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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Should I have paid to get friends car cleaned?

362 replies

fantaorangeee · 29/05/2023 12:34

Ok, so I don't personally think this was a big deal but that might be because I don't drive and my partner has an older car just to ferry the kids around. Interested to hear other people's thoughts nonetheless.

I made plans with a close friend last night to stay over at her house and have a night in. I went for a walk along the beach/dip in the sea beforehand and she picked me up afterwards as it was only down the road from where she lives. I jumped in the car and without thinking, I put my blanket/towel/bag on the back seats of the car. It's not a new car but it's new to her as she bought it around 3 weeks ago I think. It is quite an expensive car and has clearly been well looked after so I felt awful, as all my belongings were covered in sand. I hadn't realised what I'd done until I pulled everything out and the seats/floor were covered in the stuff.

I did apologise and offered to clean up but she said it was fine, although it clearly wasn't as when I came out of the shower she was outside cleaning the car. This was at 10pm. I told her I would have done it but she said no and told me she wouldn't be long. She must have been out there for around 20 minutes. She came in and said she'd have to take the car to be cleaned as it had all got into the seams of the seats and she couldn't get to it with a cloth. In all fairness she does live in a flat and has to park down the road so can't exactly get the hoover out. I told her I'd help her today but again she said no. She has suffered with ocd and anxiety since a young age and I noticed last night that she was extremely agitated, restless etc, presumably because of the car. She's like this with her house too.

She barely spoke a word to me last night and this morning was up walking around the house really early. I woke up around 9am and straight away she was asking me what time I wanted to be dropped off at home. I think she was rushing me to get out so she could take the car to be cleaned. Again, I apologised and offered to help clean up but she said it would need to be professionally valeted. I haven't heard from her since and it all feels very awkward. I spoke with my partner about it and he said maybe I should have offered to pay for it to be cleaned but I'm not working at the moment and I presume it would have cost around £40-£50 to be cleaned (it's quite a big car).

I understand it must have been frustrating for her and I'm usually a very clean, tidy person but it was an accident and I did apologise and offered to clean it up. Surely I don't deserve the silent treatment over this? And would you fall out with a friend over something like this?

AIBU?

OP posts:
HoIIy · 29/05/2023 12:58

I'd have offered to pay. Just because you don't care about your car doesn't mean other people don't care about theirs. Especially a 3 week old one.

Mirrorballparade · 29/05/2023 12:58

Yes I think I’d be annoyed, those saying that she should go and clean up all the sand with a 2.00 hoover herself at a garage, well sand gets in everywhere it’s not a simple clean up job!

CoronationKicking · 29/05/2023 12:59

She's going to say no if you offer, she wouldn't even let you help clean it. Drop £25 in her bank account and then text saying so sorry about the sand, I've sent some money towards the cleaning.

Mirrorballparade · 29/05/2023 12:59

This reads like a reverse a little though.

fantaorangeee · 29/05/2023 12:59

Thank you for your replies. Good to hear other people's thoughts. It was an accident but I do feel bad about it and how it's made her feel.

The difficulty is that I'm not working at the moment and £20 is a lot of money to me.

OP posts:
ComeTheFuckOnBridgett · 29/05/2023 13:00

Your post makes it sound like you don't really give a fuck. I'd offer to pay.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 29/05/2023 13:02

fantaorangeee · 29/05/2023 12:59

Thank you for your replies. Good to hear other people's thoughts. It was an accident but I do feel bad about it and how it's made her feel.

The difficulty is that I'm not working at the moment and £20 is a lot of money to me.

Well unfortunately, it's one of those things. You made a mess that needs to be professionally cleaned. You should pay to fix that.

innerspace · 29/05/2023 13:02

fantaorangeee · 29/05/2023 12:59

Thank you for your replies. Good to hear other people's thoughts. It was an accident but I do feel bad about it and how it's made her feel.

The difficulty is that I'm not working at the moment and £20 is a lot of money to me.

And it’s a lot of hassle for your friend. You are being a cf not paying for something that was your fault.

peacelemon · 29/05/2023 13:03

fantaorangeee · 29/05/2023 12:59

Thank you for your replies. Good to hear other people's thoughts. It was an accident but I do feel bad about it and how it's made her feel.

