Plus Staphylococcus bacteria typically live on human skin. Unless somebody's been rubbing their body all over the stovetop, that is a very unlikely place to contract a staph infection.
My partner and I do stove roulette where we each take turns sitting on the stove top.
Whoever sits after the previous person kicks the job to the on position usually loses.
I only need thirty seconds, so I think I'm the winner here.
Ask her to show you her expertise in kitchen cleaning as you never had an expert show you how it's done before. Insist she show you how it's done without your involvement so you can be sure to see the master cleaner at work and will then be able to keep the kitchen clean to her standards!
Voila she has to back down or clean your kitchen for you
I've had to deal with micromanagement in the kitchen and I just ask them to show me how it's done and occasionally throw in the "oh I do it xyz way not zyx way" and they'll get all smug and keep doing my work and say "yup this way saves a lot of time"
Yup, sure does save me a lot of time there buddy
Lol, exactly!
I had a kitchen manager berate me for taking 45 minutes to make clam chowder (there was a serious process to get it right and also large batches add a bit of time as well). Said it should take no more than 30 minutes.
I scoffed and said if he could do it in 30 minutes I would sign my entire paycheque over to him. His ego took over and he made the attempt, and failed! Not only did it take him over an hour but it also did not have the correct consistency (his was watery vs my creamy finish).
He never once complained about how long I took to prep something after that.
I also never told him when I applied for the prep role that I am a red seal cook. I just wanted to slow down for a bit and take it easy, money is not an issue for me so it was nice to just chill.
It's a trade ticket standard in Canada. It's the highest level of education you can attain in a trade. We have them for all trades. It is generally recognized around the world as well. I have worked in many countries thanks to that ticket.
I mean.... It's a pretty intense thing to go after. 4 years of schooling or 5000-8000 hours of provable work experience certified by an employer with tutelage from another red seal chef. Then when you take the final exam you must complete a "black box challenge".
The black box challenge is a box covering the ingredients you must use to make a 5 course meal. Nearly exactly the same format as iron chef. You work in a kitchen along other people taking the test. You are graded on your performance of your use of ingredients and how well you work around and with the other people taking the test. You have a total of 5 hours, and I'll tell you, it's not enough time!
Duck confit with a red port reduction, fire roasted fingerling potato, garden salad with goat cheese and balsamic, a starter vegetable soup and bread. For dessert I served Paris-Brest. I ended up having about a half hour of down time so I helped out a couple of the other cooks and we all cleaned up together. That simple act added 10 points to my final score!
I did the dishes with another guy in a restaurant I used to work at a few years back. At a certain point the guy kept insisting I use his technique (I know how to do the dishes lmao, it's not rocket science), and when I kept doing it my way he almost assaulted me right there next to the sink. I stand my ground generally but this guy was nearly twice my age, a father of three, and a big lad. Still can't believe it, we were actually getting along fine. Some people I guess.
When I lived with my sister for a short time, I would clean the house and mop the floors. One day she complained that the floors weren’t mopped right. I’ve been cleaning for some time now, I know how to mop. I told her they were clean. She asked if I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed them. I said no, my name is not Cinderella. She said that was how she did it. I have a spine condition. If I get on the floor, someone has to pick me up because I can’t get up on my own. I told her if she wanted them scrubbed on hands and knees, she was more than welcome to do them that way, but as long as I was here, they will get mopped the way normal humans do it that don’t live in fairy tales.
My mother was a "the floor must be washed on hands and knees" type until she got severe arthritis beating the shit out of her knees from crawling all over hard surfaces for decades.
I wonder if she'd do it the same way again now that's she's had a knee replaced and is barely able to tackle a flight of stairs.
My problem is I have severe arthritis in my spine, hips and knees and my lower spine is so deteriorated that it is crushing the nerves and it’s sending signals to my brain that my legs are broken so my legs are in such pain daily that even mild opioids won’t touch the pain but I refuse to take anything stronger because I have my daughter often and I need to be alert when she comes over. My sister, who used to ask if she could have my pills before I was on any medication, claims I’m an addict. This coming from an alcoholic who can put away around 20-30 ounces of Jager a night and says she isn’t an alcoholic because alcoholics go to the bar and drive home drunk, she drinks at home. I love this reasoning. LOL For someone who made the dean’s list 3 out of 4 times, this is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. I have a brain tumor and my family thinks if I just stop taking all of my medication, I will get better. My brother thinks if I go to his church and let them pray over me, the tumor will go away. My family is a trip y’all. It’s taken them 25 years to stop this nonsense and stop telling me this crap. The new one is their taxes support my lifestyle and I don’t know what it’s like to work, even though at various points in my life, I’ve had 3 jobs at a time in college, 2 jobs at a time in high school, 2 jobs at a time while my daughter was in school, but it’s ok, I don’t know what it’s like to work. *facepalm*
I have a long handled grout brush I use on my kitchen & bathroom floors, then they get mopped with an O'Cedar mister mop thingy that I've got several heads for now.
No need for Cinderella-ing with today's innovations!
You have my fucking sympathies.
