AIBU to give my neighbours living room and kitchen a quick clean.

[Casschops]

My lovely neighbours have gone away on their holidays they don't have much money although work reaaaaally hard and juggle their childcare of their 10 year old son. They have gone to stay in annex of their relations home so have an absolute minmum on their holiday, a friend even drove them their as they struggle with money so much. Im feeding their cat. I saw the man chucking their vacum cleaner in the bin the other week and he was laughing saying they can't afford a new one ATM. The cat has been sick on the floor and flicked cat litter everywhere which I have cleaned up but I can tell that for some weeks they have swept the carpet and floor and there is a thin layer of cat hair and bits in corner of the rooms. It lools like it needs a good vacum the cat has also been walking on woŕktops in the kitchen and there are footprints on things generally lookin a bit hairy and in need of a good wipe as are the windowledges where he sits.
Would they think it odd if I gave everything a wipe down in kitchen and living room as well as mopped the kitchen floor and vacuumed the carpet. I just want them to come home to a nice fresh house or is this intrusive? I am absolutely not looking for people's judgement about levels of tidiness but would it be nice to give things a quick once over or just too much? We say hi on the street and chat but have never socialized with them just to give an idea of our relationship.
Thanks for any input.

[Rossita]

Why are you in their house?

[Nonotthisagain]

That's a bit of a tricky one isn't it? Some people might be listened others might not. I'd be inclined to wipe the surfaces of cat hair/footprints as you are looking after the cat (and it might not even be noticed that you'd cleaned if it's mess made by the car after they'd left)

I probably wouldn't vacuum.

[Nonotthisagain]

Offended not listened! Ffs

[AdobeWanKenobi]

@Rossita

Why are you in their house?

I'm no detective, but the mention of the cat in the OP might just be a clue

[EatsShootsAndRuns]

@Rossita

Why are you in their house?

She's feeding their cat. It's right there in the OP.

[FredaFrogspawn]

Feeding their cat, thats why.

It’s a nice thought but it could be seen as a little intrusive. I’d probably not do the hoovering but maybe the wipe down.

[MinesAPintOfTea]

You could give it a Hoover and blame the cat vomit. More than that would probably be intrusive, if a generous thought.

[Nottherealslimshady]

God I'd love it. I hate coming home to the destruction of our getting ready to go on holiday.

[Owleyes16]

I would think they'd find it rude and intrusive. Do only what they've asked of you, and when they're back, after you've asked about the holiday, etc. you could mention you recall them throwing the hoover out and let them know they can borrow yours if they need to. But just say it in passing, else they'll probably feel embarrassed and that you think their home is a mess!

My dad cleaned a family members house for her while she was on holiday, they nearly fell out over it because he was adamant he did a good deed and she was adamant it was her home and he crossed a line throwing out what he thought was rubbish and cleaning up as though she lived like a tramp, that kind of thing. Not worth the drama!

[Crunchymum]

@Rossita

Why are you in their house?

She is feeding their cat whilst they are away?

[Saucery]

I would, given that their vacuum cleaner broke and you know that. It wouldn’t be a criticism of their vacuum frequency as they are currently without one.
And I’d include wiping around after the cat as part of looking after it while away.

[greenlynx]

I wouldn’t. It will look intrusive and judgmental.

[Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies]

Tell them that somehow the cat vomit got everywhere, so you’re terribly sorry, but you had to give the house a bit of a clean. Near enough to the truth to be believable.

[Yugi]

i vacuumed my neighbours living room once while I was looking after her cat. I wanted to sit on the floor and play with the cat but there was just a layer of cat hair and I have asthma.

I brought round my own strong vacuum cleaner and filled the thing up in one go. I never mentioned it and neither did she. And she asked me to cat sit again, so if she did notice it obviously didn't matter

[FiveShelties]

I would do it, but blame the cat for making a such a mess as to the reason I did it.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

@Rossita

Why are you in their house?

You’re no detective are you! 🙄

[Treaclepie19]

I wouldn't think they'd be offended if you blame it on the cat. Just say the cat made a mess so you cleaned it up, if they ask.

[RollercoasterRaver]

I would and just tell them the cat made a massive mess with its paw prints and cat litter which is half true anyway!

[Scruffyoak]

I would be over the moon if someone done this for me! Once someone feeding our cat left some bread, milk and sweets on table for when we got home..

[SerenDippitty]

I wouldn’t. I think cleaning people's houses When they haven’t asked you to could come across as passive aggressive.

[FredaFrogspawn]

I think that’s a great idea to blame the cat!

[Timeforabiscuit]

You know what, I would, just because it is shit walking into a grubby house when you've been away - nothing like a dose of reality slapping you.

I'm soft, so id leave a bunch of cat friendly flowers saying hope you had a good holiday - sorry to hear your hoover broke.

It's tough with having an implicit judgement on cleaning standards, but it's a kind gesture that helps.

[LittleMissTeacup]

I think it’s sweet of you and, as long as you can say you had to do it because of the cat, I think they will go along with it. I think you just can’t do anything that has nothing to do with the cat otherwise it could be misconstrued. But wiping down where the cat has been and hoovering up its hair, is a nice gesture and you can say you wanted them to know you looked after the cat.

[DDiva]

I would do it and casually mention the cat had trodden sick around the rooms so gave it a once over to.save the smell and them sorting it when they got back.

[TW2013]

I would say that the cat fur ball mess was more extensive than it actually was, but I would try to limit to cat type issues.