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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have said this to my cleaner?

343 replies

wellwatnow · 22/02/2026 19:25

NC for this. I've had this last cleaner for almost a year, I've had several over the years and although this one isn't all that great she's one of the best at cleaning and I will say is by far the most reliable. She comes every other Monday and sometimes I have to text her on a Sunday afternoon to tell her I won't be in as she has to use the key safe (usually I am home).

I wasn't home last time she came, and I won't be home tomorrow either. As always I thanked her for doing a good job, she's always said I must let her know if anything is missed out with her cleaning, so I asked her if she could make sure my laundry room gets a good clean as she forgot to do it last time.

Anyway, a while later she replied and said no problem, sorry if you thought the laundry room hadn't been cleaned, she said she had cleaned it but would give it a good clean. I replied to thank her and said I'd noticed that one of the wall cupboard doors had definitely not been cleaned which made me think she'd forgotten the room. Well she replied quite quickly by saying she knows which door I mean, and that she hadn't cleaned it because it looked like it was covered in dried cat sick (my cat often sleeps on the top of the wall cupboards in the laundry room) and that she didn't want to clean it, and that I must have known about it because otherwise how did I know it hadn't happened after she left? She said she left it as she didn't want to clean it up and thought it could be the thing we never spoke about, whatever that means. She then said she can't make tomorrow but would be in touch when she's free.

I suspect now that she won't be coming back, which is infuriating as it's impossible to get people to clean, all my friends that have cleaners tell me they are too busy and won't give me their numbers. I only found this one as she was cleaning for a neighbour one day. I had to wait ages for her to find a space to fit me in. But I can't help think she's taking this way too personally.

OP posts:
Yeppa · 22/02/2026 23:52

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 22/02/2026 19:30

It tickles me somewhat that people pussy foot around with cleaners when they pay them a fortune and are so grateful. I used to clean donkeys years ago and was paid five pound an hour! I wish the people I’d cleaned for had been so delicate with me.

You don’t say if you did leave dried cat sick for her but youve obviously pissed her off with how you have communicated and yes it sounds like you will be cleaning your own cat sick off your own cupboard in future.

Edited

Did anyone else read the above as “I used to clean donkeys…..years ago” and have the thought that donkey-cleaning seemed like an unusual but potentially fun job???

THEDEACON · 22/02/2026 23:49

wellwatnow · 22/02/2026 19:41

But I didn't "leave it for her"! It just happened to be there on the day she was coming to clean any way. It wasn't there the night before, if had I would have cleaned it up.

You did though because you saw it that morning and left it to her

Franjipanl8r · 22/02/2026 23:30

You’re immune to the cat sick - she sees it as a biohazard.

I don’t have a cat so I’m team cleaner on this one - super gross.

Arlanymor · 22/02/2026 23:25

You're a gem, thank you - early birthday present for meeee! I remember the Pink Windmill well and she was Carol I think (without googling). And there was a Tea Bag?

Teleron · 22/02/2026 23:23

A good cleaner you can trust is like gold dust! If you saw cat sick you should have apologised and told her to leave it, not complain!

Paperwhite209 · 22/02/2026 23:15

And cleaners shouldn't be expected to clean up animal sick, pee or poo.

This!

I run a school medical room and although we have the cleaners in every evening, if the vomit sink gets used it's my job unfortunately!

TeenLifeMum · 22/02/2026 23:12

DeftWasp · 22/02/2026 22:49

I'm confused why a cleaner would not clean up the cat sick - that is literally cleaning, that's what the job is!

A standard house clean would not usually include vomit from any animal. If you had a nice cleaner and messaged “I’m so so sorry, just noticed cat was sick in utility and I didn’t have a chance to clean it up. Would you mind wiping the cabinet? Let me know if not and I’ll get it as soon as I get home” most cleaners would probably have done it. Then you follow up with “thank you so much!”

Strawberrydelight78 · 22/02/2026 23:06

wellwatnow · 22/02/2026 19:48

Because I thought the room had been forgotten and I didn't want her to forget to clean it this time.

Well she obviously thought the cat had been sick in there can you not see why she didn't want to spend much time in there? Especially if she has children and/or pets herself.

Viviennemary · 22/02/2026 23:03

You did sound a bit over fussy about the cleaning. I don't think cleaners should be expected to clean dried up cat sick. Looks like you need to look for another cleaner

KeepOffTheQuinoa · 22/02/2026 23:01

wellwatnow · 22/02/2026 19:41

But I didn't "leave it for her"! It just happened to be there on the day she was coming to clean any way. It wasn't there the night before, if had I would have cleaned it up.

