Housekeeper left iron on

[Chelseacoffee]

I have a housekeeper who comes in a couple of times a week to clean, change bedsheets , iron dc uniforms, etc. she came on Friday and left around 6 pm. She irons in a small laundry room we don’t use much. Today I went there to take some laundry and found that she has left the iron on and it’s been on for about two days. Now I am at odds whether to keep her or ask her to leave. What would you do? I am so shocked. We could have burned down.

Reminds me of years ago; I had my own cleaning business and took a panicked phone call one evening from a client whose house we serviced fortnightly. He was away on business but had a sudden thought that he had left his iron on FIVE DAYS earlier when he used it before he left and as I had his house keys please could I check asap? Sure enough, when I got there he had indeed left his iron on and it was still impressively clicking away nicely on the ironing board. I don't know who was more relieved, him or me, when I phoned him to tell him all was okay and his house was still standing.

'Hi cleaner, I'm afraid you left the iron on last week and it was on for two days as I also didn't notice it. Here's how to use the cut-off safety function so it doesn't happened again'.

Problem solved.

I agree. I also have hair straighteners that switch themselves off too for this very reason.

I'd get rid, unless she wants to pay the difference she's caused to your electricity bill.

Aren't you delightful.

Sure you would

I'm fucking lovely.

The woman could have burnt op's house down. She's irresponsible and careless, I'd sack her anyway, thinking about it.

@TaRaDeBumDeAy do you have a cleaner?

Ignore TaRaDeBumDeAy. She's a wind up.

Thank you @Youpillock . Yes, there are circumstances that make me exhausted after work.

I hired her because I work a very stressful job and am a single mother .

Hear hear. I understand that the “what ifs” have probably really scared you, but it’s completely over the top to think about sacking this woman for making a mistake. Be relieved that no one came to any harm and put systems in place to avoid this happening again.

I always find a drip feed like this works to get people on your side when the thread hasn’t gone the way you expected.

I also have cleaners because I have a full on job.

Never in a million years would I consider sacking them for a simple mistake. Whether it's a left on iron, or something broken.

If I was doing these jobs myself, I'd easily break something or leave on an appliance.

Good cleaners are very hard to come by, and we're all human.

I thought all irons are auto shut off, yours must be imported or ancient

Get a new iron

My DH did this recently, left it on for 2 days, but I’m hardly going to sack him for it! Mistakes happen. People are human.

I've never left the iron on. Im too paranoid about fire. I would have a word with her op and see what she says. Maybe get an iron with a shut off and also check when you get home to put your mind at rest in the future.

Yep, agree - just get a better iron and don't mention it!

Jesus it was a mistake. Everyone has left something on at some point.

Just tell her without being a total wanker

Also get a new iron. It must be old if it doesn’t turn itself off.

I realize it was her mistake, thank you everyone who is basically saying the same thing. Closing this thread

You can't close a thread as such.

We have all done this.
You can buy Irons which switch off automatically if not used for several minutes.
Or you could buy a remote plug switch and use your phone to check it's off when she finishes work.
Either way it's easier than finding a. Replacement housekeeper.

I would be buying a new iron - fancy steam one (and they all switch off these days) and saying nothing.

Just had a quick look on Argos, and it turns out that there’s rather a lot on there that don’t have auto switch off! Pretty surprised by that as it’s a fairly basic safety feature isn’t it?