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Wiping cooker when baby bathes

87 replies

Pormbk · 24/09/2024 16:23

My sister just had a baby. My sister and I are only a year apart so very close. I’ve moved in for the first month into the spare bedroom. Just so I can help cook meals, walk the dog and keep things in order.

My sister is a bit of a neat freak. Ie she will need to do a quick vac and fold blankets etc before sitting down and watching telly. No problem. She doesn’t expect others to do anything so my family has always just ignored this anal retention side of her.

Anyway, sister has started insisting that whenever the baby is bathed (kitchen sink) we clean the range cooker which is on the same side. As it makes her feel gross and it’s cosier once cleaned. I think this is mental as her cooker is never THAT bad, mostly it’s just a bit of oil from a fried egg at breakfast.

Normally I would tell sister that she’s the only one bothered so she can crack on. But she’s had a difficult labour and pregnancy so it’s falling on me. I just want things to be nice for her also.

Im not crazy for finding this crazy, right?

OP posts:
Lavenderflower · 24/09/2024 18:05

I always clean the cooker after using it. I think it's reasonable to keep it clean.

diddl · 24/09/2024 18:01

Precisely. I was bathed in the kitchen sink, as were my DCs.

Yup!

Also remember having my hair washed over the sink with a jug.

Least time in the bathroom the better!

It was small & cold!

Emotionalsupporthamster · 24/09/2024 17:58

I’m not sure wanting a daily wipe down of the cooker top is among the diagnostic criteria for postnatal anxiety! It’s a pretty normal thing to do multiple times a day if there’s spills after cooking, and I’m not in any way a clean freak.

Hillrunning · 24/09/2024 17:57

I'd never offer to support someone then think badly of the type of support they need. Either do it with good grace or don't bother offering.

You want to help her right? So just bloody help her.

CoffeandTiaMaria · 24/09/2024 17:33

CaptainMyCaptain · 24/09/2024 16:55

Quite normal and has been for generations. It saves bending.

Precisely. I was bathed in the kitchen sink, as were my DCs.

CaptainMyCaptain · 24/09/2024 17:31

Highhland · 24/09/2024 17:21

Why wouldn't people clean their mess when they've cooked? That would do my head in living with scruffy people, I'm not anal about anything.

Same here. I always wipe the hob when I've finished cooking. It's not difficult and saves a bigger job later. What's the issue?

rainbowunicorn · 24/09/2024 17:30

I wipe the hob after every use so I can see why she wants it to be clean. I thought most people did.
I wouldn't leave it with oil or food on it. I just run a soapy cloth over it, takes seconds.
You say you've moved in to help her so I would just make sure you clean anything up that you use otherwise its not really help, it's just another person she's got to think about.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 24/09/2024 17:28

You're meant to be there to help OP so help your sister by wiping the hob after the hob has been used. I'm presuming she doesn't mean actually while the baby is being bathed?

BMW6 · 24/09/2024 17:27

But surely you give the hob a quick wipe down after cooking every time? Why wouldn't you as it takes less than a minute

JustKeepSwimmingJust · 24/09/2024 17:26

I wouldn’t, because with a baby small enough to be in a sink you should have your full attention on them. Not turning to look at the hob.

Clean the hob when the baby is in bed. or a bouncy chair. But not when they are in water.

I do aim to wipe the hob down daily. But I do it when I load the dishwasher.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 24/09/2024 17:24

Nothing wrong with sink baths ! Just give the hob a quick wipe OP,i it takes seconds .

Highhland · 24/09/2024 17:21

Why wouldn't people clean their mess when they've cooked? That would do my head in living with scruffy people, I'm not anal about anything.

Apollo365 · 24/09/2024 17:20

Has she got postnatal OCD? I has so many issues with my mental health after babies (due to the hormone fluctuations). The hob does not need cleaning every day, but this might have become part of her ritual.

Bearbookagainandagain · 24/09/2024 17:14

Pormbk · 24/09/2024 16:34

Please don’t derail thread. They have chosen to use kitchen sink whilst sister is too sore to bend over. They have a thing for the bath but it’s not being used right now cause sister wants to wash the baby.

Their kitchen is brand new and gorgeous. Steamed clean to within an inch of its life

A lot of people bath their babies in the sink, both our health visitor and NCT course recommended it for newborns.

To answer your thread: no I wouldn't clean the cooker. However we all have weird-ish obsessions when raising our kids and this one doesn't seem worst than others. Ultimately it's up to her, and it won't last long as soon it will be easier to use the bath or shower.

ImNotYourMonstera · 24/09/2024 17:06

Someone wanting to wipe something in their house is not 'mental' or 'crazy'.

Seems cruel to type out paragraphs about the woman's minor chores and calling her mental and crazy.

Whothefuckdoesthat · 24/09/2024 17:02

Yes, it’s very… thorough and won’t make any difference to the baby whether there’s a clean hob or not. But it’s a quick job, it makes her happy and you’re there to help her, so I’d just internally roll my eyes, smile and do it, just to make her feel happy and comfortable.

Isn't anyone else thinking that it's incredibly rank to wash a baby in the same sink you'd be washing vegetables or dishes in? You’re being silly. She’s not washing the baby with the dirty dishes or veg. It’s no different from a baby being washed in a bath where adults have washed off dirt and sweat. The bath gets cleaned. The sink gets cleaned.

Xmasbaby11 · 24/09/2024 17:02

I would just do it OP. I get it's OTT but it's not the time to object and point out for sister's clean obsession. It's just doing a little thing to keep her happy.

llamali · 24/09/2024 17:01

I am wondering if there's a bit of postnatal anxiety at play

diddl · 24/09/2024 16:59

If the cooker is "never that bad" surely it's no effort to clean it?

Is the baby safe?

itsmylife7 · 24/09/2024 16:58

I really don't think most people would survive "the old days "

No bathrooms or inside toilets.
No fridges
No washing machines
No hoovers.

TotHappy · 24/09/2024 16:58

Love a baby sink bath!

CaptainMyCaptain · 24/09/2024 16:55

Nogaxeh · 24/09/2024 16:30

Wait. Why are you washing a baby in the kitchen sink?

Isn't anyone else thinking that it's incredibly rank to wash a baby in the same sink you'd be washing vegetables or dishes in?

Quite normal and has been for generations. It saves bending.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 24/09/2024 16:51

I think it would be better to do it straight after each meal but it’s not wrong we such.

Sounds like she’s being a little bossy but as she’s at a tricky time with a new baby I’d let her have her own way unless it’s extreme.

WolfFoxHare · 24/09/2024 16:44

I dunno. I’d probably do it to be honest. For one thing, I always wipe the hob after I’ve cooked anything as I don’t like oil/grease sitting there so I don’t think that’s unreasonable anyway, but also it’s part of her nesting instinct and I’m not sure refusing to do this will be helpful to her mental state, which may be fragile after a difficult birth. It’s not like she’s asking you to clean the windows or scrub the patio or dust the skirting boards once a day.

And babies were often bathed in the sink in the past - can’t see that as a problem!

Pormbk · 24/09/2024 16:36

SnowFrogJelly · 24/09/2024 16:34

Agree with this.. kitchen sink not great for baby bathing

Theie belfast sink is really the only sink deep enough right now

OP posts: