AIBU to allow MIL to clean my house?

[chelle792]

We currently have a cleaner who comes for two hours a week. She has started cutting corners; leaving early and not always treating our things the way we wish them to be treated.

OH was discussing with his mum the other day the situation and that we were thinking of finishing the cleaning agreement. He told his Mum how much we paid and she said "I'd do it for that amount a month"

I have a comfortable relationship with MIL and we get on well (she doens't have a daughter). OH is up for it and thinks it'll be a great idea. He says she will do a more thorough job and i think he will be even more keen if she will do his ironing for him.

Will I be opening up a can of worms? AIBU to go along with this suggestion?

[FenellaFellorick]

what happens if you don't like the job she does? Are you going to be able to say so? Are you going to feel comfortable giving her instructions? What if you no longer want a cleaner? Or she starts to overstep boundaries?

If you are sure that won't be a problem, or you can deal with it if it is, then great. If you can get the job done and help out a family member then that's a good result.

[WorraLiberty]

I would be absolutely fine with it because my MIL is absolutely lovely and I know her well enough to know it wouldn't cause a problem.

It's hard to say if you'll be opening a can of worms though, because I don't know you or your MIL.

[patienceisvirtuous]

We do this but it's my DM, not DMIL.

Works for us. But my mum's standards are higher than mine anyway; I'm pretty easily pleased

[LastOneDancing]

My rule (after a disasterous hair colouring session from a professional hairdresser friend) is don't get friends or family involved in anything you pay for.

As PP said, if she does some things badly or breaks something important will you tell her or let it ride? And if needs be, how will you tell her her services are no longer required?

[Glindathegoodwitch]

Chelle I have a similar relationship with my MIL. We actually get on so well that we live next door to one another with interconnecting gardens. I leave my utility room open for the dogs to come in and out and she does my washing whenever she see's some in the basket, hangs it out on the line and sometimes even irons it. I have often thought about asking her to clean a couple of times a week and I know she would be up for it. I do wonder if there are a couple of things I would put in a locked cupboard but I'm also quite sure that she wouldn't snoop anyway.

Anyway, sounds like you have a good relationship with her, so the only other thing would be her standard of cleaning. All you need to know is how clean her house is really?

[sliceofsoup]

Would she be the type to snoop? My MIL wouldn't be the type to snoop, but after some of the threads I have read on here I realised that other people aren't so lucky.

[chelle792]

glinda her house is always spotless. She'd probably love something to do (she hasn't worked since DP was born!). Bless her, she's so lovely. I don't think I'd worry about her snooping although DP did say we ought to ahem hide certain unmentionables a little better

Thank you all for giving me the confidence to go for it she will probably end up moving in with us one day as FIL isn't in the greatest health

[Meerka]

suggest you agree with her to give it 3 months and see how it goes.

If it quickly becomes clear that there's a sticking point or two where you just can't agree then at the end of the three months you can agree that much as you love her, you've found it feels a bit odd as she's your MIL, or some other tactful excuse.

[ollieplimsoles]

I'm leaning to agree with pp who said that I would be a bit wary of family and friends doing paid work for you, and you doing work for them (had some terrible experiences!)
Sounds like you had a great relationship with your mil and she would do a good job though, if you like her cleaning then I would let her go for it.