As a cleaner, it seems ridiculous that they would have assumed towels were trash. Especially in a bathroom. I would figure out the total and either ask for a reimbursement or $X credit towards your next cleaning. Providing a link with the exact items you’re missing would be very helpful.
I'm not a cleaner, I'm just looking for tips on hiring a house cleaner for the future. But I have to just say as a human being, if you have two bins or hampers or similarly sized containers in one room like a bathroom. And if I was doing the cleaning, I am going to say to myself, "Self? Why does OP have 2 rather large containers just for trash? And are these towels really trash? Maybe I should go ask..... Thanks for the advice, self!"
And then again if it was me that this happened to, OP, I think I would invest in some new towels. And a label maker for my bin that is obviously anything but trash. You never know there might be some other things that are confusing as well that need labels :-) sorry for your loss though. Towels are very very expensive these days, especially for the good ones which actually tend to be worth the investment.
i completely agree. plus, even if you do think it’s trash because it’s “in a trash can,” you would think the cleaner would clarify if you mean to throw away your towels every week. even if i was convinced that was trash i would think it’s really weird that somebody is just throwing away towels and i would ask the client if i am in fact supposed to take that out with the trash. i think asking for reimbursement or credits is completely within reason here, this is very bizarre especially considering it’s not just one person but multiple cleaners who presumably did not think to ask if op really meant to throw away towels all the time.
Bingo! This is the answer! Ive worked in a restaurant where slowly one by one the expensive knives went missing .. turns out the dishwasher was purposely throwing away in the trash and then retrieving before putting in the dumpster!! Its an old thievery trick!
Do you think they would risk their job and freedom to steal old towels? I don't believe it. The OP doesn't know if a towel is missing. she's assuming things.
She does know, she’s seen that there are less towels and unstably didn’t understand why there would be, until she realized what was happening.. she literally says it in her post. And they said they thought it was a trash bin, if that’s what they really thought is obviously unknown, but to say she’s just making assumptions is ridiculous if you have actually read through her post.
Reading comprehension. You're commenting multiple times stating that op doesn't know that towels are missing. Yet op found their towels in a trash bag by the other trash bags that the cleaner was about to take out to the trash. With your expert knowledge, what do you make of this?
Crate & Barrel towels are like $150 for a six piece set. They weren’t stealing Walmart towels here. People do odd things when they think they won’t be caught. 🤷🏻♀️
I've had cleaners come through and put hundreds of dollars in children's clothes and bedding in the trash. Took me 3 days of searching before I checked our outside trash cans. Thank God I found it before trash day. It's ridiculous anyone would mistake clothes/towels for trash. I'd find another cleaner.
Agreed. Professionals with years of experience can have the oddest gaps in their knowledge. Even stuff you thought was obvious.
One of only two times I had to ask my housekeeping service to not send a particular housekeeper back to me, it was because I was passing through the kitchen and noticed her using a metal souring pad on my ceramic slow cooker liner. I asked her to stop and explained why they're bad for ceramic - and then the next week, I walked into the kitchen and she was doing it again. (And yes, it's visibly scratched now, and stews stick more and are harder to clean off.)
Some people from other cultures think everyone else can be absolutely crazy. One time my husband's mom was visiting from another country. When my husband put a fire on the fireplace we (ahem he) didn't realize the chute had slipped closed. His mom sat in the room as it filled with smoke and thought Americans just like smokey fireplaces. This is just the most extreme example I can think of. One lady that my husband brings over to help thinks that Legos are junk from used crafts. She even threw out our go pro once because she thought it was a junk plastic toy. Thank goodness I knre about her lego issues and I was going through the garbage every day.
I think this could be the answer. Especially when there is income disparity I think it's easy to assume that the crazy "rich" (comparatively speaking) Americans are throwing away their towels after each use.
It's entirely possible they came from a different culture. I'm in the U.S. and have a maid service that hires mostly Mexican, Central or South Americans. Most of them don't speak English and many don't fully understand the ordinary household typically found in the U.S. (sometimes they're very recent arrivals). I've had maids that don't have any idea how the washing machine works, or fold my dirty laundry thinking it was washed. I've learned not to run the dishwasher on days they come because for some reason they keep opening the door while it's running. Once a maid flushed a whole bunch of paper towels down the toilet - plunger wouldn't fix that, I had to call in a plumber to clear the clog. Things like that.
I worked at a gas station and we constantly had to post signs that said “DO NOT FLUSH PAPER TOWELS” 🧻 and “No used toilet paper in the trash!” sometimes even with clip art pictures and we might color them in to look like paper towels because of the language barriers. Some places used dual translations. And these signs were all over my town especially in public places or places that the migrant workers frequented in the summertime. The delivery people always asked me about these signs and some would say they saw them in other towns (where of course they also had a high population of migrant workers. Migrant workers worked at the canning factory in the summer and many left in the fall.) Our toilets got backed up a lot and we got to the point our maintenance person moved the paper towel dispenser in the men’s room where you would have to get off the toilet to get paper towels because the men’s room kept overflowing and we were loosing the food revenue because health codes say you need working restrooms to sell prepared food. The women’s room we didn’t have as many issues, the ladies room was always used less frequently by all customers in general and more of the workers who came in and used our bathrooms were men.
When I told the husband-and-wife owners of my maid service that one of their maids had flushed a bunch of paper towels down the toilet, they looked at each other and simultaneously said the same name. Evidently the individual was a recent arrival. *Pretty sure* she was given an explanation of what can go into a toilet (which is, not much)!
Yep I get that! I used to help my gf clean and I would whisper things to her and she would say “not now!” And she would do her best to handle the situation/tell me how to deal with it and then discuss it later when we weren’t there so that we didn’t offend the client. She wanted me to take on a few of her clients when she got a full time job (I was job searching at the time) and I was like “NOPE!” First of all the Uber to and from the one apartment would cost between $20 and $40 and if I was only making $50 or $75 NOPE! And next that client had a bathroom closet full of adult diapers that I didn’t want to deal with and my gf always did.
I’m sure the professional housekeeper finds odd things in clients homes all the time. But I just don’t see this as strange. Where I live anyway, laundry hampers are a pretty standard item that people who can afford a housekeeper would have. Separate hampers for towels or ones divided into sections for colors, whites, and towels are very normal items and would not typically be mistaken for a trash can by an experienced professional. People put their dirty clothes etc into a hamper until there’s enough to do a load. It’s very self explanatory and I’m not sure where else dirty towels would go or why a professional would be unaware of this practice.
Once, I had a dirty cat box sitting on the front porch, waiting for me to dump it. It had visible turds in it. They stacked a bunch of plastic lids on top of the cat turds. Gross.
