furniture polish in the soap dispenser

M1

You can't make this stuff up, and for some reason it's getting to me today.  My partner loves to clean and I hate to take away something she loves, but there are more and more of these incidents--today it's furniture polish in the dish soap squeegee in the kitchen sink.  Took me a while to figure out what it was.  I think I need to go through and throw away all but a few very basic cleaning aids that won't matter if they get mixed up.  All the others need to be put somewhere where she can't get to them.  Sigh.

Rescue mom

I had to go through that sorting/hiding/locking process after DH tried a few times to use household cleaners on the dog. He adores the dog, but could not understand what was harmful. thankful to all above I caught him in time. It’s tough, in a lot of ways.  I’m sorry.

SSHarkey

I’m so sorry! This can get so hard! Watching our intelligent loved one losing it. Hurts.

Ed1937

I'm sorry, M1. Just when we think we've seen or heard it all, they prove us wrong. This disease is relentless.

Buggsroo

I can relate to this. One day I put some laundry in the machine and went to put soap in the dispensing section, when I opened it, it was filled with cat litter. I just about had heart failure. That was when he was banned from doing laundry and washing dishes.

Lills

Years ago, my DH sprayed Armor All all over himself; he thought it was mosquito repellent...

Yes, that was the day I cleared out  all the outdoor products from the garage shelf.   

Jo C.

Oh MI, I am so sorry.   First the animal food, now the cleaning supplies.   You have been such a kind and patient person, but the challenges must be getting exhausting having to be on your toes all the time.

Good idea to remove all the cleaning supplies as well as dish and laundry soap so she cannot see them - out of sight out of mind. Having a broom, dust mop, dust buster, Swiffer dusters for the furniture and vacuum cleaner might keep her happily occupied to her satisfaction.

So hope your Thanksgiving dinner with your nephew and his S.O. goes well on Thursday. Big warm thoughts with best wishes being sent your way.

J.

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Stuck in the middle

Heloise, a newspaper columnist, says most things can be cleaned with baking soda and vinegar.  She sells booklets of how-to info.  I haven't bought them, yet, but there's only so much damage a person can do with those ingredients.

M1

Yes thats exactly what im thinking Stuck. Or in my camping days, wed buy one simple soap that could be used for everything from dishes to clothes to bathing. Thats what I need, something that wont matter or cause toxicity if used for another purpose.

My daughter lost her babysitter abruptly last week so I had to keep my two year old granddaughter today, probably the last time I'll be able to do it because it was a near disaster to leave my partner alone for six hours. She called me because she couldn't find her toothpaste, managed to agree to some fence work when we've already contracted it to someone else, managed to lose her pain pills for her back by taking them out of my bathroom drawer, and was furious when I got home because she couldn't find the cat food I had left out on the counter for her. Meanwhile I had a wonderful time with the two year old, it was great to be out of the house. Bottom line: I need a sitter here if I can find one.

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Cynbar

Buy a big bottle of white vinegar and replace harsh cleaners with that. Vinegar will clean anything --- really, it's amazing. The only possible downside is that your home will smell like a pleasant vinaigrette. Tell your partner it's eco friendly or healthier, cuts down on the chemicals you're exposed to. She can't get into much trouble with vinegar.

Beachfan

Hi M1,

I got rid of a ton of cleaning products several years ago when my daughter-in-law was selling Norwex products.  Supposedly, the microfiber cloths clean efficiently without the chemical residue/buildup of household products.  Our house is small, new, and easy to maintain so they seem to work.  Not sure how well they would serve you on an older farm.   Laundering the cloths is inconvenient; they need to be washed separately in “eco  friendly detergent”; otherwise, I like them.

I am more interested in your babysitting dilemma.  I hope you can find a solution; preferably a way to continue providing some care for your granddaughter.  On many a long, dark and lonely Alz Groundhog day, the kids provided a diversion for me; I didn’t realize how much I missed the noise and activity.  Our “baby” is 6 years old now, last of the grands.  I would sell my soul to get my hands on a 2 year old!  Best of luck! 

M1

Victoria your concern is well-placed and I know it.  Yes, I am feeling the strain, and yes, there are plenty of dangerous things on a farm; however, to some degree her apathy and loss of executive function have cut down on some of the exposures.  She's not trying to drive for now, thank goodness, and rarely even ventures to one of the barns any more.  For the most part, she's good tempered, still has a sense of humor, and is less aggressive now than she used to be.  The guns are long gone.  We are fortune too in that she can afford whatever help we need to hire; the problems are more availability and her ultimate acceptance of help (and vaccination in our high-covid, low-vaccine state).   I think with enough effort I will be able to manage--I just have to start trying to find someone and bring them in, and days like yesterday clearly indicate that the time is now, she can't be left alone any more.   And yes, the grandkids (2 and 5) help keep me sane.  Safety monitoring for a toddler on the way up is somehow much more satisfying than that for an 80 year old on her way out.  Sad, sad.