Would you expect your cleaner to clean up this mess? If you are a cleaner, would you?

[holishmo]

I started up my own cleaning business (just myself) last month

I've got 2 really lovely clients and recently took on someone new

We live on the same NB estate so I popped round when she enquired and we had a cup of tea and a chat, was happy to take her on for the 3 hours a week

Anyway, I arrived today and there were nappies on the floor that needed clearing away, loo not flushed and very dirty, bloody and soaking with water? sheets on the master bed, take away tubs all over the living room and no toys put away at all, still loads of wrapping paper laying around

I tidied it all up of course and I didn't say anything. But then before I left she asked me where I'd put one of the coins that go to her baby's toy piggy counter, I said I hadn't seen a pig with coins at all (my own DC has it and I didn't see it there).

She said I must've seen it because it's in the toy box but one of the coins are missing?

I said I hadn't touched it, I hadn't. She wants me to replace it

What do I do? I feel silly for writing this but I'm doing it to fund nice extras for myself and disabled DC. I don't want bad words spread as my two other clients live on the estate too and I advertised myself on the FB page

This client is being deliberately difficult- she sounds like she could turn nasty. She is already asking you to replace the coin- so why be difficult and not telling you what colour it is?
I would stop cleaning for her.

IMO- Don’t worry what she might do re. Gossip, you have other good reviews from clients and cleaners are like gold dust at the moment.

I’d look at it this way- if she has any sense she won’t say anything bad about you- as you have seen the filthy state she leaves her house in!! you easily could tell people about her squalid home.

good luck OP

My cleaner tidies, and is well paid for it as it takes extra time. There is more tidying to do in my house than cleaning.

All these people running about cleaning their houses before the cleaner comes. Bloody weird.

She sounds like a right arsehole. I think you should hand your notice in with immediate affect. If she's accusing you of stealing or purposely denying knowing where the coin from the child's toy piggy bank is (how pathetic) then god knows what else she will accuse you of. Try to not worry to much about a negative review or comment.. if I seen that comment I would think she was a pathetic arsehole and it wouldn't put me off hiring you. BTW I know what toy your talking about and the coin could literally be anywhere.. things like that go missing all the time.

Tidying before the cleaner comes is entirely normal.

Tidying before the cleaner comes is entirely normal

I think this depends on how messy your house is/gets. If you leave dirty dishes on side, toys strewn on floor, never make your bed etc then yes you should probably tidy before cleaner arrives

In my house dishes go straight in dishwasher, clothes are folded straight from dryer, beds are made in morning etc. any tidying is limited to the odd coffee cup that one of the teens leaves, straightening cushions and removing the fading flowers from vases. This is fine to be left for a cleaner IMO.

That's the accusation of theft right there. You asked what colour it was and she said that you should know. In other words, you already know the colour because you pinched it.

She's trouble.

Just say that you cleared up the dirty nappies and all the rubbish and wrapping paper strewn all around, and you never saw or touched either the coin or the piggy bank. If the coin is missing, then it could have been caught up among the rubbish which has been thrown away.

I agree with others, you need to tell her that you will not be cleaning for her again.

If you spend time tidying then you won't have time to clean. Dirty nappies and disgusting toilets - yuck.
I'd tell her you will give her a coin from your own daughter's toy (you don't want her to spread rumours that you are stealing, even a silly fake coin) though reiterate you did not see the toy, then say the job isn't going to work out for you. She doesn't know what a cleaners job is and she will only accuse you of more when she loses something else.
I'd give notice even without the coin business - the place sounds gross.

I had a cleaner for a while.

Our rules were that she did’nt clean bedrooms or loos. I still felt uncomfortable

Assuming she hasn't paid you - she had a nice little power trip at your expense and won't pay you because she is alleging you stole a component of a toy.

Assuming she did pay you - power trip still. The level of grossness that you were left to deal with goes far beyond normal mess. It was some sort of perversion. She's like a poo troll.

Do not replace the toy she is alleging you lost or stole. She will take it as an admission of guilt.

Don't spread stories about her if she starts spreading tales about you. Nobody wants a cleaner who keeps notes about their dirt. Hold your head high.

You're going to have to walk away, sadly, even if she didn't pay you.

For the future, don't deal with body fluids or excrement. Take photos to cover your arse.

Tell clients ahead of time what you will and won't handle.
No soiled or wet nappies, or used sanpro.
No used tissues or TP.
No used/ worn underwear.
No vomit or traces of vomit anywhere.
No clothing with poo or vomit on it.
No dog or cat poo or vomit.
No blocked or unflushed loos.
No sheets. Clients can take off the sheets themselves and put in a laundry basket if they're to be washed.

You're not being paid hazard money.

This is awful
I absolutely wouldn’t clean for her again
Nappies on the floor and the blood are serious health hazards
Stick to what you told her about the toy and cut contact

To add, as the place was spotless when you went for the initial conversation, I would say there is something seriously wrong and malicious with this person, it all seems very deliberate.

Please don’t be manipulated any further by her, let her say what she wants about you and rise above it.

I realise this is an old thread but just wanted to chip in! I have a cleaner and before she took me on she explained what we'd get for the time/money. She cleans the bathrooms/kitchen, changes the beds and dusts and hoovers through. She does an amazing job but I make sure any clutter is tidied away before she comes.

Someone who leaves unflushed loos and takeaway boxes kicking about sounds like a bit of a pig. If you haven't already, it'd be a good idea to sack her on the grounds that her house and expectations is bigger than you thought. 😊

The cleaning is what you are being paid to do.

Being accused of theft is something entirely different and I would leave on that basis