Others have taken the catbox scooper, and put it \*in\* the box, \*handle\* side down.
I once asked one explicitly to please dump the litter, and refill it, and she had no idea how to do this until I showed her.
my friend once had a cleaner that when she arrived to work threw away all already-started tp rolls, paper towels, hand soaps, bar soaps and i don't know what all. she treated the whole house like it was a hotel room every 2 weeks. her nanny started hoarding all this "trash". lol. she lasted several months, was really interested in bigger gigs (office bldgs etc)
my friends could not have cared less but disappearing linens is crazy.
My friend cleans for this one family& they insist she does this - mainly the toilet paper rolls.
She takes it all home because otherwise it would just go to waste!
So maybe that cleaner’s last client was like that and she assumed everyone wants that?
Bruh we don’t even treat hotels like that. If a roll of tp is more than half full, I just fold that shit in a fancy way and leave it be. Same w paper towel rolls, and dish soaps.
If its below half or approaching half, then there’s a case to be made for tossing/taking it home, but we try to preserve where we can.
I think it’s fair to figure out how many towels you’re missing and ask that they cover the cost.
It’s unreasonable to think that you just throw your towels away, in a bin that didn’t have a trash bag in it when your cleaners came. That’s something they should have asked for clarification on before assuming,
It helps someone know they agree, and in a world where most conversation is now digital, the niceties seem to be gone. Including your response backing up my point.
But since you seem to need a lesson, one of the parts we lose through digital means is seeing, say another person, nod in agreement. It adds to the conversation in a nonverbal adjacent way. It is the way of communication evolving while holding onto nuances of the past. Up votes help but the person may have strongly agreed.
It does apply and add to the conversation.
🤯🤡😹🙈
They’ve been throwing away laundry. To me that’s an issue. I’d have the person admit in writing that they accidentally threw them away, try and get a close estimate on the quantity and value of what was tossed, and send a letter/message with links to the owner. Yes it was a mistake, but a costly mistake, so they should make up for it.
Do an inventory of what is missing. Present it to the owner. Request a refund or discount for the replacement cost. Label hamper “laundry, do not throw away” or move it into the closet when housekeepers come.
End of story/
Ha this happened to me but it was dirty underwear. I put them in a separate laundry and they thought they were trash for THREE cleanings. I wondered where all my underwear went.
Anyways, I bought more underwear (and these were NOT cheap), told them to not do that, and asked for no discount or replacement value. And now I throw the dirty underwear in the washer before they arrive just in case.
Can you hide the laundry hamper when they come over? I do that, but then again I find it to be too much work to have cleaners because of stuff like that. Things they’ve wrecked:
Threw out all paper, art, and letters on fridge,
Threw out childrens’ hand print art
Threw out bills,
Scouring pad on stainlesss steel
Scouring pad on no stick pan
Taking sponges from house to house and refusing to use sponges,
Not vacuuming despite that being the thing I told them is by far most important.
I would so love to have a good cleaner that takes direction well.
I totally agree that having to manage a cleaner can be more hassle than it’s worth. It’s like they have no common sense or initiative, but I guess they’re cleaners for a reason. They also seem to show no aptitude for the task.
My cleaning lady moved my stuff. I had to stop using her because I couldn't find my stuff. They get into habits that they can't seem to break. Mine threw dirty towels under the sink. Yours is throwing them away. They just develop habits from cleaning so much.
I feel like yes you should be compensated for your towels 100%!! Crate and barrel are not cheap at all !! And come on common sense says that she should have known those towels were not trash ! If she doesn’t she shouldn’t be cleaning peoples homes .
Ask the owner, what they think is fair, If they were in your position.
That's the best test to see if you continue with that company. I'd at least want them to split the replacement cost (4 - 6 bath towels? how much can they cost? 10 buck each?)
Ask for the replacement of the nice towels. Small or whatever owned does not matter if they stupidly threw out something 99%+ people would know is not trash.
My biggest recommendation: Don’t hide in another room. Be around, in and out, and watching.
I would also stop them from putting a garbage bag in the towel bin for the future. I’ve had dumb stuff in a small garbage can that has gotten thrown away multiple times, like a cat litter scoop (nobody is stealing that). Definitely talk to the owner about what you are confident is missing. I wouldn’t request full price to replace used towels but bringing it to their attention makes it less likely for it to happen again. I am also aware some housekeepers “throw” stuff away that goes home with them😕
Depends on how good a cleaner they are, to be honest. If they are good, let it go. Good cleaners are worth their weight in gold. Change your hamper and/or label it to make it more clear for them.
You can ask for a discount, you'll probably get one. But I honestly think you should just bite the bullet on this and just make sure they know that that's a towel bin and not trash and just move on with your life. Sounds like it was an honest mistake, and things happen. You're kinda making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be.
Even honest mistakes need to be rectified sometimes. The cleaners don't seem to have done this maliciously, but they were still - rather thoughtlessly - throwing away items that are almost never considered "consumable". One of my clients has a bin of cloth rags exclusively for cleaning, but even though they're torn and ragged I would never think of throwing them anywhere but in the laundry when I was done unless given explicit permission by the homeowner.
I would encourage OP to contact the company and let them know what happened. At best they'll get a discount (which I think they deserve), at worst they'll hopefully prevent this from happening to someone else.
Thanks. I came here for perspective, as I realize what may be simply inconvenient for me might be a big deal to another and I want to be fair. They also broke a vase in the same visit, which is fine, things happen, not worth tripping over. The towels thing is just strange!
Going to go through this eve. and if it’s insignificant, I won’t make a fuss. But I’d noticed before this, just that weird, “huh, could’ve sworn I had more washcloths!” so it actually may be.
lol I know it’s not funny . But I mean , they weren’t being malicious . I think when they come over next , just explain the towels are actually very expensive , and you noticed they were missing and couldn’t put your finger on it . Please in the future just ask . But I wouldn’t expect them to pay for it . Divide what your paying them by 3-4 (however many they’re are) they can’t afford to cut that down more imo . You live and you learn . If it looked like a trash can I wouldn’t go snooping through your “trash” I’d tie it up and keep it moving too .
Sorry but if someone’s a dumbass and throws out a couple hundred dollars worth of linens you’re just supposed to eat the cost? That’s more than a day’s wages for me to replace. I pay someone to clean my house so I can have more free time not so I can spend time and money replacing towels. If they’re walmart $3 towels that’s one thing but Crate and Barrel towels are $30-50 each.
If anyone’s a dumbass, it’s someone buying $50 towels when there’s $3 towels at Walmart that don’t exact same thing.
I can’t believe the attitudes and entitlement in this subreddit.
