Having a custodial job in the foodservice industry can be very strenuous. It is almost never-ending, and the people that do these jobs are extremely important and should be treated as such. Dana’s custodians work extremely hard to maintain cleanliness and make sure the machines are always working. In addition, employees work from 7:30 a.m. till 8:30 p.m. with only a few half-hour breaks. Throughout a full day, they are constantly cleaning up spills, napkins, and food from the floors and in the cushions in the booths. One of the employees said, “I have cleaned this floor at least 7 times,” and that was just during breakfast.

The custodians also encounter tough stains on the carpet. Although people are not perfect and make mistakes, we the students should tell someone the moment they spill or drop something on the carpet. It makes the job much easier to report the stain as soon as it happens. Another way we could make the lives of custodians a bit easier is to be conscious of the messes we make. Now, we are not expecting people to get a rag and wipe down their tables after they eat, but to pick up napkins and food that they drop.

The same goes for dorms. Someone is there constantly cleaning up after us, having to clean blood and feminine products from showers, and flushing toilets. Additionally, they clean hair from the drains and urine from the floors. It is a very dirty and tiresome job, and it does not have to be if we take the time to clean up after ourselves. If you see a friend making a mess, do not be afraid to tell them to clean it up.

Just because it is their job to clean up does not give us the right to make it harder for them to do so. SLU’s custodians are not your maids. So, be mindful, clean up after you eat, and take your plates to the dish return instead of leaving them on the table. It only takes a few seconds to clean up. I leave you with this final thought, “Treat others they way you would like to be treated.”