Help! My housesitting job has gone horribly wrong!

[Jewel1984]

Hello mumsnetters, I’m a long time lurker but haven’t ever really posted (not sure I’ve ever got anything useful to add to discussions and I tend to ramble on!)
so my family (7 yo old, 4yo and baby) are housesitting at the moment, visiting my sister. The air bnb we had booked pulled out at the last minute, and my sister put a post on her local fb page and the owner of this house responded saying we could stay here and look after their dogs. The house is really lovely and the furnishings are quite high end. The owner seems nice (I haven’t met her face to face tho my sister has) but she seems very highly strung. She went through all the instructions about the dogs, including to take them out to do toilet before bed, which we’ve followed religiously. She also was very adamant we didn’t go into the front living room of the house (which was fine!! )
so yesterday I realised that a coffee cup left on the bench next to the sink (it doesn’t have a metal drained) has stained the terazzo worktop. I’ve tried a load of (gentle) cleaning and nothing has worked. I’ve ordered a specific terazzo cleaner product and will try that when it comes. Woke up this morning and one of the dogs had somehow gotten into the bin and chewed a used nappy, and done a big yellow wee and poo on the ‘good room’ white rug (there’s no door you can shut) and I’ve cleaned it with carpet cleaner I found in the cupboard but I’ll have to have another go. Finally, my son has broken one of her son’s toys. This all sounds as if we’re a family of brutes and that’s not the case! I’ve managed to source the exact toy in a local shop and have done click and collect for Monday (they are back Wednesday)
I am EXTREMELY anxious now - the absolute last thing I wanted to do was wreck her house!! Any tips on how to approach the subject with her? We’ll be gone by the time she gets back. Needless to say I’ll never be housesitting again, and I don’t want to cause her distress, I feel like she is the kind of person who will find this all upsetting.
I should add there are people in our house doing the same thing (though we have no pets) and I am very chill about it - though our house isn’t as high end as this one!
sorry for the Ted talk 🙈🙈🙈

Barkeepers friend is amazing. Has got coffee/curry/tomato stains out of our white quartz worktops. Not abrasive at all

I don’t think so. The powder is the best but it also comes in a cream. I have white quartz and can’t imagine not having it. It has never scratched or seemed abrasive. Have a look at it on Amazon it should give you a better idea.

As for the carpet try doctor beckmans carpet cleaner - has got ground in toddler shit out of our carpets. Along with cat sick and various other grim stuff.

"family of brutes" I did laugh at that, but I really feel for you, what a nightmare but one day this will make a great story to amuse people.

Get Dr Beckmann carpet stain remover for the rug, it's amazing stuff. It's the only thing, that completely shifted my dog poo stains.

It's their dog that pood on the rug, correct? Not your problem.

Relax. Anyone who asks people with little kids to housesit should expect some minor mishaps.

Hi Op
Bar keepers friend multi surface cleaner

Is really good at getting rid of difficult stains like coffee ☕️ cup stains ect

You can buy this Product online Internet on Amazon and other Internet websites too

I brought this Product at The Lakeland kitchen ware store nearby where I live too

I see it’s been recommended previously but definitely try bar keepers friend, I use the spray on tea stains and it works a treat.

The dogs have probably done that as they are anxious there are strangers in their house! Wouldn't even mention the toy once replaced either, just remember to take the broken one.

Dr Beckmann do an excellent carpet cleaner. They also do a pet wee one. Haven't tried it but their products are generally excellent

Agree with Barkerpers suggestion. Should get the stain out. You can take it home for your own home, really useful.

Good luck and sorry to hear about all the stress you are under.

For the terrazzo kitchen - I'm not sure if it's the same but in my last house we put in a terrazzo corian worktop.

I panicked as for some reason tomato based things always stained it and no cleaners would get it out. My kitchen fitter then recommended the 'pink stuff cleaning paste' and it worked bloody miracles, removed the stains in seconds when you used it with a cloth and rubbed very gently. Has to be the paste, not the spray. Costs about £2 from home bargains.

Another recomendation for barkeepers friend. We have a white stone kitchen counter and iv nearly cried trying to get stains out with all sorts of products, one wipe with BKF and they are away. Its not abrasive, its designed for these types of worktops. Iv never used the powder, have only ever had the cream and its fantastic. You dont need much. Its usually available on amazon prime.

is it a stain that would benefit from "bleaching"? Try lemon juice.

For the worktop use only the cleaner you’ve ordered. Wasn’t there a specialist cleaning g product in the house? Google says don’t use bleach, vinegar or lemon juice. (What sort of stupid worktop is that if you can’t bleach it )
Toy you’ve covered.
Rug, just keep cleaning. Bicarb or baking soda might soak up Amy stain, brush it in, hoover it up.
Does the dog seem ok? Eating, drinking normally?

If rug and worktop clean up ok just admit to the toy and say you e replaced it.
Go home, have large glass of wine.

What sort of worktop is it? Terrazzo is a design.... isn't it? Is it plastic?

The dog mess isn't your problem. Just say despite your best efforts the dog made a mess. You are never going to see her again. She should have put the dammed things in a kennel.

For what it's worth, our dachshund has munched at nappies a lot and has always been ok. He hasn't ever eaten a whole one, (i.e fabric and all):but has had the middle bit a fair few times 🤢
Obviously look out for signs of obstruction because of the wee gel balls expanding in guts.

Baking soda and lemon juice gets out stains from worktops.

Bar Keepers Friend IS abrasive and absolutely should not be used on terrazzo!

Do your best with normal soap and water or specific terrazzo cleaner.

The woman is getting free pet care which would otherwise be costing her £££ per day, for a fully insured service.

She has opted for the free route, she'd better hope her home insurance covers the damage done accidentally in her home by her guests (Which is what you are) and her dog.

She has done you a favour but the balance here really is in her favour, not yours, and she should really have been aware that someone with small children and not a professional pet sitter would be a higher risk.

Oh my lord that sounds so stressful! (sorry not helpfull) But if it makes you feel better.... I once dropped a glass bottle of BLACK nail polish, that smashed, on a very light grey tiled floor in a posh rented holiday home (think 16th century beautifully furnished). I did shout 'Fuck!!' very loudly before the scrubbing procedures began.

We managed to get it all out, although that bit of floor looked a lighter colour to the rest.

Dr Beckmann carpet spray is what you need. It's a miracle worker.

Don't bother with bicarb. I know it's supposed to be some kind of natural wonder product but it's messy and rarely does a thing in my experience.

Did the dog actually eat the nappy? He needs to go to the vet if so.

You don’t have any dogs

and yet she decided to let you look after her multiple dogs

she’s not exactly dog owner of the year!

Are you on your own there op or do you have a partner?

I would leave a letter and a contact number. So you can discuss it in person. And ultimately unless you agreed to pay for damage, I would guide her to house insurance. That is what it is there for.