Mum's cleaner using wrong sponges - how worrying is this?

[Itsfreezingcold]

Mum instructed her cleaner which sponge to use on the kitchen floor and which one to use on the surfaces.
She just found out that the cleaner has been doing the opposite, for a long time.
So Mum has, herself, been using a sponge on the surfaces and sometimes the dishes (she usually uses the dishwasher) that has been used on the floor. She says she tends not to put things directly on the countertop.
She has mild digestive symptoms which I attributed to stress and medicines.
I sent a message to the GP, but wondering how worried I should be.

Hi OP

First, it’s good that you’ve found out.

You say your mum has been having mild symptoms. Now that you have rectified the sponges issue I expect the digestive issues will taper off fairly quickly. However, it’s good to get an opinion from the doctor, especially if your mum is elderly.

Try not to worry too much. Your mum’s house is probably pretty clean anyway so hopefully she’s not been ingesting anything that will cause a major upset.

Hope you get a call back from the GP soon.

Please tell me you haven’t messaged the GP about the sponges

I really think you have nothing to worry about. Goodness me, I’m sure I’ve done this in my own house without meaning to.

I presume the cleaner and your mum has been using some kind of cleaning fluid on the sponges and the floor is pretty clean due to regular cleaning. I wouldn't worry bout this but I would keep the floor cleaning sponge and sink cleaning sponge in completely different and obviously cleaning area related places from now on.

How big is the dish sponge and how small the floor sponger to make this mistake?!

Good point.

People dont use a mop for the floor?

Unless your mum has been licking the surfaces for hours every day, she isn't going to come to any harm.

I would just make sure your mum has replaced all the sponges and the cleaner knows which is which from now on.

Never heard of a sponge for the floor either! Usually a mop?

I was about to say this. Get her a mop.

Unless your Mum is in the habit of grabbing a dirty sponge, not rinsing it out first... and then sucking on it, I really wouldn't be emailing GP's or blaming this for any stomach issues.

Floor cleaner, whilst not meant to be ingested, will kill germs. People do typically rinse out a sponge and then use the correct cleaner for the surface they're cleaning, and wipe that surface down so its free of any cleaner before eating off it/prepping food on it.

It's a grim thought but no more than that, just get your Mum a mop and make sure the cleaner knows sponges are for surfaces, mop for floor!

You messaged the GP about it?😮

A good example of why people can’t get GP appointments.

Mental you’ve wasted NHS time over this.

I’m gobsmacked that you messaged the GP.

This makes no sense. Anyone that has used a sponge on the floor (and I have very occasionally washed the floor by hand especially under the cat bowls) knows that they pick up quite a few bits missed by the brush and ingrained dirt.

So you wouldn’t just put the floor cloth with a dish cloth, you would wash it thoroughly out or (in my case) put it in the washing machine with a wash load.

How do you get to mix a floor and dish cloth unless the floor cloth was super clean, in which case it’s a non issue. We all need a few germs in our lives.

I always wash the cloth or sponge that has been used to wash the floor, I’m not very fussy about having a spotless house but can’t imagine reusing a floor cloth again.

Having said that, I also have a cleaner and she prefers to use the disposable Flash Mop cloths so used sheets just go in the bin - two are used each visit for the hall, kitchen and bathroom so not overly expensive.

Does the cleaner use bleach on the floor? It’s probably not great if your mum has been ingesting harsh cleaning products. However while the thought is a bit grim, I‘d imagine the actual amounts of anything untoward ingested - bleach or floor grub - would be minimal.
In any case, it’s happened, you can’t change the past, only the future. Maybe your mum could try some foods or supplements that promote gut health, such as kefir or sauerkraut.

OP, who on earth has you brainwashed into thinking this is an issue at all?

Absolutely!

I agree. This would raise nothing more than a laugh from me, it's really not worth worrying about.

Not worrying at all - get some perspective. Plus get mum a floor mop.

I wouldn’t worry. Good that the mistake has been picked up, the digestive issues might be completely irrelevant.

So you’ve been making the cleaner scrub the floor with a sponge the same size as a washing up sponge? Please get her a mop then issue solved.

I think your mum's cleaner should LTB immediately.

I assume they use plates and don't eat off the counter. And I assume the sponges are washed in some sort of cleaning fluid after use and binned if manky. A bit of a non-problem.

I though it was going to be using the sponge from cleaning the toilet bowl on the toothbrushes, which I have heard before about a cleaner, that was a bit gross (if true).