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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to sack cleaner after Dettol spillage and she didn't tell me???

310 replies

Stinkycleanhouse · 25/08/2017 20:42

We have just got home after being away and our cleaner came yesterday.
She has spilled what seems to be an entire bottle of Dettol in the kids room, washed it, left it and didn't tell us.
Why it was being used in there I'm not sure, I think more likely she was carrying it and dropped it.
We got back, all windows shut and a boiling hot day today as could smell the Dettol stink as soon as we opened the front door.
I texted and asked and she said yes she has spilled in in our child's room but washed it so no stain and went home.
Surely the fumes are dangerous from Dettol?
We've opened the window and moved her in with us for tonight but how on earth do you get the smell out?
It absolutely stinks.
Aibu to sack her?

OP posts:
Anasnake · 25/08/2017 21:01

Maybe the cats knocked it over !

Littlecaf · 25/08/2017 21:01

Total overaction. You are not being reasonable.

Wash the carpet yourself. Open the window. Job done. I think this feels like an 'us' and 'them' situation. She's not a servant or a skivvy, don't treat her like one.

BuffaloCustardbath · 25/08/2017 21:02

@sayyouwill hahahaha!! That's got to be my best autocorrect yet! Fertility!! Grin

Twickerhun · 25/08/2017 21:02

All cleaning products stink. It's generally the chemical content.

randomer · 25/08/2017 21:02

Open windows?

silverlace · 25/08/2017 21:03

Not relevent to your AIBU but someone once told me that the active ingredients in Dettol don't smell. The smell is added to make you think it is has done it's job. Not sure if that is a true fact or not.

Original poster
Stinkycleanhouse · 25/08/2017 21:03

The neighbour was looking after the cats but from our home as she also has cats who don't get on well with others so she was in and out of ours 3 times a day but as elderly didn't go upstairs

OP posts:
hatsoncats · 25/08/2017 21:03

Sack her. You don't fucking deserve to have her.

mistermagpie · 25/08/2017 21:03

It's not 'fumes' though is it? It's just a smell surely?

You sound a bit unhinged...

BuffaloCustardbath · 25/08/2017 21:04

Didn't you have someone coming in to look after the cats who would've smelt it prior to you arriving home??

Sayyouwill · 25/08/2017 21:04

@Stinkycleanhouse so couldn't she smell it if it was that strong?

treaclesoda · 25/08/2017 21:04

She most likely thought that the smell would go away since she had cleaned up the spill. It's not easy to guess how long it might take for a smell to go away. If she cleaned yesterday morning, it's likely she thought that the smell would be gone by today, or at least have died down.

Original poster
Stinkycleanhouse · 25/08/2017 21:04

I have opened all the windows but won't be able to leave all open when we go to sleep as it's pretty cold now and turning the heating on will no doubt make the smell worse.

OP posts:
KittyVonCatsington · 25/08/2017 21:04

OP-Dettol is only toxic if you drink it. Not sure where you are getting that if you smell it, it can kill you and your Mum isn't helping. You can have a Dettol bath for goodness sake! Please make sure you know exactly the facts before you use inaccuracies to fire somebody.

The smell is obviously strong and unpleasant to sleep in but this was an accident and actually a good thing that your cleaner was using disinfectant in your child's bedroom.

RhubardGin · 25/08/2017 21:05

But you said you were "choking" as soon as you opened your front door....so surely the neighbour would have noticed anyway???

acornsandnuts · 25/08/2017 21:05

AIBU? Yes YABU x 50. No, I know I'm not. So there!! 🙄🙄🙄😞🙄

treaclesoda · 25/08/2017 21:05

Although she should definitely have made sure that your cats couldn't get into the room. I'm bemused by the whole toxic fumes thing, but I don't think there is any excuse for a cleaner not knowing that that sort of disinfectant is toxic to cats.

toldmywrath · 25/08/2017 21:05

Is it your bottle of Dettol or does the cleaner bring her own products? If the latter, ask her not to use Dettol in future. But for God's sake don't replace with Zoflora, as that is even more toxic to animals.

And who was looking after the cats?

Sayyouwill · 25/08/2017 21:06

I think your neighbour hasn't been fulfilling her cat caring duty.
You should sack her too

Original poster
Stinkycleanhouse · 25/08/2017 21:06

Well I wasn't worried until I looked it up and it said inhaling it can be toxic!
I just knew it was toxic to cats as says it on the bottle hence why I've never bought it.
Yes perhaps the smell got worse over time, or my elderly neighbour who was coming in for the cats didn't think anything of it at the time but the fact remains she could have told me.

OP posts:
indulgentberries · 25/08/2017 21:06

If you think that Dettol is that dangerous then why did you have it in your house in the first place?

YABVVVU.

KittyVonCatsington · 25/08/2017 21:07

dangerous to cats

Yes. To injest neat. Not after it has been diluted and dried. You do know all cleaning products will be dangerous to your cats neat and not dry in case the injest through licking?

Fekko · 25/08/2017 21:07

Don't poisonous things have a helpline number on the bottle?

LEMtheoriginal · 25/08/2017 21:07

I'm assuming it is your dettol though? Why on earth do you buy it if it's so dangerous? Hmm

You is batshit!

BakedBeans47 · 25/08/2017 21:07

Yes you are BU.

It was an accident for goodness sake. How would you feel if your boss fired you for making a similar mistake?