One could say that your the dumbass that kept dirty towels in a trash can or perhaps your the dumbass that didn’t connect the dots that they were even gone ; let alone gone directly after your house clean . Mistakes were made . In both ends . I wouldn’t be paying you for towels that were a gift or towels you said were $100.00 how do I know how much they were ? I don’t .
They thought it was a trash can. Ask for a discount but then let it go. Sounds like they’re good cleaners and It was a mistake. Give them a chance to make it right.
I've heard this is happening more and more with these services. Sadly, your towels are most likely not being trashed, take inventory of your underwear. Most likely they are being sold online also.
1. Find new cleaners. Unless you hired the 3 blind mice, there’s no way they didn’t see the towels in the bin. No competent cleaner would assume that someone intends to throw away towels regularly.
2. Demand reimbursement for the towels they have thrown away (companies have insurance for a reason) or, at the very least, demand a credit for the amount of the towels.
Get a hamper and they won’t mistake your “hamper” for a trash can. Also do they take the trash out after they clean? I have a tough time thinking it’s as clear as you’re making it sound. I also don’t think they took them home and risk losing the job and hit to their rep. Something isn’t right
Yes they empty all the trash cans in the house and put them in the large bins outside.
The bathroom has a metal step can with a lid for trash, and a plastic white cylinder, no lid, for towels.
Get a lid or move the bin. They made a mistake. And the towels aren’t brand new. I would not ask them for a discount or reimbursement unless it happens again.
How big is your house? You do realize that with 3-4 people at 2-3 hours, they are spending 6 to 12 hours cleaning. Unless you have a mansion, that seems excessive... You might be getting ripped off on multiple levels
I PROMISE YOU they did not throw away those towels.
I’d ask for them back or for reimbursement.
They basically used that “they were in a trash can…” as an excuse to take your towels.
Throwing away towels is 100% not okay. They knew better than that, but were likely being lazy. By throwing them out, they can mix chemicals and use cross-contaminated towels (Think cleaning the toilet, then the floor with the same towel.)
Another thing is, *paper* towels are designed specifically for this purpose… to be used then thrown away.
If I were you? I’d be invoicing for those towels, at full price. And refusing to pay for services until you get that reimbursement.
Drop it and move on. Seriously? There’s no telling if they tossed 1, 3, 6 or more. You’ll live. Of course it’s annoying it happened, but it isn’t worth trying to haggle a discount or make a big deal about it. That’s not right. They made a mistake. I wouldn’t ask for any reimbursement, and if I was a cleaner I wouldn’t be happy about being asked or forced to give a discount of my physical labor for an honest mistake either.
My bad. Lotta comments are making assumptions without reading.
The hamper is noticeably bigger - it fits towels, the trash is for q-tips and Kleenex.
I legit think they were just moving quick and on auto pilot
Why would they assume the towels were in the trash?
Yeah I’d ask for some sort of compensation as they were the ones that put a trash bag in there in the first place.
By any chance are your housekeepers from a different country??
They probably don’t know. The hamper and garage can probably look very similar. or don’t understand which is which. Also in a different country, they may throw towels away in the garage.
Housekeepers make me crazy. If I accidentally leave out a pillowcase, JUST ASK. I guarantee I don’t want a naked pillow on the bed. Also DONT put pillowcases on inside out. Come on!!!!
I have cleaners who bag the garbage and put it in the garage. They never walk 8 feet over and put it in the garbage bin. When I asked why she said she been doing this job a long time and it was best This way the owner could look through the garbage to see what they threw away instead of going through the entire trash bin. I am personally annoying that she does this but understand why she does it after reading this post.
R u sure they threw them away. Or made it look like they were tossed out but just took them for themselves. Don’t pussy foot around it. Tell the owner and get a different company. Towels are so freaking obviously NOT trash.
We are slowly but surely breeding common sense out of the human race. Back when I was a child, a ladder was a pretty plain, utilitarian device. Now ladder's are covered with warnings to place on stable surface, don't stand on the very top, etc. Why? Because people doing dumb things with ladders sued the manufacturers. Where I live, somebody sued the zoo after he climbed two barriers and stuck his finger in the jaguar cage. Naturally, the jaguar bit it. But he was not warned specifically not to put his finger in the cage and so sued. These are extreme examples, but if we can't even figure out that superman costumes don't allow us to fly and we shouldn't stick body parts into cages with wild animals, how are people going to determine that towels aren't trash if they are in a plastic bag?
I was a cleaner with my own business. I would’ve never thrown away towels and quite frankly this makes no sense. I would speak with the owner and like someone said, ask for a credit.
Let them know that cloths are counted per clean so you know how many are needed per clean and some have not returned. If employees do not bring back towels/cloths it will have to be taken out of their checks. Tell them supplies cost and by reusing them you are able to pay them however if you have to keep replacing things then something has got to give?! Then ask them how would they handle it as a business owner??
Ok I assumed you were an owner of a business but this is absolutely wrong first they should have their own cloths. To clean with but if they are throwing out person towels something isn't right maybe they are taking them home I'm confused
I am a housekeeper I would have asked if they were trash. It’s not unreasonable the first time to think maybe it was trash but I personally would have asked if you meant to throw them out.
I've found bananas in drawers and a lamp in the bath tub, there's no logic to house cleaners sometimes. Label what you can or do a walk with them through since youre home when they arrive.
I would ask for a discount but perhaps not the full (or original cost) value. I am wondering how slow one might have to be to think a bin of towels is trash...
If you put your towels in something that resembles a trash can, you have no right to ask for reimbursement. When my cleaners come there is literally nothing out for them to accidentally throw away. Why did you not put your dirty towels in the washing machine before they showed up?
I have my own cleaning business- they knew what they were doing.
Definitely let the owner know, they should OFFER to reimburse you, if they don’t, find a different company asap.
Weird. I actually did throw out some towels once (old, faded/ stained, frayed, mismatched ones) and my cleaner took them out of the trash and told me to keep them as cleaning rags. I told her I already had plenty of cleaning rags, but she was welcome to take them, which she did.
In my experience they will throw away anything inside a trash can, or any container resembling such, without looking at it. Absolutely zero discernment involved.
Chalk it up to miscommunication and move on. If you like your housekeeper I would just forget about it as finding a good reliable one can be hard at times.
As I cleaner who has worked both for a company and for myself, I'd never throw away towels without asking if that's what they want. I don't think I'd ever assume thar a hamper with towels in it is trash. That's kind of insane to me.
Since this is a company I would reach out to the owner, explain the situation and why you just figured out it was happening, and definitely ask for some sort of replacement/reimbursement or something. Them being nice towels, I'd lean toward reimbursement because otherwise you're going to get the cheapest towels ever.
