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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask my MIL to rinse dishes after washing up with Fairy

249 replies

Oriole · 25/07/2007 17:48

My MIL often offer to do the washing-up when she is staying with us. At first I was happy with this, but soon I noticed that she didn't rinse them off after washing with Fairy in the sink. I had a talk with her about this, still I see some foam in salad bowls and cups.

Is it unreasonable to ask my MIL again to rinse dishes after washing up with Fairy?

OP posts:
babygrand · 25/07/2007 18:30

YANBU - I always rinse!

Mercy · 25/07/2007 18:30

What did your MIL's say/do when you had a word with her?

bundle · 25/07/2007 18:31

yabu

redtoenails · 25/07/2007 18:31

easily solved DO YOUR OWN WASHING UP!

Katy44 · 25/07/2007 18:32

To the people who say she is being unreasonable, are there no jobs that when done 'badly' in your opinion would be worse that just not doing it at all?

itbird · 25/07/2007 18:34

perhaps the op has ocd in regards to cleaning was she standing there watching the poor woman inwardly wanting to grab the bowls and rinse them herself - funny stuff happens can you imnagine the poor womans face when the op told her she wasnt doing it to set standards bet she howled with laughter which i guess is why she ignores your previous warning - you one crazy biatch

bundle · 25/07/2007 18:35

katy 44

no

Wisteria · 25/07/2007 18:35

Possibly windows if they looked worse afterwards but there's no way I would moan/ have words with someone who had offered to help me! Just plain rude IMO! Especially with a MIL! - Think of all the things MIL's can do to upset you...... my favourite is - Oooh xxx is looking a bit thin, isn't she feeding you??? !

redtoenails · 25/07/2007 18:36

perhaps the mil is trying to wind up the crazy dil

wannaBe · 25/07/2007 18:36

is this for real?

Or is it just an advert for fairy perhaps? "my mother in law does the washing-up, she does it in fairy and doesn't rince the dishes. It's not unreasonable of course as fairy's new zesty formula is designed to just slide off the plates". note the op's consistent use of the word "fairy" both in the subject line and the op, .

Mercy · 25/07/2007 18:37

katy - the only example I can think of is someone who really can't cook or doesn't like cooking or who gets in a tizz when cooking for others (eg, my mum)

SoupDragon · 25/07/2007 18:37

Not unreasonable at all. Please go ahead and tell her. Then come back and share her response with us because I can well imagine what it would be and it should be very entertaining. Personally I'd tell you to f off and do your own dishes if you said it to me.

Katy44 · 25/07/2007 18:37

bundle - fairy nuff!
WannaBe

redtoenails · 25/07/2007 18:37

put me off using fairy I never have this problem with Tesco's own!!! "every little helps"

littlemissbossy · 25/07/2007 18:37

You should think yourself lucky your MIL washes up IMO
my MIL just sits on her lazy arse when she comes to my house

itbird · 25/07/2007 18:38

katy44 yes jobs done properly are great and a real help like laying new carpets, painting etc, boring everyday jobs washing up, ironing, loading dishwasher, i couldnt give a hoot as long as the majority of work has been achieved a little tweaking here and there in good grace should be the order of the day, not publicly announcing that the woman is slovenly!!1

Mercy · 25/07/2007 18:40

SD - apparently the OP has already had a word with her MIL - which is why I asked how did MIL react!

redtoenails · 25/07/2007 18:42

OPs first post! strange one

Katy44 · 25/07/2007 18:42

OK, so IABU!
I just know that it would really bother me if, say, someone washed up in really old, dirty water, I wouldn't be able to get it out of my mind when I was using the dishes. Or used a cloth we used for mopping up dog poo to wash them (not that we have those hanging round by the sink, you understand, it's hypothetical!)

bundle · 25/07/2007 18:43

but dog poo is not a bit of detergent

muppetgirl · 25/07/2007 18:44

This is why I signed up to mnet. To learn about all the things I didn't know. I have never rinsed and didn't actually know I needed too.....

Now I'm in a quandry, to rinse or not to rinse. Now that is a question.

I also have tea towels (and use them ) but they are changed everyday.

The thing I really hate is dirty/smelly dishcloths that people are quite happy to use to 'clean' their dishes and wipe their surfaces down with. Dh never seems to notice the vile smell of the kitchen after he has wiped using a dishcloth that has been left in stale water all day/night.

I leave my dishcloth, brush and nail brush in the little sink soaking on bleach wach night. Or at least sterilising tablets.

wannaBe · 25/07/2007 18:44

or how about "my mother in law offered to wash up and I was shocked when I saw she didn't rince! so I asked my friends and they all said "oh but don't you know? with this new fairy you don't have to rince!"".

it's a survey for an advert i tell ya!

Rowlers · 25/07/2007 18:45

Wouldn't dream of telling anyone how to wash up - that would be unforgivably rude.
How very decent of MIL to wash up for you - be grateful!
(And try Ecover - more environmentally friendly. )

redtoenails · 25/07/2007 18:46

could be right wanna - like I said only one post ever by the op and she hasn't replied yet. Unless she's lying dead on the kitchen floor from washing up liquid poisoning

Katy44 · 25/07/2007 18:47

bundle, no it's not, but I was making a point to people who say you should be grateful she helped at all - in this case maybe it was an overreation, but that's not true of all situations where someone was helping, is it?
BTW I hope everyone realises I'm bored and not starting a fight - I refuse to get into fisticuffs over fairy!
(Maybe that should be the new slogan?)