put them in the trash!!! I washed all my clothes all the dishes and my totes!
Gross gross gross I syill get the heebie jeebies![/QUOTE]


UGH, I have to now close my jaw-hanging-open mouth! How utterly disgusting!

 

[Sheila]

Oh, yes ... I failed to mention that it's custom here in Japan to remove your shoes at the front door. Mine socks were not wet, but they were black & sticky at the end of the night. ;(

 

[Nanisu]

I did a show once where the house was so dirty there were cocroaches in the oven, and we were doing a pizza....gross.

 

[pcchefjane]

I did a show once where the house was so dirty there were cocroaches in the oven, and we were doing a pizza....gross.

Did you really bake it in there with the cockroaches? EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!:yuck: