My daughter was in the car waiting for her sister and me, who were putting on our shoes to go to a riding lesson, and suddenly BLEURGH, she puked. I mean she got rid of everything she had eaten all day, soaked the carseat, soaked the floor mat, the carpet under the floor mat, the back of the front seat, you name it. It even ran down the seat and into the gap between the seat and the backrest of the car, and down into the bit where the seatbelt sticks out. Am I ever going to get the smell out, is what I want to know. I have scrubbed and spot treated and scrubbed again, and scrubbed with Basic H and scrubbed with Fresh Laundry and sprayed and dried and washed and scrubbed and sprinkled baking soda, and the miasma in the car is still formidable.
To top it all off, we got to the riding lesson, groomed the horse, tacked him, and then the instructor phoned to say she had an emergency and couldn’t make it.
Argh.
I am bailing out – it is 8:15 and I am leaving the house to have coffee with my friend. Can’t stand it another minute – can’t stand being The Mum – the person who is in charge of cleaning up all the most unpleasant messes. Everybody’s peed pants, everybody’s accidental diarrhea toots, everybody’s vomit, everybody’s bloody noses are MY responsibility. Bad enough during the rest of the year - flu season is too much for me. I just can’t take it anymore. I need an hour away, and coffee, and maybe a stroll through a magazine section somewhere.
Here I am, beyond thrilled because I get to spend an hour and a half in Starbucks - my first coffee break in around 3 weeks. "Mum" is the grittiest job there is, and you've got hardly any sodding break from it.
But hey - at least it teaches you to be grateful for small mercies.
13 comments:
Ugh.
Just, ugh.
YUK! Have you tried baking soda sprinkled on the offending areas then vacuumed up?
Oh I hear ya. I hear ya!
Hey on another note I've got a little something from the janitorial shop here that should help get rid of the smell if you'd like to give it a go :)
Yes, the baking soda has been liberally sprinkled. Vacuuming will commence as soon as it's dry enough. Fingers crossed!
Thanks a lot Rona - but if the janitorial shop thingy is a chemical, I'll pass for now. I always prefer "au naturel" if possible. If it still stinks in a week or so, I'll get back to you!
Oh man . . . do I ever relate. I read this the day you wrote it, and I was singing the same tune. I declared a strike, and didn't make dinner*, just so I could try to catch up on the chaos. I didn't get far, but I think they may have gotten some of the message.
Hang in there . . .
*No children were starved that evening. They managed to find things to eat. ;o)
My favorite cleaner is a solution of hot water, white vinegar, and borax: 1 quart warm water
1 teaspoon liquid soap
1 teaspoon borax
1/4 cup undiluted white vinegar
After cleaning with that, you can mix up a solution of a couple drops of essential oil (citrus, sandalwood...whatever appeals to you) and witch hazel in spray bottle and spray lightly to introduce a fresher scent.
I hear ya... It gets pretty tiring being a one person haz-mat team.
A double dose of Cinnamon Latte's hopefully helped see a wee flicker of light!
Thursday is now reserved as MOM time!
Hang in there. Also, great info from Valerie - I've taken notes!!
Hugs,
k
I read this while eating stew. Thanks!
The worst part is when you phone your mother to complain, and get stories from her about things that you and your siblings did that were far messier, awful or otherwise. We don't get nearly enough respect, pay or time off, but we do get lots of love, which makes up for the rest.
Oh, dear, how awful. You have my sincere sympathy -- just took the kids to my parents for a visit and had two separate nights with two separate kids vomiting repeatedly and everywhere. Ugh.
Have you tried an enzyme cleaner? Those neutralize odors better than anything for me.
I hope your daughter gets better soon and this does not spread!
I hear you on the whole needing a break once in awhile from being The One In Charge.
Take care of yourself.
You have my deepest sympathies. My son did that at least twice a month for a couple of years whenever we drove more than two miles. From the time he was about a year old, he rode in his car seat holding a bucket.
Before he was bucket trained, I was a regular the auto detailing shop. Fifty-four dollars plus tip was a small price to pay. Sure they probably used radioactive chemicals, and one day my head will fall off, but at least my car didn't smell like bus station toilet.
Amen to Carlarey's suggestion - sometimes it's worth the $$ and the chemicals. Of course, coffee and a magazine rack romp are cheaper but one still must return to The Odour!! My mantra from those days was, This, Too, Shall Pass. It did but there were days I wasn't sure we were all going to make it! Thinking of you.
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