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Original poster

MIL’s lack of food hygiene makes me feel sick

187 replies

sunflowers365 · 27/12/2023 20:26

I’ve just finished a week at my parent in laws for Christmas. My MIL’s food hygiene, and just general cleanliness, makes me feel sick. For context, I have a 15 month old daughter, which makes this more serious for me. She defrosted chicken on the kitchen counter all night. She left my daughter’s turkey bolognaise out on the hob for 5 hours yesterday before it went into the fridge and she reheated it today. She washed raw chicken in the sink today too. They have no hot water in their kitchen. Their kitchen floor is the dirtiest kitchen floor I’ve ever seen in my life- flecked with dried on food all over. The tiles at the back of the hob are greased over with fat. The fridge is full to bursting. The counter tops are strewn with food such as pickles, jams, dried fruits etc. I can’t even use the downstairs shower because I’m terrified of their shower curtain touching me and can’t bear to step on the bath mat. I bring my own flip
flops to wear in their upstairs bathroom. We are sleeping in their bedroom and it smells so musty. The level of dust and clutter is just foul. I love my parents in law but their house and lack of food hygiene disgusts me. Can’t wait to go home!!

OP posts:
SuperGinger · 30/12/2023 16:52

I really can't believe how neurotic people are, I don't have an especially clean house and nobody gets sick. I think we over clean here

OdeToBarney · 30/12/2023 17:14

OP I wouldn't stay there again. I have some relatives I now refuse to stay with for similar reasons. Air BnB every time.

TitaniasAss · 30/12/2023 17:14

My friend washes her chicken in cold water in a bowl with lemon juice in it. I don't really know why, but figure it's up to her how she prepares her meals.

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Smartstuffed · 30/12/2023 17:17

Icelandic9 · 28/12/2023 00:31

I've always know it as a counter, never heard anyone call it a work surface

I love a good derail

We always called it 'the side' when I was growing up... so I still do.

ginasevern · 30/12/2023 17:19

It sounds horrible OP. Washing chicken in the sink is a no no and I would not get into a dirty bath/shower. However, I almost always defrost my meat on the work top overnight.

Why don't you stay in a nearby airbnb. If you do have to stay there does it have to be a week?

Vynalbob · 30/12/2023 20:03

OTT
You only put cold stuff(room temp) in fridge.
Defrosting on side is fine as long as it's not left too long (I prefer bagged n in water).

Some other stuff not great but seen worse.

pepperminticecream · 30/12/2023 20:51

SuperGinger · 30/12/2023 16:52

I really can't believe how neurotic people are, I don't have an especially clean house and nobody gets sick. I think we over clean here

Edited

What do you mean by your house isn't "especially clean?" Do you have dirt and food on your floors and countertops? Is your bathroom, shower and linens visibly dirty--have you washed them at least once in the past week? Because it sounds like OP is describing a house with visible dirt, old food and human grime all over areas that should clean after each use. I don't think she is talking about normal daily mess like laundry that needs to be folded and put away or children's toys strewn about.

Ilovecleaning · 30/12/2023 20:51

Your MIL needs lessons from my 4 yr old granddaughter. The other day she got her magnifying glass, inspected my hand and said “ Don’t worry, Grandma! You’ve only got ONE germ on your hand!”
🤣

pollymere · 30/12/2023 21:40

We used to bring food for our little one and eat as little as possible or take IL out for dinner...

T1Dmama · 31/12/2023 20:18

I’m afraid I’d have popped to the nearest Lidl or supermarket and bought A LOT of bleach! I’d have laughed and said I was a little OCD since giving birth and then bleached the kitchen and bathroom to within an inch of their life!

T1Dmama · 31/12/2023 21:23

Or dress it up as helping out because you feel grateful of her hospitality and want to help her out by cleaning up for her.
mid also buy some black cheap socks and leggings for DD next time you go out there ..

I’m picturing the mouldy shower curtain and bath mat… I’d be spraying bleach all over both … or buying a new one each time you go and hanging it for her!
She might even see the difference and think now it’s clean she’ll keep it like it.

I once looked after a friends cat for a week, I’d pop in and feed it on way to and from work, her sink and boomer were dirty… I sprayed cleaner on the cooker in the mornings and bleach in the sink… rinsed both and repeated everytime I did the cat, by the end of the week both looked amazing!
she got me a huge bunch of flowers and thanked me and said she’d been unable to get it that clean, she was so thankful.

asdfgasdfg · 31/01/2024 21:36

I've not had so much as a hot drink at my daughter's place and when she's away for a few days and I feed her cars I spend hours trying to clean at least the kitchen and bathroom, taking all my own cleaning gear of course

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