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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Our nanny seems to have been using our tumble dryer...

83 replies

PacificDogwood · 01/11/2013 21:28

She has been working for us for 2 years.
She's had some upset in her personal life in the last few months which she has kept close to her chest as is her right of course.

On 3 or 4 occasions now I have noticed that the tumble dryer is still warm when I come in, there had been none of our laundry to be done and the fluff filter was thickly coated in fluff including what I can only assume is dog hair (we have no pets, she has a dog and a cat). I empty the fluff filter after each use so have a fair idea what is usually in there.

Now, if she has a problem getting stuff done at home, I'd be happy for her to use our appliances (we are trying to reduce electricity bills and I only use the tumble dryer for a few minutes to fluff things up and then hang everything on our ceiling pulley thing, but hey ho, if she is stuck I'd be happy to help).

It's the fact she's not asked that does not sit right with me .
And I don't know how to approach this: "According to our fluff filter you have had unauthorised use of the dryer"??

Any words of advice?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

LeBearPolar · 02/11/2013 17:42

While I am very interested in the nanny's fluff balls, I am diverted by now really wanting to know about Artic's fluff filter and whether her DH is the fluff fairy.

TheArticFunky · 02/11/2013 17:43

It turns out that dh is indeed the fluff fairy.

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 02/11/2013 17:45

Did he find fluff?
How much?? Do tell...

OP posts:

ChippingInLovesAGoodBang · 02/11/2013 17:46

Arctic - ya fool!

Weirdly compelling isn't it LeBear!

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 02/11/2013 17:47

You are all a lot of weirdos, v helpful weirdos, but still

OP posts:

ChippingInLovesAGoodBang · 02/11/2013 17:47

Did he laugh at you not knowing there was a fluff filter and has he shown you where it is?

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 02/11/2013 17:48

Ah, no, has he been clearing the filter all along? There no haul of 11 years of fluff to look forward to?

OP posts:

ChippingInLovesAGoodBang · 02/11/2013 17:48

"According to our fluff filter you have had unauthorised use of the dryer"??

Pot kettle me thinks!!

TheArticFunky · 02/11/2013 17:51

He hasn't shown me where it is. He rolled his eyes and pulled a face. I really ought to take my domestic responsibilities more seriously Dh nearly choked on his food once when I said that I felt guilty for not recycling, apparently we have always recycled everything and dh was a bit put out that he had been doing it without me even noticing.

I'm not coming across well am I? I do plenty of other stuff.

LeBearPolar · 02/11/2013 17:53

11 years of fluff would have been amazing.

My favourite fluff filter clearing is just after the towels have been done. It's so soft

I'm a bit worried about myself now. How long is it until Strictly starts??

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 02/11/2013 17:58

Oh, I have embraced my inner weirdo a long time ago

I've just done a load of towels and I don't dry them dry, just give them 5-10min so they are not stiff when dry and the is hardly a molecule of fluff in the filter.
The stuff I removed yesterday was so thick you could hardly pull it apart

OP posts:

nbee84 · 02/11/2013 19:22

Arctic - there is no filter to clear fluff from on my washer-dryer (which I don't use to dry clothes anyway). Taken from the manual - "The washer-dryer is fitted with a self cleaning pump which does not require any maintenance."

Oh and just to comment on the op - I'm a nanny and the only time I've used the washer or dryer at work I've asked permission first - very cheeky of your nanny not to.

clam · 02/11/2013 19:43

It's more satisfying if you leave it for a few cycles before de-fluffing.

mummytime · 02/11/2013 19:54

I am proud because after hunting last year (on hearing here their might be such a thing), a couple of weeks ago I found the second fluff filter.

It ranks right up there with fixing the washing machine (but less messy).

Newer towels give more fluff in my experience. I dry them until dry (well cupboard dry), and they are lovely and soft.

Blondeshavemorefun · 02/11/2013 21:12

course you cant give a written warning for her using the trumble dryer, far too harsh also you dont actually know she was using it, tho sounds as if she was

lol at dh being the fluff fairy

giraffesCantGoGuising · 03/11/2013 07:57

Hello :)

You could just say something about noticing the drier had been used lots and just to hang kids stuff up? So a wee hint that you have noticed.

Can#t believe that is 2 years!

lifesgreatquestions · 03/11/2013 08:07

I wouldn't feel taken advantage of in this scenario, but I would teach her about the filters asap.

oscarwilde · 04/11/2013 15:09

Hmm - using your employers home to potentially do your own washing and drying is tantamount to stealing the toilet rolls from the office in my opinion.
Someone coming in by car could easily be bringing all their own laundry. If the OP has not been consulted "washer blown up; short-term, would you mind? etc" then it's dishonest and very cheeky.
I'm with the menz on this one. I wouldn't be dishing out any written warnings just yet but I would keep an idea on the fluff filter for a bit. It may have been a one off but if it's regular then you need to decide whether it is going to be worth the very awkward conversation about monitoring the fluff

How is the filter on the washing machine? Full of pet hair?

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 04/11/2013 15:13

Oh! I had not thought of checking the washing machine

I'll see her tomorrow and will have it out with her along the lines of "i've noticed you've been using the dryer. Is there a problem at home?" or something. I really would've preferred her to have asked - DH is now all paranoid 'what else she gets up to when alone in our house'. Sigh.

OP posts:

ExitPursuedByABear · 04/11/2013 15:18

I love clearing our fluff filter too. We are a two horse and one dog family so there is all sorts of interesting stuff in there.

StainlessSteelBegonia · 04/11/2013 15:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

eurochick · 04/11/2013 15:25

We have a washer drier without a fluff filter. Really. Unsurprisingly the dryer bit stopped working after a year or so. Stupid design (a Hotpoint too, so you would expect them to have figured out how these things work). I had spent ages looking through the manual and online to try to figure out how to empty the filter, but it's not actually possible. We're about to replace it.

DuchessFanny · 04/11/2013 15:36

I love filter fluff - very cathartic emptying it out, another one is emptying the stinky filter in the washing machine, last time there was a colour catcher and a small sock in there !

But as for the OP I wouldn't mind if I was asked, surely it's just common courtesy to ask ( unless she is indeed drying coats after school pick up, etc - then it's a given !)

WhatABeautifulPussy · 04/11/2013 16:45

I got rid of our washer dryer because it didn't have a fluff filter. It also wasn't self cleaning...

I don't know what hours your nanny works but is it possible she hasn't had time at home and doesn't want to leave hers running when she isn't in the house? Or do you think she's just been doing all her laundry at yours - washing and drying?

chloeb2002 · 05/11/2013 15:30

I guess ... Firstly .. I'd ask are the kids happy! Really using the washing machine : dryer.. Is trivial? Not like she will put a load on and sit and watch it! More likely she gets on with other chores while it washes! Maybe she just adds a few of her bits to your stuff and just uses the dryer for everything so it can all be out away and neat.
I guess I'd start with the big picture.. The kids. Good nannies are hard to find!

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