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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect dishwasher tablets?

235 replies

foxychox · 31/08/2021 11:26

We had a week in an AirBNB last week. It was a seaside chalet, but very well equipped and included a dishwasher. When the keys were handed over I was advised on how to use the washer and dryer if I needed them so my expectation was that all appliances were for use. Over the first couple of days we used dishes and stacked the dishwasher, when it was full I hunted around but no dishwasher tablets to be found. Salt and rinse aid, yes but not tablets. Washing up liquid, washing liquid and fabric conditioner all evident. From then on we washed dishes as we used them (even though there was a only a very well used scourer available) but left the dishwasher as was - all items had been rinsed prior to putting in so no smell etc.
When we left I messaged the owner to say we had a great stay and had stacked the DW but as there were no tablets had not put it on. Her response was that she expected that we should wash all the dishes by hand prior to leaving.
AIBU in that if there is a dishwasher we should be able to use it? And that the property should include detergent for this? I have another AirBNB stay coming up in a couple of months so need to be prepared to take my own if this is not the norm (it has been for the other 2 that we have done)....

OP posts:
BritishSummertime · 31/08/2021 11:46

As others, we always take some & washing powder if we're planning on using the washing machine & it's a bonus if there are some there already.

Same with hand wash, washing up liquid, sponge etc

Miniroofbox · 31/08/2021 11:46

Is this a reverse?

Bellagonna · 31/08/2021 11:47

Running it without a tablet would have been preferable to leaving it dirty.

Longdistance · 31/08/2021 11:49

Maybe they’d run out if you he tablets and hadn’t replaced the box. You should’ve messaged the owner earlier.
I usually take sponge, dishcloth, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, washing powder, tea towels with us. Also, even though the host says there’s tea, coffee and sugar, we take a box of our own anyway.

NavigatingAdolescence · 31/08/2021 11:50

We stayed in 2 Airbnb’s this summer. Both provided dishwasher tabs. The second had a washing machine, which I had planned to use but couldn’t as there was nowhere to put wet clothes afterwards. (No washing line/airer and somehow all the radiators were flush against the walls so couldn’t put anything over them either.). Owner “hadn’t thought about that”. Confused

TonytheDog · 31/08/2021 11:51

Why didn't you just buy some when you realised there weren't any? They cost a few pounds.

Tataru · 31/08/2021 11:51

Yes, even just putting it on the hottest cycle would have been preferable to just leaving it! I can see why they're annoyed as if they have a tight
turnaround they will either have to wait for the dishwasher to finish (ours takes more than two hours on a proper cycle) or take them out and wash by hand so they are away for the next visitors. I wouldn't ever leave dirty dishes in a holiday cottage. Especially not sitting in a dishwasher for five days Envy

Bakethecakeeatthecake · 31/08/2021 11:51

Why didn’t you just run it without a tablet? If you’d pre rinsed it that would have been fine. I can’t believe you left week old stuff in a dishwasher.

TwoScottieDogs · 31/08/2021 11:52

We're in a holiday rental at the moment. We've had to fork out for dishwasher salt and rinse aid as well as tablets! Shock

Disfordarkchocolate · 31/08/2021 11:54

I've always found a couple there. If not I would just buy some and take the rest home. I'm baffled that you thought the right thing to do was just leave the dirty dishes!

Mrsjayy · 31/08/2021 11:55

You would have been cheaper buying a bottle of Fairy twoscottiedogs

BarbaraofSeville · 31/08/2021 11:56

Or you could have just bought all in one tablets, or run it with just normal tablets @TwoScottieDogs.

Like others have said, if they supply DW tablets it's a bonus, but it's just standard to take a handful from your supply at home or buy a small box while you're away.

If they supplied a full box, some people would steal them and it's a faff to put out a week's worth on every changeover.

SusannahSophia · 31/08/2021 11:57

@TwoScottieDogs

We're in a holiday rental at the moment. We've had to fork out for dishwasher salt and rinse aid as well as tablets! Shock
Just buy all in one tablets. I never use salt or rinse aid at home.
CoronaPeroni · 31/08/2021 11:59

This didn't happen. No way would you want MN to know what an ignorant, lazy family you are. No one believes you kept waiting for detergent to magically appear/didn't contact the owner/think to buy some yourself.

Dee1975 · 31/08/2021 12:00

You should have left the dishes clean. You either clean by hand or use the dishwasher (and use your own dishwasher tablet if there isn't one).

