To complain to the cleaner?

[PrincessWatermelon]

I kind of think this needs addressing, but not sure of the best way or what to say.

We had a new cleaner come for the first time today - 4 hours for a deep clean. Not overly impressed with her work, but hey ho. However, she's obviously spilt something on the wooden floor. She's not left me a note (except her bank details to transfer her money, which I haven't yet done). There are 3 areas that clearly show it (see pics).

How would you deal with it?

I would contact her to ask if she had spilt something on the floor as there are marks on it that were not there before. You need to think about what best outcome you would like first though, so that you can explain this to her.

I sacked my cleaner today for doing less time than she was paid for.

I'm quite direct.

It's not just water, as it smells very strongly (of flowers at least!) so I suspect some kind of cleaning liquid.

Naturally the wooden floor is expensive and extends the full length of the house.

I don't know if she has insurance. She was a lovely girl with children the same age as mine - we had a nice chat! But I'm fuming about the floor!

Could you contact her to ask what the new stain on the wooden floor is and ask for her insurance details (if it cannot be sorted easily).

I'm going to guess she spilt zoflora or floor cleaner. Zoflora smells of flowers depending on which scent it is.

Do you use Zoflora? It looks like it's been spilt neat (run a cleaning business)

Does your cleaner have public liability insurance?

Ask her if she spilled something. If she says no, send her the pictures. If she still says no then you might need another new cleaner. If its easily cleaned up, I'd dock a bit of money from her pay. If you cant get rid of the mark/will need to replace the floor then I'd just not pay her. Be direct. It's your home.

It looks like she has sloshed water out of the mop bucket.

@BackieJerkhart great minds!

I used to do cleaning for a living. I would have been mortified if I had done that to someone's floor. I wonder if she has had a bucket and mop with bleach in it? I would find out what she was using so you know the best approach to remedy the damage. Is she insured?

That's bad form to damage your floors and not even apologise and offer her insurance details!

She brought all her own cleaning products, so wouldn't know what it was. But it does smell of flowers, so the Zoflora option sounds likely. We've scrubbed the stain and it hasn't improved at all.

It'd need sanding back and re-treating. But then you'd need to do the whole floor (which is the whole downstairs living area). I don't know what the solution is, but it wouldn't be cheap!!!

I'm annoyed that I don't know for sure if she has insurance. She's a proper little company, I think. I found her on FB. Is insurance a certainty?

Hopefully she hasn't used really hot water on it?

If she's running a business then she should have insurance!

Our books are full of commercial buildings with a few high end houses. In houses, number one rule is customers buy their own products so mistakes like this don't happen!

Query it before paying her.

Don't let that she's a nice lady with children get in the way of business

Thanks. I'm actually sitting in the sitting room and it stinks! Really strongly.

Does anyone know how this could be rectified? Is it likely her insurance company would pay out to sort it?

You can claim against her insurance. But to be honest, you should have checked she was insured beforehand before allowing work to commence.

If nothing has improved the stain, your best bet would be to sand it out

It looks like she's poured neat floor cleaner/disinfectant (zoflora!) on the floor rather than diluting it!
Zoflora does stain like this as I have accidentally spilled it on a wooden surface with very similar results. Once you could say was an accident but in 3 different places!? seems to me like your cleaner was trying to cut corners trying to make the place smell like it's been cleaned when in reality she's probably just been sloshing zoflora around all over the place!
I'd ask her directly what the marks on the floor are.
I wouldn't be happy to pay her and I wouldn't have her back either.

Yes, I'm annoyed at myself for not checking insurance. I had contacted 3 companies on FB (after deciding I didn't want to use friends) and had various messages with them all. The other 2 told me about insurance and I must've got muddled and assumed this one had too.

Please let us know the outcome. Happy to help in any I can.

I'm actually sitting in the sitting room and it stinks! Really strongly.

I vote zoflora then. It has a really strong smell.

Zoflora (which I love) is ruinous to natural wood. She really should have let you know. I'd be mortified. Can it be sanded and re varnished/waxed?

I'm guessing she knows -is hoping it fades out. Is probably really needing the money. And she probably does feel awful.She should have told you.

She has just messaged me asking if I can send her the money.

I replied almost word for word what Anecdoche suggested - asking what she spilt and saying that I'll need her insurance details.

She replied immediately apologising and seeming shocked. She said she steamed them with her usual water. And said she'd send me her details.

What is the process of claiming on a cleaner's insurance? I'm very relieved she has it!

I thought you weren't supposed to use heat on real wood flooring in case it warps/marks?