Bucket

If you've been following along for a while, you know I'm a bit of a nut about cleaning. I love to do it and I love the implements that go along with it. New brooms really do sweep better. I have dustpans stashed all over the house. I'm down to one functional mop, but I just changed out the head last week, so it's good for a while yet.

Yes. I'm a freak.

And yet, my house doesn't LOOK all that clean. I have a houseful of souls that manage to strew debris, fur, bits of lunch and coffee all over, almost immediately after I've cleaned. It's quite frustrating, but I continue to attack the clutter and the dirt because I don't want to wind up being a guest star on "How Clean is Your House?"

Anyway, back to the various bits and bobs that make up my cleaning equipment...

Darling Man has appropriated my buckets for picking up dog poo and sweet gum balls in the back yard, so I was without a good bucket for cleaning inside.

Last week, my cousin and I went to FireHouse subs for lunch and while there, I noticed a great stack of fire-engine red buckets stacked next to the chips. They were for sale for $2.00 each and the proceeds are donated to various fireman funds. Two dollars for a huge bucket? What a deal! I stored this bit of information in the back of my brain.

Looking around my kitchen on Saturday morning, I decided it was time to get a bucket. I did a lot of picking up, and at lunchtime, I went to FireHouse Subs for sandwiches - and a big bucket. I happily forked over the extra $2.00 and grabbed my bucket (with lid!!!) and my lunch and headed back to the house.

As I was driving, I noticed an odd smell and realized it was coming from the bucket. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that FireHouse Subs was recycling their pickle buckets! The buckets come packed with 350 pickle spears and when emptied, they are rinsed out and set out for sale. Obviously, they are RINSED, not washed. Or so I thought.

When I finished lunch, I washed out the bucket and filled it with hot, soapy water for cleaning. I enthusiastically wiped down all my counters, my refridgerator, the stove hood and mopped the floor. I washed out the microwave. And it was all lovely, beautiful, clean!

But...

Now my house smells like pickles. From top to bottom. Pickles.

I didn't say anything, but when Darling Man got up this morning, he noticed and wondered what that odd smell was. It smelled just like... his grandmother's house. When she made pickles. And he wondered how that could be - because he knows that I do NOT like pickles. Why would my house smell like that?

I explained and apologized to him about the smell and he laughed. He had enjoyed his little trip down memory lane.

Now... does anyone know how to get rid of pickle smell?