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

[Casschops]

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.

Me personally I feel it’s a nice gesture.

You can also say that you wiped down all the surfaces you touched just to be on the safe side of COVID contamination. Our cat sitter did this recently...we also wiped down everything including door handles before she came in to help maintain a safe environment.
The only way to pick up cat litter is with a hoover as that stuff can travel and flick and is a bugger to sweep up!

I'd definitely do it, just tell them the cat flicked litter everywhere and you didn't want them to come home to that mess. I'd probably kiss you

I would be grateful to anyone who did my cleaning. If they ask tell them you had to clean up after the car

In your position, I’d give a great clean of you have time. It’s been done for me in similar circumstances and I was so bloody grateful! Do it and you’ll be a legendary friend 😁

It's clearly intended as a kind well meant gesture OP but not sure how I'd feel if i were on the on receiving end. Part of me would absolutely love someone to do this for mw but I'd mostly be embarrassed that someone felt this was necessary and a bit paranoid you'd snooped (sure you have no intention of this).
Having said that, there's no harm in explaining that you cleaned the floor after the cat and thought you might as well do the rest of the floors whilst you're at it?

@Rossita 🤣

If you like cleaning, it's a nice thing to do. They asked you to look after the cat, so cleaning up cat vomit and a quick run around with the vacuum cleaner comes under looking after the cat. Do not clean up anywhere else within the house, e.g. upstairs, bathroom, etc as that would be overstepping boundaries and rude.
I don't have pets. I like a clean and tidy home and I'm quite particular about how the cleaning is carried out (no cross-tamination of germs. Different cloths for different areas and jobs - which is why I have put off the search for a cleaner) but I would appreciate it very much if I returned home after a holiday to find that someone had did that for me.

I wouldn’t be able to help myself. I’d do it and leave a note saying the cat brought a bird in and there were feathers and bird shot everywhere

I’d vacuum and blame the cat’s vomit.

‘All good but the cat vomited so I cleaned the carpet’.
If they were too precious they’d not have asked you to feed the cat in their house.
Leave it at that. That is not an attack on their cleanliness, their cat vomited. They will probably feel bad for you. I wouldn’t offer To lend your vacuum, that Sounds more judgemental to me.

You know, usually I would say no in that I initially thought you had just popped in. However, in these circumstances I think it’s a lovely thing to do. I always give my PIL house a go over before they return from holiday and pop some milk in the fridge for when they get back. There’s nothing worse than coming home from holiday to a messy house. I think they would really appreciate it.

If I was your neighbour, I'd be delighted! But then, I'm a bloke. I believe women are funny about such things :-)

Blame the cat. Say it brought a bird in or was sick, or trod litter into carpet so you gave it a quick going over and hoped they didn't mind.

A vacuum and a wipe down and warn them as the cat was 'ill'.... but nothing more or it would be seen as intrusive etc regardless of whether you think the place needs a good scrub or not...

I think you're being very kind so I'd say do it and hope they're grateful. It might be worth also suggesting they look on your local freecycle page for a vacuum cleaner. They're often offered on our local site.

I would love it. Op, you sound fab.

That's so kind of you...I'm sure they will appreciate it!

I would vacuum and clean and blame the cat. Say it trod things everywhere so you gave it a quick once over.
I’d be SO grateful to anyone who did this for me!

Can you message them before doing it? Something tactful like I’ve got time on my hands Would you like me to push the hoover around I’ve heard yours broke? Or blame the cat for the mess etc I think it’s a lovely thing to do but it can also make the homeowner feel embarrassed as well as grateful

Watched my neighbour of 12 years place when she’s on holiday. Alarm tends to go off a lot 🙄😫
Went off 4am. Walked in. Place stank. Water leaking from fridge. Cleaned it up and let her know all ok. Not a word of thanks. So now I wonder if people ought to bother..........you decide OP

I love how this thread has gone from a sneaky wipe down to buying them a hoover, baking a cake and filling their fridge

I would just do it and not mention it. If they ask, then you could say something about the cat. I think it's a lovely gesture and I am sure they will be pleased to return to a clean house.

I’d just hoover and wipe up the cats paw marks etc so it’s nice for them to come home too, don’t mention it and if they do- just say you assumed it was part of cat sitting? Just clearing cat mess and stuff.
Personally I think she will be very pleased.

I work really hard and I have a chronic pain condition. If a neighbour cleaned my place or even offered to do so in advance, I’d be very grateful. I wouldn’t feel my neighbour was judging me. I would feel she was helping out someone she knows doesn’t have enough good hours in her week to spend them on cleaning.
It’s a good deed if it’s meant in that way. You sound as though you would be sensitive about it so go for it.

Ohhh and don’t put the cat food tins or empty sachets in the kitchen bin ..... I came home from my holiday to the rankest smell !!

What a lovely neighbour! I would do as you said. Because no one wants to return to cat sick and flies and allsorts in this weather. Just dont say anything. If they ask, explain what the cat did and say you didn't want infestations while they were away. How kind you are. And how judgy some people are - ignore them.