don't judge me by my stove top...

It is no secret that I love a clean house. A few papers out of place and a stray coupon on the counter spells "chaos" to me. Things must be put away where they belong and when a junk drawer gets out of hand it's time to reassess the situation. It's just the way I am. I like things to be neat, organized and visibly clean. People ask me, "Do you really think people are judging you when they come over?" No, I don't. That's not my issue. Just as I don't judge other people when I visit their cluttered home. That's their space and they can do with it what they like. I keep a clean home for my own peace of mind. I feel relaxed when I see that every space is clutter-free and the counters are shining. Speaking of shiny counters I am newly obsessed with Meyer's Clean Day countertop spray - Basil scented.

It is awesommmmmmme. I spray it every day in the kitchen and dining room. (I have the lemon verbana for the bathroom and living room). After using this spray I immediately feel better about my day. It creates the illusion of clean even if things aren't 100%. Which they normally are. Or at least a solid 98%.

When I was pregnant people loved to taunt me, pointing out that once I had the baby my house would never be clean again. Really? I found no challenge in cleaning my house the same way I always had. I choose a few small areas to clean each day and I stay two steps ahead of a mess. I don't understand how clutter just happens. Put your things away. Isn't it that simple? Even when we play in Scarlett's room, and believe me she's like a tornado, we clean up after every session. The next time we walk through that door it's presentable and ready for destruction once again. Which is clearly the fun part for any kid.

However, I've realized that there is a task that I wicked slack on... cleaning the damned stove top. Next to scrubbing the shower and tub I think it's the biggest pain in the ass. That grease build up is unacceptable. I could scream when I see it in the creases trying to hide from my thrice daily pass with the dish rag. Before I know it, I'm spending forty minutes scouring the entire surface. And that hood!! That stainless steel hood is my nemesis. I might as well paint angry eyebrows on it. Stupid jerk hood.

Sure, from afar it looks decent. Shiny even. It's a farce though. Up close you'll see the greasy little circular patterns that I half-heartedly wiped earlier with a soapy cloth. I clearly didn't bother to give it the seventeen wipes that it needs. I didn't remove the burners and soak them. I haven't even cleaned out the dried spinach and egg that jumped the pan last week. Gross? Yep. You bet. But I care just enough about it to write this post. And later, when I re-fire that burner I'll say a short hello to the egg and spinach duo without eliminating them once again. See, I'm not entirely obsessed! But that's just the 2%.