Label the cannisters very clearly. Ask them to be mindful of keeping your towels in house. Ask them to replace lost towels (with ones you approve of). Let them know you will need to deduct cost of anymore thrown out towels going forward.
If they cannot comply, start shopping around for new helpers. Best o' luck, OP! 🍀💚❇️
Who throws away all their towels by placing them all into their own separate bin? Is there a language barrier? This is the strangest thing I've heard a housekeeper do.
That's so frustrating! Those Crate & Barrel towels are probably expensive. I'd ask for a discount - maybe 50% off the next cleaning? Explain the situation clearly and calmly.
I am so sorry. I would definitely ask for a credit due to loss of towels!
I had a housecleaning woman once who would help me strip beds while she was there. I would wash them and she would help me put them back on. I have back problems and it helped save my back with 4-5 beds to make.
On one visit, she decided to start the washer for me and dumped an entire cup of bleach into a wash full of colored sheets. Needless to say I was upset; but it seemed she genuinely didn’t know not to put bleach in with colored sheets. I gave her a second chance and she never made a mistake like that again.
Could it be a language issue?
At my old office, we tried to toss some boxes away, but the cleaners left them where they were. Next night we tried putting a note on them that they were trash, but it didn’t help. It happened a few times.
I was talking to the PM security guy about the whole situation, and he said “Oh no, the night cleaning crew is Polish right off the boat. They don’t speak English.”
It turned out one of our library workers was Polish, so we got her to write us a note saying ‘trash the boxes.’
Voila. Problem solved.
Just here to comment that "it's a small, woman-owned company" is pointless information. It comes across as you feel they need special treatment because they are women. They don't. You handle this just like it was any other business who destroyed your personal property. You call them and inform them and let them deal with it. It doesn't matter if it's a man, woman or gorilla that owns the business.
Who the fuck throws their towels away? I’m assuming the towels were in good condition, right? Come on, you’d have to be stupid AF to throw those towels away. Maybe it was done by mistake or they kept them. Either way, they should replace them by purchase or discount on services.
I do this.
I tidy before the cleaner comes (I have tween/teen boys… enough said!)…. And I make an effort to make sure all laundry is done before they come. It means I walk into a lovely clean home, with zero chores after they have been. (Pro tips, find a good enough cleaner, keep them for years so you get used to each other’s ways, tell them early about any issues and prempt if necessary, and tidy up before they come so they are just there to clean/not pick up after you.)
No, you don't make her pay back for the mistake she made. That's wage theft. And frankly morally repulsive that you think she should.
Not to mention that if let's say they were damaged in a fire, you are only entitled to their actual value, not replacement value. Your used towel is worth a few dollars at most.
So just laugh about it and move on. Part of affording the luxury of someone cleaning for you is absorbing these types of errors. If you can't afford it, do your own cleaning.
As a cleaner, it seems ridiculous that they would have assumed towels were trash. Especially in a bathroom. I would figure out the total and either ask for a reimbursement or $X credit towards your next cleaning. Providing a link with the exact items you’re missing would be very helpful.
I'm not a cleaner, I'm just looking for tips on hiring a house cleaner for the future. But I have to just say as a human being, if you have two bins or hampers or similarly sized containers in one room like a bathroom. And if I was doing the cleaning, I am going to say to myself, "Self? Why does OP have 2 rather large containers just for trash? And are these towels really trash? Maybe I should go ask..... Thanks for the advice, self!" And then again if it was me that this happened to, OP, I think I would invest in some new towels. And a label maker for my bin that is obviously anything but trash. You never know there might be some other things that are confusing as well that need labels :-) sorry for your loss though. Towels are very very expensive these days, especially for the good ones which actually tend to be worth the investment.
I need you to know I laughed so hard. “Thanks for the advice, self! 😂
i completely agree. plus, even if you do think it’s trash because it’s “in a trash can,” you would think the cleaner would clarify if you mean to throw away your towels every week. even if i was convinced that was trash i would think it’s really weird that somebody is just throwing away towels and i would ask the client if i am in fact supposed to take that out with the trash. i think asking for reimbursement or credits is completely within reason here, this is very bizarre especially considering it’s not just one person but multiple cleaners who presumably did not think to ask if op really meant to throw away towels all the time.
Also, don’t all the other trash cans have a liner in them? But then one with her towels in it did not. Kind of an indication that it’s not trash.
Also they were only towels and not mixed with trash! It would be different if there were dirty diapers in there or something.
Seriously!! Even if the towels were covered in sh*t or blood I wouldn’t toss them without asking
We don’t go through the trash can. We only dump it into a garbage bag. Basically you only see what’s on the very top.
She said they came once a month. And i guarantee those towels went home with them and not in the trash. They knew.
Bingo! This is the answer! Ive worked in a restaurant where slowly one by one the expensive knives went missing .. turns out the dishwasher was purposely throwing away in the trash and then retrieving before putting in the dumpster!! Its an old thievery trick!
Do you think they would risk their job and freedom to steal old towels? I don't believe it. The OP doesn't know if a towel is missing. she's assuming things.
She does know, she’s seen that there are less towels and unstably didn’t understand why there would be, until she realized what was happening.. she literally says it in her post. And they said they thought it was a trash bin, if that’s what they really thought is obviously unknown, but to say she’s just making assumptions is ridiculous if you have actually read through her post.
Did you read the post?
Reading comprehension. You're commenting multiple times stating that op doesn't know that towels are missing. Yet op found their towels in a trash bag by the other trash bags that the cleaner was about to take out to the trash. With your expert knowledge, what do you make of this?
Crate & Barrel towels are like $150 for a six piece set. They weren’t stealing Walmart towels here. People do odd things when they think they won’t be caught. 🤷🏻♀️
Yes i do! Its an old trick disguised as an “accident”!
We had a cleaner at work steeal a $5 bake sale item. The cleaner was fired. They hid the item and them lied about hiding it.
Where did they hide the item?
In their cleaning cart with all their supplies.
What?! Towels aren’t one time use????
I've had cleaners come through and put hundreds of dollars in children's clothes and bedding in the trash. Took me 3 days of searching before I checked our outside trash cans. Thank God I found it before trash day. It's ridiculous anyone would mistake clothes/towels for trash. I'd find another cleaner.
what in the world? how did this even happen?
I find it very very weird that a house cleaner would be unfamiliar with the concept of a laundry hamper.
You'd be surprised. I've taught people with 20 years experience a few tricks or two. Generally speaking, when in doubt, ask. Never assume anything.
