Cleaning Baby's High Chair

Warning, I'm aware that this post resembles an infomercial. I resisted using words like “Voila!” “Wow!,” and “Vanish.” I’m not pushing some new product. I’m touting the use of something even better … hot water.

I’ve been cursing our fancy wooden high chair since Henry started eating solid foods. Food has a ridiculous ability to bind itself to wood. It doesn’t help that Henry smooshes his food between his fingers and then wipes it all over his hair, ears, neck and ultimately his high chair. If I don’t wipe the chair down thoroughly and immediately, I have to scrub the chair down for half an hour. I tried kitchen spray, rough sponges, and oil wood cleaner. The kitchen spray couldn’t release the food particles. The rough sponge started wearing away at the wood finish. And the oil wood cleaner, which worked the best, makes my wood floors dangerously slippery.

Hooray, I found an easy and obvious quick fix. It’s so obvious that you’re all probably thinking, “Yea, duh. Thanks for wasting 30 seconds of my day.” For me, it was so obvious; the thought never crossed my mind. The obvious solution isn’t always so obvious when your mind is occupied with: “what do I feed baby;” “why won’t baby eat;” “why does baby throw everything on the floor,” “baby has banana lodged behind his ear;” “baby threw banana in my face;” and “yay, baby is fed. Now it’s naptime.” Thanks to my sister, E, for giving me the obvious answer.

Hot water.

I place the high chair on our splat mat (Sugar Booger), and pour a little hot water on the problem spots. I place the sponge on the chair, or wear a water/heat resistant oven glove, and pour some hot water onto the sponge. Food magically releases its death grip from the chair and table. The hot water trickles down to the splat mat, which I wipe down at the end. I finish off with a dishcloth to soak up the excess water.

Thanks to hot water, my life is just a little more fabulous. I lerf hot water.