I'm sorry... please excuse me while I have a pity party. You probably want to skip this post.
I just realized... I'm jealous. I'm jealous of a woman I've never met, because cleaning products don't make her miserable (except commercial strength products).
I think when I wrote my previous post on cleaning products, I expected to hear that they bother even "normal" people. That the scents give them headaches, itchy eyes and runny noses. That the bleach sears their lungs, making it hard to breathe. That they get upset stomachs and strange, itchy rashes. That cleaning is the bane of our existance *because* doing these chores make us ill, but we persevere simply because we know the dirt is even worse?
Do "normal" people simply dislike cleaning because it's a boring chore? Do you truly not experience the misery brought on by both the cleaning products and the stirred up dust?
Yeah, the Chlorox has a label that says people with asthma shouldn't use it, but I thought that maybe it affected everyone, and those with asthma just had it worse.
It seems I can't win. Either the cleaning products get me, or the dust and mold does.
It's times like these I feel like a freak of nature.
The good news is that the Swiffer mop cleaning liquid isn't really bothering me besides slightly stuffy sinuses and a slightly tingly mouth. Certainly no worse than other floor cleaners that require more effort. So far I've swept and mopped my office and the hall. I'll continue with the other rooms tomorrow night... I'll do my bedroom and the bathroom. Then I'll move C-H's boxes into my office and do the livingroom and kitchen, probably Wednesday night. Or maybe Thursday night, because I need to vacuum the mat and by the front entrance before I swiffer sweep and mop (the swiffer sweeper doesn't do well with grit), and while I have the vacuum out, I might as well do the couches. The couches will take a long time. It's only a small hand vacuum, and I think I'll need to take all attachments off in order to have good suction on the couches. I need to de-dust the couch enough that sleeping on it won't be a problem. (P is much taller than me... she wouldn't fit on our couch.) I would have done my bedroom tonight, but it was getting late, and I didn't want the stuff fresh on the floor while I was sleeping... I want to limit my exposure.
I find it amusing that the swiffer mopping pad is essentially a big maxi-pad. If I had to guess, I'd say swiffer pads are designed by the same people who designed Always... they both have the same "dri-weave"(TM) cover.
4 comments:
haha -- swiffer pads and maxi-pads!
I have reactions -- not as bad as yours I don't think -- to a lot of cleaners and it is incredibly frustrating. I also have horrible reactions to perfume scents -- I hate how sometimes I go to work and someone is wearing really strong perfume, and then I am struck with a debiliating migraine. I wish other people's choices didn't screw up my day and my ability to do things, you know? But I don't always have that reaction.
I like yardwork, but I am mildy allergic to most of the plants in our yard. I end up with hives all over my arms -- it's irritating! I have to work on the yard so it doesn't look awful, I like to work in the yard, but it makes me itchy and rashy. sigh.
So - I sympathize though on a lower level. [one of my uncles was allergic to things about like you seem to be... ]
I'm glad I'm not allergic to wool too!
(See my comment to "Yesterday"... I responded to the perfume bit there.)
I'm allergic to freshly cut grass... the smell makes it hard for me to breathe. Once I have a house of my own, I plan to hire a neighbourhood kid to mow my grass until I can convert the entire lawn to garden. ;) I don't seem to react the same way to other plants.
I understand about the hives... I've gotten them going to the library. ;) (I want to do research, but I'm allergic to libraries... thankfully more and more papers are online these days!)
Jealous of women who can clean??? Hah! I hate cleaning because it bores the hell out of me and gets messed up within hours of doing it. Besides, I'd rather crochet.
I get reactions to bleach products, wheezing, etc. I developed allergic reactions as I aged. I am allergic to Latex (found out the hard way, after a gyn exam) and walked around like a monkey for about 3 days. I am allergic to nickel, which means my wedding ring gives me a rash after wearing it a day. I also take Zyrtec (the only thing that works) for subcutaneous itch. Apparently, the lupus has caused my body to be allergic to itself. If I don't take the Zyrtec, I will scratch myself til the blood vessels break.
Elena is allergic to pollens, which means no fresh flowers and some days outside playing causes watery eyes, sneezing, etc. I hope she outgrows these.
Yes, I get hives for apparently no reason and who knows what causes them.
I feel for you girl, although your allergies are much worse. I don't have any food allergies (except for being lactose intolerant, which isn't an allergy but still sucks)
Don't get me wrong... even if I didn't have allergies, I would still dislike cleaning. However, I wouldn't be nearly as miserable during and after cleaning. I mostly avoid cleaning, but it *has* to be done... again, because of my allergies. I currently can't afford to hire someone to clean for me... that's my dream, though. ;)
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