Miscellaneous Monday - Help, I'm Surrounded!

I want to talk about chores today, specifically ones that you absolutely hate doing.

I bring this up because this weekend I cleaned the tub. This isn't a normal task for me. I do absolutely whatever I can to avoid this task. If the choice were between cleaning the tub or peeling my fingernails back, I would probably choose the latter.

Even now, just writing about it, I get the spine shivers like someone dragged their nails across a chalkboard. You may think I'm being dramatic here, and I might be... but I can't help it. Something about being in the tub, scrubbing the walls, you're surrounded!

What household activities freak you out? Which activities do you punt to a child or partner, pay someone else to do, or in some cases just leave unfinished?

(actual photo of me cleaning my tub)

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Oh, this is an easy one. My house was built in 1911, before PVC, before copper plumbing, before any building codes of significance.

The bathtub drains into a drum trap which periodically needs to be snaked. Every 3-6 months when the tub refuses to drain and taking a shower after someone (who is making you late to begin with) can mean standing calf-deep in their water.

So...I have to squeeze myself into the cubby in the closet behind the tub, open up the trap, and snake it from the trap to the tub and then from the trap to the main. It literally stinks. I keep a round toilet brush head in the trap to strain out all the hair, so that needs changed too.

Never seen the inside of a drum trap? Here's an example.

This one is relatively clean, and the pipes are drained so you don't see the dirty, smelly water, soap, and hair that I have, but you get the idea.

Can the snake help by any chance @Scott Theus? We had a similar problem in a very old house in Chicago.

The snake helps, there are some 90 degree bends that I have to navigate so it's not an easy chore.

@Scott Theus my husband cleans the hair out of the bathroom drain, even though I am the one with the long hair that sheds in the bathtub. But to help, we got one of those drain hair catcher things, which keeps the hair from actually going down the pipes. You should get one of those!

Tub shrooms! Love those things. We recently had to snake our drain line... you think I hate cleaning the bathtub, I nearly died when we had to snake it. Bluhhhhhh. I can empathize with standing calf-deep in someone else's dirty water.

I have the heebie jeebies now.

Also, I hope no one on Community has Trypophobia, trigger warning! XD

@Meg Holbrook is that the fear of small holes? I'm not googling it just in case, because I definitely have that. SHUDD. DER.

Yeah, fear of small holes or clusters of them.

My brother freaks about them, too. I didn't know this was a thing until a year or so ago when we were at some floral market and they had a lotus pod. He freaked out, and as his oldest sister, I capitalized on that fear.

Yes, I'm a bad person. No, I don't regret him basically running and screaming through a Jo-Ann's.

@Meg Holbrook even your description gives me the heebie jeebies.

Monique, the hair catchers save me a lot of snaking too

@Meg Holbrook This is the second time trypophobia has come up in my world in recent weeks — I think I suffer from a mild case of it. 😩

It's that whole stare into the abyss and the abyss stares back kind of thing, I think.

Humans evolved by staying away from threats, and unknown holes that creepy crawlies may live in is number one on the don't poke around in there list.

Bath Tub cleaning and Ironing are my killers.

Errrh Ironing. @Fadoua give a high five for this.

Ironing, ugh. My shirts look so bad after I iron them that I've given up trying unless I'm traveling. The corner dry-cleaner knows me on site.

Some times I have to iron myself something on the go

A clothes steamer has made my LIFE. Ironing is the worst! I make quilts, where ironing has become a necessary evil though, so I can't fully get away with it.

I hate folding cloths. So usually I have a messy cupboard filled with unfolded cloths.

Every time I open the cupboard all my cloths are instantly hugging me (my cloths warmly welcome me; as I see it now) 😁

But once in a while I get my fold mode activated. But this is a rare situation.

By the way you looks so young in the pic @Meg Holbrook 😆tell us you secret of staying young.

@Alana Fernando someday I will try folding our clothes. But someday is not today.

I think we should invent a new habit call "unfolding is the new folding"

Alana, I have piles. Piles and baskets. Maybe someday when my children are grown and my house is quiet, I will fold.

Probably not, but it's nice to dream.

I like your clothes hugging idea, this will get me through my days now.

@Alana Fernandofolding is another story but I try to do it while watching a movie or a documentary

@Fadoua I usually starts with a movie or a cartoon, few seconds later I just stop folding and watch the cartoon. After it ends; I look at the unfolded pile and thinks why god why all the bad things happen to good people.

@Meg Holbrook as you said we could either dream or be optimistic 😁

I am dying over here at this:

I look at the unfolded pile and thinks why god why all the bad things happen to good people.

🤣

😆

The best part of folding laundry is when one of my cats curls up in the clothes just out of the dryer. I'm happy to not fold anything, the cats's happy to go to sleep, and my wife thinks it's an acceptable excuse to not finish.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Isn't a consensus that unfolded laundry is OK all that we really need? Cats for everyone, I say.

Wow that's it!