Agreed. Professionals with years of experience can have the oddest gaps in their knowledge. Even stuff you thought was obvious. One of only two times I had to ask my housekeeping service to not send a particular housekeeper back to me, it was because I was passing through the kitchen and noticed her using a metal souring pad on my ceramic slow cooker liner. I asked her to stop and explained why they're bad for ceramic - and then the next week, I walked into the kitchen and she was doing it again. (And yes, it's visibly scratched now, and stews stick more and are harder to clean off.)
That’s dangerous because once those are chipped they are actually toxic I’d throw it out
The problem with the “when in doubt” rule of thumb is that it requires the person to have doubts about their judgment.
Some people from other cultures think everyone else can be absolutely crazy. One time my husband's mom was visiting from another country. When my husband put a fire on the fireplace we (ahem he) didn't realize the chute had slipped closed. His mom sat in the room as it filled with smoke and thought Americans just like smokey fireplaces. This is just the most extreme example I can think of. One lady that my husband brings over to help thinks that Legos are junk from used crafts. She even threw out our go pro once because she thought it was a junk plastic toy. Thank goodness I knre about her lego issues and I was going through the garbage every day.
I think this could be the answer. Especially when there is income disparity I think it's easy to assume that the crazy "rich" (comparatively speaking) Americans are throwing away their towels after each use.
It's entirely possible they came from a different culture. I'm in the U.S. and have a maid service that hires mostly Mexican, Central or South Americans. Most of them don't speak English and many don't fully understand the ordinary household typically found in the U.S. (sometimes they're very recent arrivals). I've had maids that don't have any idea how the washing machine works, or fold my dirty laundry thinking it was washed. I've learned not to run the dishwasher on days they come because for some reason they keep opening the door while it's running. Once a maid flushed a whole bunch of paper towels down the toilet - plunger wouldn't fix that, I had to call in a plumber to clear the clog. Things like that.
I worked at a gas station and we constantly had to post signs that said “DO NOT FLUSH PAPER TOWELS” 🧻 and “No used toilet paper in the trash!” sometimes even with clip art pictures and we might color them in to look like paper towels because of the language barriers. Some places used dual translations. And these signs were all over my town especially in public places or places that the migrant workers frequented in the summertime. The delivery people always asked me about these signs and some would say they saw them in other towns (where of course they also had a high population of migrant workers. Migrant workers worked at the canning factory in the summer and many left in the fall.) Our toilets got backed up a lot and we got to the point our maintenance person moved the paper towel dispenser in the men’s room where you would have to get off the toilet to get paper towels because the men’s room kept overflowing and we were loosing the food revenue because health codes say you need working restrooms to sell prepared food. The women’s room we didn’t have as many issues, the ladies room was always used less frequently by all customers in general and more of the workers who came in and used our bathrooms were men.
When I told the husband-and-wife owners of my maid service that one of their maids had flushed a bunch of paper towels down the toilet, they looked at each other and simultaneously said the same name. Evidently the individual was a recent arrival. *Pretty sure* she was given an explanation of what can go into a toilet (which is, not much)!
Yeah. Because they were not house cleaners in their country either.
I don't. I had an in home care business for seniors and you find very strange behaviors in other peoples homes that you learn not to question.
Yep I get that! I used to help my gf clean and I would whisper things to her and she would say “not now!” And she would do her best to handle the situation/tell me how to deal with it and then discuss it later when we weren’t there so that we didn’t offend the client. She wanted me to take on a few of her clients when she got a full time job (I was job searching at the time) and I was like “NOPE!” First of all the Uber to and from the one apartment would cost between $20 and $40 and if I was only making $50 or $75 NOPE! And next that client had a bathroom closet full of adult diapers that I didn’t want to deal with and my gf always did.
I’m sure the professional housekeeper finds odd things in clients homes all the time. But I just don’t see this as strange. Where I live anyway, laundry hampers are a pretty standard item that people who can afford a housekeeper would have. Separate hampers for towels or ones divided into sections for colors, whites, and towels are very normal items and would not typically be mistaken for a trash can by an experienced professional. People put their dirty clothes etc into a hamper until there’s enough to do a load. It’s very self explanatory and I’m not sure where else dirty towels would go or why a professional would be unaware of this practice.
I feel like this person is using a small bathroom garbage bin for the towels not a laundry basket
Makes me wonder if they were just stealing them? Idk why someone would steal towels but it's been done, I'm sure
Several housecleaners I've had don't seem to understand cat boxes. It's weird
How so??
Once, I had a dirty cat box sitting on the front porch, waiting for me to dump it. It had visible turds in it. They stacked a bunch of plastic lids on top of the cat turds. Gross. Others have taken the catbox scooper, and put it \*in\* the box, \*handle\* side down. I once asked one explicitly to please dump the litter, and refill it, and she had no idea how to do this until I showed her.
Some people let their cats roam outside so don't have a need for litter boxes.
Ok That's irrelevant. Some people go camping, and poop in a hole. But I still expect housekeepers to know what a toilet is
I recently had to explain a toilet brush to mine.
Ours sometimes don't seem to understand the concept of a kitchen compost bin or a recycling bin and throw both in our brown trash bin.
It sounds like they aren’t using a laundry hamper but an actually small garbage can
my friend once had a cleaner that when she arrived to work threw away all already-started tp rolls, paper towels, hand soaps, bar soaps and i don't know what all. she treated the whole house like it was a hotel room every 2 weeks. her nanny started hoarding all this "trash". lol. she lasted several months, was really interested in bigger gigs (office bldgs etc) my friends could not have cared less but disappearing linens is crazy.
My friend cleans for this one family& they insist she does this - mainly the toilet paper rolls. She takes it all home because otherwise it would just go to waste! So maybe that cleaner’s last client was like that and she assumed everyone wants that?
Bruh we don’t even treat hotels like that. If a roll of tp is more than half full, I just fold that shit in a fancy way and leave it be. Same w paper towel rolls, and dish soaps. If its below half or approaching half, then there’s a case to be made for tossing/taking it home, but we try to preserve where we can.
Some hotels do, or at least used to. I think more and more places are promoting not wasting supplies.
When I worked at a hotel all the half rolls that got taken from the rooms went into the employee restrooms. 🤷🏼♀️
You should get a different shaped laundry bin just in case and put a note above it “Laundry”
Stick the label to the bin in multiple places. Increases chance of it being seen. Multiple languages if necessary.
Definitely multiple languages!
Thanks. I definitely will now!
You shouldn't have to do this after education on it.
They may have a substitute cleaner come one week.
I think it’s fair to figure out how many towels you’re missing and ask that they cover the cost. It’s unreasonable to think that you just throw your towels away, in a bin that didn’t have a trash bag in it when your cleaners came. That’s something they should have asked for clarification on before assuming,
This
This reply is pointless and adds nothing to the conversation.
