The reviewer appreciates the practical cleaning advice in Jolie Kerr's book but finds the tone overly playful and distracting. They argue that cleaning is a serious, satisfying task that requires a Zen-like approach, not a frivolous one.
The reviewer acknowledges that Jolie Kerr's book, 'My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag', offers sound cleaning advice and covers a wide range of topics. However, they find the book's tone to be overly playful and infantilizing, which detracts from its practical value. The reviewer argues that cleaning is a serious and satisfying task that requires a Zen-like approach, not a frivolous one. They believe that the book's attempt to make cleaning fun and exciting is misguided and could lead to a lack of thoroughness in cleaning practices. The reviewer also notes that the book's focus on unusual cleaning scenarios, such as cleaning up vomit or semen stains, is more of a distraction than a help for those who are serious about learning to clean.
Quick quotes
The classic example of such a philosophical text is Cheryl Mendelson’s mesmerizing Home Comforts.
What’s weird about the knowing mock-infantilization is how it distracts from Kerr’s refreshingly conservative methods: No Swiffers here, just traditional products and elbow grease, with the occasional conjuring of a Magic Eraser.
Being a true Clean Person, a person for whom cleaning is respected as a necessary part of a well-lived life, involves a Zen orientation to the repetition of chores.