@Scott Theus everybody!!!

Good one.

Here you go!

https://youtu.be/2Uay9hzwusk

Dusting and vacuumming - hate them. Chrissy deals with it (I do all the dishes and a good chunk of the bathroom and kitchen cleaning in return)

I feel like dusting is such a futile task. Swish the dust around, and it just settles back. The ultimate Sisyphus task.

lol especially when you have carpet in the house

@Fadoua, I feel like it actually got worse for me when we had laminate floors put in. Now there's just cat dust-bunnies in every corner and the floor always feels... crunchy. I'm sweep/mop like four times a week.

At least with carpet it just kind of settles into the rug pad until one day you pull it up and feel gross about your life choices.

I love to vacuum! It's relaxing and satisfying to hear all the crinkles going into the bin. And the lines it leaves in the carpet are pretty! But I'm a little OCD so they have to all be perfectly straight.

@Brittany Wispell can I send you my address?

Vacuuming is like exercising to me, I don't mind doing it at ALL

I don't mind vacuuming either. Especially when I get to vacuum toys that get left on the floor (I warn the kids, they just don't listen). It's my one retribution as a mom.

Will work for Atlassian Swag.

I loathe cleaning the bathroom but it also really bothers me if the bathroom is not clean.

I also don't like hand-washing dishes, but my husband does all the dishes, so I guess if he doesn't want to use our dishwasher, that's okay with me!

haha we used the same word! Hate wasn't extreme enough for me!

I have the same agreement with my husband. I cook, you do the dishes.

Sponge smells though, blehhhhh.

@Meg Holbrook our agreement is more "you cook and also do the dishes. I will have some wine." But I do all the laundry so that's something. 🤣

If my husband had any culinary inclinations, this might be a thing. I like to eat fully-cooked food though, so for now this is my task.

I LOATHE doing dishes, hand washing or just rinsing and putting them in the dishwasher. I hate the feel of food when I have to scrub away if something was sitting too long OR WORSE...there is soggy food and silver-wear in a mug. I need a puke emoji for this.

Doesn't it make you want to just use disposable all the things? If it wasn't so wasteful, I would have done it a long time ago.

Ctrl-command-space will get you emoji on a Mac, @Brittany Wispell! Here is one for you: 🤢

You're a life saver @Monique vdB 🙏🏼

Yes @Meg Holbrook if only you could eat ALL the things...edible plate, edible fork etc. Bet it would taste like cardboard...actually it probably would be cardboard.

Could be the next big thing!

Hey, at least like they make those starch foam peanuts. Those things are delicious... or so I've heard >_>

WHOA, GAME CHANGER @Monique vdB😄😃😀😳😘

We'll* add it to the editor at some point, I promise, but for now it's an Easter egg! 🥚

(*@max 😉)

Most of the emojis you guys use show up on PC as a square. *frowney face emoji*

I think this will do it

house-cleaner-meme-house-cleaning-memes-amazing-pictures-2-burn-your-house-down-funny-pictures-house-cleaning-memes.jpg

🤣

hahahahahaah

LOL!

lolol

HAHA best so far.

😂

That's what I call a champion :D

hilarious!

Could also be titled, "Well, that takes care of the cockroach(es)". I loathe finding a dead bug and having to dispose of it... Also, loathe finding live bugs (but I try to be humane and get them outside alive).

OMG! During summer you see flying coakroches in Morocco. @carolyn french I can not stand seeing one. Did you know that even a nuclear bomb can not kill them? Only a hammer can 😱

GAH. @Fadoua I grew up in the desert and we had flying cockroaches, too!! Some of the most shrill screams I've ever let out have been due to a cockroach flying over my head.

@BiancaEI see you know the feeling, the most disgusting. They stick to everything, I even saw them coming out from bathroom sewers 🤢 while showering

Windows! Time consuming, ladders, streaks, and two days later they are dirty again.

In my opinion, if I can't reach it with the power wash hose attachment, it doesn't need to be cleaned. Especially at my house where the wasps like to nest on the 2nd floor.

You're far more dedicated than I am.

Yeah, cleaning windows is annoying. Recently, I purchase a window vac. With that cleaning the windows themselves is easy now :)

Oh...I got to know more about this. Windows are not my thing. Glass or PC. ;)

@P_D_ Foerster is that one of those little roombas that attach to your windows? Those things amaze me.

Kimberly, LOL....actually both!

@Meg Holbrook: actually, no. Didn't know about these roombas until now! Have to check them out later once I got my own house :)

Currently, I'm using the 'WV 1 Plus' from Kärcher which is also fine.

I realize this is going to be a very controversial statement, but I actually enjoy cleaning the tub and tile! It's mostly the satisfaction of seeing it sparkle, clean at the end of the task. I recently figured out how to remove all black/moldy staining from the grout and sealant, so it makes me feel really Type-A.

