Some managers think micromanaging is the same thing as being a good leader.

What would you do if your manager demanded you use an expired, foul-smelling product just because it’s “the only one that will do?”

Would you push back?

Or would you use it exactly as told and let the office deal with the stench?

In the following story, one office cleaner finds herself in this exact situation and opts for the latter.

Here’s the full story.

You Want Me to Clean the Office Exactly Like That? Alright, I’ll Do It.

I work as an office cleaner for a small company.

My job description is pretty straightforward, but there’s one manager who insists on giving very specific instructions on how she wants the office cleaned.

I’m used to a little guidance, but this manager, let’s call her “Karen,” has taken it to a whole new level.

One day, Karen gives me a very detailed list of things she wants done during my shift.

One item stood out: “Clean the kitchen counters with the exact brand of cleaner in the back storage room. No other cleaner will do.”

Okay, no big deal.

I’ve cleaned the office plenty of times, but this was the first time I’d been given such a specific request.

She went to the storeroom and got to work.

So, I go to the back storage room and grab the cleaner she mentioned; no problem.

But then, I notice something odd: the cleaner she wants me to use is way past its expiration date and smells like chemicals that shouldn’t even be used in an office.

I’m talking a strong, toxic smell that could easily knock out a small animal.

I thought about going to her and mentioning the expired cleaner, but then I remembered her exact words: “No other cleaner will do.”

So, I decided to follow her instructions exactly, despite the potential risk of making the kitchen smell like a hazardous waste site.

I started cleaning the counters, and the smell filled the whole office.

Employees walking by covered their noses and commented on how bad it smelled.

One even asked if there had been a chemical spill.

The smell was horrendous, but she kept cleaning.

But I didn’t stop, I just kept cleaning the way Karen had instructed.

The smell was unbearable, and people were starting to get visibly irritated, but I just kept wiping down those counters, making sure I was using the exact brand of cleaner.

Finally, Karen came out of her office, saw the situation, and took a deep breath. “What is that smell?” she asked, coughing a little.

Karen didn’t know what to say.

I calmly said, “Well, you asked for the counters to be cleaned with the exact brand of cleaner in the back storage room, and that’s what I used.”

She went completely silent and then muttered something about “being more specific next time,” before quickly retreating to her office.

I just stood there, watching the employees scramble to open windows and air out the office.

I knew I’d followed the instructions exactly, and if she wanted to be that specific about the cleaner, well, that’s her problem.

Hopefully, that smell taught her a lesson.

Let’s check out what the readers over at Reddit think about Karen and her cleaner.

Here’s something useful to know.

According to this way of thinking, she could’ve hurt someone.

This person would find a new client.

As this person points out, she should’ve told her it was expired.

She should’ve known better.

As others have pointed out, it was very reckless to use expired chemicals in an office because you never know what ailments people are suffering from.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.