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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Not to clean the holiday cottage?

129 replies

softlysoftly · 28/08/2014 19:19

Due to leave tomorrow and having a disagreement with DM.

I think that you should vac the main living room floor, make sure there aren't any stains on the loos, wipe the kitchen sides down and clear any food.

DM wants to clean totally, I'm talking vac all floors (huge 4 bed 2 reception room barn) polishing tables, gloves on and hands down loo (4 loos), she's been and bought hob cleaner, we've only cooked on it once!

So who's right?

OP posts:

YouTheCat · 28/08/2014 19:20

You are, but leave her to it if that's what she wants to do.

SugarSkully · 28/08/2014 19:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TravellingToad · 28/08/2014 19:22

You are right. I expect my guests not to leave dirty dishes and that's it. Stripping the beds is a bonus!

TunipTheUnconquerable · 28/08/2014 19:22

Probably you, but depends how much mess you've made, eg I would generally hoover the bedrooms if we'd made a mess.

NotYouNaanBread · 28/08/2014 19:22

You are. A cleaner is worked into the cottage hire costs, which are probably not inconsiderable, given your description.

I would suggest taking yourself out for a solo breakfast in peace and quiet tomorrow morning and let your mother do whatever the hell she wants. It's not worth spoiling the last day of your holiday over.

Piffpaffpoff · 28/08/2014 19:23

I always Hoover, sweep the floor, give the bathrooms a wipe etc but that's it. As Youthecat says though, let your DM do her full spring clean if she wants!

Madratlady · 28/08/2014 19:25

Your clean is more than enough! They usually have someone in to clean in between check out and check in times anyway.

Dunkling · 28/08/2014 19:44

We have this every year when we hire a narrowboat. Contract states to leave clean and as when we boarded, but I always think, hang on, you send cleaners in anyway! They should expect a certain amount of wear and tear and messing up. I do though, clean loos and sinks, hoover throughout, wipe all kitchen and clean hob. Also pile all used towels in one of the showers and strip all beds.

BackforGood · 28/08/2014 19:50

You - except I wouldn't vac.
Part of what you pay for the hire of the cottage, is to include the cleaning. No point in cleaning before the cleaner comes

Except if it is a friend's cottage and that is the agreement - that you leave it ready for the next person to keep the costs down. But if it's a commercial let, then you just leave it tidy and relatively clean, ready for the cleaner

frazmum · 28/08/2014 19:54

Agree with the others - leave it tidy, quick hoover and wipe around. I only strip beds if I've been specifically asked to. Maybe put all the towels in one pile together.

FunkyBoldRibena · 28/08/2014 19:57

I just wipe the surfaces down; the cleaner will do all that anyway. Why waste your effort?

QuintessentiallyQS · 28/08/2014 19:59

Clean it your way. They will have arranged for a cleaner to come in after you leave and before the next guests arrive. They will hoover, mop, clean the fridge and take out laundry, fresh linen on beds etc. They expect to find the place reasonably clean, as otherwise the cleaners might have to spend much longer, and might not be ready for the next guests checking in. I would assume. They will absolutely LOVE you if you strip your beds.....

ElephantsNeverForgive · 28/08/2014 20:01

You are, wipe down kitchen, bathrooms, clean obvious skid marks and cooker if covered in grease, quick hoover.

Leave it looking like you care, but don't go buying cif and bleach and spending your last day ceaning, that's stupid.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 28/08/2014 20:02

Stripping beds is a good idea as DCs lose things in and under beds.

XiCi · 28/08/2014 20:03

I wouldn't do anything other than dishes and a quick wipe down. They will be getting cleaners in after you leave anyway. Why would you waste valuable holiday time doing jobs that will be redone anyway. The cost of the cleaner will have been factored into your rental fee. It's like eating out at a restaurant then doing the dishes and cleaning the table before you leave.

Isitraining · 28/08/2014 20:06

You are right.........I have 2 cottages and even if left clean, I still have to clean everything to be sure. I am really touched, though, if people do more and even cried once when someone had stripped the beds and left it all pristine. If you have had a good time, remember to leave good feedback for them.

Musicaltheatremum · 28/08/2014 20:06

You are.no hoovering. Wipe kitchen surfaces, quick wipe round sinks and baths. I pulled up the plug in the bath at one cottage and found gallons of hair yuck!

wafflyversatile · 28/08/2014 20:06

Wash dishes, quick tidy up. You've paid for a cleaner to clean.

mychildrenarebarmy · 28/08/2014 20:08

Make sure all kitchen things are clean, vacuum all floors, strip beds and don't leave any crumbs etc on the kitchen surfaces. I did all those things in the cottage we stayed in this summer and the owner sent me a lovely email thanking me and saying that if we ever want to return she would give us a discount.

LatteLoverLovesLattes · 28/08/2014 20:09

YANBU

I would clear any food out (though if I think someone might use it, I'll leave it with a note - more things like ketchup etc), do any dishes/wipe sides etc & make sure the loos look clean & that's it.

I agree with the others, do that and leave your Mum to it if she wants to waste her time getting all Aggy.

A lot of people do go mad cleaning, then the cleaners go in & get paid to do sod all - why? Pointless.

almapudden · 28/08/2014 20:10

We stayed in two holiday apartments this summer. When we left we stripped the beds and swept the floor in the kitchen/living area. Also wiped down sinks and surfaces, and piled used towels on the bathroom floor.

We got our deposits back so it must have been ok!

Aeroflotgirl · 28/08/2014 20:12

Yanbu at all. As long as you leave it in a reasonable state. You pay for having it clean in the price. They will have cleaners go through and clean it fir the next guest, if you go to a Hotel you are not expected to clean it, same with a holiday cottage.

Original poster

softlysoftly · 28/08/2014 20:23

Ha good on the whole IANBU she is. If there were any obvious messes elsewhere I would of course clear them up. I shall inform DM MN declares her U and leave her to it

We can't leave it in the state we found it or We'd have to rebreak the window catch DF fixed and take out the lightbulbs in 3 bedrooms that didn't have any This is for a £££££ cornwall barn too!

Didn't have the heart to say anything though as the old lady running it is clearly dotty, she popped in with welcome scones and jam which were actually Sainsburys breadrolls .

OP posts:

Icimoi · 28/08/2014 20:35

I've never done more than you are suggesting, OP, and we've always had our deposit returned in full.

In the cottage we stayed in most recently, the deal was that we couldn't get in till 3 but had to leave by 10. Oddly, they didn't make the beds up which I was less than happy about. So I reckoned that if they were going to have 5 hours to clean when they weren't even making the beds, I certainly wasn't going to do any more of their jobs for them.

gordyslovesheep · 28/08/2014 20:35

YANBU at all - we left ours today - cleaned the surfaces, emptied bin, did the recycling, left breakfast dishes on the side to dry (washed them obviously) the house was tidy

it doesn't need to be deep cleaned - that's what the cleaner/owner will do

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