Thursday, March 25, 2021

Procrastinative, lazy or proceedingly challenged? Cleaning doesn't bring joy.

Don't get me wrong, I do like a clean house and back in the day, I was known as the one who straightened paintings on the wall and carpet fringe even when visiting. But lately I have noticed changes - I do see the dust balls and cat hair on the floor, but they bother me less and less when the years go by.
I do the dishes (dishwasher, mostly) and the laundry regularly, but everything else happens with delays - have I become lazy, old or am I a procrastinator, the new pompous word for a person who won't do today the thing that can be left undone even tomorrow? Of course it's not that important, no-one has regretted on their death bed that they didn't clean more often. But it's sociologically interesting to ask, what changed?
I'm 52 and grew up in a world where cleaning was definitely women's work. Sometimes when my father was laid off from his job and mother was working, he would beat the rugs and vacuum the house, but I never saw him wiping the dust or cleaning the toilets. Today it sounds medieval if you admit to some gender-based division, and I made sure that all my kids know how to change and wash sheets, clean the house and do the dishes, because everyone eats and lives somewhere. But my husband and I believe in practicality: he's better in ploughing the snow and driving the lawn mower - I have zero interest in these, but I rather do the laundry and most of the cleaning. He does most of the cooking and grocery shopping, I clean the kitchen and all in all it's divided pretty well.
But back to the cleaning. We have bought several new vacuums within a few years - they always seem good at the shop, but when you use them for real, problems arise. Either they are ineffective or the other way around, it's difficult to get them off the rugs. The chord is too short or won't go back inside, the accessories are useless, the sound too loud, the wheels get stuck everywhere and the whole thing is just too heavy to drag around. And don't recommend built-in vacuum cleaners, many people have told me they have their downsides, too. The vacuums we bought haven't been very cheap, either, because I thought that money could buy quality and userfriendliness. The latest one has stayed a bit longer because I can live with it, but just barely - no love lost here.
The idea of a robot cleaner has intrigued me for decades (as a keen scifi-reader), and a couple of years ago I just had to try and buy a cheap model for testing. But it was a disappointment, it did go back and forth in the kitchen but skipped the corners and got stuck behind chairs. Or am I just a spoiled brat, who should be grateful I don't need to use an old school broom? We still haven't introduced the robot to our cats, maybe they would love to ride it like I've seen in memes đŸ€”đŸ˜„đŸ˜ș. 
Maybe I have finally reached the age when I can break free from my childhood beliefs, and know that my value as woman and human being has nothing to do with how thoroughly and often I clean the toilets. On the other hand, it's been proven that a certain amount of dirt increases immunity. Thus I protect my family from exceeding cleanliness, making sure that they have a strong immune system. Pandemic sets now certain preconditions, but in general, it's better to not live in a completely germ-free environment. So I'll live and love more, wash and wipe less 😄❤! If it bothers someone, they can come and clean my home.
