‘My helper washes clothes on the floor, making it slippery for my elderly mum’ — Employer says her maid refuses to use the washing machine

SINGAPORE: When it comes to doing laundry, most Singaporeans rely on the magic of the washing machine. But one employer is finding herself knee-deep in water — quite literally — no thanks to her helper, who insists on scrubbing her clothes the old-fashioned way… but on the toilet floor.

In a Facebook post in the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper group, a concerned employer shared her frustration: “What would you do if your helper of 8 months continues washing her clothes in the toilet, making the floor slippery, and leaving the service yard soaking wet from her wet clothing? This poses a serious risk to my elderly mum.”

Her 80-year-old mother had already suffered a fall last month due to the wet floor. Yet despite repeated warnings and offers to use the household washing machine — either with the other helper’s or the elderly mum’s own laundry — the maid still refuses because “she’s uncomfortable mixing loads [of clothes] with other people,” the employer explained. “Do we allow her to wash just her load in our 18-kilo machine [just] to accommodate her?” the employer asked for opinions.

While some readers sympathised with the helper’s personal hygiene preference, others were firmly with Team Grandma.

One group member offered a practical tip: “Ma’am, please advise your helper to wipe the floor dry after washing her clothes. It’s her responsibility to keep it dry and clean after use… especially when there is an elderly person in the house.”

Another added a splash of perspective: “She (maid) should be grateful because mostly helpers here (in Singapore) are not allowed to wash their clothes [in the washing machine].”

Yet others were more blunt: “If she doesn’t want to listen, better change the helper before your mother suffers. Stay safe!”

The post has sparked fresh debate over domestic helper boundaries, cultural preferences, and the eternal friction between traditional ways and modern tech.

But in most Singaporean households, the washing machine is a sacred appliance. It saves time, water, and, apparently, hip bones. However, for some, hand-washing is still preferred and considered cleaner when it comes to doing personal laundry.

The employer is now stuck in a conundrum between respecting her helper’s autonomy and protecting her elderly mum’s safety, and not to mention her dry floor.

One suggestion floated: Give the helper a dedicated laundry day and machine slot just for her clothes, so that she doesn’t need to mix her loads with others, nor create a water park either.

At the heart of it, this is more than just about laundry — it’s about cohabitation, compromise, and maybe a pair of waterproof anti-slip/skid slippers for grandma.

Otherwise, someone’s going to slip — and it shouldn’t be the employer’s patience.

In other news, a totally different kind of laundry drama took place where the problem isn’t washing on the floor… It’s not washing at all! Read more about the grimy details over here: Maid’s employer says, ‘I have a horrible, unhygienic helper who neither washes her clothes nor throws away her used pads’