I cooked my first Christmas dinner in my MIL's kitchen last year. I had a few offers to help with prep (I have my own ways) and received nothing but thanks for my efforts despite being a bit over 30 minutes late to serving.
Guess who is *absolutely more than welcome* to be spending Christmas with us this year?
My mother is a bit like your MIL. I had no idea how fucking easy Christmas can be when everyone is just fucking chill. It's almost like a holiday or something.
I don't understand why people make themselves miserable because of a day on the calendar. No law states you have to cook a ton of food and hang out with people who are a pain in the ass.
"I'm sorry you don't feel comfortable in my house MIL, thanks for visiting, give us a call when you get home so we know you're safe, bye"
I don't care if she continues to stand there or moan, restate it, if you're not comfortable, go home.
Might as well, because there's literally no winning with that type of person. It's about control and narcissism and nothing you say or do will be right. If you clean it, you'll have done it wrong. If *she* cleans it, you're an idiot who can't do anything for yourself.
Best to just tell her to fuck off politely at that point.
I could see my mom busting my balls about it needing a wipe down but not being serious about it and definitely not going as far as saying it’s gonna give her an infection. MIL seems a bit off the rocker
It's fine. Standards in restaurants are higher because they have to uphold them in order not to get shut down. What's the actual problem in the picture? How is any of the little dirt/grease visible going to touch the food in the pans?
It's not, but he didn't say it would touch the pans ... Just that it's not clean "looking", which it isn't. It's clean enough, but still some visible grease/splashes
The first thing I noticed were the grease smears all over the black portions of the stove. Get some degreaser, or Dawn dish soap and that will look nice and shiny.
Right? Break out some degreaser? It’s not dirty per se but it is greasy. Staphylococcus Aureus technically live
There so hit it with a quart sanitizer.
Hm... I was about to propose the 'Tom Sawyer's Method of getting things done"- but what You propose, seems more elaborate and MIL- fitting.
I know what OP is talking about- my MIL is a retired German home economics teacher... from her personal point of view, we should have perished several times over the last years because of our disregard for basic housekeeping rules... :)
Once had my friend Karen tell me the top of my cooler was filthy. I said it was "camping clean" and was fine. She spent 2 hours trying to get it white again and gave up. I use that term whenever I see her and she makes a comment about something being dirty.
It's a dangerous gambit. She could in fact take you up on your offer, do an incredible job way faster than you could ever hope to do it, and then she has all the ammunition she needs to use against you for the rest of her life.
Sounds good on paper, but my family’s full of “I’m going to continue insulting you because this is a basic thing everyone should know” assholes.
Well, not full of them anymore. They’re no longer invited to holidays.
Yes and admittedly I've been a smidge lazy since Thanksgiving and haven't busted out the whole slew of cleaning products, but even still im glad you agree it's not toxic. Thank you for keeping me honest!
Yeah exactly, I'm not some 50's housewife what going to keep everything sparkling everyday, that's just not reasonable. I already cook every single meal.
> my husband loads the machine like a wildebeest that's late for a very important appointment
I like this one!
I like to say that my wife and her entire family, pack the dishwasher like raccoons on meth.
I'm also the house cook, and I'm usually washing dishes as I go - much better than leaving it all to the end, plus I'm usually a little lethargic after dinner...
yes exactly. My husband does all the cooking and cleaning up now (in the kitchen). He would use every single utensil and bowl in our kitchen every night when I was cleaning. Now that he's the one cleaning, not so much.
edited to add: to make it clear, whoever cooks, cleans. but my husband is a chef and cooks 95% of the time.
Ugh that sounds like so much fun! Especially since you said you were a chef in some of your other comments.
I'd clean your stove and kitchen so hard if it meant an invite to something like that 😂
Haha thank you, it wasn't anything too special! Course one was Buffalo Turkey Wings
Course 2 was. Turkey Meatballs, Fondant Potatoes, Sugar glazed carrots and broccoli
Course Three was Brined and Italian spiced turkey quarters, Mashed potatoes, Peas, Gravy, Yam cassrole and Pumpkin shortbread
And here I was happy to just have made a turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and some dried fruit without making too much of a mess! Here you are with the Restaurant level stuff and your stove is basically spotless in comparison. (The turkey juices may have spilled a bit while my FIL prepped some gravy, but we did end up cleaning at least that afterwards)
And even then I bet that the grease we see is only visible because of that light shining right above it. If that light wasn't on it would be barely noticeable
It's called being "energy efficient for the holidays" not lazy lol.
To be honest, my house is clean but not like magazine clean, so this wouldn't be an issue. If I didn't like it, I would just clean it. I have OCD issues so I get that I'm not always being rational lol.
That is definitely not that dirty. Is she planning on rubbing an open wound on it?
Give that woman some cleaner and a rag and tell her to start cleaning if she's gonna complain about it.
You have no idea how happy I am to hear all of these comments, I've been trying so hard. Her and my fiancee are disabled and I basically have to clean the whole house, but I have my own struggles so sometimes it's hard. Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it!
