My "Clerty" Little Secret
Hello, my name is Rita, and I'm the product of a neat freak.
My mom washes her dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. When she was working and going to school, she hired a cleaning lady to come in once a week, to "save time" - but she always cleaned the house prior to the cleaning lady's arrival. You'd be hard pressed to find a dust bunny under her furniture or a sticky patch on her kitchen counters.
... Which is why she'd probably be appalled at my "clerty" little secret.
Let me explain the meaning of clerty. It's a term my sister Amy and I coined, and it's a combination of clean and dirty, used to describe any item that isn't exactly clean but couldn't really be classified as dirty. Like a pot you used to hard-boil eggs or cook pasta, you know? Or a plate that had, say, a sliced tomato or apple on it. It's not like there's a coating of grease or any stubborn crusty spots ... so what's wrong with running it under some hot water and calling it good? Where our mother would wash it with soap (and then probably run it through the dishwasher for good measure), Amy and I would just give it a thorough rinse, and voila: it's good to go.
Dishes aren't the only things that can be clerty. On the rare occasion that one of my kids manages to keep his shirt or jeans free of dirt and food, you'd better believe I'm folding it up and putting it back in his closet. Why add to the laundry pile? You know what they say: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And that goes for clerty items. If it ain't dirty ...
I know my mom will read this, so now the secret's out. I'm sure the next time she comes to my house, she'll be quietly paranoid that she might be eating from a clerty dish. I promise, Mom, I'll scour everything just for you. ;)
Anyone else out there who's down with the "clerty?"
My mom washes her dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. When she was working and going to school, she hired a cleaning lady to come in once a week, to "save time" - but she always cleaned the house prior to the cleaning lady's arrival. You'd be hard pressed to find a dust bunny under her furniture or a sticky patch on her kitchen counters.
... Which is why she'd probably be appalled at my "clerty" little secret.
Let me explain the meaning of clerty. It's a term my sister Amy and I coined, and it's a combination of clean and dirty, used to describe any item that isn't exactly clean but couldn't really be classified as dirty. Like a pot you used to hard-boil eggs or cook pasta, you know? Or a plate that had, say, a sliced tomato or apple on it. It's not like there's a coating of grease or any stubborn crusty spots ... so what's wrong with running it under some hot water and calling it good? Where our mother would wash it with soap (and then probably run it through the dishwasher for good measure), Amy and I would just give it a thorough rinse, and voila: it's good to go.
Dishes aren't the only things that can be clerty. On the rare occasion that one of my kids manages to keep his shirt or jeans free of dirt and food, you'd better believe I'm folding it up and putting it back in his closet. Why add to the laundry pile? You know what they say: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And that goes for clerty items. If it ain't dirty ...
I know my mom will read this, so now the secret's out. I'm sure the next time she comes to my house, she'll be quietly paranoid that she might be eating from a clerty dish. I promise, Mom, I'll scour everything just for you. ;)
Anyone else out there who's down with the "clerty?"
i am DEFINITELY down with the clerty. (great term by the way!). clerty even carries over to my body. if i didn't sweat, why shower? (people will probably steer clear of me after reading this. haha)
ReplyDeleteAmen, Amy! I'm like that with my hair ... it's far too dry to wash every day, so if I didn't get it all nasty, I don't worry about it!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you ratted me out! Now no one will eat what I bring to the church dinners. Next I guess you'll have to tell everyone that I "mop" my floor by scooting over spills in my fuzzy socks:)
ReplyDeleteNope, I won't have to tell everyone - you just did it for me! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm totally clerty when it comes to dishes and clothes.. esp clothes!
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm into the clerty clothes too. I have to do enough laundry as it is. As a matter of fact, I just got through taking a pair of jeans off of Cameron and putting them in his closet! LOL!
ReplyDeleteLOL! My clerty girls! You certainly remind me of my Grandma Nora, who always said we have to eat a certain amount of dirt in our lives anyway, so it might as well come from our own homes. I'm not sure where my "clean-freakiness" comes from, but I'm glad you didn't inherit it! :o)
ReplyDeleteI am with ya' on this one! Who has time for anything but 'clerty'. This is my new favorite word. I am glad I know have a name for this! =)
ReplyDeleteI also use this tactic on cleaning off the high chair tray. Why take the time to wipe it off if there's just a few little crumbs?
I'm personally with you on the clerty laundry! Towels-hello?! Nobody in our house uses a towel less than 3 times before it goes in the hamper! I'm the same with our pants, but Zane's laundry...it's pretty much DIRTY. :-)
ReplyDeleteLaversa and Amanda - yep and yep! High chair tray, I'm totally with you ... I just give it a wipe down (and sometimes spray it with Clorox Anywhere Spray because it makes me feel all sanitary, LOL). And towels? Of course! Just let it dry and use it again next time - because it's not like you aren't CLEAN when you dry off with it!
ReplyDeleteI'm not only down with clerty, I'm even more down with clerty paperplates - and wiping them off with a damp paper towel!
ReplyDelete