You don’t leave dirty dishes because ‘they didn’t provide you with a dishwasher tablet’ !!

FreeBritnee · 31/08/2021 12:00

I would expect there to be enough for one load a day.

knittingaddict · 31/08/2021 12:00

@swashbucklecheer

I always take a few tablets for the dishwasher and a few pods for the washing machine just in case. If there is stuff there - happy days, if not - I'm prepared anyway.
I take a weeks worth of dishwasher tablets in a ziplock bag. Takes up a tiny amount of space and prevents situations like yours op. Most places I've stayed in had a couple of tablets for you to use, but not enough for the full time I'm staying.
KeepScrapingBy · 31/08/2021 12:01

It varies. Some places provide loads and others none at all! So I always pack enough to last a week, and if there are some provided I put ours back in the car. Same for other kitchen stuff.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 31/08/2021 12:01

IMO if a place advertises a dishwasher then a couple of tablets should be left available. however experience has taught me to bring a handful.

Leaving unwashed dishes is grim, but is an extreme example to owners to leave a decent cleaning kit. I hate when I get very detailed instructions about leaving the place immaculate but there's no cleaning products and they've locked away the hoover and broom.

Waspsarearseholes · 31/08/2021 12:01

Absolutely shocking that you honestly believed the best course of action or your only available option was to leave days' worth of dirty dishes in the dishwasher for someone else to sort out. What's all this 'unable to use the dishwasher'? You were not unable to use it, you chose not to spend £3 on some dishwasher tablets and decided it was somebody else's problem. Unbelievably rude. You were extremely unreasonable.

FrDamo · 31/08/2021 12:02

I'm going to go against the grain here. If you are an Airbnb owner, you should provide the cleaning products required for the appliances in the property. In the big scheme of things a single buying trip (to Aldi, Lidl, home bargains etc to keep costs low) will provide all the products the house will need for months at a time and for multiple groups of guests. Why cause consternation by stinting on a few basics that oil the wheels of the holiday. It's not going to break the bank, it might get you a better review and repeat business.

As a short term holiday (2-7 nights) who wants to be packing: tablets/powders/liquids/cloths/bleach/other cleaning paraphernalia second guessing what will/won't be provided and necessitating supermarket trips while away.

Given the prices that are charged for A) the actual stay and B) the cleaning after your stay it's just unnecessary hassle and will cause bad feeling at either end when expectations aren't met by either party.

Disclaimer: I have always taken washing machine tablets just in case. I'm very pleased when they are provided. I have never taken dishwasher tablets. I am always irritated if I have to buy cleaning products if they haven't been provided.

Another thought: perhaps the owner is hoping you buy a box, use 2 and leave the box behind. They "disappear" after you stay and the next guest is in the same predicament. The owner is sitting on a tablet mountain of underhandedly acquired tablets!

knittingaddict · 31/08/2021 12:02

@Dee1975

You should have left the dishes clean. You either clean by hand or use the dishwasher (and use your own dishwasher tablet if there isn't one).

You don’t leave dirty dishes because ‘they didn’t provide you with a dishwasher tablet’ !!

Missed the bit that the op didn't buy tablets and left the dishes dirty. Very unreasonable. What's wrong with people.
TheSoapyFrog · 31/08/2021 12:02

It's something I usually bring with me to be on the safe side. I certainly wouldn't have left a dishwasher full of dirty dishes. YABU massively for that. Why couldn't you have washed them by hand or at least done a hot wash with rinse aid and salt?
I take it there were no shops nearby where you could have bought some dishwasher tablets.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 31/08/2021 12:05

I’d normally bring a few with me. But surely there was plenty of time to buy some? Or if not, wash the dishes by hand.

Seems really odd to leave dirty dishes for your host!

BarbaraofSeville · 31/08/2021 12:06

Disclaimer: I have always taken washing machine tablets just in case. I'm very pleased when they are provided. I have never taken dishwasher tablets. I am always irritated if I have to buy cleaning products if they haven't been provided

That makes no sense. Most people, except some of the weirdos on here who seem hell bent on doing as much housework as possible on holiday, so they can complain that 'it's just the same shit in a different location' generally take their washing home with them at the end of the holiday, so might not use the washing machine, whereas just about everybody will generate washing up daily throughout the holiday, so you're always going to need to use a dishwasher if there is one.