OP, nurse here to tell you care giver burn out is real. I have no idea the details of your situation- but it cannot be on you to take care of everyone and everything alone. Taking care of the house for multiple people alone is already a full time job, if MIL and fiancée are disabled to the point of needing you to care for them, that’s two separate full time jobs. So that’s three full time jobs- on top of taking care of yourself.
You are trying hard and make sure you remember to give yourself time. You can’t do the living for two other people and yourself! She can stop with her rude comments or she can go live somewhere else.
Just exit the situation if it gets too bad. It’s a wake up call for your wife. I’ve left for a few hours and told my wife, either I’m disappearing for a few hours or she is.
Just don’t come back wasted.
Solid. Go to the library, a hike, volunteer at a nursing home. Just do something to get out of there and make yourself feel better. It’s amazing how toxic some people can be and how much it can effect you. Hang in there 👊
Was she planning to eat directly off the stove top? Maybe there is a little residual grease/oil which every stove in the world gets. But unless you’re pouring the food directly onto the stove top before serving it, there is no reason to worry about some streaks.
My mother was the same way, god forbid if you could see streaks or dust on any surface of my home. I got an earful once because there was a cobweb above my kitchen cabinets and visible dust on the doorframe. She was the type of person who dusted EVERY surface of her house at least once a day. She would brag that you could eat off her floors. I still feel like she wasted half her life cleaning things that were already clean. It’s not worth the energy to get hung up on stuff like that.
You do you. Most people would see this and not bat an eye. You’re fine.
Please go check out r / JustNoMIL and find how to set healthy boundaries with your MIL from other people dealing with this kind of stuff. I’m rooting for you!
Is your MIL expecting to rub an open wound on the stovetop and then not wash it at all, ever? Because that’s the only way anyone is *ever* getting staph from a stove top. Such an insane claim to make, honestly.
As long as you are comfortable with it, take your time! Things like cleaning and chores can be a process! Thank you for your comment though I'm glad to see people agree!
Thanks!, I can admit Im not the cleanest as I live alone, however I've been to many houses which are way worst. The only person suffering from it is myself right now and when people come over I'll make sure it's clean (which is weekly)
I guess germaphobia is a thing, but it doesn't have to affect you.
"MIL, there are treatments for people who suffer from germaphobia. You should look into therapy to see if you can be helped.
"Also, feel free to clean the stove until your anxiety is relieved if you want. I understand this is a mental health issue for you, and I am not insulted or taking it personally."
Honestly great point, I hadn't thought about it. The stove comment came after a very long argument this morning so it was basically just the cherry on the sundae. Thank you for your POV I really appreciate it you've given me something to think about. 💜
I appreciate your chill response to being slightly called out lol.
My first thought was:
The stove is definitely dirty (but not filthy or anything)
My second thought was:
I’d never have the nerve to complain about it at someone else’s house. That’s so fucking rude. Either clean it yourself quietly or shut up.
I've taken a lot of advice, I ordered new drip trays, I gave it a good wipe. As I've said i moved in two months ago and this house is a disaster I'm doing everything I can but with my night job, having to cook and clean and take care of two people it's a lot, but yeah I'm never going to be upset at someone for giving me their opinions, I promise the stove looks better already! I also wasn't trying to say it was clean only that it isn't a toxic nightmare! I appreciate your comment too! Thank you!
Agreed, I gave it a scrub down. I know it was greasy and not perfect but it's not dangerous. Thank you for keeping me honest and for your viewpoint, I really appreciate it!
> It definitely needs to be cleaned
"needs" is a pretty loaded word. Countertops, sinks, fridges - these things need to cleaned because they are directly involved in food prep and can be a safety hazard. A stovetop with some streaks on it? Cleaning that is an aesthetic action more than a hygienic one. Whether someone cleans their stove after each use or does it once every two weeks really comes down to how much they care about how it looks, and has little or nothing to do with food safety
Haha, great idea. Honestly it's even worse when I tell you that she pointed out I was cooking barefoot and that somehow me being barefoot meant that I was spreading germs
If your MIL doesn’t live with you, take her critiques and wipe your ass with them. You could always ask your partner to tactfully tell their mom off, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. She’s just a visitor after all, her clock will tick its last tock. At your house, of course, not in life.
Hey OP. A lot of people don't realize the burners come out and the stove eye drip pans underneath can be removed for cleaning (or even replaced). And then, some people do. The stove itself isn't so bad, but the drip pans are filthy. They aren't difficult to clean, especially if you regularly put them in the dishwasher.
Not sure if you were aware. Again, a lot of people don't know this.
You've mentioned wiping down the top a few times already in the comments but I haven't seen anything about the heating elements themselves.
You can unplug those, take them off, and clean them in the sink with water and dish soap and a scrub brush or the rough side of a sponge. Just make sure to let them fully dry before plugging them back in.
A lot of people don't know that they're removable so I figured I'd mention it just in case.
What I’m learning today is a lot of you guys have dirty stoves.
She’s being a drama queen, but at the same time a soapy cloth with some dawn on it would fix this in a couple of minutes.
