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KDC 09:45 AM 03-13-2014
Do you put into cleaning the dishes the parents give you with baby food? I have a family that sends puree'd food every morning (blueberry pear) and it's in this funky container that has the puree in every crevice of the lid. I need to soak it, use a toothpick, and several rinse cycles before it's 'clean'. I would throw it in my dishwasher, but I don't run it until the night cycle and I would like to return it at the end of the day. They also have these reusable pouches where the chunks get stuck by the squeeze part. No fun. I want to be helpful, but it's taking WAY too much of my time. Do I just explain, and return them rinsed? Or is that too gross and I should just suck it up
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Blackcat31 09:50 AM 03-13-2014
I rinse the dish and put it back in child's cubby/basket. I don't wash.

As a parent, I would prefer to wash my own anyways so even if you did wash it, I would re-wash anyways.
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gracepatiencelove 09:55 AM 03-13-2014
Originally Posted by KDC:
Do you put into cleaning the dishes the parents give you with baby food? I have a family that sends puree'd food every morning (blueberry pear) and it's in this funky container that has the puree in every crevice of the lid. I need to soak it, use a toothpick, and several rinse cycles before it's 'clean'. I would throw it in my dishwasher, but I don't run it until the night cycle and I would like to return it at the end of the day. They also have these reusable pouches where the chunks get stuck by the squeeze part. No fun. I want to be helpful, but it's taking WAY too much of my time. Do I just explain, and return them rinsed? Or is that too gross and I should just suck it up
I give parents of babies the option to send baby food (no one has taken me up on that lol). But I make it clear I will rinse only. No way would I go through that!! I have also pretty much stopped allowing people to bring their own bottles. Even though they know I only rinse, they will bring back same bottle unwashed eww! I just use my own bottles and they bring liners.
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llpa 10:01 AM 03-13-2014
I rinse once and send it home in a plastic bag w whatever is left in it.
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Lucy 10:01 AM 03-13-2014
I hate doing dishes and don't have a dishwasher. It's in my policies that I "rinse but not wash" any dishes they bring.

I usually squirt in a teeny dash of soap and swish it under HOT water for several seconds. Once dry, I put it in their bag.
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Oss_cc 10:06 AM 03-13-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:

As a parent, I would prefer to wash my own anyways so even if you did wash it, I would re-wash anyways.

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TaylorTots 10:07 AM 03-13-2014
Yep - rinse and put into ziploc bag. Hand them all to parent at pick up.
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Msdunny 10:13 AM 03-13-2014
I only rinse here, too!
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countrymom 10:15 AM 03-13-2014
this is why I stopped letting parents bring baby food. Not only was I getting dirty moldy cups, plates and bottles but I would get expired baby food. I don't supply formula but I make sure at least that is left here so I can make sure its fresh.
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KDC 10:39 AM 03-13-2014
Originally Posted by countrymom:
this is why I stopped letting parents bring baby food. Not only was I getting dirty moldy cups, plates and bottles but I would get expired baby food. I don't supply formula but I make sure at least that is left here so I can make sure its fresh.
This Mom has fancy bowls, but not moldy or gross. She makes her own organic puree's, but blueberry is a morning favorite for baby (not for me...the blueberry seeds and mush are EVERYWHERE!) He's in the swatting the spoon age, which really drives me batty, soon he'll be on more finger foods and my life will be easier They're good about providing healthy food, and I'm sure they wouldn't be upset about the rinsed dish, just makes me feel bad for some reason. I like things CLEAN... but these screw top blueberry filled cracks are just to much for me with my current crew.
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My3cents 11:22 AM 03-13-2014
Originally Posted by KDC:
This Mom has fancy bowls, but not moldy or gross. She makes her own organic puree's, but blueberry is a morning favorite for baby (not for me...the blueberry seeds and mush are EVERYWHERE!) He's in the swatting the spoon age, which really drives me batty, soon he'll be on more finger foods and my life will be easier They're good about providing healthy food, and I'm sure they wouldn't be upset about the rinsed dish, just makes me feel bad for some reason. I like things CLEAN... but these screw top blueberry filled cracks are just to much for me with my current crew.
soak it and then wash it is what I would do. I wouldn't want to return something not washed- just me. I expect them to wash it again and hope they do- I would.
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originalkat 11:29 AM 03-13-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I rinse the dish and put it back in child's cubby/basket. I don't wash.

As a parent, I would prefer to wash my own anyways so even if you did wash it, I would re-wash anyways.
I do not have babies, but if a kid ever brings a cup or dish I rinse and put it in their cubby.
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CraftyMom 11:38 AM 03-13-2014
I also rinse only
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mia 12:16 PM 03-13-2014
if i have time i rinse then bag it.... if not it's bagged.....
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EntropyControlSpecialist 12:18 PM 03-13-2014
Originally Posted by mia:
if i have time i rinse then bag it.... if not it's bagged.....
This is how it goes when people bring in cutesy things for holidays on their trays and plates.
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Childminder 12:57 PM 03-13-2014
Parents don't bring dishes here. In my contract.
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Crazy8 01:49 PM 03-13-2014
I wash everything, I'm a little too OCD about that stuff, if I was taking the time to rinse it I might as well just wash it. But if it was something like that where its difficult to get clean I would just clean it best I could without too much extra work and mention that those are difficult to get clean and they will probably want to run it thru the dishwasher when they get home.
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Lucy 09:53 PM 03-13-2014
I look at it this way.... If it were reversed and I took something to my child's DC, I'd take it home and wash it anyway. Even if it looked clean. So I figure I'll just rinse the chunks off and leave the rest to them because they're probably going to wash it either way.
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KidGrind 05:08 AM 03-14-2014
I rinse most of the time. On rough days, they’re lucky if they get their containers back.

The day after a rough day, if they didn’t get their containers back, containers are returned sparkling clean.
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TwinKristi 07:58 AM 03-14-2014
Yeah, I just rinse. I have only had one mom do that and I KNOW she washed the stuff I sent home anyway (she insisted she provide his cups and bottles daily, most DCPs leave a bottle & sippy here) so I just send it home rinsed. Some stuff she brought was super greasy so I didn't mind. LOL
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Tags:baby food, clean-up, dishes
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