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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to replace my shampoo with something unexpected

153 replies

HystericalBallads · 26/01/2013 00:31

Have NCed as I'm feeling a bit paranoid about this.

I'm pretty certain that our cleaner has been taking showers and using my toiletries. She has been coming for 3 hours a week since September, she's my first cleaner and I've been very happy with the level of cleaning.

I thought I was imagining things at first, but every day or so after she'd been I started to notice that my shower gel and shampoo had depleted slightly. After a while of doubting myself I made tiny marks on my bottles and lo and behold, they had definitely been used.

There is nobody else in the household who could have used them - DS has his own bathroom and DH knows better than to use my toiletries.

I don't know what to do. I am tempted to put something unexpected in one of the bottles, WIBU to put some veet in the shampoo?

OP posts:
omletta · 26/01/2013 14:26

I just don't get how you can tell.

Expensive products like that only need a tiny bit.

If you really think that she is stealing from you why would you still have her in your home? It's madness.

I completely trust my cleaner, if I didn't I wouldn't use her.

whiteflame · 26/01/2013 14:33

I am a bit baffled by the argument that she's too embarrassed to ask to use the shower. Surely if you're embarrassed to ask, you know it's a bit off and it would be far more embarrassing to actually use it?

WorraLiberty · 26/01/2013 14:36

I think you should name change OP

To HystericalBollocks

nickelbabe · 26/01/2013 14:37

an easier solution would be to buy a whole load of new cleaning products and put them in a tub in the bathroom.

then point them out to her.

then keep an eye on your stuff - if it keeps going down, think again; if it stops, there's your answer.

HecateWhoopass · 26/01/2013 14:37

She wouldn't shower if he was home though, would she?
And pink dye won't really show on dark hair unless it's got bleach in it or something. Brown being darker than pink.

And by far the easiest thing to do is move your stuff out of the bathroom.
If she is using it, it being removed will be a very clear message that she will understand without you having to say a word.
If she's not using it, she won't even notice.

fluffypillow · 26/01/2013 14:44

If this seriously bothers you that much, then you may need to think about cleaning your own house (people do you know).

MurderOfGoths · 26/01/2013 14:52

Btw if anyone wants to clean my house in exchange for toiletries that would be great! I can only offer Tresemme and Aussie however..

KhallDrogo · 26/01/2013 14:56

If you add hair dye to your wanky shower gel and it turns out she is using it to clean the bath Confused...so she comes to you and says, look I was cleaning the bath, I always add a bit of tour shower gel to make it smell nice but today its full of red dye...how did that happen?

What the hell are you going to say? Oh yeah I was paranoid that you were showering in my house and using my toulwtries, so instead of asking you I filled the bottles with red dye to humiliate toy and teach you a lesson?!

Grin Hmm

bea · 26/01/2013 15:00

For goodness sake... just ask her and be grown up about it! Shock

FrankSpenser · 26/01/2013 15:29

This thread has me Grin
Can't wait to see how this one turns out!

FlouncingMintyy · 26/01/2013 15:31

Why are there so many threads about shampoo in Active convos at the moment? Confused

Original poster
HystericalBallads · 26/01/2013 16:17

I've already said that I'm not going to put dye in there, so can everybody stop worrying that I'm going to blind the cleaner please!

DH has volunteered to be at home next week when she comes and is going to have a word.

OP posts:
Chandon · 26/01/2013 17:37

Yes, I could see how that could work out...he will walk in when she is in the shower and then....

....your problem could be a bit more serious than shampoo!

theoldtrout01876 · 26/01/2013 17:53

I had a lady used to come to my house to watch Dd2 when she was an infant.I found out that not only was she showering at my house but she was having her husband and Dc's come round and shower too :o

They had had their heat and hot water cut off as they hadnt paid the bill

Sugarkane · 26/01/2013 18:15

Could it be that she is syphoning off the shampoo into a mini bottle and not actually taking a shower at yours?

MrsMushroom · 26/01/2013 18:24

Why does dh have to have a word? It's your shampoo...can't you have a word??

OlyRoller · 26/01/2013 18:26

Maybe when she cleans the shower she just strips off and washes her hair at the same time?

SPBInDisguise · 26/01/2013 18:31

Take the posh stuff out and replace ir with 27p shampoo

SPBInDisguise · 26/01/2013 18:32

Have to say I only ever clean Tje shower when I'm in it :) and I don't condition

Deflatedballoonbelly · 26/01/2013 18:33

Oh god, these threads FILL me with doom! I am a cleaner and I would die of mortifying shame if I thought one of my clients thought I did half of the stuff cleaners do on here... Confused

FrankSpenser · 26/01/2013 18:40

I only condition my hair, never shampoo it!

I clean my bathroom straight after use when its all steamy and wet (Oo-er Matron Grin ) with most times using just a microfibre cloth.

My pennies won't stretch enough for a cleaner. Sad

myfirstkitchen · 26/01/2013 18:46

Be grateful she's using your shampoo rather than pissing in it.

greeneyed · 26/01/2013 18:59

OP I just can't see how you would notice this if she is using the normal amount to wash her hair. Is it a microspic amount below the line?

foreverondiet · 26/01/2013 19:05

I would double check with DH and DS first, assuming no confessions need to mention to cleaner - although it wont end well - she will deny. I had similar years ago - I bought veet but didn't like it, but the bottles went down and one day I came home to find veet stains all over house, ruining carpet. I called her and she still denied it.

shebangsthedrum · 26/01/2013 19:09

Put a note inside said shampoo which says "ha,caught you. Now get the fuck out of my shower. You're fired."

At which point, having secreted yourself in the airing cupboard, jump out and frogmarch the liberty taking bitch off your property throwing her clothes after her.

Job done.