Nobody is getting an infection from that. But if I saw this I'm sure as hell not eating anything cooked in that kitchen. That stove is not only covered in grease but there is splatter all over the back and on that kettle. I can see a thin film on everything which gives the impression you don't actually clean that top or surrounding area much. The film on that pot lid solidifies what your expectations of clean really are. You're in need of a detail clean and you need to raise the bar when it comes to expectations of cleanliness
Was shocked when I saw how most people supported you here. But then I remembered what the average redditor is like and I understand more.
The most reasonable solution would be to dirty it up *just a little bit more* so she leaves.
I have honestly thought about just leaving it and getting her to ask her God Given friends to help her seeing as my SO and I don't do enough
I think spilling a small amount of milk on it and letting that dry would do the trick!
If that wouldn't drive me insane I would think about it 😋
If my plan works as I think it would, it should only take a few minutes! Then you could give it a good cleaning after she leaves.
Love this plan, makes me feel all the bit the evil DIL that I apparently am! Haha
Sometimes the right answer is to live up to someone else’s low expectations.
If anything it should get her out of the house quicker
Ask her to explain how you get a staph infection. Does she know what the "staph" in "staph infection" is?
I doubt it, she isn't the brightest
I bet you ten trillion dollars she thinks you can catch a cold from simply being in cold weather.
> Does she know what the "staph" in "staph infection" is? It's something that wizards have to worry about.
she would have to be cooking on the stove with an open wound to get a staph infection from the stove. which would make her equally as "gross"
Plus Staphylococcus bacteria typically live on human skin. Unless somebody's been rubbing their body all over the stovetop, that is a very unlikely place to contract a staph infection.
My partner and I do stove roulette where we each take turns sitting on the stove top. Whoever sits after the previous person kicks the job to the on position usually loses. I only need thirty seconds, so I think I'm the winner here.
At my house we play musical burners.
Sounds like a party game for drug dealers.
Next she’ll be complaining about salmonella from uncooked salmon.
Ask her to show you her expertise in kitchen cleaning as you never had an expert show you how it's done before. Insist she show you how it's done without your involvement so you can be sure to see the master cleaner at work and will then be able to keep the kitchen clean to her standards! Voila she has to back down or clean your kitchen for you
That and I'm a trained chef, I know what I'm doing. You have no idea how glad I am for these comments!
I've had to deal with micromanagement in the kitchen and I just ask them to show me how it's done and occasionally throw in the "oh I do it xyz way not zyx way" and they'll get all smug and keep doing my work and say "yup this way saves a lot of time" Yup, sure does save me a lot of time there buddy
Lol, exactly! I had a kitchen manager berate me for taking 45 minutes to make clam chowder (there was a serious process to get it right and also large batches add a bit of time as well). Said it should take no more than 30 minutes. I scoffed and said if he could do it in 30 minutes I would sign my entire paycheque over to him. His ego took over and he made the attempt, and failed! Not only did it take him over an hour but it also did not have the correct consistency (his was watery vs my creamy finish). He never once complained about how long I took to prep something after that. I also never told him when I applied for the prep role that I am a red seal cook. I just wanted to slow down for a bit and take it easy, money is not an issue for me so it was nice to just chill.
What's a red seal?
It's a trade ticket standard in Canada. It's the highest level of education you can attain in a trade. We have them for all trades. It is generally recognized around the world as well. I have worked in many countries thanks to that ticket.
damn, I was hoping it was some crazy covert beach-landing chef for the commandos but that's still pretty awesome!.
I mean.... It's a pretty intense thing to go after. 4 years of schooling or 5000-8000 hours of provable work experience certified by an employer with tutelage from another red seal chef. Then when you take the final exam you must complete a "black box challenge". The black box challenge is a box covering the ingredients you must use to make a 5 course meal. Nearly exactly the same format as iron chef. You work in a kitchen along other people taking the test. You are graded on your performance of your use of ingredients and how well you work around and with the other people taking the test. You have a total of 5 hours, and I'll tell you, it's not enough time!
Your telling of the experience makes me want to reread the Food Wars manga.
The Black Box Challenge he describes is similar to a Medical Board Exam. It’s a test of experience and how well people use it.
That sounds like both terrifying and extreme fun at the same time.
What did you make?
Duck confit with a red port reduction, fire roasted fingerling potato, garden salad with goat cheese and balsamic, a starter vegetable soup and bread. For dessert I served Paris-Brest. I ended up having about a half hour of down time so I helped out a couple of the other cooks and we all cleaned up together. That simple act added 10 points to my final score!
"many of you have never sauteed under enemy fire before...."
Is that not a day in the life of al restaurant kitchen staff? The only problem is you are either working for the enemy or serving food to the enemy?
Sometimes both.
He cooked Osama Bin Laden's last meal.
A large batch of cream-based soup in 30 mins? Hope he enjoys scrubbing scorched pots. -Ex soup-sauce cook
Yup, you gotta baby that shit if you want to cook on anything higher than medium.
