Thursday, October 20, 2022

Dirty Housewives

Confession; I have the view that if it can't be seen, it doesn't need a clean. Cleaning under large whitegoods appliances or furniture is only done when they have to be moved for other reasons.

While R dusts my minimal bedroom furniture, I  don't expect him to pull things apart to dust them, including this nest of tables. I had noticed the tables becoming rather dusty...very dusty. So I had to take the nest apart and give it a wash. No Andrew. Do not take the individual tables in with you when you have your morning shower. A bit more effort is required. For several months I procrastinated over what took half an hour. I spent more time thinking about doing it than actually doing it.

I half filled a bucket of very warm water with a light dose of liquid hand soap and got to work. The intricate bits at the side took some cleaning. I didn't clean the nest enough to put up for sale in an antique shop but it looks much better.

There was a time in three of our houses where we lived the nest was regularly used in our lounge rooms, pulled apart and used as side tables. That was back in the days when we were social and had friends. I had forgotten how beautiful they are. They are black lacquered and finely polished back to expose some of the... I forget, rose wood or cherry wood. I will clean them in another ten years.


34 comments:

  1. They are lovely. Sadly I have to admit that the ambience of our home (and my head) is almost always cluttered and dusty.

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    1. There we differ EC. I like orderly, things in place and no clutter.

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  2. Oh dear Andrew! I think you should look out for a training course in household cleaning. "Out of sight, out of mind" is not a philosophy that would meet with The Good Lord's approval.

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    1. YP, let me assure you I know all about cleaning and have done if for many years. Maybe the more forgiving BeJesus would take a more charitable view of my cleaning standards than God's.

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    2. Is "BeJesus" an Australian cleaning product? "Guaranteed to get rid of marsupial stains".

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    3. There are some unfortunate stains in the High Rise and I doubt the guaranteed BeJesus stain remover would get rid of our unfortunate marsupial stains. To send you off for some googling, those pesky invading paddy melons do make a mess of our New Zealand wool high tuft count carpet.

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    4. Your exchange leaves me speechless... too funny.

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  3. They're beautiful. I too subscribe to the theory if you can't see them, they must be clean:)

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  4. I follow the Andrew school of housework. I also get very upset when things get moved as that shows the dust. Put them back in exactly the same place, please. Fresh flowers distract from dust, as well.
    Your tables are very lovely.

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    Replies
    1. Caro, window replacement man moved a lounge chair. While he was away I quickly vacuumed up crisps and assorted detritus fallen between the side by side chairs.

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  5. Replies
    1. A lot easier for you now Diane than it used to be in a big house.

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  6. I only clean in the rooms we use every day - the kitchen and eating area, TV room, 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom. If the other bedrooms and play areas are dusty, I don't know about it :)

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    Replies
    1. Hels, that is sensible. Keep the doors shut to unused rooms and not heat and cool them either.

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  7. Those tables are beautiful. Do they have a story?

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    1. Debby, maybe they do but we've owned them since about 1985 and I can't remember even where we bought them. Fortunately they can't speak of everything they've heard over thirty plus years.

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  8. Dust build up in those fancy pieces, but they do look wonderful. Don't mind cleaning sometimes :)

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    1. Margaret, it is nice to stand back and admire what you have done.

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  9. Can’t see it - don’t worry about……except when you move the bed and realise how much dust there is on the skirting boards. No wonder I wake feeling stuffy in the nose. It’ll soon be open windows every day time so it’ll be move bed more regularly time.
    They really are nice looking tables Andrew

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    Replies
    1. Gosh Cathy. Doesn't the skirting board behind your bed get dirty. But it is not floating dust, so I wouldn't worry about it much. Thanks.

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  10. They are nice tables! Our coffee table gathers dust like crazy and every once in a while I look at it and think, "I should dust that," and then I don't.

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    Replies
    1. Steve, and there is Quentin Crisp's advice on housework.

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  11. I realize how privileged I have been for the last 45 years in that there has always been someone to dust and clean and whatsits as I am, and remain, a useless housekeeper. PS I adore your tables.
    XO
    WWW

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    Replies
    1. Good for you M. We really should employ someone, especially for the bathrooms.

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  12. There should be a weekly show about you two. Dirty Housewives.

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  13. That's why we have a cleaning lady! I kinda remember what it was like to have friends and be social.

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    1. Jackie, we should have one but it keeps R a bit fitter, haha.

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  14. P.S. love seeing that familiar header again!

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  15. I love the tables. I clean what I can see and do the deep cleaning if I am expecting visitors who might notice the dust behind and under things. I use a duster with an extension handle to get under the white goods and under the bed, but not nearly as often as I used to. It just doesn't seem to matter anymore.

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    Replies
    1. River, visitors should not be behind and under things. I certainly care less about cleaning than I ever have.

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