The difficulty is that I'm not working at the moment and £20 is a lot of money to me.

Tough you shouldn't have got sand in her car. She probably doesn't want to shell out £20 either.

icelollycraving · 29/05/2023 13:04

Is £20 a lot of money to her?! You made the mess, you need to make it right.

LookItsMeAgain · 29/05/2023 13:04

What I would do is a quick google search of reputable Valet companies in your area and get a voucher for her to use with them.

Happiestathome · 29/05/2023 13:04

I think you should definitely offer to pay. The car needs cleaning and whilst it was an accident, it should not be your friend who is out of pocket. Knowing the impact it has had on your friend, I personally also would have bought flowers or similar to cheer her up.

JudgeRudy · 29/05/2023 13:04

It was an accident but you know she has OCD. You say she tried to usher you out early this morning. Guess what - she wanted you gone last night. She has been thinking about the car non stop. You offered to clean up but she declined. Yet you offered again and again. She can clean it better than you but that wasn't enough. You've just made things worse by offering again. She wants it done properly. Yes, she has OCD so it's affecting her more. If you're her friend you'll let her 'attitude' go. She's biting her tongue n wanted to scream at you and tell you to fuck off. The best she can do is polite small talj/silence. Even without OCD you should still have offered to pay. If you really can't afford it, get her a bunch of flowers and a sincere written apology and give her space.....but don't go and splash out £50 on a night out next week when you've just got paid.

ArchieStar · 29/05/2023 13:04

Be honest with your friend. “You know I’m not working right now so money is tight but I feel awful for the car situation, let me know how much it is to get it cleaned and I’ll send it over. Sorry again.”

Hankunamatata · 29/05/2023 13:05

You sound thoughtless, even my kids know to rinse off after being on the beach and shake off all their clothing/towels then stick them in a big plastic bag in the boot.

fguuh · 29/05/2023 13:06

As someone with OCD I sympathise with her, I think this must of tipped her over the edge. When something like this happens to me I tend not to want to speak must because my thoughts are going 100 miles an hour in my head and I can't actually think about much else. Once the car is sorted I'm sure she'll be fine with you.

You should offer to pay though.

JudgeRudy · 29/05/2023 13:06

mrsbyers · 29/05/2023 12:50

It’s sand , she can drive to the garage and shove £2 in the hoover and it’ll be sorted - she’s wrong to make you feel this way over something that really doesn’t matter to a normal person

I'm normal. It matters to me.

momtoboys · 29/05/2023 13:07

You should pay to clean the car.

Clymene · 29/05/2023 13:07

fantaorangeee · 29/05/2023 12:59

Thank you for your replies. Good to hear other people's thoughts. It was an accident but I do feel bad about it and how it's made her feel.

The difficulty is that I'm not working at the moment and £20 is a lot of money to me.

Perhaps you can borrow the money off your partner. The fact that you're not working isn't her problem. You've messed up her new car and really upset her.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 29/05/2023 13:08

fantaorangeee · 29/05/2023 12:59

Thank you for your replies. Good to hear other people's thoughts. It was an accident but I do feel bad about it and how it's made her feel.

The difficulty is that I'm not working at the moment and £20 is a lot of money to me.

That's unfortunate but it also shouldn't be down to her to pay to clean up your mess.

WonderingWanda · 29/05/2023 13:09

It doesn't sound like she's giving you the silent treatment, it's just stressed her out. I think you should send her some money, don't ask just pop it in a card and put it through her door, to cover the cost of the valet.

parliamoglesga · 29/05/2023 13:10

The behaviour is a bit abnormal.

FloweryName · 29/05/2023 13:10

Don’t offer the money, insist she takes it! You made a mess in her car that needs to be professionally cleaned, so you can’t let her pay for it even if she is trying to be nice and tell you not to worry.

If you have her bank details then just transfer the money then tell her you’ve done it. If not, ask for them.

leopard22 · 29/05/2023 13:11

Then you need to think more about what you're doing!

She'd already tried to clean it and told you it needed cleaning professionally, what would you have actually done different to "help"?

You're being a CF to not pay in my opinion and I don't blame her for giving you the silent treatment

parliamoglesga · 29/05/2023 13:11

Sorry pressed too early.

odd behaviour but you should still pay. Let the £20 be a lesson to you about looking after other people’s property