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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to wash my friend's clothes?

238 replies

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 30/06/2017 07:16

My friend asked me to water her plants while she went backpacking round Asia for 6 weeks. No problem, happy to do it, got her key off her.

First time I went to her flat (about 3 days after she left) she had a full load of washing sitting in her machine all wet! And a few dirty dishes in the sink. Nothing extreme, looks like she had a quick meal before she left for the airport and didn't have time to wash up.

Anyway I washed the dishes and popped them on the draining board, took the washing out (which stank of course) and popped it in a bin bag, took it to mine, re-washed the load and then put it through the tumble dryer (my friend doesn't have one).

Next time I went I put it all, folded, on her bed.

There's no way I was gonna let her ruin a full load, after 6 weeks the clothes would have been mouldy beyond repair! I did more plant watering after that and didn't interfere in any other way.

Anyway she came back early this morning and has sent me a text that basically says thanks for watering her plants but she's a bit annoyed that I 'took it upon myself' to 'clean her kitchen' and come in her bedroom, she feels a bit judged, she was in a rush when she left and she feels it was intrusive Shock

I thought I was being a good friend. AIBU or is she being precious?

OP posts:
lovelysquish · 02/07/2017 18:07

You can come round here please!!

toooldforthisgame · 02/07/2017 20:09

I've had babysitters who've done my washing up and emptied my dishwasher because they felt bad about sitting around watching TV - I've loved them for it! Saves me a job and they didn't have to.

JustDontGetItAtAll · 02/07/2017 20:37

Yet if you hadn't done it, she would be criticising you for 'not even taking the time to rinse a few dishes and hang my washing up' Damned if you do and damned if you don't!

PLEASE though, remind her that the maggots in her sink alone would have been a health hazard for you during your visits to water the plants! If she genuinely thinks you SHOULDN'T have touched the dishes or washing, did she honestly expect you to walk past dirty, mouldy stinking dishes in a sink every visit for SIX WEEKS?!?!

Either way, she doesn't sound all there in the head. Tiny screw ever so slightly loose there....

ABitCrapReally · 02/07/2017 20:49

I've come to the conclusion, I must be some sort of exhibitionist or something.
Please feel free to come to my house, water my plants, do the laundry, walk around my bedroom, hell, even give the rampant rabbit a quick wipe over with a buzz fresh if you like! Wink Grin
Anything that saves me a job. I'm really lazy though

Jaxhog · 02/07/2017 20:49

I would hate someone washing my clothes. A previous cleaning lady used to do this, and ruin some of them. But I wouldn't hate it as much as someone leaving my wet clothes to rot in the dishwasher for 6 weeks!

You did the right thing. She'll get over it

headinthecloud · 02/07/2017 20:58

I wouldn't give someone a key to my house if I was going to be that precious about them seeing mess or going into my bedroom for 3 seconds.
You sound a lovely friend. Shame on her for making you feel like you've done something so wrong.

sparechange · 02/07/2017 21:10

Yes, agree you have nothing to apologise for
"Don't be daft, you would have come home to maggots and flies if I had just left the dishes lying there, and you'd have to buy a new machine to get rid of the mould smell if the clothes had been left in there for 6 weeks. I'm sure you would have done the same for me"

Rudi44 · 02/07/2017 21:18

Wow, I would LOVE a friend like you. Some people are waaaaay too touchy. I hope she brought you a lovely gift for taking such good care of her shit whilst she was away.

Rudi44 · 02/07/2017 21:21

Yeah and she didn't 'probably' over react, she most definitely did. You are a friend in a million.

Mittens1969 · 02/07/2017 21:37

I'd also have been mortified in her position, and actually I'd have also apologised if a friend had done my washing up and saved my washing from being ruined.

I've certainly never been precious about my bedroom lol, as a pp has said, it's only a room with a bed in!

She does sound rude and ungrateful to me, especially since you looked after her house and plants for six weeks! But I think she's probably embarrassed and will calm down in time.

Mittens1969 · 02/07/2017 21:44

I hadn't read through to the end before, I'm glad it ended well. Smile

Beetlejuice43 · 02/07/2017 22:32

Don't ever offer again. I would love a mate like you.

kkkkaty123 · 03/07/2017 07:59

And on top of this we had a heatwave so it would of all been double Mingin !

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