AIBU not wanting guests to use the downstairs loo?

[GrandmasRedCar]

My SIL has recently moved to our area and visits a lot which is good news all round. My only bug bear is that she insists on using the downstairs loo and not the bathroom.

Our downstairs loo is in the utility room, through the garage. It's clutter central. The washing machine and sink are next to the toilet. As I only use it as a utility room I don't give the room the same housekeeping attention I give the bathroom. In other words, it's grubby, and is likely to stay that way. Should I keep it cleaner, yes probably, but with two small children and lots of laundry going through, I have other areas of the house to prioritise.

As a result, I never invite people to use that toilet, basically because I don't want them to use it. It's handy if I'm gardening to know it's nearby but I dont want visitors using it.

I know it's not a big deal, but I'm just interested. AIBU?

I agree BackforGood

They can piss in the garden drain if it takes their fancy

Yes backforgood good point. And she is lovely.

stick a big box of something on top of loo and leave it there.

yeah, a big box of immodium, a bog brush, a bowl that looks like its had sick in it and some bleach :o

I have a similar sort of problem in my house.

Immaculate main bathroom, and a grubby little loo (with no sink) off our jumbled junk-strewn utility/mud room. It is the only part of our house which is utterly full of crap (designated dumping ground) so I hate it when people go in there and expose me as a secretly shit housekeeper.

I was most annoyed with DH when he showed some friends that it was there. I'd actually rather they trooped through our (nice tidy) bedroom to use our en suite than weave through our junk piles to go into that manky little loo!

I hinted politely that I would rather they used the main bathroom as the loo was such a state etc, but was ignored. So I built an impenetrable wall of junk in front of the loo door which stymied all potential loo-users Nobody has been rude enough to try to shuffle the boxes aside to get in there and I think they have all got into the habit of using the main bathroom now.

Your so lucky to have a downstairs loo. I only have one upstairs so when my arthritis is really bad I just have to stay upstairs for days at a time because I wouldn't be able to reach it in time if I was downstairs. Get a grip and make it usable, someone like me may come round and I'm sure they would appreciate it lol.

All you need is a flat screwdriver, on the water inlet pipe there should be a metal thingy with what looks like a flat screw in the middle of it, turn the 'screw' 90 degrees and voila! Toilet is switched off! It's easy peasy and you can just switch it on and off to your hearts content :o

Oh, tell her it's broken.

Never get round to fixing it.

I'm kind of with you in a way. But that's cos our silly modern 3 bedroom house has 4, yes 4 loos! And the living room s in the first floor so happy for visitors to go upstairs.

"Get a grip and make it usable"

Sorry, but I agree. Cleaning a downstairs toilet isn't like cleaning Buckingham Palace. I have never heard anything so ridiculous. Also you are lucky that you have such a lovely unjudgemental SIL.

It's your house! You can be as ridiculous as you like (although I think you're being perfectly reasonable).

The next time SIL heads there say no and block her way. Be polite bit firm. She has no right to dictate how you use your own bloody house.

You would not be rude to do this. She is being rude for not respecting your boundaries.

Get a grip and make it usable

I have never heard anything so ridiculous.

I'm not sure my minor issue is worthy of such outrage, but whatever, thank you for sparing me some.

Thanks for all the advice. I think I feel justified after all :-)

Hi grandma's red car - do you know me from the other forum? Who were you?! I hope you get it all sorted. I know how you feel. There are just certain areas of the home which you'd prefer other people didn't see. Nothing wrong with that!

Well, I've just installed a downstairs cloakroom specifically so visitors don't end up having to traipse upstairs. (I had knocked the original downstairs toilet out so I could extend the kitchen and fit French doors)

Mind you it's posher than my upstairs bathroom now so I might change the rules.

Yes Ltc, IM. You helped me out with my telly on all day issue waves

Waves back! Oh good- well at least 'you' know I'm not a journalist!

I think I missed some crack to be honest. I've been on holiday this week with the boys and just caught snippets. I saw the journal but couldn't make sense of all of the comments! I've been here, mostly lurking, for a while and thought I'd bump into you eventually. Is everything ok?

Everything is fine thank you! I'm finding my feet here- though posters are worried I'm a journalist or something!! Anyway, I needed a change and I think I will enjoy mumsnet.
Hope you had a good holiday!