My Cleaning Lady is Stealing My Detergent!
Well it’s Thursday and GMHD (that’s Guest Mouthy Housewife Day, for those of you who are not fluent in slacking.) Today, we’re lucky to have Kristine from Wait in the Van (my favorite new humor find) giving advice, and believe me, she doesn’t water things down. And this is a great time to let you know to take the advice like you take your margarita– with many grains of salts.
Thanks, Kristine. -Marinka
Dear Mouthy Housewives,
I need an urgent answer please. My cleaning lady steals detergent and adds water to fill the bottle. How can I catch her and prove this to her? She is a very good cleaner I also don’t want to lost her. Do you have an advice?
Signed,
At Least Turn The Water Into Wine
________________________________________
Dear At Least,
Hoo-boy! Isn’t this a pickle! (But, let me get something straight, because I’m working with the understanding that the cleaning lady is SUPPOSED to use your detergent.) Are we assuming that she’s also taking some for herself and diluting the rest? And you’re discovering this when you go to use the detergent yourself? The very detergent that you’re paying SOMEONE ELSE to use for you?
I think the short answer is this: stop micromanaging! I mean, this is the cleaning lady’s territory, right? Maybe the detergent you’ve purchased is too strong. Or maybe she’s doing it for the sake of the environment. Or…or…or, maybe she’s trying to save you money so that you can afford to give her a better rate!
Of course, she might be just stealing it because she needs some. Which, makes me fell bad for her, really, because how ironic is THAT lifestyle? Cleaning the homes of other people, only to be stuck without the means to get detergent to clean your own home!?
::sob::
But I digress. If you’re looking to actually penalize this woman for something that seems relatively harmless, sad, and heartbreaking, I think what you need to do is pull a classic switcheroo. (You may have also heard it referred to as “the old switcheroo.”) Anyhow. What you should do is fill your water bottles with detergent. Eh? Eh? THIS WAY, when she goes to get a drink after scrubbing your house down for you, she’ll be all What the…THIS ISN’T WATER! And maybe even, I THINK MY THROAT IS CLOSING UP! If that doesn’t give her the hint, I’m not sure what will.
Good luck and godspeed, my friend! (You have a good lawyer, right?),
Kristine, Guest TMH
15 Responses to “My Cleaning Lady is Stealing My Detergent!”
Comment by The Flying Chalupa.
The words “she’s a very good cleaner” say it all – if you’re happy with her work and your jewelry hasn’t been touched and your secret stash of chocolate is still secretly stashed, and the only problem is the detergent, then I envy the chocolate-coated dustbunnylessness of your life.
[Reply]
Comment by GhostMom01.
First of all, she’s got enough money to have a cleaning lady so what’s a couple bottles of detergent over the course of a 6mos?
Second, The biggest question is: “Are your clothes clean?” If her clothes are clean the detergent is probably being used for its intended purpose.
Hubby used to think I was overspending on groceries until he began doing the shopping. Maybe she should have her cleaning lady stop doing their laundry and see if the detergent stops disappearing. Eventually, there’ll be no clothes left for them to wear and the detergent will be the least of their worries.
[Reply]
Comment by Sophie.
Are you sure she isn’t just using a lot of detergent and then making the bottle last longer? I was a cleaning lady in college and was very surprised one day when I was told I was using up the cleaning products too quickly. She may be using more than you think.
My own (sadly now departed) cleaning lady used to add water when she got to the end of the bottle, I guess so she didn’t waste the last few bubbles from the bottom.
If you are sure she is stealing the detergent why not leave out a tiny amount for her each time – just enough to do your cleaning and no more… She’ll get the message this way and in any case there won’t be enough for her to steal.
[Reply]
Comment by Steph.
I’m outraged for your loss of detergent. Please fire her and send her to me.
[Reply]
Comment by Naoma.
It seems like the most logical response is to approach her and mention that you notice the detergent is regularly watered down and ask her if there is a reason that she does this. She may have a real reason for it.
Our family employs full time house help (don’t roll your eyes at me. It’s part of the career/lifestyle we live. Read the blog). I have to disagree with some of the other responses that write “what’s a bottle of washing fluid over 6 months?” It seems so small~ and it probably is~ until she starts filling the liquor bottles with water to cover what she drinks at lunch, or until just ONE of your diamond earrings goes missing.
Yes, it’s small. Or it could be someone testing to see if you’ll notice if things go missing over time. I’ve hired and fired house-staff. Trust your gut and just ask directly.
NKL
[Reply]
Comment by Ann's Rants.
She’s doing you a favor. Recent studies show we only need to use a fraction of the detergent they recommend.
You can tell by washing your clothes with no detergent, opening the machine and seeing all the suds STILL in your clothes from last time.
I know this is besides the point, but besides the point is my middle name.
Hilarious response, Kristine!
[Reply]
Comment by Lynn MacDonald (All Fooked Up).
Whenever i think of a “cleaner” i think of those people in the mob who go around after murders and clean up the scene.
That’s pretty typical, right?
And seriously…let the woman have some detergent. I mean, who steals that shit?
[Reply]
Comment by Alexandra.
This is the thing: if she’s stealing detergent, what else is she stealing?
P.S. I love Wait In The Van
[Reply]
Comment by Kimberly.
I can top that, my own sister steals my vodka and adds water to the bottles to make it look like she didn’t. Now THAT is something to request an “urgent answer” for. Not sure I’ve ever heard of a cleaning lady laundry soap emergency before.
[Reply]
Comment by thepsychobabble.
Are you 100% positive that she’s stealing the detergent?
I’ll be honest, I don’t know as I’d notice if someone used the detergent around here (other than me) unless they used a half a bottle or something.
It just seems like a very strange thing to steal, especially when detergent isn’t super expensive (depending on your brand, of course).
[Reply]
Comment by Tammigirl.
I had a live-in who took things to her house. Mostly soaps and cleaning supplies. She didn’t water down the detergent, she just took it with her when she went home on the weekends. Brand new tubes of toothpaste, too. I told her that I supplied her room at our house, but that was the extent of it. At the time I felt justified. Now I just feel like it was kind of mean.
Also? Even though she washed our clothing in the machines with no problem, she would never wash her own clothing in the machine. Curious people, these.
[Reply]
Comment by MiniPeds.
As a nearly-poor recently married gal, I have to point out that laundry detergent is FREAKING expensive, so if mine started disappearing (like it does since our next door neighbor shares our garage and laundry machines…) and then became watered down to boot? I’d ask questions. Maybe your machine doesn’t rinse as well as she’d like and it needs less concentration? Or maybe she’s a thieving sneaky thief who wants to smell like Tide, too.
[Reply]
Comment by Not Only Will You Save Your Money, You’ll Save The Planet | Wind And Solar Power For Your Home.
[...] My Cleaning Lady is Stealing My Detergent! | The Mouthy Housewives [...]
Leave a Comment
The Mouthy Housewives respect everyone's opinion, however, if you're attacking other commentors, you will be deleted. And sent to your room until you can play nicely.
RSS Feed
Desperate Dietwives Reply:
April 18th, 2011 at 2:56 am
I totally agree with you.
Maybe she’s diluting the detergent for a reason, or maybe she’s testing you to see if you notice.
Just ask her directly and judge from her answer.
[Reply]