Dishcloth Dilemma: AIBU to ask my mum not to wipe baby's face with a dishcloth?

[WednesdayRebel]

AIBU to ask my mum not to wipe baby's face with a dishcloth?

Let me start by saying that my mum is NOT what you'd call a germphobe. She genuinely believes in the beneficial properties of exposure to healthy doses of all sorts of grime. Builds the immunity and all that.

Now let me say that I don't disagree with her - to an extent. I'm aware of theories that suggest rising allergies and so on are the fault of us living in overly sterile environments. And my house is hardly pristine.

But one thing Mum's been doing is beyond my capacity to cope with. She uses her dishcloth from the sink, the same one she uses for doing the dishes, to wipe up ANYTHING around the kitchen/dining/living areas of the house. Off floors, tables, surfaces, whatever. And she has a dog. And a cat.

It's not what I'd do, but it doesn't bother me.

Until she insists on using the same dishcloth to wipe my baby's hands and FACE every time she eats.

Did I mention that she uses this same cloth to clean up dog spillages from the floor?

I recently asked her not to, then pointed out that she was still doing it after I'd asked her not to, and that this was upsetting both me and my husband.

She got all shirty, defensive and aggressive, and told me that she does some things out of habit and can't be expected to change. I've spoken to her a couple of times since and both times she's been really off.

So AIBU in asking her not to use the dirty dishcloth to wipe my baby's mouth with? Or am I being pedantic?

So get there first and wipe the baby with what ever you want to

What do you mean by "dog spillages"?!?!

I would have said yes from the title. But not if it wipes pets stuff and floors. Yeesh

Yuck yuck yuck YANBU. Would your mum wipe her own face on it? Even if it was a cleaner dishcloth it would have washing up liquid/antibac on it surely which you also wouldn't want on your baby's face. Can you take a pack of wipes or flannel with you when you go and kind of swoop in before her?

By the way I don't think you're BU. Germs are fine but used dish cloths are filthy. You'd be safer licking the toilet bowl.

If the cloth is clean enough to wipe a table or wash the dishes, then isn't it clean enough to wash hands?

If the cloth is that dirty, it shouldn't be used to wash down surfaces nor wash dishes.

YANBU!

That's disgusting.
My mil used to do this (but no pets! ) and was genuinely shocked when I said use a babywipe. They're for bottoms only apparently.

Wednesday yanbu. I am not a germphobe BUT I have my limits and what your mother is doing goes well beyond those limits.
Can you give your mother a supply of wet wipes?

Yes, take a packet of baby wipes with you next time and when you sit down to eat, get them out before the dishcloth appears (bleuch!) I wouldn't like this either.

That's disgusting, really filthy behaviour.

Er, yuk. You are so not being unreasonable. Sorry this must be quite hard for you if your mother is getting angry about it. Hope you can talk some sense into her soon. (Dishcloths harbour really REALLY nasty bacteria so you're completely and utterly right. Just had to reiterate )

I would rather a dishcloth with washing up liquid than bum wipes personally (though I am slack and use either ). Those things are fierce. They will shift all kinds of household mess.

Fine to ask her to use wipes on the baby IMO. Or ask her to use a flannel.

Slightly off topic, but I am always amazed by the number of parents who use organic bubble bath and steer clear of soap but happily whip out baby wipes.

YADNBU.

I would go into freeze-horror mode if my mum did this, and may very well need to sit down and be fanned to prevent a total attack of the vapours.

I presume your DM does not wipe her own face with said dishcloth? If not, ask her why not? And why the same principle does not apply to your baby?

And really ... she ought to use a different cloth to the worktops for the floor anyway.

Genuine question: Whats wrong with baby wipes?

Kids need to get exposure to germs. I think you are being a bit precious. I clean most things with the kitchen cloth ( it gets washed on a regular basis at 60 degrees) but wouldn't clean a child with a loo cloth. However we don't have pets that need cleaning with any cloth!!
Fish and snakes have different requirements !

YANBU the thought turns my stomach. Does she not know what lives in dish cloths?!

They are very aggressive (designed to clean shit) and contain loads of harsh detergent and preservatives. As I said, I am slack and do use them, but it's a joke that they are better than a (clean and hygienic ) dishcloth with some washing up liquid.

Ha! My mum used to do this to me as a child. 1970s childhood. I'm fighting fit ... well, at least I've never had any nasty infections. Wouldn't do it to anyone else though.

I own dozens of dish cloths. Throw in the machine daily.

Bleuuuuurgh.

Very slack parent here but some training in health protection (so aware of what you can and can't get away with!)
Really not a good idea. If you wouldn't wipe baby's mouth round the floor, cat, dog, random surfaces, sink (does she prepare raw meat in sink?) then not using a cloth that's been wiped round same is a good plan!

My practice would be one spongy thing for washing up. One cloth (changed frequently) for wiping sink and wiping down sides and tables. One cloth for floors. Cloth used for cat/dog related issues binned or hot washed afterwards.
And one cloth for the baby!

YANBU! You need to surround her with packets of baby wipes any time she is near your baby, and insist she uses them.

Penguins I think I may be one of those parents

Dare I read on? I'm now worried about baby wipes.