Whenever it got there, you blamed her for not cleaning it.

She left it, then you told her she had left the door dirty.

You must have seen it was cat sick when you got home and cleaned it?

mirrorsandlights · 22/02/2026 22:54

I used to clean for someone who left their cat sick for me to clean. I know they left it because it was in the kitchen in the morning and it had gone hard. I never cleaned it up and stopped working for them because it was so disgusting. Nothing was ever said about it being left by either of us.

BlessedCheesemaker · 22/02/2026 22:52

"this one isn't all that great she's one of the best at cleaning and I will say is by far the most reliable."

It sounds like she's pretty great really. And you should clean up your own cat sick and/or not pretend you didn't realize it was there.

Arlanymor · 22/02/2026 22:52

DeftWasp · 22/02/2026 22:49

I'm confused why a cleaner would not clean up the cat sick - that is literally cleaning, that's what the job is!

So also, if people have diarrhoea, period blood, basically any bodily fluid is fair game?

Maybe if they were a crime scene cleaner...

Arlanymor · 22/02/2026 22:50

ProcrastinatorsAnonymous · 22/02/2026 22:49

Criminally underused word. I have a Grotbag tote. A Grot-bag, if you will.

100% true and where can I buy such a thing please?!

ProcrastinatorsAnonymous · 22/02/2026 22:49

Arlanymor · 22/02/2026 22:48

Grotbag is an excellent word.

Criminally underused word. I have a Grotbag tote. A Grot-bag, if you will.

DeftWasp · 22/02/2026 22:49

wellwatnow · 22/02/2026 19:41

But I didn't "leave it for her"! It just happened to be there on the day she was coming to clean any way. It wasn't there the night before, if had I would have cleaned it up.

I'm confused why a cleaner would not clean up the cat sick - that is literally cleaning, that's what the job is!

Arlanymor · 22/02/2026 22:48

NoSoupForU · 22/02/2026 22:46

Honestly I wouldn't make a thing over something being missed once (if I thought it had been missed as opposed to being a grotbag leaving my pet's vomit for someone else to clean up).

Grotbag is an excellent word.

ProcrastinatorsAnonymous · 22/02/2026 22:48

Also - where are you based? Sounds like an extremely good cleaner has a slot available, and I'm keen.

TesChique · 22/02/2026 22:47

"Not the best" but "best at cleaning" and "reliable"

Hmmm

Also leaving your cats vom to clean up in gross, its akin to me leaving my dogs crap for the cleaner. It just would never happen.

ProcrastinatorsAnonymous · 22/02/2026 22:47

You just lost yourself a really good cleaner - someone who takes pride in her work and actually gives a shit about providing a decent service. I would send an extremely grovelling response, or marigold up.

NoSoupForU · 22/02/2026 22:46

Honestly I wouldn't make a thing over something being missed once (if I thought it had been missed as opposed to being a grotbag leaving my pet's vomit for someone else to clean up).

Arlanymor · 22/02/2026 22:42

BeanQuisine · 22/02/2026 22:33

Cat sick and bat sick and dried monkey do-do,
Blackest of magic and darkest of voodoo,
Cleaners that clean all the dry crap that clings,
These are a few of my favourite things.

When the cat barfs
And the cleaner laughs
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember that Zoflora exists
And then I don't feel soooooooo bad.

BubbleFree · 22/02/2026 22:42

one of the wall cupboard doors had definitely not been cleaned which made me think she'd forgotten the room

You thought she’d forgotten to clean a room because one of the wall cupboard doors had cat sick on it? No wonder she’s not coming back.

all my friends that have cleaners tell me they are too busy and won't give me their numbers

I wonder why they won’t give you the numbers? 🤔. There’s lots of cleaning companies out there who employ cleaners, why not use one of them?

We’ve had the same wonderful lady for 11 years who comes 3 times a week, I would never mention if she’s missed cleaning ONE cupboard door nor would I expect her to clean animal vomit up, that’s unreasonable. If you mange to find someone else reconsider what you say and how you say it. You sound a nightmare to work for.

enpeatea · 22/02/2026 22:36

Are you for real? She was reliable and a good cleaner, but apparently still lacking somehow? Serves you right-slavery was abolished some time ago you know