Homeowner Uses A ‘Mini Duck Test’ To Try To Catch House Cleaner Not Doing Her Job
Stacey Newman | Shutterstock A house cleaner shared the test a homeowner gave her that involved a hundred mini ducks hidden throughout the house. Unsurprisingly, it all backfired on the homeowner because the cleaner was not willing to put up with these shenanigans.
Hiring a house cleaner is a luxury many people could only dream of in this economy. With the amount of money it takes to pay for a house cleaner, it’s understandable that any homeowner who hires one would want to make sure they’re doing the best job possible. One homeowner might have taken that concept a little too far, though. They had the bright idea of using a “mini duck test” to determine how well their cleaner was paying attention to detail and how much she was really cleaning.
The ‘mini duck test’ involved putting small rubber ducks all over the apartment for the cleaner to find and collect.
The house cleaner, named Devon, shared the somewhat bizarre experience on TikTok. In one post, she included a slideshow of photos with miniature rubber ducks all over the apartment. There were ducks next to olive oil, in the shower, and on the baseboards.
One photo showed a small glass jar with a note attached. “To our cleaner,” it read. “We hid 100 mini ducks around the apartment. We do this to ensure a job well done! Please leave ALL ducks in this jar.”
Reddit
The photos made their way to Reddit, where they quickly went viral. One commenter said, “Clean the house, but leave all the ducks exactly where they are. They can go around and pick them all up themselves. Do your job and don’t play their stupid game.” Another suggested Devon say, “‘I shifted them around to different places. Enjoy.’”
The homeowner's mini duck test led the house cleaner to quit.
Naturally, the cleaner was absolutely exasperated by this strange scavenger hunt she was asked to perform on top of her regular job. In another TikTok post, she shared a screenshot of the email she sent to the homeowner afterwards.
“After finding the note and the ducks today, I want to end the contract,” she said. “I’m here to do my job professionally, not to play games or be tested. If there’s a lack of trust in my work, that’s totally your choice — but in that case, it’s best you find someone else to clean for you.”
The homeowner didn’t seem to get what the big deal was when they replied. “Oh, OK,” they said. I honestly thought it would be fun and lighthearted, just a joke the hubby and I picked up. Sorry to see you go. All the best!”
They’re partially correct. It would have been “fun and lighthearted,” but only if it were done in jest. It’s clear that they really expected Devon to look around their apartment for all 100 ducks, and this was not some kind of humorous prank they were pulling. They were wasting her time, and time is money.
It’s important to treat the people who work for you with the dignity they deserve.
According to Angi, homeowners can typically expect to pay between $25 and $80 per hour for a house cleaner. Of course, if Devon was getting paid by the hour and it took her longer to do her job because she was looking for all of the ducks, that means she would have been compensated for her time. It’s a small comfort, though, knowing that it still would have thrown off the rest of her schedule.
Reddit
Forbes contributor Alex Puutio noted, “The power of purpose in the workplace is undeniable. From fostering a sense of belonging within the company to empowering employees to make a difference in their communities, the ripple effects of treating your employees like family are vast.”
Technically, the relationship between Devon and the homeowner wasn’t exactly that of an employer and employee. She was an independent contractor, and the homeowner was her client, which is a bit different. Still, the same rules apply. If you want someone that you’ve hired to do well, you have to treat them with respect. This homeowner didn’t quite grasp that concept.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
