Cleaning is the new black
I was 3 years old in 1979 when the lovely Jenny Logan first 'shake-and-vac'ed into my consciousness. The advert was shown for another 10 years, and that persistent delivery of a jingle which is 2 parts ear-worm to 1 part message has finally paid off for Glade. Last week I parted with a whole 68 pence to make my first ever purchase of Glade Shake n Vac Citrus Fresh.
What amazes me is the conviction of my purchase. Having washed our carpets a few weeks ago, I found my bedroom carpet emitting a few strange aromas as it dried very slowly ... nothing requiring gas masks or immediate relocation, just the odd whiff of something ... odd. And before I could even say "cash cow" I was at the supermarket checkouts, confident that in just a matter of hours my carpet, and my room, would smell fresh again. I didn't look on the internet, didn't even google "remove carpet aroma after washing". I didn't wander up and down the household products aisle wondering what to buy, or ask assistance from a friendly shelf-stacking person. I just remembered what to do.
Not only that, but I didn't read the instructions. No no, I recalled the distinctive wrist action, found it to be really quite a satisfying movement (though the hips were beyond me), and I shook, and then vacced. And it worked.
Thank you Jenny Logan.
In other exciting news this week, I have sorted out my tupperware. It was quite out of control, and the trouble with cleaning your house is that as each task is tackled it only serves to hilight the chaos remaining around it. So, the tupperware mountain that threatened to bury myself or Badger in a polyethylene avalanche any time we went for milk from the fridge became a Priority. Yes, I am quite aware that I just used the words tupperware and priority in the same sentence. Oh dear. Well. Anyway ... luckily Badger was on hand to oversee the process, in her own very special blunt way she looked me in the eye and said "You DON'T need THAT", as I nervously dusted my lettuce spinner. "But ... but ... but ... " I blustered, thinking fondly of the two occasions on which I had put it to use in the previous four years. I conceded. I took it to oxfam, which may or may not be a charitable act ... I can't quite decide.
PS - Hello Steve's mum :)
Labels: cleaning, jenny logan, shake and vac, tupperware
posted by Stray at 12:36 PM
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11 Comments:
Good lord. From the lenght of blogging break that is SOME tupperwear mountain. I'm a bit disturbed at the thought of so many leftovers needing plastic containers.
But that's just probably me being screamish.
As for Jenny Logan, I seem to vaguely remember a prog where she said she was off her trolley on drugs, being full of cold or flu or something.
Anyhow, "do the Shake 'n' Vac, and put the freshness back" is scared on the collective consciousness of all Brit's over (ahem) a certain age.
Still, I a bit surprised it actually works! Who of thought.
Doh: Who'd of thought!
Oh Bobo! The tupperware mountain is only one of the smaller remaining jobs ...
In the last few weeks I have, with the willing (ish) assistance of Badger and Dr But Why? cleaned the cooker, scrubbed the utility room floor, reorganised the recycling, cleaned the washing machine, washed carpets, hoovered and swept enough dust to create several hundred bunnies and ... yes, I won't go on, but it's a big project almost completed. Phew! Back blogging very soon :)
Sx
Thank goodness you are back, but I am sure you are not old enough to remember those ads! Hi from Steve's mum
Oh the thought of you in strappy sandela and split summer skirt is what's making me giggle, you did say it was only the hips thing missing didn't you.
Wasn't there an ad with some Fey Hells Angles in it?, How would I know I was always bemused by the adverts when I'd come back from places with no electricity let alone tV's but I remember my Mum and her Leonora which turned out to be Lenor a fabric softner and there was me all excited when I got airmails from Mum about the magic of Leonora after stripping beds... thought she's had a late blossoming and joined 'the gang' :0)
RnB are willing assistants in the lets make mess and create even more chaos department but as to helping the sort, I wish.
Shake 'n' vac - marvellous. I can't watch the clip though since I don't want it going through my head again for ever and ever. I need to buy some of the stuff for my own bedroom carpet.
Now forgive me since I don't normally like correcting people, (especially not on someone else's blog - sorry stray, I won't do it again)
BUT. Just this once, since Bobo chose to correct himself and got the correction wrong:
Who'd HAVE thought! Not, Who'd OF thought.
Thank you, I'll go for a lie down now.
Do you happen to remember a particular Shake 'n Vac advert with a Wily Oriental Gentleman on a magic carpet? Well that was my Dad. For this reason alone I love the product.
Yay you're back!
Not meaning to dampen your enthusiasm about Shake n Vac but I seem to think that there are concerns that it's not wise to use it if you have pets, as it can be bad for their skin. Things like bicarbonate of soda are probably more pet friendly.
I can't believe I am giving you advice on how to freshen a carpet *shakes head in despair* I'm doing it for the animals! *nods head wisely*
Sorry bobo *feels bad for earlier pedantry*
I recently did a MASSSIVE clearout. Got rid of all my crap via Freecycle. You post it up, folk email you and say "I'll have that" for free.
Let's just say it's amazing what people will take off your hands. Most people are really nice and bring you a wee present to say thanks. Have only had one cheeky git so far. Most icky thing I put up that someone came to get? A twenty year old duvet. I really hope that they were using it for a dog....
Nice to see you back in action!
Hey Steve's mum! Looking forward to meeting you :)
D-W - I hadn't contemplated the outfit!
Trousers - I hope you managed to avoid the ear worm. I fear it may be with me for years ... I'm glad your lie down helped ;)
Reading the signs - OMG! I think I do. How bizarre!
RR - back and almost finished operation-clean-the-treehouse. The animals were fine - I kept them out of the room for a while til it had aired. I did try plain bicarb and it wasn't nearly equipped for the job!
Misssy m - I love freecycle! I got rid of a whole ton of stuff last summer ... and hope to do more before I leave here. Fab!
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