Feel a bit weird about what my cleaner did.

She can be a bit snitty. I have high shine cream porcelain tiles in my hallway. They’re a bugger to clean. Any drop of water leaves a mark. I asked her before to go back over them with once she’s mopped to dry them (using a fluffy long handled buffer thingy I have- don’t know what they’re called but they’re like a mop with a microfiber attachment at the end) and she was clearly unimpressed. Told me she’s cleaned hundreds of floors and the problem is my tiles, and not how she cleans them and she’s never had anyone complain before. I told her it absolutely is the tiles and they need to be dried because the water marks dry in, regardless of who cleans them.

Another time, I asked her to please put her coffee cup into the dishwasher when she was finished (if I’m not home I’ve told her to help herself to the coffee machine- I genuinely don’t mind). It was just annoying to come home after paying for a clean and finding an upturned cup on the side of the sink. I accept that’s a little irritant but I said it nicely, and her response was to tell me it was fine and she’d bring her own coffee in a travel cup instead. I told her that wasn’t what I meant but if she preferred to bring her own coffee that was fine, then she backed down and now the cups go in the dishwasher.

You know, presuming she didn’t include directions and your address, I would think her unwise and living a little bit of fantasy which probably tells you her life as a single parent with a disabled child is hurting her more than you usually notice.

I would pretend I had never seen it and carry on with my reliable if sensitive cleaner as I would feel a bit sorry for her and also would know it could take a lots of faffing around before you find someone you trust and are comfortable with. I value that more than I judge some ill though through escapism.

I'd fire her.

If ask her. "I saw this post (showing phone) isnt this my house? What happened? " and take it from there depending on the response. She's your employee and a good boss picks things up quickly so they dont grow into a big problem but get resolved instead.

Can I ask why?

She can be a bit snitty. I have high shine cream porcelain tiles in my hallway. They’re a bugger to clean. Any drop of water leaves a mark. I asked her before to go back over them with once she’s mopped to dry them (using a fluffy long handled buffer thingy I have- don’t know what they’re called but they’re like a mop with a microfiber attachment at the end) and she was clearly unimpressed. Told me she’s cleaned hundreds of floors and the problem is my tiles, and not how she cleans them and she’s never had anyone complain before. I told her it absolutely is the tiles and they need to be dried because the water marks dry in, regardless of who cleans them.

Another time, I asked her to please put her coffee cup into the dishwasher when she was finished (if I’m not home I’ve told her to help herself to the coffee machine- I genuinely don’t mind). It was just annoying to come home after paying for a clean and finding an upturned cup on the side of the sink. I accept that’s a little irritant but I said it nicely, and her response was to tell me it was fine and she’d bring her own coffee in a travel cup instead. I told her that wasn’t what I meant but if she preferred to bring her own coffee that was fine, then she backed down and now the cups go in the dishwasher.

My cleaner has been with me for a few years. She’s a very nice woman, but can be a bit sensitive (if I give any feedback/ask for her to change something she does etc. she doesn’t take it well). I trust her- she has her own set of keys for my house, knows the alarm code etc. Good relationship overall- if I’m home when she’s here I’ll make us both coffee and we’ll chat.

She came on Monday for her usual cleaning appointment. I put my Christmas decorations up last weekend and she was very complimentary of them, asking where I got various bits etc. To be fair, I do go a bit OTT and love Christmas and this year’s decorations turned out especially well- I make a lot of stuff myself, and also have been collecting bits for years. We had coffee and then I needed to go out so we said our goodbyes, and I left her to it.

She lives about eight miles away from me, but we’re in the same area.

Today, I went onto Facebook and a post from a local group I’m in came up. It was a photo of someone showing off their Christmas decorations- I had to do a double take because it was my house! Pictures of my living room, hallway, landing, and sitting room, all decked out for Christmas. They were posted by my cleaner (under her own name- we’re not FB friends but both members of this group). The caption is along the lines of “not bad for a tired mum of three” and there are a few thousand likes and a several hundred comments (it’s a very big group). Lots asking where she got various items from and she’s replying, based on her asking me the same thing on Monday! In one comment she didn’t know where something was from and replied “I’ve had that for years, it was originally my Nan’s” 😮 (about a candle holder I got in Next c. 2019!!)

When I first saw it, I was a bit perplexed but didn’t dwell. Now that it’s sunk in, I’m a bit pissed off. My home isn’t instantly recognisable to strangers based on those photos, it does feel like a breach of privacy.

As I said, she can be quite sensitive so even saying this to her gently will likely result in her getting upset, and likely not coming to clean for me again. I can get another cleaner, but I don’t really want things to end this way as I’ve been happy with her until now.

In my shoes, would you be annoyed?

AIBU to be annoyed?

I'm a very private person and would be livid about this. She would never clean for me again.

If ask her. "I saw this post (showing phone) isnt this my house? What happened? " and take it from there depending on the response. She's your employee and a good boss picks things up quickly so they dont grow into a big problem but get resolved instead.