AIBU to back out of hiring a cleaner who smokes?

[Aria999]

I have just over a week to find a housekeeper before DD2 arrives.

It's a big house (we moved into it in November) and I'm struggling to keep it cleaned even now so it's probably not going to happen when I have a newborn.

I interviewed someone today through care.com. She seemed nice, competent and affordable. I have details to get references for her and we provisionally agreed for her to start tomorrow.

But.... she smelled of smoke. It said on her profile she is a non smoker. (We are non smokers). I wouldn't expect her to smoke in the house but I dislike the smell and not sure whether I should be worried about 3rd hand smoke at this level (once a week, no direct contact) for the new baby.

AIBU to tell her I changed my mind about hiring her and why? Also would it be stupid to? There are not that many people available round here so I may end up with no help.

Keep your own house then.

3rd hand smoke. Seriously!!

She'd hang her coat up next to yours and the smell will transfer.

I have colleagues who smoke and my coat always stinks.

Or she'll sit on your furniture.

I'd say no. But let her down nicely.

YANBU smoke smells linger and are really noticing to a non smoker

You may want to go with an agency though if you need someone right away

Lots of strange cleaner queries on here today

I wouldn't want a smoker cleaning my house

It would be a no from me unless she was prepared to change clothes as soon as she arrived at yours to clothes she kept there. I hate the smell of smoke.

Keep your own house then.

Or choose someone who doesn't smell of smoke. People are allowed to hire cleaners, you know? I've never had a cleaner, but if I did I'd definitely choose one that didn't smell of cigarettes.

This really wouldn't bother me. Despite what others say I don't believe her presence in your house will leave a smell of smoke.

I’m sure the advice is not to have people who smell of smoke in your house with baby. I agree, find someone else.

Yanbu you want your house to smell fresh after a clean not have a lingering smell of stale fags.

Ok first, yes this is a first world problem.

Second, to those saying 'third hand smoke, seriously' - I think it's a leading cause of cot death I just don't know how much there needs to be for it to matter. E.g. this from a quick google search:

'Thirdhand smoke is the tobacco smoke residue that remains after a tobacco product has been put out.
• Thirdhand smoke clings to hair, skin, clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, carpets and other surfaces. It can build up over time and resist normal household cleaning.
• Thirdhand smoke contains chemicals that are known to cause cancer.
• Infants and children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of thirdhand smoke as crawl on the floor and put things that are contaminated in their mouth. Infants exposed to thirdhand smoke are more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and those exposed are at an increased risk for asthma.'

breatheeasymaine.org/facts/tobacco/secondhand-and-thirdhand-smoke/

Maybe ask her if she smokes again? Perhaps she had come straight from cleaning a smokers house to be interviewed? I agree though if she smokes or would be coming straight from a smoky environment that would put me off too.

If her profile says she's a non-smoker and she is, in fact, a smoker, I would be concerned about her honesty. If she's willing to lie about something that is considered important enough to include on a profile, I would struggle to trust her generally.

It may be that she lives with a heavy smoker and so has absorbed the smell. Either way, I wouldn't be happy with someone who smells of smoke cleaning my house.

God no, find someone else! The smell WILL get into your house and on furnishings, etc. Not immediately but over time. Sadly, I am speaking from experience as we had the exact same issue.

What a drama! My cleaner smokes, she wouldn’t dream of smoking in my house, she puts her coat on a chair, never noticed any smell when she leaves, she does a great job. The main thing is hiring someone you can trust in your home, and I have complete trust in my cleaner.

No, I wouldn’t hire anyone to work in my house doing anything if I knew they were a smoker. There are plenty of fish in the sea.

I don’t want people who smell like smoke in my home. I would not hire her.

You are the client. You are allowed to decide who to use, and who not to use. I wouldn't want a cleaner who smelled strongly of smoke either.

Maybe she cleans a smokers home.
I sweep up fag ends at a train station and smell it on me afterwards it's rank

I used to have a cleaner who smoked but she didn't smell really faggy, either due to not being a heavy smoker or maybe being really careful. My house didn't smell smoky after she'd been.

But if someone had a very strong smell which lingered it would put me off. The lack of honesty is also an issue for me as if she thinks it's ok to lie about that then it's likely she'll think it's OK to lie about other stuff as well.

It sounds like you've got off on the wrong foot so I would back out of it and just say the truth but in a very nice way.

Why did you ask her to start if you could smell smoke. If you're unhappy cancel the agreement.