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ÄlĂ€ ymmĂ€rrĂ€ vÀÀrin, tykkÀÀn siististĂ€ talosta ja aikoinaan olin se, joka kylĂ€reissullakin oikaisi taulut ja matonhapsut. Mutta viime aikoina olen huomannut muutoksen - nĂ€en kyllĂ€ villakoirat ja kissankarvat, mutta vuosi vuodelta ne hĂ€iritsevĂ€t vĂ€hemmĂ€n.
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Tiskaan (tai kone tiskaa) ja pesen pyykit sÀÀnnöllisesti, mutta kaikki muu tapahtuu viiveellÀ - olenko tullut laiskaksi, vanhaksi vai olenko hienosti sanottuna prokrastinaattori, ihminen, joka ei tee tÀnÀÀn sitÀ, minkÀ voi huomennakin jÀttÀÀ tekemÀttÀ? EipÀ sillÀ ole edes vÀliÀ, kukaan ei ole kuolinvuoteellaan katunut, ettei siivonnut enemmÀn. Mutta sosiologiselta kannalta on kiinnostavaa kysyÀ, mikÀ muuttui?
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Olen 52-vuotias ja kasvoin maailmassa, jossa siivous oli naisten työtÀ. Kun isÀ oli joskus lomautettuna ja Àiti töissÀ, hÀn saattoi imuroida ja tampata matot, mutta koskaan en nÀhnyt isÀn pesevÀn vessaa tai pyyhkivÀn pölyjÀ. NykyÀÀn kuulostaa keskiaikaiselta, jos myöntÀÀ töitÀ jaettavan sukupuolen mukaan, ja pidinkin huolen siitÀ, ettÀ kaikki lapsemme osaavat vaihtaa ja pestÀ lakanat, siivota talon ja tiskata, koska jokainen syö ja asuu jossain. Mutta minÀ ja mies kannatamme kÀytÀnnöllisyyttÀ: hÀn on nÀppÀrÀmpi lumenluonnissa ja ruohonleikkuussa - minulla ei ole mitÀÀn mielenkiintoa nÀihin, mutta hoidan mielellÀni pyykit ja suurimman osan siivoamisesta. HÀn taas tekee ruokaostokset ja valtaosan ruoanlaitosta, minÀ siistin keittiön ja kaikkiaan jako on melko tasapuolinen.
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Mutta palataan siivoukseen. Olemme ostaneet monta imuria alle viidessĂ€ vuodessa - ne tuntuvat aina hyviltĂ€ kaupassa, mutta oikeassa kĂ€ytössĂ€ ilmenee ongelmia. Joko ne ovat tehottomia tai pĂ€invastoin, eivĂ€t lĂ€hde irti matoista millÀÀn. Johto on liian lyhyt tai ei mene takaisin sisÀÀn, lisĂ€varusteet ovat surkeita, ÀÀni liian kova, pyörĂ€t takertuvat joka paikkaan ja koko masiina on liian painava raahattavaksi ympĂ€riinsĂ€. ÄlĂ€kĂ€ suosittele keskuspölynimuria, moni on sanonut, ettĂ€ niissĂ€kin on ongelmansa. Ostamamme imurit eivĂ€t ole olleet halpoja, koska ajattelin ettĂ€ rahalla saisi laatua ja kĂ€yttĂ€jĂ€ystĂ€vĂ€llisyyttĂ€. Viimeisin on nyt ollut talossa vĂ€hĂ€n pitempÀÀn, koska kykenen elĂ€mÀÀn sen kanssa - mutta vain nipin napin.
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Ajatus robotti-imurista on kiehtonut minua vuosikymmeniĂ€ (innokas scifi-lukija kun olen), ja muutama vuosi sitten oli pakko ostaa testiin halpa malli. Mutta se oli pettymys, se kyllĂ€ seilaa keittiössĂ€ edestakaisin, mutta jĂ€ttÀÀ vĂ€liin nurkat ja jÀÀ jumiin tuolien taakse. Vai olenko hemmoteltu kakara, jonka pitĂ€isi olla kiitollinen, ettei tarvitse lakaista vanhan ajan varpuluudalla? Roboa ei ole vielĂ€ esitelty kissoille, ehkĂ€ ne tykkĂ€isivĂ€t ajella sillĂ€ niin kuin kissat meemeissĂ€ đŸ€”đŸ˜„đŸ˜ș.
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Olenko viimein tullut ikÀÀn, jossa voin unohtaa lapsuusajan odotukset ja uskoa, ettĂ€ arvoni naisena tai ihmisenĂ€ ei mitenkÀÀn liity siihen, miten usein tai perusteellisesti pesen vessat? Toisaalta on olemassa tutkimustietoa siitĂ€, ettĂ€ sopiva mÀÀrĂ€ likaa vahvistaa ihmisen immuniteettijĂ€rjestelmÀÀ. Joten minĂ€ vain suojelen perhettĂ€ liialliselta puhtaudelta. Pandemia asettaa nyt omat reunaehtonsa, mutta muutoin on parempi elÀÀ ei-niin-hygieenisessĂ€ ympĂ€ristössĂ€. ElĂ€n ja rakastan enemmĂ€n, pesen ja puunaan vĂ€hemmĂ€n 😄❤! Jos se jotakuta hĂ€iritsee, hĂ€n voi tulla siivoamaan kotimme.

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