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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to think this is not Ok

82 replies

Tootsey11 · 21/02/2022 14:00

I'm a house cleaner.

Today's household left me shit in the bath to clean.

Now I know with young kids, accidents can happen, but it's really not OK to leave for someone else to clean up after.

How 2 adults could not have noticed is beyond me, the smell was enough.

I'm pissed off, Aibu to be???

OP posts:
Original poster
Tootsey11 · 21/02/2022 14:21

Sorry about the detail, I thought I was being a bit wet in not just getting on with it.

OP posts:
Itwasntmeright · 21/02/2022 14:21

What kind of example are they setting for their kids by leaving their filth around the place for someone else to clear up? Honestly it beggars belief.

OinkyO · 21/02/2022 14:23

@Tootsey11

Sorry about the detail, I thought I was being a bit wet in not just getting on with it.
Unless you're cleaning in a hospital or care home where you have been warned there may be body fluids then no..not at all "wet". I would terminate my contract with them if I were you unless they pay particularly well.
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 21/02/2022 14:24

Dear lord, who on earth would think it was even remotely acceptable to leave shit in a bath for the cleaner to deal with? Mind completely blown!

Well done for leaving it for them, @Tootsey11!

BobbinHood · 21/02/2022 14:25

@overthethamesfromyou

Was it the cat?
Yes, do they have a cat? Mine once completely out of character did a huge shit in the bath that I found when I got home from work. I was so relieved it wasn’t on the day my cleaner comes.
AllTheSunshine · 21/02/2022 14:26

I hope you took a picture of it.
Send it to them and tell them you won't be cleaning for them again.

Prettybubblesintheair · 21/02/2022 14:28

That is fucking vile I would be fuming and leaving it for them to deal with.

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 21/02/2022 14:30

No pets of any description. And kids are pre school age.

OP posts:
CheeseCakeSunflowers · 21/02/2022 14:32

I don't really understand the comments saying they may not of known. Surely any child young enough to be having accidents in the bath would be supervised by an adult. If the children are old enough to bath alone they should know to use the toilet.

Herja · 21/02/2022 14:34

A cat? Can people genuinely not tell the difference between cat shit and human shit?!

YANBU OP. People expect cleaners to clean anything and everything. Cleaning poo is not your remit at all. Personally (business allowing), I'd not be goigg back. Particularly as you already know them to be rather entitled.

HappyGoLuckyLuLu · 21/02/2022 14:35

If you don't already have one, I'd come up with a list of your no-nos (things that you will not clean up - faeces, vomit etc) and send it to them as an FYI, and let them know that you won't be able to continue cleaning for them if there is another incident like this left for you.

This is assuming you can afford to drop them & would be able to find another client - I'm sure you would as good cleaners are like gold dust. They sound miserable anyway if they didn't give you even a card at Xmas let alone a wee bottle or a bit of extra cash! Good luck OP!

sidewayshoppingfrog · 21/02/2022 14:37

Do they have pets? I have a cat that when stressed decided the ensuite shower was a litter tray so they might not know it has happened. While clearly not ideal because of the material it's the easiest surface to clean accidents from.

Cheesewiz · 21/02/2022 14:39

Glad to hear you left it, I am a cleaner in people's homes and the only time I have done a job like that is when it was previously agreed at interview as the client was very poorly and had severe incontinence and physical too poorly to clean up (they wore nappies but had accidents) . I have been a carer/cleaner at hospital and care homes so bodily fluids really don't bother me but I know this is not standard and if a cleaner came to my house, no way would I leave that for them to clean!

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 21/02/2022 14:39

Well I texted them, wasn't cheeky but asked if they could make sure baths and toilets are checked in future before I come round. The reply was 'I never noticed there was anything in it'.

Will aim to replace them as soon as.

OP posts:
Hollyhead · 21/02/2022 14:40

@cheesecakesunflowers not necessarily, my 4 year old DS would have possibly got in to the bath to wipe his bum if he knew there was a mess, and not told me, if I was downstairs dealing with my other dc then dashed out I might not have known.

Like I said it’s not ok to leave it for you, but there’s no point in assuming it was left FOR you, people might as well be charitable in their assumptions of other people.

Also, people find poo different levels of gross, I obviously find it gross and would not ideally want to clean up someone else’s shit and if I needed to would take strong hygiene precautions, but I don’t have the visceral reaction of some of the posters here!

DaphneSprucesPippasClack · 21/02/2022 14:41

We have a cleaner. We would never do that without a heads-up to say we know its there. Please leave it.

Easterbunnyiswindowshopping · 21/02/2022 14:46

No Christmas present? I would have binned them off for that. No acknowledgement of your service at Christmas is not acceptable.
I have been a cleaner for 9 years and you can ime judge a good customer by their respect for you at all times not just at work. At new year my second oldest customer (78)gave me a five pound note and made me promise to treat myself. I always go the extra mile for them and they show they care about me also. Very important for the older customer who are letting a stranger into their home and lives. When I first started about 6 months ago he was very sure to tell me I would never be treated as just staff!! Brought a tear to my eye!

Thewindwhispers · 21/02/2022 14:48

I think it’s very much not ok.

But SIL was mad at her cleaner for not cleaning up dog diarrhoea on floor so I guess different people have diff ideas.

SartresSoul · 21/02/2022 14:50

I wouldn’t have cleaned it personally. If they weren’t home I’d have left a note saying ‘sorry, I was unable to clean the bath due to excrement’ and left it at that. My toddler went through a stage of shitting in the bath every day but I wouldn’t leave it for someone else to clean up!

StoneofDestiny · 21/02/2022 14:51

🤮 I'd not go back

Cheeseandlobster · 21/02/2022 14:57

Op this is grim and the mum sounds bloody awful. Can you afford to let this job go? Dirty shameless bastards. I am cross at the total lack of respect they have shown you. I hope the mum is on here so she can see what a skank her and her dp / dh are

Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov · 21/02/2022 14:57

This is the kind of thing that could happen to me- if someone had an accident and the pants were flung into the bath to sort out the child clean up, and then come back after about 25 distractions to retrieve the pants with the plan of coming back after another 25 distractions to clean the bath/sink into which they were flung. However- if- it did happen and I was then told I'd die a death of mortification, apologise profusely and I'd have gotten you a massive Xmas present anyway for putting up with us. Our cleaner is amazing and I'd say thinks we don't do much in between cleans (I do) because i feel like it's just a tidal wave of mess, but in return I feel I show her how much I appreciate her when it comes to Xmas/holidays/short notice/cancellations etc.

Itwasntmeright · 21/02/2022 15:45

Even the response is outrageous, the brass neck of her. If I had received a message like that I would be mortified, and very apologetic.

Theunamedcat · 21/02/2022 15:51

I used to clean for smear people they managed to shit on the toilet seat and wriggle everytime but I cleaned it because it was the toilet then one if them started urinating in the shower one week I went in on a different day (sick kid they said just come in this week when you can) no urine no smears I kinda took it personally that they were doing it just on days I was going in

I left soon after

CleanerIssuesx · 21/02/2022 15:51

Oh that’s awful OP

Definitely never cleans anything like that they are horrible leaving it for you