It Came from the Tub...

I received an obviously quite effective letter recently, as a new homeowner. The company provides sterilizing services for bathtubs. (Without using brand names, suffice to say the ones with jets.)

We didn't even have a bathtub in our last master bathroom -- just a shower. And frankly it didn't really bother me, as I'm not much of a bath person. That said, my husband did purchase candles to make our new bathtub quite relaxing. The stress of moving brought to light something else -- two bulging discs in my back -- so having this awesome tub to soak in really made me feel good about our choice of house.

Then I got this letter. And I started contemplating the previous occupants and how many baths they may have taken in it. Did they clean it properly? What hidden bacteria were potentially lurking in my luxury tub?

Well, today, I got my answer. The wonderful, grandfatherly technician (I knew in advance they'd be "gray-haired" so apparently this company only uses retirees) asked, sheepishly, whether I was a customer who did or did not want to know exactly what they might find in my tub.

I should pause here to say that I did not clear this somewhat unnecessary, ex-budget expense with my husband ahead of time. But as we get older, I do become more like him in the anti-germ department. So I knew that the asking of forgiveness instead of permission tactic would, in fact, work to my advantage.

What I saw, if one believes these two grandpas weren't planting matter into the tub while I was downstairs with my daughter, looked a bit like this:



If oregano were brown, and I'm guessing after some years it is, and you added say a cupful to our tub when filled one inch over the valves, that would be it.

I called my friend Kelly (a/k/a "I can't stand human stains") to relay what I was going through. She happens to be my neighbor now.

The grandpas stopped by her house on their way out of the 'hood, and got themselves another sale.

Oh, and if you're wondering how to clean your tub -- every two months or so you should take 1/3 cup of Cascade powder, and run the jets for 20 minutes or so. Drain, wipe out. Refill water, run clear through jets for 2-3 minutes. Wipe out with a clean cloth.

And, once a year, bring in the experts.