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.

Years ago a neighbour was looking after our cat - a lovely lady who was a very motherly type. Our usual cat-sitter was away on hol too.

I came back to a sparkling kitchen, immaculate floor and cat bowls placed just so. I wasn’t offended I was eternally grateful and even now if I’m being lazy over doing a bit of cleaning I will think ‘Maria would have this thrown together right in 5 mins’ and get on with it!!

I’d definitely say the cat made a mess you cleaned up.

I agree with PPs, put it down to tidying up after the cat, it's a lovely idea and there's nothing better than coming home from a holiday to a tidy house x

Ooh i would so tempted to have a clean! If you do i would leave a little note to say cat was sick and trod it through to lounge so you cleaned it up.

Do it. I once cleaned mugs at my friends house as they were all stained with tea, think she was offended at first but son got over it.

Blame the cat for making a mess.

Hmm, tricky. Its a lovely thought but if you do more than a basic clean of the floor and most obvious surfaces, blaming it on the cat vomit, I think they might be offended and wonder what you really think of them. It can be hard sometimes not to feel ashamed and then defensive about stuff like that :(

Cleaning the countertop is a nice thought, maybe stop there

Feed the cat and clear up puke/cat litter. Anything else is over-stepping and really rude especially as you’re not really friends. Cleaning someone else’s house is basically saying “You’re really dirty and can’t look after your house” so crack on! Why not read all their post and reorganise their cupboards while you’re there 😬

I would absolutely do it, and in return I’d be grateful if you did it for me.

I love everyone's idea of blaming the cat. I think that's probably the only way you could do it without causing offence.

While it's a lovely idea and really I think deep down, anyone would be grateful, it does come across as judgmental and as if you think the house is a total mess (even though I can tell from your post that you aren't judging).

My MIL used to tidy my house and do all my washing while I was at work and I felt really put out for a long time assuming she thought I couldn't cope. Over time though I was chuffed as it actually saved me a load of jobs.

It's such an awkward one. Definitely blame the cat.

I would be really grateful, esp if i had no hoover. But some people wouldn’t like it.

I’d probably hoover and just not mention i did lol

Some people may be offended, but it's certainly not rude. It's a kind, considerate gesture.

I would do it, but yes - blame the cat!

You're very kind OP. I have people in to look after my cat sometimes and I don't think I'd be offended by that.

Like a PP I'm a soft enough touch that knowing their situation I'd probably seek out a second hand hoover while they're away and make out I'd replaced mine and did they want my old one....

I would vacuum and just leave a note saying the cat made a mess so you had a whizz round and that you hope they enjoyed their holiday. Poor family, some people never seem to catch a break.

I would be super happy if someone did this. If I were you I'd not mention it unless they do and then day the cat puked and walked in it so you felt you couldn't leave it till they got home.

Just clean whatever has happened on your watch no matter how tempting it is to do more.

I wouldn't think they'd be offended if you blame it on the cat. Just say the cat made a mess so you cleaned it up, if they ask.

But just do the rooms the cat actually goes in.

I think that would be a really nice thing to do and you can blame the cat.

Do you have a number to text them? If so, mention you’re going to need to do a little bit of cleaning because of cat vomit and hope they don’t mind? Could you ask if they mind you using their cleaning products and where are they? Then they might have to say oh we have some bits but no hoover?

I think anything you can attribute to the cat under your care is fine. So a wipe down of the worktops, vacuum where he made a mess bit we'll you can't just vacuum a circle can you so all that carpet,and the window where he sits. I wouldn't go into other rooms and do it.

I think it’s fine, I mean the cat made a mess and you cleaned it up. They’d hardly prefer you left them to come home to the smell of litter and vomit! Likewise nobody is going to complain that the cat’s paw prints should have been left on their counters.

It’s different from going round to water the plants and deciding to do their laundry or some of the other crazy shit I’ve read on MN over the years .

I think it’s a lovely thought but they may not, if you don’t know them very well don’t do it as they may take it as judgement towards their hygiene and possibly snooping. Instead can you wait until they’re home and offer to lend your vacuum to them?
If you do know them well and think they’d appreciate it then I would do it in those circumstances, mentioning the cat having made a mess and you didn’t want them coming home to it will sound less intrusive.

I think it would be a really nice thing for you to do.

I would hoover round and say you did it because the car was sick and had traipsed cat litter everywhere, hope you don't mind. That sort of thing.

@Lolapusht that was a little harsh! Im not talking about mooching round their whole house with a duster, ive not intruded or done anything that they have not asked. Im feeding the cat and changing the litter tray. The car has made a mess while they have been away walking things over kitchen work tops and on window sills. Their vacum has broken and the cat has fli ked cat litter and shed his hair on the floor in their vacum cleanerless weeks leading ro the holiday. They have clearly cleaned the kitchen before they left but it now looks messy with cat footprints and hair. I have no interest in upstairs just the areas that the cat is in. I was asking if would be intrusive to vacum and wipe down and while I appreciate people's opinions whther it is intrusive or not. I don't appreciate sarky comments about looking through cupboards and reading post which I clearly would not do. Im not talking about having a deep clean just a quick once over before they come home. My intention is to be kind and not to upset them which is why im asking.

Let’s put it this way, I’d love it but my sister in law went mad when MIL cleaned their car uninvited. It can go both ways.