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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to give my neighbours living room and kitchen a quick clean.

461 replies

Casschops · 11/08/2020 10:51

My lovely neighbours have gone away on their holidays they don't have much money although work reaaaaally hard and juggle their childcare of their 10 year old son. They have gone to stay in annex of their relations home so have an absolute minmum on their holiday, a friend even drove them their as they struggle with money so much. Im feeding their cat. I saw the man chucking their vacum cleaner in the bin the other week and he was laughing saying they can't afford a new one ATM. The cat has been sick on the floor and flicked cat litter everywhere which I have cleaned up but I can tell that for some weeks they have swept the carpet and floor and there is a thin layer of cat hair and bits in corner of the rooms. It lools like it needs a good vacum the cat has also been walking on woŕktops in the kitchen and there are footprints on things generally lookin a bit hairy and in need of a good wipe as are the windowledges where he sits.
Would they think it odd if I gave everything a wipe down in kitchen and living room as well as mopped the kitchen floor and vacuumed the carpet. I just want them to come home to a nice fresh house or is this intrusive? I am absolutely not looking for people's judgement about levels of tidiness but would it be nice to give things a quick once over or just too much? We say hi on the street and chat but have never socialized with them just to give an idea of our relationship.
Thanks for any input.

OP posts:
Summer41 · 11/08/2020 20:51

I'd love it if you did that, I wouldn't be offended in any way! I'd think that you were bored during the current stay at home situation and wanted something to do!

Chicchicchicchiclana · 11/08/2020 20:57

Maybe try and source them a free vacuum off freecycle?

Yes to wiping down where the cat has been, but just hot water and washing up liquid or something non-toxic. Absolutely no anti-bac cleaning products to go near cats.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 11/08/2020 20:57

Please can you come and look after my cat and flat

LunaLoveFood · 11/08/2020 21:10

I did when I looked after my neighbours house, but it was because the cat had brought in and killed a bird and there was feathers everywhere. They were back early hours of the next day and I couldn't leave it for them to find. I ended up having to hoover hall, landing and kitchen.

Flatpackback · 11/08/2020 21:13

A work colleague looked after my cats while I was away., she lived nearby. She cut the grass, sorted the post and brought me work files for meetings for my first day back at work that had been set up while I was on holiday. Was I grateful? No. I felt that she had really over stepped the mark, it wasn’t what had been agreed, it felt intrusive and I had no intention spending the last evening of my holiday, just back home, prepping for work on Monday. I didn’t tell her how I felt, there would have been no point falling out or hurting her feelings when she clearly thought she was doing me a kindness. Stick to what has been agreed, clear up anything that’s happened on your watch but no more, however well intentioned you may be.

LunaLoveFood · 11/08/2020 21:13

Forgot to say they were very grateful when I told them.

fuckoffannoying · 11/08/2020 21:14

I would love it and would never be offended! In fact a few times when I have been on holiday I have asked my aunt to give it a good clean for me coming back and paid her. I love coming back to a clean house after a holiday.

fuckoffannoying · 11/08/2020 21:15

Not being cheeky, obviously don't know your circumstances but is there anyway you could buy them a cheap hoover?

Keepitup · 11/08/2020 21:20

If I had gone away, I would hope that the cat sick would be cleared up but I would be mortified at someone I didn't know that well having a quick wipe round and hoover.

Therollockingrogue · 11/08/2020 21:20

This thread is getting a bit bonkers now 😂

Willow4987 · 11/08/2020 21:21

YANBU - you’re looking after the cat, the cats technically made a mess while you’ve been looking after it. A quick wipe round of the worktops and the hoover will take all of 5 mins and can be blamed on the cat

Therollockingrogue · 11/08/2020 21:21

I’d be mortified and I’d drop down dead with shame if they bought me a hoover Grin
As generous as it is and everything !

HeronLanyon · 11/08/2020 21:22

I’d hate it ! Even from a close friend. Obvs if there’s been a need to hoover or whatever brilliant but anything else I’d see as real overstep particularly as you don’t know them well.
I seem to be in the minority !!

NoSquirrels · 11/08/2020 21:24

Just do it, OP. A quick hoover and wipe round isn’t overstepping.

If their hoover was available, would you even hesitate?

I bet you wouldn’t, and it’s the thing if needing to bring yours round that’s throwing you off.

I’d do it and mention in passing the cat vomited so you had to do a bit of a clean up. No big deal.

Dee1975 · 11/08/2020 21:27

I think blaming the cat is a great idea. Maybe message them (before they are back) ‘’cat left a mess sink just cleared the sides and vacuumed it up’’. Then it looks like you’ve done it because of the cat, big because of their habits

BonnieMcflurry · 11/08/2020 21:36

Do it! Be amazing you
Clearly have good relationship with these people be nice help them out x

Bodgedboxdye · 11/08/2020 21:36

It’s something I’d do.

It depends how close you are. In the past, if I’d babysat for family, I’d always clean up for when they got back, even if I didn’t make the mess.

I personally wouldn’t take offence to it, a whizz of the Hoover isn’t a bad thing. (:

fairlyplump · 11/08/2020 21:44

@Rossita

Why are you in their house?
did you not read the post!
caringcarer · 11/08/2020 21:53

I would be over the moon and had no vaccum cleaner and someone offered to run vac around for me. I think they would be really pleased and a nice neighbourly thing to do. Years ago when our lawn mower broke and we could not afford to get it fixed or a new one a neighbour asked if we would like to borrow theirs and we were so grateful.

SoupDragon · 11/08/2020 21:58

did you not read the post!

Did you not read the thread? Or even just the first four or so posts....

Angelina82 · 11/08/2020 22:02

I think you sound lovely OP and given the circumstances-sick,moulting cat and no vacuum cleaner-I would not be offended at all if I were them. If I were you I’d do it and not even mention it to them unless they brought the subject up.

notanothertakeaway · 11/08/2020 22:07

It's tough with having an implicit judgement on cleaning standards, but it's a kind gesture that helps

@Timeforabiscuit I'm not so sure about that. I've just returned from a few days in a friend's holiday house. It wasn't very clean. I thought long and hard about cleaning it, as a kind gesture. In the end, I decided against it, thinking she wouldn't like the implicit judgement

BingeOnChocolate · 11/08/2020 22:09

I would and then just say you gave the place a once over because the cat litter and didn't know where their cleaning things were. Nothing worse than coming home to then clean straight away on top of all the washing etc

rosiethehen · 11/08/2020 22:16

I'm a pet carer and I go into peoples houses to look after their cats whilst they're away. I do clean up kitchens if I think they need it. I can't help it. I don't move stuff around or go into other rooms or chuck stuff away. My favourite thing to do is to wipe down worktops. I haven't had any complaints so far. I feel sorry for people coming home to a messy kitchen and hope it might cheer them up if I make it clean and fresh.

nancybotwinbloom · 11/08/2020 22:26

I'd be ever so grateful if someone did this for me whisky I was away.

It will be a nice surprise for them to come home to.

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