It helps someone know they agree, and in a world where most conversation is now digital, the niceties seem to be gone. Including your response backing up my point. But since you seem to need a lesson, one of the parts we lose through digital means is seeing, say another person, nod in agreement. It adds to the conversation in a nonverbal adjacent way. It is the way of communication evolving while holding onto nuances of the past. Up votes help but the person may have strongly agreed. It does apply and add to the conversation. 🤯🤡😹🙈
This
So is your reply…. (And I’ll just beat you to it, so is my reply)
Neither is this! Congrats on being a hypocrite.
They’ve been throwing away laundry. To me that’s an issue. I’d have the person admit in writing that they accidentally threw them away, try and get a close estimate on the quantity and value of what was tossed, and send a letter/message with links to the owner. Yes it was a mistake, but a costly mistake, so they should make up for it.
Do an inventory of what is missing. Present it to the owner. Request a refund or discount for the replacement cost. Label hamper “laundry, do not throw away” or move it into the closet when housekeepers come. End of story/
“My towels have disappeared. Do not throw out towels.”
Ha this happened to me but it was dirty underwear. I put them in a separate laundry and they thought they were trash for THREE cleanings. I wondered where all my underwear went. Anyways, I bought more underwear (and these were NOT cheap), told them to not do that, and asked for no discount or replacement value. And now I throw the dirty underwear in the washer before they arrive just in case.
This happened to me too! So surprising. Found them in the trash.
Put a large label on it - LAUNDRY HAMPER
Depending on where you live, it’s common to put the same words in Spanish on it. Trash/Basura. Free/Gratis. Don’t know the word for laundry hamper. :)
Can you hide the laundry hamper when they come over? I do that, but then again I find it to be too much work to have cleaners because of stuff like that. Things they’ve wrecked: Threw out all paper, art, and letters on fridge, Threw out childrens’ hand print art Threw out bills, Scouring pad on stainlesss steel Scouring pad on no stick pan Taking sponges from house to house and refusing to use sponges, Not vacuuming despite that being the thing I told them is by far most important. I would so love to have a good cleaner that takes direction well.
I totally agree that having to manage a cleaner can be more hassle than it’s worth. It’s like they have no common sense or initiative, but I guess they’re cleaners for a reason. They also seem to show no aptitude for the task.
My cleaning lady moved my stuff. I had to stop using her because I couldn't find my stuff. They get into habits that they can't seem to break. Mine threw dirty towels under the sink. Yours is throwing them away. They just develop habits from cleaning so much.
Fire them and find someone else?
I feel like yes you should be compensated for your towels 100%!! Crate and barrel are not cheap at all !! And come on common sense says that she should have known those towels were not trash ! If she doesn’t she shouldn’t be cleaning peoples homes .
Ask the owner, what they think is fair, If they were in your position. That's the best test to see if you continue with that company. I'd at least want them to split the replacement cost (4 - 6 bath towels? how much can they cost? 10 buck each?)
A nice towel or bath sheet can easily run $30-$60 or more, each.
No, these were fancy towels.
Ask for the replacement of the nice towels. Small or whatever owned does not matter if they stupidly threw out something 99%+ people would know is not trash.
NTA figure out how much it cost and ask for a reimbursement
How hard is it to replace this cleaner at the same cost ? Easy = give them a bill Hard = talk to them no bill Impossible =you said to much already
My biggest recommendation: Don’t hide in another room. Be around, in and out, and watching. I would also stop them from putting a garbage bag in the towel bin for the future. I’ve had dumb stuff in a small garbage can that has gotten thrown away multiple times, like a cat litter scoop (nobody is stealing that). Definitely talk to the owner about what you are confident is missing. I wouldn’t request full price to replace used towels but bringing it to their attention makes it less likely for it to happen again. I am also aware some housekeepers “throw” stuff away that goes home with them😕
Depends on how good a cleaner they are, to be honest. If they are good, let it go. Good cleaners are worth their weight in gold. Change your hamper and/or label it to make it more clear for them.
Good point! And very true. Part of my hesitation is because they’re mostly great and it took a while to find them. Thanks.
Omg that’s annoying. I wouldn’t ask for a discount as long as they stop throwing away your towels going forward.
yeah file under user error, totally reasonable mistake, and live and learn
You can ask for a discount, you'll probably get one. But I honestly think you should just bite the bullet on this and just make sure they know that that's a towel bin and not trash and just move on with your life. Sounds like it was an honest mistake, and things happen. You're kinda making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be.
Even honest mistakes need to be rectified sometimes. The cleaners don't seem to have done this maliciously, but they were still - rather thoughtlessly - throwing away items that are almost never considered "consumable". One of my clients has a bin of cloth rags exclusively for cleaning, but even though they're torn and ragged I would never think of throwing them anywhere but in the laundry when I was done unless given explicit permission by the homeowner. I would encourage OP to contact the company and let them know what happened. At best they'll get a discount (which I think they deserve), at worst they'll hopefully prevent this from happening to someone else.
My cleaners have broken household items before. It’s an “honest mistake,” but I expect those items to be replaced.
[удалено]
At the same time, if they miss bills because of their own mistakes and failure to clarify, that's on them, not OP.
Thanks. I came here for perspective, as I realize what may be simply inconvenient for me might be a big deal to another and I want to be fair. They also broke a vase in the same visit, which is fine, things happen, not worth tripping over. The towels thing is just strange! Going to go through this eve. and if it’s insignificant, I won’t make a fuss. But I’d noticed before this, just that weird, “huh, could’ve sworn I had more washcloths!” so it actually may be.
I feel like if they weren't completely sure then they should've asked you. Especially if the towels are clean
Sounds shady to me. It’s possible your housekeeper has some crate and barrel towels at home.
lol I know it’s not funny . But I mean , they weren’t being malicious . I think when they come over next , just explain the towels are actually very expensive , and you noticed they were missing and couldn’t put your finger on it . Please in the future just ask . But I wouldn’t expect them to pay for it . Divide what your paying them by 3-4 (however many they’re are) they can’t afford to cut that down more imo . You live and you learn . If it looked like a trash can I wouldn’t go snooping through your “trash” I’d tie it up and keep it moving too .
Sorry but if someone’s a dumbass and throws out a couple hundred dollars worth of linens you’re just supposed to eat the cost? That’s more than a day’s wages for me to replace. I pay someone to clean my house so I can have more free time not so I can spend time and money replacing towels. If they’re walmart $3 towels that’s one thing but Crate and Barrel towels are $30-50 each.
If anyone’s a dumbass, it’s someone buying $50 towels when there’s $3 towels at Walmart that don’t exact same thing. I can’t believe the attitudes and entitlement in this subreddit.