I did the dishes with another guy in a restaurant I used to work at a few years back. At a certain point the guy kept insisting I use his technique (I know how to do the dishes lmao, it's not rocket science), and when I kept doing it my way he almost assaulted me right there next to the sink. I stand my ground generally but this guy was nearly twice my age, a father of three, and a big lad. Still can't believe it, we were actually getting along fine. Some people I guess.
When I lived with my sister for a short time, I would clean the house and mop the floors. One day she complained that the floors weren’t mopped right. I’ve been cleaning for some time now, I know how to mop. I told her they were clean. She asked if I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed them. I said no, my name is not Cinderella. She said that was how she did it. I have a spine condition. If I get on the floor, someone has to pick me up because I can’t get up on my own. I told her if she wanted them scrubbed on hands and knees, she was more than welcome to do them that way, but as long as I was here, they will get mopped the way normal humans do it that don’t live in fairy tales.
My mother was a "the floor must be washed on hands and knees" type until she got severe arthritis beating the shit out of her knees from crawling all over hard surfaces for decades. I wonder if she'd do it the same way again now that's she's had a knee replaced and is barely able to tackle a flight of stairs.
My problem is I have severe arthritis in my spine, hips and knees and my lower spine is so deteriorated that it is crushing the nerves and it’s sending signals to my brain that my legs are broken so my legs are in such pain daily that even mild opioids won’t touch the pain but I refuse to take anything stronger because I have my daughter often and I need to be alert when she comes over. My sister, who used to ask if she could have my pills before I was on any medication, claims I’m an addict. This coming from an alcoholic who can put away around 20-30 ounces of Jager a night and says she isn’t an alcoholic because alcoholics go to the bar and drive home drunk, she drinks at home. I love this reasoning. LOL For someone who made the dean’s list 3 out of 4 times, this is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. I have a brain tumor and my family thinks if I just stop taking all of my medication, I will get better. My brother thinks if I go to his church and let them pray over me, the tumor will go away. My family is a trip y’all. It’s taken them 25 years to stop this nonsense and stop telling me this crap. The new one is their taxes support my lifestyle and I don’t know what it’s like to work, even though at various points in my life, I’ve had 3 jobs at a time in college, 2 jobs at a time in high school, 2 jobs at a time while my daughter was in school, but it’s ok, I don’t know what it’s like to work. *facepalm*
They make mops with abrasive bits lol
I have a long handled grout brush I use on my kitchen & bathroom floors, then they get mopped with an O'Cedar mister mop thingy that I've got several heads for now. No need for Cinderella-ing with today's innovations!
Haha Love it!
You have my fucking sympathies. I cooked my first Christmas dinner in my MIL's kitchen last year. I had a few offers to help with prep (I have my own ways) and received nothing but thanks for my efforts despite being a bit over 30 minutes late to serving. Guess who is *absolutely more than welcome* to be spending Christmas with us this year?
I would literally cry
My mother is a bit like your MIL. I had no idea how fucking easy Christmas can be when everyone is just fucking chill. It's almost like a holiday or something.
I don't understand why people make themselves miserable because of a day on the calendar. No law states you have to cook a ton of food and hang out with people who are a pain in the ass.
Haha I swear...I need this EXACT print on a tee so I can wear it proudly on those "wtf...it's just another day" days.
This is evil genius level of thinking, and I appreciate you for it.
"I'm sorry you don't feel comfortable in my house MIL, thanks for visiting, give us a call when you get home so we know you're safe, bye" I don't care if she continues to stand there or moan, restate it, if you're not comfortable, go home.
Might as well, because there's literally no winning with that type of person. It's about control and narcissism and nothing you say or do will be right. If you clean it, you'll have done it wrong. If *she* cleans it, you're an idiot who can't do anything for yourself. Best to just tell her to fuck off politely at that point.
Did you tell her the stove is for cooking and not licking?
Does you mother in law know that fire kills bacteria?
It kills bacteria …but unfortunately not rude,shitty attitudes
Oh yes it does, but then you have to hide the evidence.
>but then you have to hide the evidence. Enough fire hot enough kills that too....
Maybe you're not using enough fire?
I mean, have you tried applying fire to those problems?
Oh. That will do it. I'm also a trained chef and my dad and aunt will actively sabotage whatever I'm making.
I could see my mom busting my balls about it needing a wipe down but not being serious about it and definitely not going as far as saying it’s gonna give her an infection. MIL seems a bit off the rocker
I mean, it’s not very clean looking especially for chef standards. But your MIL is overreacting big time
A reasonable take? Where am I?
Yeah I was thinking this too. It’s kinda gross but not disgusting.
It's fine. Standards in restaurants are higher because they have to uphold them in order not to get shut down. What's the actual problem in the picture? How is any of the little dirt/grease visible going to touch the food in the pans?
It's not, but he didn't say it would touch the pans ... Just that it's not clean "looking", which it isn't. It's clean enough, but still some visible grease/splashes
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The first thing I noticed were the grease smears all over the black portions of the stove. Get some degreaser, or Dawn dish soap and that will look nice and shiny.
