Should I Ask My MIL to Pay for Carpet Cleaning in the Room She Lived In?

Some families treat “staying with us for a while” like it comes with a free trial, and this one turned into a full-on carpet-cleaning standoff.

The OP says her husband’s mom and brother booked flights and moved into their home for almost two years, with zero real discussion. At the time, OP had a 2-year-old and was dealing with a brutal pregnancy, hyperemesis and an irritable uterus, and the plan was supposed to be temporary. Instead, they “loomed after her” and stayed, then left the room looking wrecked, including stains on the mattress and old marks on the carpet.

Now OP is asking her MIL to pay for cleaning the room she lived in, and the reply was basically, “I don’t remember doing that.”

Original Post

I have asked my MIL to pay for carpet to be cleaned in the room she lived in for almost two years. Bit of context about 2 years ago my husband got a call saying that his mother and brother had booked flights to come and move to our state and to live with us.

They didnt ask they just did. I had a 2 year old at the time and had just found out i was pregnant.

We outlined they had to look for somewhere else to live as we were expecting and i have awful pregnancies with hyperemisid, irritable uterus etc. Long story short that didnt happen.

She had some medical issue of her own and we pretty much loomed after her for 2 years, she won a legal case now and came into money and is suddenly getting better. *insert eye roll* anyway i cleaned out the room she lived in as she left it a mess with her rug and other bits and peices, she didnt even bother to buy sheets she fkn took mine.

Due to her "illness" she would vomit quite a bit, when moving the bed and bedframe i noticed there were vomit stains over the mattress, and dried vomit stains and what looks like spilled soft drink stains on the floor of the side of the bed she slept on. I dont mind cleaning but these stains look old and deep.

I sent her pictured and said hey i might need you to pay for the carpet to get cleaned in the room. She replied with i dont remember doing that.

I have never asked her to do ANYTHING or pay for anything while she lived with us. I feel like she is trying to blame it on the kids..

I didnt even ask her to replace the stained mattress or pillows or doona that ive had to throw out. Just want to know if IATA

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This is similar to the AITA about donating inheritance to charity while family claimed entitlement.

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When OP found the mattress covered in old vomit stains and the floor had dried spill marks, she stopped treating this like a normal move-out mess.

After two years of caring for MIL through medical issues, OP sent photos and requested payment for carpet cleaning, hoping it would be a simple closeout.

MIL’s response, “I don’t remember doing that,” is where the blame game starts to feel like it’s being aimed at the kids.

And the fact that OP says MIL took her sheets, while OP never asked MIL to replace the mattress or bedding, makes the whole situation feel extra unfair.

How would you handle this situation? Let us know in the comments.

Nobody wants to pay for someone else’s mess, especially when it’s been sitting in the carpet for two years.

Still torn about money and family entitlement? Read whether someone should keep inheritance instead of giving it to nieces and nephews.