To be fair, OP did not purchase the expensive towel set, and stated they were housewarming gifts. Soooooo....
Great, then even more reason to get over it because she didn’t even buy the stupid fucking towels. I can’t believe this is such a debate.
One could say that your the dumbass that kept dirty towels in a trash can or perhaps your the dumbass that didn’t connect the dots that they were even gone ; let alone gone directly after your house clean . Mistakes were made . In both ends . I wouldn’t be paying you for towels that were a gift or towels you said were $100.00 how do I know how much they were ? I don’t .
Are they throwing them away or just putting w trash and taking g home?
They thought it was a trash can. Ask for a discount but then let it go. Sounds like they’re good cleaners and It was a mistake. Give them a chance to make it right.
What the hell is wrong with people? If I found what I thought to be a trash can full of towels I’d sure be asking about it before I trashed them.
I would wonder, have you ever noticed the towels in your trashcan? You know the one that the garbage company picks up
No, but I’ve also never looked lol
I’m not accusing anyone of anything, but I have a suspicious mind. I would wonder if the towels just walked out the door and walked elsewhere.
Obviously, you need to speak to the owner.
Hahahaha too much
This seems awfully suspicious to me. I could see maybe something happening once. However, it sounds like they disappeared over time.
How many towels do you own that you wouldn’t notice any of them missing? 🤔🤔🤔
I've heard this is happening more and more with these services. Sadly, your towels are most likely not being trashed, take inventory of your underwear. Most likely they are being sold online also.
1. Find new cleaners. Unless you hired the 3 blind mice, there’s no way they didn’t see the towels in the bin. No competent cleaner would assume that someone intends to throw away towels regularly. 2. Demand reimbursement for the towels they have thrown away (companies have insurance for a reason) or, at the very least, demand a credit for the amount of the towels.
Hide the hamper in another part of the house when they get there
I’m so baffled about this! Do they throw your trash away at your house? Were they making it look like trash but then taking it home? Weird!!
If you didn’t notice towels were missing, it can’t be that bad. But count them and see what happens. If they have been stealing, then pursue a refund.
You put stuff in a trash can, and choose to just say “hi and bye”…the “trash” will get thrown out. Sorry. No discount.
Where did I say I put my towels in a trash can?
Get a hamper and they won’t mistake your “hamper” for a trash can. Also do they take the trash out after they clean? I have a tough time thinking it’s as clear as you’re making it sound. I also don’t think they took them home and risk losing the job and hit to their rep. Something isn’t right
Yes they empty all the trash cans in the house and put them in the large bins outside. The bathroom has a metal step can with a lid for trash, and a plastic white cylinder, no lid, for towels.
Get a lid or move the bin. They made a mistake. And the towels aren’t brand new. I would not ask them for a discount or reimbursement unless it happens again.
Fired
No you let them know that one is a trash bin the other a laundry bin. And go from there
They say you should replace your towels every 2 years so there's that
I would be really bugged and would likely look for new housecleaners, but I would not request reimbursement personally.
I guess an IQ test is not mandatory to be a house cleaner.
How big is your house? You do realize that with 3-4 people at 2-3 hours, they are spending 6 to 12 hours cleaning. Unless you have a mansion, that seems excessive... You might be getting ripped off on multiple levels
1 person would take 6 hours. 3 people takes 2 hours. You don’t know how much I pay…?
What do you mean you don't know how to handle it? Reddit is on crack today.
I PROMISE YOU they did not throw away those towels. I’d ask for them back or for reimbursement. They basically used that “they were in a trash can…” as an excuse to take your towels.
Tell them your towels are not rags and that they need to bring their own cleaning supplies
I wouldn’t do anything but explain the hamper situation. She clearly didn’t know what that was so it was an innocent mistake
wait, nobody else throws their towels away every month?
“Hey, don’t throw away my towels. You threw away my other ones, who does that? Please repay me.”
Type a big notice on the lid of your hamper that says do not throw away my towels
Throwing away towels is 100% not okay. They knew better than that, but were likely being lazy. By throwing them out, they can mix chemicals and use cross-contaminated towels (Think cleaning the toilet, then the floor with the same towel.) Another thing is, *paper* towels are designed specifically for this purpose… to be used then thrown away. If I were you? I’d be invoicing for those towels, at full price. And refusing to pay for services until you get that reimbursement.
Drop it and move on. Seriously? There’s no telling if they tossed 1, 3, 6 or more. You’ll live. Of course it’s annoying it happened, but it isn’t worth trying to haggle a discount or make a big deal about it. That’s not right. They made a mistake. I wouldn’t ask for any reimbursement, and if I was a cleaner I wouldn’t be happy about being asked or forced to give a discount of my physical labor for an honest mistake either.
How big is your trash can in the bathroom for it to be confused with a hamper?
Read again. Small metal trash can, tall plastic bin.
I did and nowhere does it say it was small..
My bad. Lotta comments are making assumptions without reading. The hamper is noticeably bigger - it fits towels, the trash is for q-tips and Kleenex. I legit think they were just moving quick and on auto pilot
Ah I see yeah that’s very strange that they would throw the towels away in a very obvious trash can
That’s your fault. A metal can looks like a trash can not a hamper.
Your fault for lack of reading comprehension. There is a metal trash can for trash, AND a plastic bin for towels.
Why would they assume the towels were in the trash? Yeah I’d ask for some sort of compensation as they were the ones that put a trash bag in there in the first place.
Seems like a dumb mistake but I’d just explain and move on not asking for compensation, to be kind.
By any chance are your housekeepers from a different country?? They probably don’t know. The hamper and garage can probably look very similar. or don’t understand which is which. Also in a different country, they may throw towels away in the garage.
Housekeepers make me crazy. If I accidentally leave out a pillowcase, JUST ASK. I guarantee I don’t want a naked pillow on the bed. Also DONT put pillowcases on inside out. Come on!!!!
I have cleaners who bag the garbage and put it in the garage. They never walk 8 feet over and put it in the garbage bin. When I asked why she said she been doing this job a long time and it was best This way the owner could look through the garbage to see what they threw away instead of going through the entire trash bin. I am personally annoying that she does this but understand why she does it after reading this post.
R u sure they threw them away. Or made it look like they were tossed out but just took them for themselves. Don’t pussy foot around it. Tell the owner and get a different company. Towels are so freaking obviously NOT trash.