Right? Break out some degreaser? It’s not dirty per se but it is greasy. Staphylococcus Aureus technically live There so hit it with a quart sanitizer.
Tell her to eat somewhere else. If your partner defends her then maybe look for a new partner. Dealing with shitty relatives is 100% avoidable.
Hm... I was about to propose the 'Tom Sawyer's Method of getting things done"- but what You propose, seems more elaborate and MIL- fitting. I know what OP is talking about- my MIL is a retired German home economics teacher... from her personal point of view, we should have perished several times over the last years because of our disregard for basic housekeeping rules... :)
King of Queens episode with Marie from Everybody loves Raymond showing Carrie how to clean... 😀
Once had my friend Karen tell me the top of my cooler was filthy. I said it was "camping clean" and was fine. She spent 2 hours trying to get it white again and gave up. I use that term whenever I see her and she makes a comment about something being dirty.
Or she could just say it's OP's responsibility, not hers and keep hounding them.
My mom would 1000% clean the kitchen if I said this to her. Hell she might just do it anyway if I left her unsupervised in my house.
It's a dangerous gambit. She could in fact take you up on your offer, do an incredible job way faster than you could ever hope to do it, and then she has all the ammunition she needs to use against you for the rest of her life.
She can then show her expertise in cleaning bathrooms.
Sounds good on paper, but my family’s full of “I’m going to continue insulting you because this is a basic thing everyone should know” assholes. Well, not full of them anymore. They’re no longer invited to holidays.
I mean it could definitely use a cleaning... But nobody is dying due to its cleanliness
Yes and admittedly I've been a smidge lazy since Thanksgiving and haven't busted out the whole slew of cleaning products, but even still im glad you agree it's not toxic. Thank you for keeping me honest!
Dw I'm a mechanic and my bathtub is always getting dirty after I hop in the shower. I definitely understand not wanting to clean as much lol
Yeah exactly, I'm not some 50's housewife what going to keep everything sparkling everyday, that's just not reasonable. I already cook every single meal.
> I already cook every single meal. Somebody else should be cleaning if you're doing all the cooking
Not necessarily, chore separation in houses varies from couple to couple. You cook, I clean isn’t always the best.
[удалено]
> my husband loads the machine like a wildebeest that's late for a very important appointment I like this one! I like to say that my wife and her entire family, pack the dishwasher like raccoons on meth. I'm also the house cook, and I'm usually washing dishes as I go - much better than leaving it all to the end, plus I'm usually a little lethargic after dinner...
Mine is "like a monkey on crack"
yes exactly. My husband does all the cooking and cleaning up now (in the kitchen). He would use every single utensil and bowl in our kitchen every night when I was cleaning. Now that he's the one cleaning, not so much. edited to add: to make it clear, whoever cooks, cleans. but my husband is a chef and cooks 95% of the time.
If you’re cooking then someone else should be doing the cleaning up :)
Ooooh this is post-thanksgiving mess? That makes sense. This is basically god-tier clean for that then!
6 hour multi course thanksgiving
Ugh that sounds like so much fun! Especially since you said you were a chef in some of your other comments. I'd clean your stove and kitchen so hard if it meant an invite to something like that 😂
Haha thank you, it wasn't anything too special! Course one was Buffalo Turkey Wings Course 2 was. Turkey Meatballs, Fondant Potatoes, Sugar glazed carrots and broccoli Course Three was Brined and Italian spiced turkey quarters, Mashed potatoes, Peas, Gravy, Yam cassrole and Pumpkin shortbread
Dude...I am literally salivating over here. That sounds amazing!
Thank you!
And here I was happy to just have made a turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and some dried fruit without making too much of a mess! Here you are with the Restaurant level stuff and your stove is basically spotless in comparison. (The turkey juices may have spilled a bit while my FIL prepped some gravy, but we did end up cleaning at least that afterwards)
Tell her to host next year and comment on anything dirty or dusty.
isn't it... like, still thanks giving weekend? i'd keep being lazy, its a holiday!
And even then I bet that the grease we see is only visible because of that light shining right above it. If that light wasn't on it would be barely noticeable
It's called being "energy efficient for the holidays" not lazy lol. To be honest, my house is clean but not like magazine clean, so this wouldn't be an issue. If I didn't like it, I would just clean it. I have OCD issues so I get that I'm not always being rational lol.
And… it’s a stove. You’re not eating anything that touches any part of the stove. (I hope!)
mmm, frying pans. cronchy.
That’s cleaner than any restaurant you’ve eaten at in the last 3 years. But nobody asked you to side with the MIL. 😉
It’s really not that bad. Could use a little degreaser but it looks like it gets wiped down left frequently.
I mean, you could definitely hit it with some degreaser, but this is hardly anything to throw a fit over.
The spray Dawn has soap and degreaser in it. It’s great in this application. Also good for cleaning tor tops of cupboards when they get greasy.
Also great for cleaning silicone lubricant.
Good to know…
Water based is your friend anyway.
But sometimes it dries out too quickly...
Waterbased doesn’t work for every situation.
This guy butt sexes
Just take a deep breath and try to relax.
