Problem with cleaner AIBU

[CleaningWoes]

First time poster long time lurker so please go easy. This is a first world problem. So I have a fortnightly cleaner. She doesn't speak much English and she does an OK job. I've had many cleaners over the years and it's a nightmare to get a decent one. Cleaning wise I'm pretty happy with her.

A few cleans ago she opened windows right at the top of our house and one of our indoor cats managed to get out. She also often leaves the front door wide open (we don't have a front garden, just a footpath and a reasonably busy road) while she goes upstairs to get the rest of her belongings. I've asked her not to do this because of the cats. A couple of cats have been killed on our road. I messaged her about this as I'm never sure she really understands when I speak to her. Today she did the same thing again with the front door. So I was reeling over that when she then rings the bell and tells me that she's left a mop bucket upstairs. Fine no problem so I go to find the bucket. I'm looking in bathrooms etc. I get to the top of the house and find the mop bucket. Sitting on top of my DD's bed. On its side with the open top bit right on the edge of her pillow. I wouldn't do this with my OWN mop bucket, but this is a bucket that is in goodness only knows how many houses, potentially with traces of wee etc on the bottom from random bathrooms. And if she hadn't forgotten it I would never have known. Now I'm thinking what else is she doing that I've not seen. The bedroom is carpeted so it's not even as if she had been mopping the floor and set it up there to let the floor dry. Not that that would make it any better. AIBU or is that disgusting? Would you ditch her even though cleaners are hard to find?

Just get another cleaner. You aren't happy with this one.

Eww, that's gross. It seems that she can clean the dirt that you can see, but has no sense of hygiene wrt the bacteria that you can't see - which, for me, is a deal-breaker. I'd ditch her and look elsewhere.

It wouldn't bother some, but it would bother me. But I'd have let her go before now, simply on the basis of not keeping my cats safe.

putting the cats in danger would be the end for me even without the other stuff

either the disregard for pets’ safety or the filthiness of putting the mop bucket on your dd’s bed/pillow would be enough for me to get rid of her. Really so unacceptable in both cases.

Thanks ladies. I'm going to have to let her go I think. I can't get over the bucket thing. The cats thing I could have told her again but I'm thinking if she thinks it's okay to put a bucket on a bed then what else might she be doing that's germy that I've not spotted. The more I think about it the more gross it's becoming to me. Back to the unenviable task of finding another cleaner now 😔

Cleaner here.

She’d have been gone after the second time of allowing easy escape for my cats.

As did the mop bucket - well, I’m sitting here wondering what order she cleans the bathroom and kitchen in, and if she has a system to minimise cross contamination 🤢🤢🤢

im in Leicestershire, btw, on the off chance…abc I have excellent references

Hope you find someone soon

Yes she should be fired for her lack of awareness,as a professional person,of cross contamination,of basic hygiene and for leaving doors and Windows open,a security risk as well as allowing cats to escape.

You can use Google Translate to translate your messages into her language, which would avoid you having to wonder whether she's understood. But yeah, a bucket and mop on a bed?!

Definitely find someone else. A language barrier can be a massive issue when someone is working in your home, responsible for the cleanliness of the building and the safety of your pets while she works.

Because Google Translate is well known for being accurate and understandable, of course.

I get to the top of the house and find the mop bucket. Sitting on top of my DD's bed. On its side with the open top bit right on the edge of her pillow.

thats the reason i dont want a cleaner.

also do they wash their hands when they touch dirty things and then clean things? that worry me, too. when they do lots of jobs at certain time limit i dont think thats possible.

It's going to be a lot more understandable than just repeating something in English.

Get rid of her. I would be fuming because of cats reason as I also don't let mines outside. Plus the bucket story. Yuck.

It's actually not bad for basic things like cleaning talk 😊

My cleaner uses it to message me and to talk to me when she is here. We get by. It's better than hand gestures! I would have never understood that her brother fell off the back of a motorcycle cycle (in Brazil) and was in the hospital and she was worried about him without it.

Surrey I'm afraid. Or you might well have had a new client! 😅

Update. I'm now cleanerless. I sent her a polite message just saying we wouldn't be needing her any longer. She asked me to explain why. So I told her. I was perfectly polite to her but she wasn't happy, saying she is human and makes mistakes. To me a mistake is forgetting to clean something, not forgetting that buckets don't belong on beds. I can live with mistakes but I just can't get beyond the bucket thing. She then tried to tell me one of my INDOOR cats wasn't even at home. Yes she was, she doesn't go anywhere, just because you can't see her somewhere doesn't mean she's not at home. My last message to her was me saying I was sorry. Next thing she's done the childish thing and blocked me completely on Facebook and Messenger. I think I'm well rid tbh...

You made the right decision!

You have to part company with her. Now.

Sorry OP.

I really hope you find a good one - one who truly loves what they do as it makes all the difference.