Cleaning Product Aromatherapy
Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 1:10PM As with many parts of pregnancy, I think my nesting instinct came late. I don't know if everything about my pregnancy felt delayed because it took me so long to feel pregnant (and even longer to look vaguely pregnant at all), but it feels like I'm always playing catch-up. Oh, the baby seems like he's hungry after his bottle? Better start foods! Where are the baby bowls and spoons? Better wash them! Now! Now! Now!
And so it was with my nesting instinct; I think it kicked in after Nate was born. Before he was born, I just wanted to make sure he had a place to sleep and we had some clothes for him ready to go. I didn't even prep any bottles or buy formula "just in case" because I was so dedicated to breastfeeding (until my milk didn't come in and I found myself scrambling to sterilize bottles and nipples in the middle of the night as Nate continued to cry).
But then suddenly, after Nate was born, I found myself wanting everything to be spotless. Every errant drop of beverage or hair started to drive me crazy. And so I started to wipe everything down with Lysol wipes. And I soon realized they smelled amazing, especially the lemon scented ones. I started to look for excuses to use the wipes just so I could stand and smell the wipe for a minute before wiping down the counter or table.
And then one day my mom bought Gain detergent for the laundry at her house. I had seen the commercials about how people love the scent of Gain but I figured it was just advertising blah blah. Uh, no, it smells amazing. I now have the Gain detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets. I keep looking for the Febreze with Gain scent and will be buying the Gain dish detergent when our current detergent runs out. I'm addicted.
But here's the weird thing - it's like these things are aromatherapy. I actually feel better when I smell them. During my maternity leave, when so many of the days were simply difficult to get through, the smell of the Lysol wipes actually helped. There was even one day where when I went to bed for the night, I took one of them with me to smell before I fell asleep. Weird, I know. Really weird. But it helped.
Even now, months later, the smell of laundry turning or a freshly cleaned bathroom makes me feel so relaxed. Did having a baby turn on some Good Housekeeping gene or something?
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bathtub screaming with soap scum to attend to. Mmmm.
Reader Comments (3)
Ohh I agree, the smell of clean is addicting! I love the smell of the Green Works cleaning wipes, and the Gain scented Febreze...I routinely spray everything in the house with the Febreze, just to stand there and enjoy it...ahhhh....
I can't find the Gain Febreze! No where near me sells it! I look for it EVERY time I go in Target or a supermarket, but no go. I'm pretty sure I'd douse myself with it if I had it. I have the Febreze Air with Gain and I spray it everywhere.
I love the smell of cleaning products.
I hate cleaning.
So, yeah. I sit there and sniff the lovely.