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AIBU?

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Original poster

My cleaner chucked her cigarette butt into our hydrangea bush

165 replies

JuneM · 19/06/2024 18:51

Our cleaner does four hours a week - a couple of weeks ago I noticed a cigarette butt in a small gu pot on our back porch.. very usual as we don’t smoke! I thought it might be the gardeners, my husband mentioned he thought it was the cleaner.

this week, our cleaner who charges £18 per hour went out for a cigarette break, we have cctv at the back, and I saw that she chucked her cigarette butt into our hydrangea bush. I’m not happy about this at all. I think it’s disrespectful and disgusting that I now have to clean up my cleaners dirty cigarette butt.

I also often make her a tea or glass of water, in the past it has irritated me that she doesn’t actually put the cup in the dishwasher and I have to clean it up once she’s gone.

I know we need to raise this with her but what would you do.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 19/06/2024 21:15

JuneM · 19/06/2024 19:10

Thank you Amused Maker - I will do that in a text tonight otherwise … another week goes by.

I’m quite intrigued by the nearly 40 percent of people who say I am being unreasonable - would these people really not mind if their cleaning lady chucked her dirty cigarette butt into their garden?

I wouldn’t mind as long as it ended up in the soil and out of sight - it’s a biodegradable item that will help fertilise the plants.

Nurber · 19/06/2024 21:06

‘Hey Michelle. How are you? Ahh that’s great. I’ve popped an ashtray outside for you today for your break and I’ve got some nice biscuits in as well. Thanks so much for everything you do for us, it makes our lives so much easier. See you later.’

Really easy.

And I’m a non smoker but if I had to clean the loos of uptight buggers like you I’d probably need a ciggie too.

whyhavetheygotsomany · 19/06/2024 21:05

You really need to stop spoiling her with the tea and water 🙄.

Beautifulbythebay · 19/06/2024 21:00

It's still littering.. Not sure I would want a smoker in my home. When adult ds visited he smoked outside but it still carried in. Yuck.

Kurtburt · 19/06/2024 20:59

Bestyearever2024 · 19/06/2024 20:55

I also often make her a tea or glass of water, in the past it has irritated me that she doesn’t actually put the cup in the dishwasher and I have to clean it up once she’s gone

🤣🤣

👍🤣🤣🤣 you should buy her small Xmas present as well you are disrespectful

CaptainMyCaptain · 19/06/2024 20:59

Bestyearever2024 · 19/06/2024 20:55

I also often make her a tea or glass of water, in the past it has irritated me that she doesn’t actually put the cup in the dishwasher and I have to clean it up once she’s gone

🤣🤣

I would expect her to have a drink but I would also expect her to put the cup in the dishwasher like anyone else.

Kurtburt · 19/06/2024 20:58

Find a jar with lid put some water handle to her and say please put your fag inside and please can you smoke outside. Problem solved. Cleaning somebody houses is a hard work.

Bestyearever2024 · 19/06/2024 20:55

I also often make her a tea or glass of water, in the past it has irritated me that she doesn’t actually put the cup in the dishwasher and I have to clean it up once she’s gone

🤣🤣

reallytimetodeclutter · 19/06/2024 20:47

Just politely ask her not to chuck fag butts in the garden (she can take them with her), or ask her not to smoke on the property.

Your tone seems a bit OTT.

Mumoftwo1316 · 19/06/2024 20:41

They're not biodegradable. What she's done there is littering. I'd find another cleaner.

We've had so many people do work in our house over the years, cleaners, builders, decorators, window installers etc. Some of them have smoked on their breaks and some haven't. Not one of them has ever littered a cigarette butt on our property! It's not hard! Bins exist.

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 19/06/2024 20:36

MakingPlans2025 · 19/06/2024 20:29

This thread is beyond hysterical. Our cleaner does 4 hours for us and has a break in the middle, smokes on the patio. I do not care in the slightest, I chuck the butts in the outside bin and feel grateful I can afford a cleaner to do all the jobs in the house I don't want to /don't have time to do. She is amazing, I appreciate her, I don't mind her having a ten minute break. Honestly who out of is goes four hours without getting up to make a coffee, taking some kind of break? Absolute Lols at the outrage here.

This is how to treat your cleaner. Thank you.

VanilleFraise · 19/06/2024 20:36

I'm always amazed that posters would rather dismiss someone from part of their livlihood than have a conversation about it.

And to the poster who thinks that it's acceptable to work for 4 hours in a physical job with neither break nor brew - that's absolutely disgraceful.

MakingPlans2025 · 19/06/2024 20:29

This thread is beyond hysterical. Our cleaner does 4 hours for us and has a break in the middle, smokes on the patio. I do not care in the slightest, I chuck the butts in the outside bin and feel grateful I can afford a cleaner to do all the jobs in the house I don't want to /don't have time to do. She is amazing, I appreciate her, I don't mind her having a ten minute break. Honestly who out of is goes four hours without getting up to make a coffee, taking some kind of break? Absolute Lols at the outrage here.

StripedTomatoes · 19/06/2024 19:24

Did she set the bush on fire? No. So no problem.
Just bin the cigarette butt and get on with your day.

merrymelodies · 19/06/2024 19:24

She obviously disrespects you and your property. Dismiss her and find someone else.

AlwaysGinPlease · 19/06/2024 19:20

Wishitsnows · 19/06/2024 19:03

Wow you sometimes make her a glass of water. The effort that must take!

Oh shhh 🤫

ForeveraBluebird · 19/06/2024 19:20

Tell her you’re a no smoking home Op, but your attitude to a glass or cup being left out after a drink is just over the top .

AlwaysGinPlease · 19/06/2024 19:19

Vile. YANBU at all and I would fire her. She shouldn't be smoking on your property and four hours cleaning can and should be done without a break. Chucking them in your garden shows such disrespect, I would question what other disrespectful things she does in your home.

Crispynoodle · 19/06/2024 19:12

Not at all worried because they are biodegradable! Buy an ash tray

Original poster
JuneM · 19/06/2024 19:10

Thank you Amused Maker - I will do that in a text tonight otherwise … another week goes by.

I’m quite intrigued by the nearly 40 percent of people who say I am being unreasonable - would these people really not mind if their cleaning lady chucked her dirty cigarette butt into their garden?

OP posts:
MissMoneyFairy · 19/06/2024 19:08

How many hours a day does she work, tell her not to smoke and she can get her own water. If this is real then stop being taken for a fool

Wills890 · 19/06/2024 19:08

vodkaredbullgirl · 19/06/2024 18:58

Well tell her not to smoke on your property.

She shouldn't have to be told, she shouldn't be doing the cleaning with her dirty smoke hands. Mucky cow.

PracticallyYesterday · 19/06/2024 19:06

Ask her to smoke off the premises. I'm a smoker, and I think that's a reasonable request.