January 9, 2008
I am pretty good at keeping up with the “maintenance” type of cleaning around the house, like cleaning the bathroom, dusting, sweeping and so on. I am not so good at staying on top of the “deep cleaning” type chores. I am not a good mopper. I am not a good shower cleaner. My refrigerator could be cleaned more often. And so on. The main thing about it, I think, is that when I do the chore, I spend a lot of time and effort on it and it is really hard to see that I really made a difference. For example, our house is kind of old and one of our bathroom still needs to be remodeled. If I clean the shower, I can spend over an hour working on it and you won’t even be able to tell I have spent a minute on it. Frustrating.
So, I have been thinking I need to mop for about a month or two now. Tegan is crawling all over and a human vacuum and it was just really overdue. Today was the day. We have a lot of wood as well as tile in the kitchen and bathroom to mop. So, I did it. I spent an hour or so, moving everything and scrubbing. And now, it hardly looks like I did anything. I want it to shine. I want to feel proud of my hard work and be able to see a difference. Nothing. In fact, I saw a little spot and used a baby wipe to clean it up (my primary cleaning source…baby wipes). I got the spot. And the wipe turned kind of dirty as I wiped up a little larger area. I got another wipe. Wiped another spot. A little dirty. What the heck? What did I do? Maybe I should have changed the water? But one of the spots was right where I started, with the cleanest water. Maybe I need a new mop? Maybe if I mopped more often, there wouldn’t be so much dirt? Discouraged again and really, really not thinking I want to mop for no reason (since the floor is going to be dirty anyway) again in the near future.
It’s got to be cleaner, right?
Comments
Georgia:
Oh man! I know how you feel, this morning I found cat doo on the corner of my comforter cover from a ehem ‘soiley’ cat paw. Straight into the washing machine! I just can’t seem to keep it all clean. And to think I was thinking the day before the flood that I needed to mop. Glad I didn’t waste the time.
January 10, 2008 2:21 PM
Danielle:
Most of my home is carpet and when the boys were scooting and crawling they left tiny drool spots everywhere. Not to mention spots from food and sippy cups, it was horrible! It’s cream color and you can see everything. Luckily I know a good carpet cleaner who comes to clean my carpets every 3 months for free!(aka:my husband:)Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to stand it.
January 11, 2008 3:08 PM
Krista:
Here is the thing, I have never seen your house dirty, or with anything out of place for that matter. You are a particularly clean person and I can guarantee that your house is clean enough. Clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be home. My kids would be in a much more cleanly place at your house….want them? I do understand what you are saying, once a YEAR when I decided to do some sort of cleaning inevitably that same day someone spills something and I am back to where I started. I thought it was just me so I am glad you shared your story. I still consider you THE cleanest person I know though. Does that help?
January 15, 2008 4:52 PM
Georgia Woodson:
I agree with Krista - I have never seen your house messy and everything has it’s perfect place. I have also never seen you leave a dish unwashed before you go to sleep. You are spicandspan-tacular!
January 16, 2008 1:02 PM
Georgia Woodson:
Oh I forgot - I have seen your house messy one time - when I had that little um… ‘party’ at your place that time you went to Tennessee and I house sat for you. :)
January 16, 2008 1:22 PM
erika:
Thanks, guys. You are all too kind and too much. You will have to believe me, though, that it is dirty around here. I have been very productive though, lately. I cleaned our rug in our living room and I have started a many day task of scrubbing the shower. I feel good about it!
January 17, 2008 3:15 PM