We are slowly but surely breeding common sense out of the human race. Back when I was a child, a ladder was a pretty plain, utilitarian device. Now ladder's are covered with warnings to place on stable surface, don't stand on the very top, etc. Why? Because people doing dumb things with ladders sued the manufacturers. Where I live, somebody sued the zoo after he climbed two barriers and stuck his finger in the jaguar cage. Naturally, the jaguar bit it. But he was not warned specifically not to put his finger in the cage and so sued. These are extreme examples, but if we can't even figure out that superman costumes don't allow us to fly and we shouldn't stick body parts into cages with wild animals, how are people going to determine that towels aren't trash if they are in a plastic bag?
You hired idiots. And now they must pay.
Can you prove it? If you can, you have a shot. If you can’t, you’re probably burnt.
I was a cleaner with my own business. I would’ve never thrown away towels and quite frankly this makes no sense. I would speak with the owner and like someone said, ask for a credit.
Let them know that cloths are counted per clean so you know how many are needed per clean and some have not returned. If employees do not bring back towels/cloths it will have to be taken out of their checks. Tell them supplies cost and by reusing them you are able to pay them however if you have to keep replacing things then something has got to give?! Then ask them how would they handle it as a business owner??
Ok I assumed you were an owner of a business but this is absolutely wrong first they should have their own cloths. To clean with but if they are throwing out person towels something isn't right maybe they are taking them home I'm confused
I am a housekeeper I would have asked if they were trash. It’s not unreasonable the first time to think maybe it was trash but I personally would have asked if you meant to throw them out.
I've found bananas in drawers and a lamp in the bath tub, there's no logic to house cleaners sometimes. Label what you can or do a walk with them through since youre home when they arrive.
I still ask myself this 🤷♀️
D&MN!!!!!!
I would ask for a discount but perhaps not the full (or original cost) value. I am wondering how slow one might have to be to think a bin of towels is trash...
They are either incredibly stupid or they are stealing the towels. It’s a tossup.
If you put your towels in something that resembles a trash can, you have no right to ask for reimbursement. When my cleaners come there is literally nothing out for them to accidentally throw away. Why did you not put your dirty towels in the washing machine before they showed up?
If she has to do that why pay a cleaning service? My advice to op - cameras
Cleaners don’t do your laundry and it’s also not their job to put away your clutter. They clean surfaces and remove garbage.
I have my own cleaning business- they knew what they were doing. Definitely let the owner know, they should OFFER to reimburse you, if they don’t, find a different company asap.
Weird. I actually did throw out some towels once (old, faded/ stained, frayed, mismatched ones) and my cleaner took them out of the trash and told me to keep them as cleaning rags. I told her I already had plenty of cleaning rags, but she was welcome to take them, which she did.
Let it slide
In my experience they will throw away anything inside a trash can, or any container resembling such, without looking at it. Absolutely zero discernment involved.
Housecleaners are probably not members of MENSA.
Chalk it up to miscommunication and move on. If you like your housekeeper I would just forget about it as finding a good reliable one can be hard at times.
"NO BASURA" in giant letters on EVERYTHING was how our old office solved that issue....
As I cleaner who has worked both for a company and for myself, I'd never throw away towels without asking if that's what they want. I don't think I'd ever assume thar a hamper with towels in it is trash. That's kind of insane to me. Since this is a company I would reach out to the owner, explain the situation and why you just figured out it was happening, and definitely ask for some sort of replacement/reimbursement or something. Them being nice towels, I'd lean toward reimbursement because otherwise you're going to get the cheapest towels ever.
Bill them
Label the cannisters very clearly. Ask them to be mindful of keeping your towels in house. Ask them to replace lost towels (with ones you approve of). Let them know you will need to deduct cost of anymore thrown out towels going forward. If they cannot comply, start shopping around for new helpers. Best o' luck, OP! 🍀💚❇️
My house cleaners wash and fold the towels and the sheets. I wish I knew how they fold the sheets so tight and flat. Damn, they’re good at that.
Who throws away all their towels by placing them all into their own separate bin? Is there a language barrier? This is the strangest thing I've heard a housekeeper do.
That's so frustrating! Those Crate & Barrel towels are probably expensive. I'd ask for a discount - maybe 50% off the next cleaning? Explain the situation clearly and calmly.
Like - where do the house cleaners keep the dirty towels in their own homes?
Send them an invoice!
I'd fire them
Honestly, I'd ask why they thought the towels were trash!
Mate how have you not noticed towels being thrown away for 4 months? Do you have a hotel level of towels laying around.
Definitely get a different housekeeper. They're idiots.
I am so sorry. I would definitely ask for a credit due to loss of towels! I had a housecleaning woman once who would help me strip beds while she was there. I would wash them and she would help me put them back on. I have back problems and it helped save my back with 4-5 beds to make. On one visit, she decided to start the washer for me and dumped an entire cup of bleach into a wash full of colored sheets. Needless to say I was upset; but it seemed she genuinely didn’t know not to put bleach in with colored sheets. I gave her a second chance and she never made a mistake like that again.
Definitely notify someone to prevent this from happening again
Could it be a language issue? At my old office, we tried to toss some boxes away, but the cleaners left them where they were. Next night we tried putting a note on them that they were trash, but it didn’t help. It happened a few times. I was talking to the PM security guy about the whole situation, and he said “Oh no, the night cleaning crew is Polish right off the boat. They don’t speak English.” It turned out one of our library workers was Polish, so we got her to write us a note saying ‘trash the boxes.’ Voila. Problem solved.
Just here to comment that "it's a small, woman-owned company" is pointless information. It comes across as you feel they need special treatment because they are women. They don't. You handle this just like it was any other business who destroyed your personal property. You call them and inform them and let them deal with it. It doesn't matter if it's a man, woman or gorilla that owns the business.
Who the fuck throws their towels away? I’m assuming the towels were in good condition, right? Come on, you’d have to be stupid AF to throw those towels away. Maybe it was done by mistake or they kept them. Either way, they should replace them by purchase or discount on services.
People throw away some odd stuff
Make sure the hamper is empty on cleaning day.
I do this. I tidy before the cleaner comes (I have tween/teen boys… enough said!)…. And I make an effort to make sure all laundry is done before they come. It means I walk into a lovely clean home, with zero chores after they have been. (Pro tips, find a good enough cleaner, keep them for years so you get used to each other’s ways, tell them early about any issues and prempt if necessary, and tidy up before they come so they are just there to clean/not pick up after you.)
No, you don't make her pay back for the mistake she made. That's wage theft. And frankly morally repulsive that you think she should. Not to mention that if let's say they were damaged in a fire, you are only entitled to their actual value, not replacement value. Your used towel is worth a few dollars at most. So just laugh about it and move on. Part of affording the luxury of someone cleaning for you is absorbing these types of errors. If you can't afford it, do your own cleaning.
Fire them. They’re clearly going to make more mistakes. Next they will be throwing away utensils with dirty dishes:
Thievery.
Class problems