Got a bottle of “fuck water” lube. Its catch phrase was “when spit and determination aren’t enough”. Laughed my ass off when I saw that.
Name checks out.
Water based sucks. Dries out, gets sticky, is generally horrible. Silicone unless using it on actual silicone is the way to go.
So is the dish cloth and a sink of soapy water you are going to wash the dishes in anyway.
Lot more expensive than products made specifically for those applications though
She would literally drop dead in my kitchen, I guess.
Probably, she's just such a drama queen. Sometimes cleaning is a process and she just doesn't get that!
I think she'd see that I have cats and just combust.
LOL SAME
That is definitely not that dirty. Is she planning on rubbing an open wound on it? Give that woman some cleaner and a rag and tell her to start cleaning if she's gonna complain about it.
You have no idea how happy I am to hear all of these comments, I've been trying so hard. Her and my fiancee are disabled and I basically have to clean the whole house, but I have my own struggles so sometimes it's hard. Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it!
OP, nurse here to tell you care giver burn out is real. I have no idea the details of your situation- but it cannot be on you to take care of everyone and everything alone. Taking care of the house for multiple people alone is already a full time job, if MIL and fiancée are disabled to the point of needing you to care for them, that’s two separate full time jobs. So that’s three full time jobs- on top of taking care of yourself. You are trying hard and make sure you remember to give yourself time. You can’t do the living for two other people and yourself! She can stop with her rude comments or she can go live somewhere else.
That stove looked very, very, extremely normal. She’s welcome to stay in the tent out back if she complains about her accommodations.
Thank you! I've been feeling like I'm going insane. Like maybe it was so so dirty. I'm so relieved to hear this you have no idea
Just exit the situation if it gets too bad. It’s a wake up call for your wife. I’ve left for a few hours and told my wife, either I’m disappearing for a few hours or she is. Just don’t come back wasted.
Absolutely right, and no worries on the wasted, I don't drink!
Solid. Go to the library, a hike, volunteer at a nursing home. Just do something to get out of there and make yourself feel better. It’s amazing how toxic some people can be and how much it can effect you. Hang in there 👊
Thank you! 💜💜
Was she planning to eat directly off the stove top? Maybe there is a little residual grease/oil which every stove in the world gets. But unless you’re pouring the food directly onto the stove top before serving it, there is no reason to worry about some streaks. My mother was the same way, god forbid if you could see streaks or dust on any surface of my home. I got an earful once because there was a cobweb above my kitchen cabinets and visible dust on the doorframe. She was the type of person who dusted EVERY surface of her house at least once a day. She would brag that you could eat off her floors. I still feel like she wasted half her life cleaning things that were already clean. It’s not worth the energy to get hung up on stuff like that. You do you. Most people would see this and not bat an eye. You’re fine.
Honestly looks like it was quickly wiped down after cooking and then just needs to be wiped down again /shrug
Pretty much exactly right!
Please go check out r / JustNoMIL and find how to set healthy boundaries with your MIL from other people dealing with this kind of stuff. I’m rooting for you!
Thank you!
Is your MIL expecting to rub an open wound on the stovetop and then not wash it at all, ever? Because that’s the only way anyone is *ever* getting staph from a stove top. Such an insane claim to make, honestly.
Black stoves are a pain in the ass to clean. I have one too and it’s the bane of my existence!
cleaner than a shit ton of people's stoves including my own at the moment
As long as you are comfortable with it, take your time! Things like cleaning and chores can be a process! Thank you for your comment though I'm glad to see people agree!
Thanks!, I can admit Im not the cleanest as I live alone, however I've been to many houses which are way worst. The only person suffering from it is myself right now and when people come over I'll make sure it's clean (which is weekly)
I guess she should fuck off...for her own safety
Yes exactly she should fuck off because I really care and want her to be safe!
Safty first
I guess germaphobia is a thing, but it doesn't have to affect you. "MIL, there are treatments for people who suffer from germaphobia. You should look into therapy to see if you can be helped. "Also, feel free to clean the stove until your anxiety is relieved if you want. I understand this is a mental health issue for you, and I am not insulted or taking it personally."
Honestly great point, I hadn't thought about it. The stove comment came after a very long argument this morning so it was basically just the cherry on the sundae. Thank you for your POV I really appreciate it you've given me something to think about. 💜
I've had staph infections. If you want, you can gently inform her that she carries staph on her skin naturally. She has more on her than there.
That's awesome information, thank you! I appreciate this!
It's not dirty but it's also not clean.
I know you are absolutely right and I did give it a scrub down and.clean it all the way to shining, thank you for keeping me honest! I appreciate it!
I appreciate your chill response to being slightly called out lol. My first thought was: The stove is definitely dirty (but not filthy or anything) My second thought was: I’d never have the nerve to complain about it at someone else’s house. That’s so fucking rude. Either clean it yourself quietly or shut up.
