To feel irritation at people who buy you cleaning products

[greensquirlyma]

It's happened on and off over years that MIL and SIL will randomly buy me and DH cleaning products. There's only ever been one product that I've found to be indispensable. All the others I've not continued to use and prefer my own choices. I've had a word with DH and he says that they probably like using the products so want to share them. But it feels to me like they're implying I don't clean.

That's a good point. In my house, it's DH who goes through copious amounts of cleaning products, my job is shop for them.

Start buying them random presents.

Deodorant, whitening toothpaste, scented shoe insoles, you get the drift...

So if they buy you bath smelliest or perfume do you assume they are saying you stink? Or if they buy you food do you think they are saying you don’t eat and are starving?

MIL does this but with cheap home furnishings from supermarkets.

I’m not particularly snobby about what shop stuff comes from, but home furnishings like cushions, etc, are quite a personal thing and I prefer to choose my own.

She was trying to get us to take home a sofa throw she’d bought from Sainsbury’s the other day and it was something I would never have chosen myself. DH was ready to take it so I had to look like the bad guy and say no. Drives me mad.

Just to say @Gudbrand - if a friend got a good deal & said - here you have one of them - that I think is a nice thing. ( I once got two brooms on a 2 for 1 and gave her one ) If it feels like someone is criticising your cleaning rather than sharing - that to me is different.

A relative always used to buy me cleaning products each week, along with food/ toilet roll etc. They bought me these things to help me save a bit of money here and there. They aren't alive anymore and I miss their generosity!

Either say you don't want anything, or if you establish that they're trying to be kind, tell them what products you'd like instead!

How strange. Our house isn't filthy but we're not the types to run around tidying up for visitors so there's always something covered in dust and things that need washing or putting away. Nobody has ever bought us cleaning products and we'd actually understand if they did. I'm with the group who think they're just being helpful and haven't thought that it could come across as a dig.

I have never been bought a cleaning product.

My DSis does occasionally come here with catering packs of cheese from her work shop, that's much better IMO.