A Disgusting Discovery

So, I will admit it. My house is dirty. Plain and simple. It's a work in progress and I'm still trying to find a system that works for us. Simply put, I've never made the time to put housekeeping as a priority. And I'm okay with that for the most part. However, lately, I'm trying to find a balance between the dust, the crumbs, and the fingerprints and finding time with my kids, my husband, and for me. Unfortunately, most days, there aren't enough hours. But, this is a whole different post.

I have started reading the book "Organic Housekeeping" by Ellen Sandbeck. I know, it SOUNDS terribly "granola" (exactly what Walt thought when I asked him to pick it up from the library...) but it's really not. It's just good, practical advice for keeping your home safe and healthy. I'll post more about it when I finish the book, but for now, one of the first principles is that you should do small things IMMEDIATELY when you have time. So, I thought I'd put this principle in play. I had a few spare minutes, with nothing needing me right away, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to empty the clean dishes out of the dishwasher, put them away, and re-load with dirty dishes. A simple 10 minute task. And I would feel accomplished at the end of it.

Much to my surprise, I opened the dishwasher (with supposedly CLEAN dishes) and this horrid aroma wafted out at my face. WHAT IS THAT SMELL??? My first reaction was panic mode. "Oh no, our dishwasher isn't working and we're going to have to buy a new one!" Once I calmed my irrational fears, I did a little discovery. I cleared out the "clean" dishes and put them away. Still a gross smell. Hmm...So my next reaction was to check the drain catch. Sometimes food bits get stuck in there and get yucky. Clean as a whistle. Still perturbed...So, I cautiously stuck my head in the dishwasher and attempted to locate the smell. And then I found it. The most disgusting thing I've ever seen in a home I've lived in (and YES, it tops those "surprise" diapers, sour milk sippy cups, overflowed toilets, and puke-o-rama stomach viruses). If you'll look at the photo I've posted, right by the dishwasher door, in the corner, you'll see a little black rubber square-ish "L" shaped thing-a-ma-jig. Well, guess what that little item's job description is-catch all the bits of food, liquid, and otherwise that drip onto the open dishwasher door when you load it full of dirty dishes. I'm guessing in my dishwasher's 10 year lifespan, those have NEVER been cleaned. The gobs of heaping rotting stuff I pulled out of those actually made me sick. No kidding. I have never seen anything like it.

Now, I didn't tell you that JUST to gross you out. I told you that because those neat little rubber things are super easy to pop out, throw in the sink and wash. I just never knew they were there. My cleaning of the dishwasher previously had been wipe down the door when I load it...never thought to look into the bottom corners. Now that I think about it, something that potentially disgusting should have flashing lights around it...Hopefully, this will save someone else from making that horrible discovery some day!