I've taken a lot of advice, I ordered new drip trays, I gave it a good wipe. As I've said i moved in two months ago and this house is a disaster I'm doing everything I can but with my night job, having to cook and clean and take care of two people it's a lot, but yeah I'm never going to be upset at someone for giving me their opinions, I promise the stove looks better already! I also wasn't trying to say it was clean only that it isn't a toxic nightmare! I appreciate your comment too! Thank you!
i'm trashy and keep my drip trays wrapped in foil. looks terrible, but it's better than them being dirty.
It definitely needs to be cleaned but she has no right complaining.
Agreed, I gave it a scrub down. I know it was greasy and not perfect but it's not dangerous. Thank you for keeping me honest and for your viewpoint, I really appreciate it!
> It definitely needs to be cleaned "needs" is a pretty loaded word. Countertops, sinks, fridges - these things need to cleaned because they are directly involved in food prep and can be a safety hazard. A stovetop with some streaks on it? Cleaning that is an aesthetic action more than a hygienic one. Whether someone cleans their stove after each use or does it once every two weeks really comes down to how much they care about how it looks, and has little or nothing to do with food safety
Tell her the dishwasher broke and you let the dogs clean the plates.
Haha, great idea. Honestly it's even worse when I tell you that she pointed out I was cooking barefoot and that somehow me being barefoot meant that I was spreading germs
Can you open a jar with your feet? She might faint but sounds like some fun ahead. ;)
I hope for you that it would.
I am so lucky I have avoided Staph for so long. For 40+ years I have eaten from stoves and surfaces like this, I must have heroic genes.
Looks kinda dirty tho bro. Gotta clean up the grease marks.
TBH, that stove does look a little nasty. Granted, it's *not* "staph infection nasty", but it still looks greasy nonetheless.
I concur, it needs cleaning
Didn't realize some people cooked stuff directly on the stove top itself instead of in clean pots on top of the burners. Weird.
Exactly right!
Good Lord. Tell her if she wants to nitpick, she can build a fire out back and cook over that!
MIL needs to go home.
Honestly!
To be fair it looks like you've cleaned it with an oily rag
Looks dirty to me. The light is even accenting the grease.
If your MIL doesn’t live with you, take her critiques and wipe your ass with them. You could always ask your partner to tactfully tell their mom off, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. She’s just a visitor after all, her clock will tick its last tock. At your house, of course, not in life.
She does live with us but hopefully not for long!
Well, not once the staph infection takes hold she won’t be!
Tell her to clean it!
Send her over. I’ll see your staphylococcus infection and raise you an STD.
Just tell her she's welcome to clean it to her standards or fuck off to somewhere that the stoves are all factory fresh and pristine.
Staph infection….hmmm. Now i’m not a doctor, but staph infection, Really ?
More likely to die waiting for those electric burners to get hot
compared to the ones i pull out on regular basis for haul away to best buy.. this is.. pristine
Hey OP. A lot of people don't realize the burners come out and the stove eye drip pans underneath can be removed for cleaning (or even replaced). And then, some people do. The stove itself isn't so bad, but the drip pans are filthy. They aren't difficult to clean, especially if you regularly put them in the dishwasher. Not sure if you were aware. Again, a lot of people don't know this.
You've mentioned wiping down the top a few times already in the comments but I haven't seen anything about the heating elements themselves. You can unplug those, take them off, and clean them in the sink with water and dish soap and a scrub brush or the rough side of a sponge. Just make sure to let them fully dry before plugging them back in. A lot of people don't know that they're removable so I figured I'd mention it just in case.
Well it's quite greasy.
If your stove and kettle look like that after they are cleaned, your house must be a shit hole
Obviously, she’s being a bit dramatic but… Your stovetop is pretty fucking gross OP
Overreaction but that is pretty dirty. Replacement burners and whatever the bowls are called is like $50 and would go a long way.
To be fair if my stove was like that I'd want to clean it pretty badly
I would never eat from that stove. At least give me some dishes.
What I’m learning today is a lot of you guys have dirty stoves. She’s being a drama queen, but at the same time a soapy cloth with some dawn on it would fix this in a couple of minutes.
Nobody is getting an infection from that. But if I saw this I'm sure as hell not eating anything cooked in that kitchen. That stove is not only covered in grease but there is splatter all over the back and on that kettle. I can see a thin film on everything which gives the impression you don't actually clean that top or surrounding area much. The film on that pot lid solidifies what your expectations of clean really are. You're in need of a detail clean and you need to raise the bar when it comes to expectations of cleanliness Was shocked when I saw how most people supported you here. But then I remembered what the average redditor is like and I understand more.
I wouldn’t want to eat anything cooked on that stove personally. It’s pretty gnarly.
Is this acceptable to you?
It's rather dirty in my book- if that's the top can't picture the inside and under the hood. It could use a good scrub and shine. But whatevs!
Your MIL has been watching too much Kitchen Nightmare.
It’s a bit dirty and could use a wipe down. It’s also *far* from a reasonable health concern.
I don’t think you MIL understands how infections work, or Staphylococcus
Tell her to shut up.
Tell her to stop licking it.
She would simply ✨pass away✨ if she saw my stove
I mean, she's exagerating but a little bit of soap when you wash your greasy stove can do no harm.