Whenever I take my daughter to a public place, I have no expectations about cleanliness. I know it’s a gamble no matter where you go, especially a place designed for children. So, I brought extra hand sanitizer and hoped we would get out of there without developing some sort of rash or virus.
When I go to places like children’s museums or libraries, I know germs abound. It kind of depends on the area, but what kind of conditions can we expect in public spaces when we arrive with kids? what is a little bit also bacteria?
A mum has expressed deep frustration with her local library, posting a video of herself wiping down several toys and furniture. While the video clearly shows some dirt and grime in the library, several users in the comments section took issue with the OP’s attitude toward librarians working near the children’s area.
“I took my son to the local library today and I was so disgusted with the cleanliness,” mom and TikTok creator @pilateswithkenz began.
“I initially started wiping down some food because my son put his mouth on it so I just wanted to disinfect it for the other kids and that’s when I realized the toys were dirty. I started cleaning other areas of the kitchen myself and I used the wipes It went dark almost immediately. I couldn’t stop there and started cleaning some high traffic toys, I felt so sick.
The OP then turns her attention to the librarian (who she refers to as the “attendant”) and asks for some details about the cleanliness of the library.
“I walked up to the waitress who was sitting next to me and asked how often the toys were wiped down and she said they were sanitized every night. She said she would let others know how dirty it was. In my opinion, the waitress should at least do it every once in a while. Wipe it down every few hours,” she said.
“Our public library is almost brand new, but judging by the state of the toys, it has been open for a million years. This is not just one day’s worth of dirt. This must be weeks and weeks of grime accumulation.
The OP went on to say that society should not be content with dirty public areas, especially where children play.
“We know they will inevitably put things in their mouths. Even if you sterilize them, this dirt and grime is absolutely unacceptable… I highly recommend you call your local library and check them out How often should we wipe things down, not just disinfect them? Let me know if I’m being crazy and overprotective.
Kenz’s comments section was mixed with some users expressing their opinions on her popular sentiment.
“I would rather the ‘waiters’ use their master’s degrees to focus on literary projects and research, but maybe providing additional funding to the library could ensure dedicated staff for cleaning,” one user wrote.
“I clean a local library. A librarian’s job is not to clean. It’s to stock books, prepare programs, etc.,” wrote another.
Another responded: “Libraries are a free resource. You don’t think they have the money and time to wipe down surfaces every few hours.
“The library could always hire more people to volunteer. It sounds like you might have a place to volunteer if you felt they needed help,” said another.
OP responded: “I was there cleaning – volunteering my time to clean”
“Yes, in addition to the computer work they do, they sit there and have access to materials and questions,” one user wrote.
“They can be approachable while also being willing to drop a few things every now and then, don’t you think? Especially when I was there and there were maybe 10 people there, including parents and kids,” OP responded.
“My husband is a librarian, and they do do a lot during the day. Typically, the custodial staff does most of the cleaning, except for things like wiping down after a project,” another said explain.
OP said: “You’re right. Missed the goal of what the WHO should be clean about, but I stand by my opinion.
After a lot of criticism, the OP made a follow-up video in which she clarified some of the criticism she received in the comments section, including apologizing for her disdain for librarians
“I apologize. I should have called her librarian and given her the respected title she deserved.
“When I made this video, I was angry. Well, I probably should have waited a day to calm down before making the video and collect my thoughts, but I didn’t. I went online and I was angry. Of course. I brought I took my son to the library to play, read some books, and met some friends. After seeing him put the toys in his mouth, I followed my mother’s instructions to clean up the toys, and then I realized that everything was dirty. I wiped it with a rag and it turned black, which made me feel sick,” she said.
