Housekeeper Damage

[Anonymous]

For a certain period of time my MIL decided that housekeeping was going to be her gift to all the DILs in the family.

They broke so much stuff. Dropped the pitcher to my blender and smashed it. Tried to vacuum drapes and ended up pulling the anchored curtain rods straight out of the wall.

The worst was when they were cleaning the jacuzzi tub and somehow used a knife to try to pry up the stopper and ended up completely breaking it off the fixture. We had to have a plumber come in and actually break through the tile to access and replace the whole part. That was like a $2000 mistake.

They didn’t do dishes or laundry or pets.

They just came every week to see what more stuff they could wreck I guess. Finally my MIL discontinued the gift and I was relieved.

I have dust bunnies in the house now but at least if something breaks it’s my own fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Same thing happened to me but with a brand new Wolf range. The cleaners used scratchy pads to clean it. You will get no sympathy here on DCUM but I think it’s pretty crazy a cleaning company doesn’t know how to care for stainless steel as common as it is. I inquired about getting it buffed out with no luck.

Really? You think the staff at cleaning companies go through some form of training?

It’s common sense and extremely basic to know stainless will scratch, so yes. When they walk in my house am I supposed to go through every basic scenario?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Same thing happened to me but with a brand new Wolf range. The cleaners used scratchy pads to clean it. You will get no sympathy here on DCUM but I think it’s pretty crazy a cleaning company doesn’t know how to care for stainless steel as common as it is. I inquired about getting it buffed out with no luck.

Really? You think the staff at cleaning companies go through some form of training?

It’s common sense and extremely basic to know stainless will scratch, so yes. When they walk in my house am I supposed to go through every basic scenario?

Sí, en español, por favor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of repair DIYs online from toothpaste to baking soda to Bar Keepers Friend. I would contact the manufacturer and ask their advice. Since you don’t want to make it worse, I would do a test run in an inconspicuous area (inside of the door).

Thank you for trying to be helpful, instead of spewing anger in response to my disappointment that a six day old appliance (which was expensive for my family) is already damaged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of repair DIYs online from toothpaste to baking soda to Bar Keepers Friend. I would contact the manufacturer and ask their advice. Since you don’t want to make it worse, I would do a test run in an inconspicuous area (inside of the door).

Thank you for trying to be helpful, instead of spewing anger in response to my disappointment that a six day old appliance (which was expensive for my family) is already damaged.

NP here. The poster above had good advice for sure.

I absolutely understand being upset about the first damage to anything new. I'm not trying to be snarky or anything, I promise, because I am another person who gets upset when something gets even a small scratch. But my DH, who is a self-proclaimed neat freak, always welcomes the first minor damage because it is inevitable. Nothing stays perfect. That perspective has definitely helped lower my blood pressure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did magnets stick to stainless steel? This doesn’t make sense.

Around 40% of the types of stainless steel are magnetic.

I had no idea that was even possible!

OP should have been careful to use coated non-scratching magnets if this concerned about fridge blemishes. Fortunately, the fridge's perfection has ended and OP will obsess less about the inevitable scratches in the future. (Kind of like the B that ended my perfect 4.0 in college).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got a brand new stainless steel refrigerator on Saturday. Today a cleaner (from a company, not anyone who is a regular at our household) was here for one hour. A few hours after she left, I realized the magnets on the fridge had been moved. Upon closer inspection it became clear that they had been dragged across the surface of the upper fridge door, which now had multiple scratches ( 3, each 2-3 inches long, at eye level).

I had not had this appliance a week. 😧

Is it repairable?

What should I ask of the company? (the fridge cost $1600).

I'd call the manufacturer. Would you be all butt hurt if YOU were they one who accidentally scratched your door?

[Anonymous]

This is why you go with a company. They hire people who don’t know what they are doing and they also have insurance. It’s not fixable most likely and they should order you a new door.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your fault for not cleaning things yourself really.

The company won't cover anything like that. That's ridiculous.

I just knew that someone would come on here & post this.

Nothing like playing “blame the victim.” 😠

OP, since it was a housecleaning company, you should contact them directly ➕ let them know of the damage.
Because most if not all, housecleaning companies have insurance for these types of things.

Good luck.

No way is cleaning company responsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your fridge was so easily scratched you should have warned the cleaner.

This, exactly.

One of my first jobs as a teenager decades ago was cleaning for Molly Maid, in very nice homes on Cape Cod - including a few just down the street from the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport.

If you have fragile things, including appliances, that can’t withstand being touched you have to put them on a ‘no touch’ list for hired cleaners, especially if you don’t have a dedicated housekeeper who knows your stuff.

Don’t blame the cleaner, this is your fault alone. And life is too short to cry over little scratches on a fridge - just get a bunch more magnets to put on it and cover the scratches up if they won’t buff out. Get some magnet frames and put some pictures of your kids on the fridge, that should improve your attitude of gratitude when you look at your ridiculously expensive appliance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your fridge was so easily scratched you should have warned the cleaner.

This, exactly.

One of my first jobs as a teenager decades ago was cleaning for Molly Maid, in very nice homes on Cape Cod - including a few just down the street from the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport.

If you have fragile things, including appliances, that can’t withstand being touched you have to put them on a ‘no touch’ list for hired cleaners, especially if you don’t have a dedicated housekeeper who knows your stuff.

Don’t blame the cleaner, this is your fault alone. And life is too short to cry over little scratches on a fridge - just get a bunch more magnets to put on it and cover the scratches up if they won’t buff out. Get some magnet frames and put some pictures of your kids on the fridge, that should improve your attitude of gratitude when you look at your ridiculously expensive appliance.

You’re ridiculous.
And $1600 isn’t expensive. Sorry you are getting this OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why you go with a company. They hire people who don’t know what they are doing and they also have insurance. It’s not fixable most likely and they should order you a new door.

I don’t know. This is why I go with a smaller single person or a small team. When I have repeat cleaners I can better instruct.
Those companies just send out loads of untrained people.

[Anonymous]

I know it’s a bummer, but everything new gets a ding or bit of wear and tear. Like a new car. That first ding will come soon enough. It’s just a refrigerator for heavens sake. Add more magnets to cover the damage. They even sell those cute magnetic picture frames.

[Anonymous]

So OP, did you buff it out yet?

[Anonymous]

Be glad they aren't stealing PSA https://patch.com/virginia/fairfaxcity/va-house-cleaner-took-items-homes-she-cleaned-police-say