That said, I CANNOT deal with vacuuming. I LOATHE it. There's something about the big clunkiness and chord that make me want to cry. I got around this the last few years by using a hand held, chord-free vacuum, but now that my new dog has started shedding for the summer, I think I'm going to have to get a real vacuum (and use it) if I don't want to live in a nest of dog hair. 😭

See, there's all kinds in the world. This is the true litmus test for long-lasting relationships. Find someone who loves doing the chores you hate to do. Bonus if you find someone who loves to do all the chores and then saddle them with the responsibility of a clean home.

I can personally recommend most Hoover vacuums, because they have a retractable cord. They have a pet edition one that has hair removal attachments for upholstery. Aint nobody got time to wrangle the vacuum cord, just step on the pedal and it zips it right up!

@BiancaEcan you please share the trick on how to remove the black/moldy staining?

@Fadoua I use a bleach paste (bleach and baking soda) and put it on with an old tooth brush, let sit for about ~20-30 mins, then rinse off as normal! I'm usually against all chemicals and only use vinegar to clean everything else in my place, but I use bleach for the bath 🤷🏻‍♀️It's similar to this, but without the plastic: https://structuretech1.com/moldy-shower-caulk/ Take all precautions for proper ventilation and avoid skin contact, etc.

@BiancaEthank you so much I am going to give it a try!

My roommates all seem to have a habit of washing their dishes, but not their silverware. Too often I find myself washing a stray million spoons and forks––definitely my pet peeve!

I'm the passive-aggressive roommate that would leave them in the sink and keep my own clean silverware hidden away. You're a better person than I!

The good news is, reading thru the list here, if we start our own commune I think we will have all the areas nicely covered.

Agree

@Jack Brickey - IRL Atlassian Community. I can dig it.

I like this idea. 👍🏼

Is this like an AUG where we all live together? 🤔

That should be next Monday Misc @Meg Holbrook! How would you imagine a real life Atlassian Community? :p

@miikhy - I see we've moved on to requirements gathering. Our visions will soon move into development phase, haaha!

A physical Atlassian Community? Sounds like a cross between "Real World" (US TV series) and arcosanti.org, an architecture and ecology community (cult?), in Arizona. I'm in! We should invite @AyBee who knows how to build the structures we'll need.

Heck yeah, count me in! And for a true "Open" reality-community-tv-show, we'll fit it with cams to capture the whole design/building/living/communing process, starting with THIS chat string. haha

I am with you all!

I really dislike ironing and folding my clothes as well. Doing laundry is the worst.

I'm glad that there are so many people who hate laundry. I feel like less of a slovenly adult.

I can totally cover doing the laundry- I love the smell of fresh laundry. And folding laundry is an excuse to watch Netflix, so it's perfect. I just hang or drape most things to dry and really, really avoid ironing (which I'm happy to pass off to someone else in the commune for those that really want ironed clothes...).

I'm an expert in winding my way out of "unattractive" chores. Clearing out the garage or basement would be my kryptonite, I think. It does happen every now and then.

I don't mind that stuff too much as long as everything isn't too dusty.

These kinds of chores take a really long time for me though since I find all sorts of old stuff and stop to oogle everything.

"OOooh! An old year book!"

"Look, some old kids toys."

I used to hate the laundry, but I've made some personal changes that made it easier to deal with.

Buy all the same kind of socks. Same color, style, and brand. That way, matching them up only requires the ability to count to "2."
Have only X days of socks or underwear. Having only 7 pairs of socks forces me to do laundry more often. Smaller loads are so much easier to keep up with! At one time in my life, I had SO many clothes and would wait until EVERYTHING was dirty, meaning a 4 load laundry day. No more! 1 load at a time. I am so much happier with less stuff - clothes included.
Switch to the Atlassian wardrobe. Only Atlassian t-shirts and jeans for me these days! And no ironing @Fadoua!

And for the weird category: I really like to hand wash my vehicle. Not sure where this comes from and sure it's not normal.

@Rachel Wright Beyond impressed by these pro tips!

We can feel the author in you Rachel! Always on pro tips with enough details to convince in a few sentences :p

I do feel you with the car hand-washing! Even if it can be done by someone else for like 15$ here, I love it so much! Are we human? (or are we danceeeeeeers)

@Rachel Wrightthere is nothing wrong with washing your car, in fact I do it too, half of the water goes on the car and the other half on me as I enjoy splashing myself.

We've got four young children ... one is just getting to the age to start helping a bit. Having six in the house we make LOTS of laundry and dishes. Many nights the dishwasher is not big enough to hold the dishes so half of them have to be done by hand. Many an evening is shot just doing those two jobs.

You just wrote the story of my life. We've got five in the house, and four pets. It feels like most weekdays are spent just trying to keep the house from exploding.

It sounds really dumb, but I take like a day of PTO every month just so I can stay home when the family is gone and clean my house. It's the only thing that keeps me sane.

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Miscellaneous Monday - Help, I'm Surrounded!

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