miad19•1mo ago

Vent: My mud pan guy never washes it out

It messes up my mix and ticks off the whole group. Got any smart moves for this without a blowup?

3 comments

3 Comments

Honestly, sometimes you just need to pick your battles. A little dried mud in the pan isn't the end of the world, it's just extra grit. I've seen guys waste ten minutes of paid time cleaning a pan spotless when that time adds up. If the mix is truly getting messed up, maybe just give it a quick scrape yourself before you start. Not every single thing needs to be a rule or a talk. Some guys are set in their ways, and constantly nagging about small stuff can cause more tension than a bit of old mortar.

rowan4221mo ago

You ever notice how one person skipping a small job, like washing a pan, slowly kills the vibe for everyone? It's the same with roommates who never load the dishwasher or coworkers who leave the last drop of coffee in the pot. For your guy, maybe just hand him the hose right before he leaves and say "for next time's mix," so it's about the work, not him.

pat9921mo ago

Totally get this! @rowan422 nailed it with the vibe thing. We had a guy who never cleaned his tools, and it drove me nuts. One time, a dirty mixer messed up a whole load of mortar. We made it a rule to wash out right after use, and now it's just habit. Your mud pan guy needs that same push, maybe a friendly reminder with the hose.