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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To burn the house down?

52 replies

DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 22:15

We found 3 cockroaches in our kitchen on Sunday night. Obv my first thought was 'burn the house down' but DH persuaded me otherwise. We've bleached the shit out of everything and thrown half the contents of the kitchen straight in the bin. Pest control turned up this morning in a lovely sign written van to ensure the neighbours are aware of our infestation. £250 later + all of the wasted food + a day off of work for me = not a cheap couple of days. Oh and it turns out our cleaning lady had a cockroach infestation in her shared accommodation just a few weeks ago so we know how the first roach hitched a ride into our house.

I'm seething. And still want to burn my house down. Silent screaming inside my head whilst pretending to the kids we 'just found a few bugs'. Aaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!

So AIBU to burn the house down? Or failing that force the cleaner to go through a full decontamination procedure on the doorstep for the foreseeable furture? (Actually a genuine question as really worried about a repeat of all of this Angry)

OP posts:
cherryminx · 09/08/2016 23:05

have your parents got roaches. that could narrow down the suspects.

cherryminx · 09/08/2016 23:05

Snap utter

Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:06

Lol Idiot! My (now discredited) pest control man was certain it came from her. It's a pretty big coincidence though? Never had a problem with pests before. She has them and now we do too. But you're right, could never prove it for sure.

OP posts:
AnUtterIdiot · 09/08/2016 23:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:07

He he! Nope no sign at parents. They are obviously on red alert now though.

OP posts:
AnUtterIdiot · 09/08/2016 23:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

greathat · 09/08/2016 23:08

Maybe she spotted them faster than you and she got them from your house Smile

Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:09

We are meant to have friends over at the weekend. Should I confess?! They'll run a mile won't they?
Think I might just have to hibernate until we've done the full course of treatments!

OP posts:
cherryminx · 09/08/2016 23:09

Maybe we could start a thread about cross contamination between cleaners and employers. For example, surely cleaners are forever getting tummy bugs etc from having to clean their employers toilets. My friend had a cleaner who caught chicken pox from her DC and couldn't work for two weeks - quite serious when you are in effect self employed.

ozymandiusking · 09/08/2016 23:12

I would ask her to wear slippers in your house, and put her outdoor shoes in a bag in the porch. Keep a pair of slippers at your house for her, not the ones from her house.

psychoexmeansregularNC · 09/08/2016 23:12

I've just watched a video of them hatching gippppppp

psychoexmeansregularNC · 09/08/2016 23:13

I've just watched a video of them hatching gippppppp

Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:13

It's an interesting point Cherry. They shouldn't be picking up tummy bugs from cleaning toilets unless they aren't adhering to proper hygiene rules though? The chicken pox one is tricky though.

OP posts:
Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:17

I will do Ozy. She already had flip flops that she keeps here but would walk in wearing her outside shoes and then get changed. Will ask her to do it in the porch now. How long to keep following this procedure though?!

OP posts:
Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:18

Psycho - that has been happening INSIDE my kitchen. Imagine how I feel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
cherryminx · 09/08/2016 23:20

That assumes that most employers are complying with correct hygeine rules themselves - such as not breathing on their cleaner, giving them days off work while people in the house are ill, providing suitable equipment etc etc. Hmm

CruCru · 09/08/2016 23:21

Dude, you can't possibly ask your cleaning lady to reimburse you. Even if it were a reasonable thing to ask, she almost certainly won't be able to afford the drop in wages or have the savings to do so.

It's summer. It's cockroach season. Get your house treated but it isn't that big a deal I have only just got rid of our mice.

psychoexmeansregularNC · 09/08/2016 23:22

I remember being in Gran Canaria when they started flying around at dusk. Literally felt like hell on a little island!

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 09/08/2016 23:34

It sounds like she may well be your employee given the working arrangements. In which case you need to be even more careful about deducting money from wages - including complying with national minimum wage legislation.

I'd also be extra careful if you're not meeting all your obligations as an employer.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 09/08/2016 23:36

Sympathies about the cockroaches though. Bleeeugh Flowers

bluetongue · 09/08/2016 23:45

Are cockroaches really worth making such a song and dance about? I've found one a few times in my house. After the initial shock I've doused them with bug killer, disposed of the body and got on with my life. I'm not in the UK though.

Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:48

Cru / Moving - I won't take any money from her. I think the thing that irks me is that she didn't offer anything, not even a token amount. Just stood there watching me agree to a £250 house treatment and said nothing. This is life I guess. I'll get over it. She is actually very close to our family and we know the details of her finances. She could afford to pay if she so wished. But it's not her problem, it's mine and I accept that.
She is our employee and everything is completely above board, all obligations met (and much more).

OP posts:
Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:49

So what to say to friends about all of this?! Say nothing? Tell the truth?

OP posts:
IlPorcupinoNilSodomyEst · 09/08/2016 23:50

Apparently cockroach milk (don't ask me!) is the next superfood - you could make a fortune from this, OP.

Original poster
DitzyDoc · 09/08/2016 23:51

Blue - I think it's pretty serious, they are pretty germy creatures and I'm not keen on something that feeds on literal crap crawling around my cutlery drawer Confused

OP posts: