As a born cheapskate, I was thrilled when a random Disney cast member (that’s what they call everyone who works at Disney World, from dancers to floor-moppers) gave my kids each a Mickey straw.
I was extra thrilled when I saw that they usually cost .59 cents each.
Three kids times .59 cents – that’s a $1.77 value, folks!
But then we brought them home. They’re enough fancier than regular straws to make this mama justify the tiny bit of luggage space they consumed.
And they were a souvenir. A FREE souvenir.
A free souvenir that, technically, could be useful. I mean, we use straws.
But . . . how exactly do you get a curvy straw clean? Really, really clean? Clean enough to re-use, when re-using was the only justification for keeping them in the first place?
Blech. I despise questions like that.
I stuck them in the dishwasher, as I do with every other thing that I can possibly stick in there.
And the picture above shows how they came out.
No more Mickey. Just a really weird, twisty-turny, uncleanable, straw-like object.
Is it bad that I was giddy for the “excuse” to pitch them? We didn’t need them. They were sure to get on my nerves very, very soon with those uncleanable twists and turns.
Yay for decisions I don’t have to make.
Free tip: Don’t put Mickey Straws in the dishwasher.
--Nony
I limit fun, curly straws to be used with water, clear juice, or soda. Then I make it a point to rinse them thoroughly right after use. Otherwise they go straight to the trash.
Yup, same in our house. Once a kids uses it for milk it’s gone!
Yes, I pitched the twisty straws when I saw they couldn’t be cleaned. It’s good when we know right?
I have a little fishing ball sinker on a line attached to a strip of cloth. I drop the ball in one end of the straw and it travels through, coming out the other with enough extra line for me to grab and pull the soapy strip of cloth through. Voila! One really clean straw that took just a few seconds. All it then requires is a quick rinse under the tap and it’s ready to use again.
Don’t try soaking twisty straws in really hot tap water either. The same thing happens. I was going for the hot water and bleach tactic and was going to rinse really well after. They untwisted.
For straws like that (I admit we have a few, but they fit in the straw basket!) I run cold water through them right after use so milk doesn’t get stuck up and dried up in there. Then toss ’em in the dish water when I’m doing dishes, wipe off the top, and run hot water through to get out the soap.
Yes! Cleaning? And then storing? Bye-bye straw, lol. 🙂
I so understand this. We were decluttering blankets and I have an afghan that my grandmother crocheted for me. It doesn’t really go with my decor any more, but I was struggling with getting rid of it. Well, it got too close to the gas stove and the edge was singed. What a relief – no decision now – I could get rid of it!
Pipe cleaners work great to clean out straws. I send a protein shake with straw with hubby to work in the morning and by the end of the day when the cup finally comes back to me it is always dried up and nasty. Even soaking doesn’t get all the protein powder and fiber husks out. But a quick swipe with a soapy pipe cleaner does wonders. I imagine it would clean a curly straw just as well!
My kids love the fun new shapes they come out with every time we run them through the dishwasher. So yeah… We keep them. (But we only have a few, and I can’t wait until they no longer care about them. LOL)
If you are ever in the market for novelty stars that can be washed my nephews got one at 7/11 that is made for slurpy so it is wide enough to clean and the novelty part is it has a detachable must ash that makes the user look like they have a mustash. I am sure you can get other ones like that at other places to.