Cleaning influencer Lynsey Crombie, known as the 'Queen of Clean,' has revealed the harrowing experience of discovering her then-husband was a pedophile while 28 weeks pregnant with twins. Crombie, who rose to prominence on Channel 4's 'Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners' and later built a significant social media following, described the moment police arrived at her door as a life-altering event.
In an interview, Crombie recounted her immediate reaction to the revelation, stating she poured bleach over herself and her surroundings in a desperate attempt to cleanse herself of his presence. The ordeal led to her going into premature labor days after her husband's arrest.
Crombie, now 46, explained that her daughters, Mollie and Olivia, were born severely underweight and required specialized care. She moved in with her parents, struggling financially and taking on cleaning jobs to rebuild her life. She credits her daughters with saving her, providing the motivation to create a new life for them.
Her ex-husband, whom she refers to as 'The Freak,' is reportedly back in prison for a third or fourth time, with the latest arrest involving child and animal content found on his computer. Crombie stated that she has never hidden the truth from her daughters, who learned about their biological father's crimes around the age of nine. Letters from him in prison, she recalled, were filled with self-pity rather than remorse.
Crombie's journey to success was paved with hardship. She met her first husband, described as 'Catalogue Man,' in her early twenties. She later discovered he had accumulated significant debt, even purchasing her wedding dress on credit. On their wedding day, her future sister-in-law questioned whether she knew of his prison record. Crombie said she was aware he had served time for a fight, but not for sex offenses. She expressed disbelief that his family had not informed her, recalling her mother-in-law's comment, "Oh, not again," upon his arrest.
She detailed signs she now recognizes, such as her husband's late-night computer activity and his habit of pulling the plug from the wall when she entered his office. At the time, she was in her early twenties and preoccupied with trying to have a child, having suffered three miscarriages before her twin pregnancy.
Following her ex-husband's arrest, Crombie recounted slapping his mother, accusing her of knowing about his crimes. Contact with her in-laws ceased, despite them having other grandchildren. Crombie also noted the family came under scrutiny from child protection services for years following the revelations.
Crombie felt the system often pressured women to remain with abusive partners. She recalled attending a support group where most women chose to stay with their partners, a decision she found baffling. She believes social services may encourage this to ensure the partner does not re-offend, but she argues there is insufficient support for women in such traumatic situations.
After her divorce, Crombie met her second husband, Rob, a medical representative. She was upfront about her situation, texting him, "I’m going through a divorce, my ex is a paedophile and I have two kids. Still interested?" Rob stayed, and Crombie acknowledges he is the calmer influence in their relationship. Her entrepreneurial drive, stemming from her marketing background, was instrumental in her success. She capitalized on her appearance on 'Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners' to build her brand.
Crombie joined Instagram initially to monitor her daughters' online activity. A picture of her clean kitchen floor in 2016 led to a surge in 'likes,' and she began posting more cleaning content and tips. Within six months, her follower count grew significantly, leading to brand partnerships and her recognition as an early 'cleanfluencer.'
She has spoken openly about her struggles with anxiety and depression after the revelations, finding solace in cleaning and basic self-care activities like getting outside. Crombie emphasizes that even in the darkest times, survival and even thriving are possible, a message she conveys through her platform and her book, 'The 15-Minute Clean.'