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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Washing pots in Bleach.

33 replies

Changeschangechangeagain · 08/09/2017 20:33

I was helping out cleaning in someone's kitchen. Unfortunately they'd had to be away for an emergency and their house was left in a state.

There were some mouldy items, scum floating on the water and everything stunk. I ended up bleaching everything. I then washed in really hot water. I rinsed everything really well but the person kicked up a fuss about everything we'd done to help

Is this wrong/dangerous to health etc? What should I have done? There wasn't a dishwasher and the dishes/cutlery stunk.

OP posts:
MerryInthechelseahotel · 08/09/2017 20:35

Did they ask you to clean up? Maybe they feel judged.

Oysterbabe · 08/09/2017 20:35

I wouldn't personally have bleached it, hot soapy water would have been fine.

Biscuits766 · 08/09/2017 20:36

If you did it with their consent to clean YANBU.
If you cleaned without their consent YABU. as much as it pains me to say because I'd have done the same

Supermagicsmile · 08/09/2017 20:37

I would have washed in washing up liquid afterwards!

BlackForestCake · 08/09/2017 20:37

Nothing wrong with bleach if you rinse it off well enough, which it sounds like you did. The person involved is being an ungrateful arse.

SingaporeSlinky · 08/09/2017 20:41

Some people don't like using bleach on crockery, but if you rinsed really well and washed again in washing up liquid I think it's fine. Plus, if you were helping them, they shouldn't really have been so ungrateful.

Whiterabbitears · 08/09/2017 20:46

I would use bleach if there was mould too. What were their objections to your cleaning up?

kaytee87 · 08/09/2017 20:46

Did you have permission to clean?
I personally wouldn't use bleach on something that food goes in..but then nothing in my kitchen is mouldy I suppose.
I reckon boiling water and washing up liquid would have done.

Original poster
Changeschangechangeagain · 08/09/2017 21:03

We all arrived at the house together. The house smelt horrible. I offered to do the pots and take the rubbish out whilst they got some shopping and picked up a prescription.

I was just trying to help. I wasn't judging. It was just the fact I'd used bleach. I've always used bleach to get rid of tea/coffee stains on mugs.

She moaned about how someone else packed the shopping bags and how they were put in the car so it wasn't just me but the bleach was the big issue.

OP posts:
Whiterabbitears · 08/09/2017 21:08

Well they sound very ungrateful and it sounds like the place needed a good bleaching. I think you did them a favour, they maybe have odd ideas about never using bleach and chemicals, but sometimes its necessary, I probably wouldn't go there again though.

Whitecurrants · 08/09/2017 21:08

How did she know you’d used bleach?

Original poster
Changeschangechangeagain · 08/09/2017 21:12

The bleach was on the side and you could smell it.

OP posts:
Mumof41987 · 08/09/2017 21:17

She should have been bloody grateful . I too would have used bleach . She sounds a right ungrateful cow . Well done op for helping

RicottaPancakes · 08/09/2017 21:20

I wouldn't have us2d bleach in that situation either. It would be fine on the sink, but not on things that are used for cooking in or eating from.

Albertschair · 08/09/2017 21:22

Those fretting about bleach: What do you think Milton is? As in those sterilising tablets you use on baby bottles. You definitely don't reclean those in washing up liquid.

People have very strange ideas about bleach

Original poster
Changeschangechangeagain · 08/09/2017 21:24

Her house is very tidy usually and I think she was a bit embarrassed by the kitchen. My house is a bit messy and I don't hardly ever wash up immediately after eating. She has made 'jokes' about dust bunnies and my hoarding.

The fuss she made about the bleach seems to be a massive over reaction.

OP posts:
Poshjock · 08/09/2017 21:31

Nowt wrong with using liquid bleach for disinfection and stain removal. It there were mould spores I would absolutely use it. That said, I work in healthcare and it is common in use. I also see it in use in the kitchens for cleaning veg and fresh foods for disinfection purposes.

I actually quite like the smell, I equate it to cleanliness!

MrTrebus · 08/09/2017 21:33

Ah you're the kitchen pots poster! I loved your other thread about "pots"

MillicentMargaretAmanda · 08/09/2017 21:35

She was being unreasonable but I get the objection to bleach. I can't be anywhere near it when it's being used as it sets of my asthma. It's got a pretty potent smell!

Whitecurrants · 08/09/2017 21:36

I might have used bleach but would have washed cups etc afterwards with washing up liquid so that there would have been no smell on them. It sounds as though this person was feeling vulnerable and lashed out a little - I wouldn’t dwell on it

Original poster
Changeschangechangeagain · 08/09/2017 21:44

Just been thanked by text and we are both asked over for pizza tomorrow. She says she was tired and apologised for being grouchy. I still feel a bit annoyed about it but it has been a difficult time for her recently.

OP posts:
Whitecurrants · 08/09/2017 21:48

Walk a mile...shoes...etc etc. You are being a good friend. Enjoy the pizza Flowers

Original poster
Changeschangechangeagain · 08/09/2017 21:50

I did it all in washing up liquid first but it still smelt so I redid with bleach. Then washed in really hot water. Then rinsed.

OP posts:
Nuttynoo · 08/09/2017 21:51

If there was mould I'd rinse out in hot boiling water, lemon, and then washing up liquid. I don't use bleach in the kitchen at all, not even on the floor.

SloanePeterson · 08/09/2017 21:53

Cleaning veg and fresh foods in bleach?? Whaaaaat?!