The War of Tile and Scum
The fumes have barely cleared, but even with my eyes burning in protest the message was clear. We did not win this battle. Perhaps, though, we did not lose. The next time would still be hard, but now the way was prepared. The next time there would be no retreat, though my hands lay wrinkled and burned with chemicals, though I cough as the fearsome Clorox burned a path through the enemy.
Next time, the bathroom would be sparkling clean.
...
Not that was all we did today, but it's been at least the past hour of my day off. Forest had a list and we followed it. Recycling was taken in, library books returned, change-of-address forms filled out, grandparents visited.
(One reason for the grandparental visit was not only to give them our new address and my phone number, but to make sure they were okay and to see if grandpa's random musings on our last visit about giving me the car he can no longer use would translate into action. On these visits, I always attend to some minor electronic question of theirs, like how to find the TV/VCR button on the remote or how to program a universal remote control. Also, grandpa gave me $9, which I found bemusing but what the heck.
Oh, also: No car offer. But they might sell it to me for cheap if I ask them again. Yes, they are very generous people.)
We purchased some handy cleaning gadget, basically a triangular sponge with an extendable handle that is supposed to make cleaning tubs and tile a snap. Well, I almost snapped using it, so I guess that's something.
It really wasn't that bad when I used it on the floor, but it barely took care of the basic soap scum in the tub. I had to take a hand-held scrubbie and get on hands and knees to make any headway against the real trouble spots. And can I just say, "Scrub-Free" cleaning solution implies, to me, that I should have to scrub at all? Yet I know I spent at least half an hour scrubbing, and still there's more to do next week.
On the other hand, the rest of the bathroom is pretty darn clean now. We'll give it one more pass after we move out, but I feel confident the apartment manager is not going to ding us for that one. And considering how much it will cost to replace our carpet, every little bit helps.
Next time, the bathroom would be sparkling clean.
...
Not that was all we did today, but it's been at least the past hour of my day off. Forest had a list and we followed it. Recycling was taken in, library books returned, change-of-address forms filled out, grandparents visited.
(One reason for the grandparental visit was not only to give them our new address and my phone number, but to make sure they were okay and to see if grandpa's random musings on our last visit about giving me the car he can no longer use would translate into action. On these visits, I always attend to some minor electronic question of theirs, like how to find the TV/VCR button on the remote or how to program a universal remote control. Also, grandpa gave me $9, which I found bemusing but what the heck.
Oh, also: No car offer. But they might sell it to me for cheap if I ask them again. Yes, they are very generous people.)
We purchased some handy cleaning gadget, basically a triangular sponge with an extendable handle that is supposed to make cleaning tubs and tile a snap. Well, I almost snapped using it, so I guess that's something.
It really wasn't that bad when I used it on the floor, but it barely took care of the basic soap scum in the tub. I had to take a hand-held scrubbie and get on hands and knees to make any headway against the real trouble spots. And can I just say, "Scrub-Free" cleaning solution implies, to me, that I should have to scrub at all? Yet I know I spent at least half an hour scrubbing, and still there's more to do next week.
On the other hand, the rest of the bathroom is pretty darn clean now. We'll give it one more pass after we move out, but I feel confident the apartment manager is not going to ding us for that one. And considering how much it will cost to replace our carpet, every little bit helps.