Dearest worked at a charity function on Saturday and got something mega smelly on himself. He did what he usually does after being around smelly people … dump his clothes in the wash immediately, come up in his jockeys and take a shower immediately.
But whatever this stuff is, it’s oily and potent. My best guess is man’s cologne. It’s got that musky, deep quality to it. The stench transferred to the shower walls, especially our two cloth shower curtains, so I got a good big dose when I went in after Dearest’s shower. I ripped down the shower curtains and threw them down the stairs to the basement.
When Dearest got back from walking the dogs, I was manic with the smell and shouted at him. Poor man. He washed the curtains, put them up and took another shower. It wasn’t enough. So I got another big dose and threw the curtains back down the stairs, along with the mat and towels.
I’ve been spraying with hydrogen peroxide. If I felt well enough, I’d scrub the tub but I don’t so I chucked a box of baking soda in there and sprayed white vinegar on it.
The smell is getting better and I’ve been praying for hours about God’s will and letting Him bring to mind all the times I did something thoughtless or careless that hurt someone so I can repent (again) and offer this up.
I feel so awful; I am barely able to sit up. Dearest just spent about 15 minutes on the porcelain throne, so I’m thinking I’m not the only one who is hurting. He’s exhausted and asleep now. Tomorrow, he’s going to have to run those curtains through the wash/dry until I can’t smell a whiff. Hoping that’ll be the end of it.
Thank you!
polination.blog 
Chrissy, I’m sorry about your invading stench, and hope things are better today. Are you able to tolerate original liquid dawn soap (the blue stuff)? That’s what I always use when I need to get rid of something oily and stinky, and vinegar doesn’t cut it. Maybe you can dilute some in a spray bottle and spray down the shower curtains and walls (or have your H do it while he is showering). It will get super foamy in there for a while, but it should help…
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Thanks for the tip. I’d never heard of it so googled. Wow!! I googled and found this. I had no idea!
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/05/original-blue-dawn-its-not-just-for-dishes-anymore.html
According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, it is the cleaner of choice for wildlife after an oil spill, because it effectively removes grease but does not cause harm to the skin of the birds. It’s also biodegradable and contains no phosphates. Most impressive!
Birds are super sensitive to stuff lots of humans tolerate. If they can handle Dawn, maybe I can as well.
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Coincidentally, that exact article from Jillee is the one that launched my obsession with blue dawn! I have always used it to bathe my dogs when they roll in something foul (knowing they use it to clean wildlife after oil spills), but I didn’t know it had so many uses until I found Jillee’s site. Now I use it for everything!
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I found an ingredients list online and took Dawn off the shopper list. It’s got “fragrance” in it, which is List Speak for “fake smells made from hydrocarbons.” That’s what trashed my immune system yesterday with the man’s cologne. I tolerate most essential oils. It’s that damn “fragrance” that lays me low.
GOOD NEWS!! The bathroom is all better! The shower curtains haven’t been so clean since they were new LOL. And Dearest tried my idea to make a paste of baking soda and the liquid dish detergent we use to scrub the tub. It’s clean too. I mean … HOO AH MY TUB IS CLEAN. 🙂
I can do the sink and toilet, though not on the same day. But the tub is wayyyy beyond my weak heart’s safety limits and getting Dearest to scrub the tub is a once in a decade thing. I try to keep the yuck factor down by swiping at it now and again when I clean his hair out of the drain. But actual CLEAN … I’m feeling absurdly giddy about this. LOL
So, other than yesterday’s opportunity to suffer for the salvation of souls and practice thanking God in ALL things, the only major fall-out from the cologne exposure is that I have pink eye. (Perfume = Immune Trashing = Germ Opportunity.) But I still had silver from last time, so I got right ON it and it’s much better today. I need to remember to keep silver on hand. It’s wonderful stuff. I’m also feeling fairly giddy about this, because the last time I got such a big hit of perfume, I came down with bronchitis and spent 4 weeks in bed. A little pink eye is nothing! 🙂
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This is a cool idea from that site … Take a spray bottle and fill it halfway with white vinegar. Heat in the microwave. Fill the rest of the way with blue Dawn. Put lid on and shake to mix well. Spray on your tub and shower walls. Allow to sit for a few minutes and rinse away. It will totally melt all the gunk, slime, sludge and other stuff that builds up including a bathtub ring.
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I need to try this one. I detest scouring the tub and the shower surround, so the soap scum really builds up. I tried several different commercial sprays that claimed to be able to clean tubs and shower surrounds without scrubbing and scouring, but none of them worked.
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What about borax and hydrogen peroxide?
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How does that work? I have both, but I never thought about using them together.
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Sometimes I get to feeling sorry for myself because of my diabetes,COPD and my bad heart.Still and all I can get in the car and deliver papers every morning,shop at WalMart with the help of a power scooter and go to see my family.I guess God decided to extend my warranty a little.Then I think about you being a prisoner in your own home and how your faith in Almighty God can sustain you and it puts things in perspective.I guess we’re all here for a purpose.Fortunately the Lord brought us all together to uphold each other.My thoughts and prayers are with you,my good friend.
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When I get into Pity Party mode, I remember Joni Eareckson Tada, who is also an artist, but she can’t use her hands. In her autobiography, she says when she feels sorry for herself because she can’t use her hands, she thinks about people like me, who are in constant pain. So yeah … we all have a purpose!
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Praying for you and DH!
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I’m hoping that you are feeling better now, Chrissy. But I’ll keep praying…
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