Wednesday, August 5, 2009

I Probably Shouldn't Admit This

I think it's time for some True Slovenly Housekeeper Confessions.

And by the way, totally off subject, may I say how much I adore the British use of the word "sluttish" as a synonym for slovenly. It's so much more amusing. I would use it more often, if the American meaning of the word wouldn't get me so many funny looks.

BUT ANYWAY.

I mopped the kitchen floor yesterday. It had gotten way too gross to stand any longer, what with a pickle brine spill, dogs tracking in mud, and what appeared to be some of A.'s very red spice rub flung at random about the floor. While I was mopping, it occurred to me that SOME people probably mop their kitchen floors on a regular basis, not just when they get too disgusting to tolerate. Some people may do it every week. Or more frequently. I should be one of those people, because our kitchen gets a lot of heavy, very dirty traffic, and the floor is always pretty nasty. Except it's for that very reason that I DON'T do it all that often. It's such a Sisyphean task, you know? No sooner has the floor partially dried than dirty boots are stomping through, someone drops food on the floor getting lunch, or the dogs come in and spread their filth with abandon. It's dispiriting.

I figured that the last time I mopped was about a month ago. The time before that? Who the hell knows.

I'm pretty sure I will not be getting the Housekeeper of the Year Award this year.

So tell me, duckies: How often do YOU mop your kitchen floor?
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18 comments:

  1. sheilaAugust 5, 2009 at 6:05 AM

    I like your method. Only clean when it's too disgusting to tolerate any longer. I figure when I get old and vision gets dim, I just won't notice anymore. That will be good. Less work, more time for play.

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  2. LeslieAugust 5, 2009 at 6:41 AM

    Once a week - on Mondays. That's right, I adhere to a "chore a day" routine. It helps keep my OCD in check.

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  3. SusanAugust 5, 2009 at 6:47 AM

    I sweep it once or twice a week just because it starts to look like a carpet of dog hair. But actually mop it? You're supposed to do that?

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  4. AnonymousAugust 5, 2009 at 7:30 AM

    Whenever I finish the bathroom floor and the towley thing is not tooo dirty, I move to the kitchen so as not to waste all that unused loveliness on the paper towel. It's a small house.

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  5. Mayberry MagpieAugust 5, 2009 at 7:46 AM

    Once a week. But I'm not bragging and I will point out that I have a veritable labor camp of helpers with Mr. Mom, two teenagers, and a housekeeper.

    Your kitchen sounds like my mud room, which only gets mopped once a month. The mud room floor is red brick so it really never looks clean anyway.

    By my estimation, you live on a farm, and everybody knows farm (and ranch) floors take a beating. I know a bachelor rancher who once admitted to liking a farm girl but refused to get serious because her floor was too dirty. Thank god A is enlightened.

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  6. AnonymousAugust 5, 2009 at 8:10 AM

    What's a MOP?????

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  7. AnonymousAugust 5, 2009 at 8:17 AM

    My dear I am on your team with this one. Let's go do something more important, like sit on the porch and read....

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  8. SaintTigerlilyAugust 5, 2009 at 8:27 AM

    Quarterly. We mop the whole house quarterly (but we vacuum the (1, livingroom and not wall to wall)carpet weekly lest it become just another large flat cat.

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  9. CarrieAugust 5, 2009 at 8:50 AM

    If "mopping" can include my Swiffer WetJet, then I do it about every two weeks. If no WetJets are allowed, then... I'm embarassed to say I don't remember the last time I had a mop and bucket out.

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  10. MeadowlarkAugust 5, 2009 at 9:19 AM

    Wait... I have the original linoleum from 1959 with the little gold and beige squares. Do you really think mopping would make my floor look any better? I think not.

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  11. KayAugust 5, 2009 at 10:25 AM

    Hands & knees or mop and bucket (i.e. "Real" mopping) maybe once a year. Swiffer Wet Jet- 10-14 days depending on if we are having company over and the amount of coffee drips and general stickiness.

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  12. QuiltedSimpleAugust 5, 2009 at 10:28 AM

    I would prefer your method, but my OCD tendencies mean that during the week - scrubbing on hands and knees every other day. On the weekends with all of us at home? Scrubbing on hands and knees 3-4 times a day. And sweeping it EVERY day during the week and 4-5 times on the weekends. Fortunately, my kitchen is not big at all.

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  13. DaisyAugust 5, 2009 at 2:52 PM

    "Sluttish" and "Sisyphean" in the same post - no wonder I keep coming back. :)

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  14. me againAugust 5, 2009 at 3:25 PM

    Mop? Do I own a mop? I will have to go look............

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  15. rlsAugust 5, 2009 at 4:49 PM

    Anonymous of the sitting on the porch and reading: you are my new best friend.

    I think the last time I mopped was when all my family was coming over for Christmas dinner. Yeah. How embarrassingly sluttish.

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  16. Chiot's RunAugust 6, 2009 at 9:28 AM

    I used to do it twice weekly, then I graduated to once weekly, now that I'm super busy with 2 jobs, a garden, a blog and too much other stuff going on I only do it once every two weeks and once I went 4 weeks between. We live in a small house and have 1 large dog, 3 cats, are here 24/7 since we work from home, I can a lot of stuff so our floor can get a bit dirty. Thank goodness for easy to clean harwood floors throughout the house. It only takes me 45 minutes to vaccuum and mop the entire house :) If I'm really speedy I can clean the bathrooms in that time as well.

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  17. GlendaAugust 7, 2009 at 11:45 AM

    When company is coming.

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  18. FinnyKnitsAugust 7, 2009 at 2:25 PM

    I'll ask the cleaning lady. I mean, she SHOULD be doing it every time she's here, but I have my doubts.

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