Horrified experience

[Michelle1225]

Hi Everyone ! I am wondering how to approach this issue as this has never happened to be before and I am quite disgusted ! 

I have a family staying with me, they don't speak any English except for the son and they came from India. I decided to do some light cleaning of the kitchen and bathroom . They left food open and food on the stove. ( no biggie ) 

but when I went to the bathroom I saw my LUNCH BOWL in there!! I was so mad and horrified..... how can you come to someones house take an item from the kitchen to the bath room to do GOD knows what. I had to order a new bowl. 

Would you speak to the guest ? This is unacceptable and disgusting . 

[Anonymous]

@Michelle1225  If the LUNCH BOWL actually contained your lunch at the time it was taken to the bathroom, your horror would be kind of understandable.

But an empty bowl that was left in the wrong room - that's really not worth getting so upset about. The bowl is not broken or damaged, and no matter what use it was put to (which is probably not nearly as gross as you imagine) you can sterilize it in the dishwasher. Try to look at it rationally; traveling from the kitchen to the bathroom does not magically render your crockery unusable. It just happens to brush up against your personal taboo.

I don't recommend speaking to the guests about this; it would cause them unnecessary discomfort without solving a real problem.

[Kaylee18]

I'd have to agree with @Anonymous .. I don't see a problem here. Unless your guests are not allowed access to kitchen dishes, then maybe just reiterate to your guests your house rules 🙂 

[Michelle1225]

Thank You for your input. I decided not to speak to the guest about it and ordered a new one.  

I don't think its a personal taboo. Plates , cups, and  utensils, food containers  should only be used for kitchen. I live at my property and if people are using cups to shower or something else,  its unsanitary and could make myself or fellow guest sick...........

When they leave I will just post a note inside of the cupboard asking guest to keep plates etc inside the kitchen. 

[Ann489]

@Michelle1225  what exactly is a lunch bowl?!

[Michelle1225]

Its a removable container that  I carry my lunch in everyday .  

[Ann489]

@Michelle1225  Sounds like a tupperware container with a lid.  You know, you can sterilize it in the dishwasher...

[Sarah977]

@Michelle1225  if you find this horrifying and disgusting, you really don't want to know about the actual horrifying and disgusting things many hosts have had to deal with. 

And I also have never heard of a Lunch Bowl.

[Kenneth12]

I too am horrified-- at the attitude displayed!

If you don't want particular kitchen items taken to the bathroom,  either 

(a) don't leave those items available for guests,  or

(b) have House Rules that make it explicit "do not take kitchen items such as bowls or utensils into the bath."

Otherwise,  remember,   Airbnb is an inclusive platform for people from many cultures and with many habits,   preferences,  and practices. 

"To do GOD knows what" strikes me as a negatively prejudicial statement towards people from India,  who may potentially have similarly negative prejudices to overcome about the lack of civilization and proper manners in Western cultures,   after all.

[Michelle1225]

I was disgusted that I found my lunch container on a  toilet .  

Thank you for bringing clarity ; I understand that my initial comment  came off negatively and judgement.

That was not my intention at all.

I was just shock because I had explain the house rules to the son and how to use certain things in my home  . He even asked me if we can eat in the room and I said no, the plates , cups and containers must stay in the kitchen because I wouldn't want to attract any bugs . He agreed . So when I went to clean up I saw it there and was just shock and hurt. 

[Michelle1225]

a lunch "container" excuse me 

[Alice595]

@Michelle1225  They probably had no idea what your lunch container used for. Then they used it for the purpose what they used to use it. They are from a totally different culture.

[Thomas1033]

@Michelle1225  We feel your pain.  After guests left that had plugged the toilet during their stay we found the “popcorn” bowl from the kitchen cupboard in the tub next to the toilet.  We believe it was used to bale out the full toilet.  Gross guests could have used the plastic bucket from under the sink.  We responded immediately to plunge the toilet but had not seen the bowl at that time.  You’re  well within your rights to wonder what may have been done with your lunch bowl.  We count on guests to clean dishes and put away what they used.  Not sure these guests standards were very high though.  Yvonna (cohost)