Museum of Clean

August 25 – Breakfast was better than we expected.  They had one waffle machine but we were 4^th in line to use it.  Once it was our turn I made one that we shared and then the second one.  There was the normal yogurt, cereal, toast and some fruit.

Kelly and Don

It was probably about 9:30 by the time we finished breakfast and loaded the car.  Timing was actually perfect as we were going to the Museum of Clean that opened at 10:00.  The question was

Car made from cleaning tools

what to do about Molly as it takes at least 90 minutes to see it and they had no trees in the lot.  I went in and asked if we could bring her in inside her crate and they said sure.  She just sat by the front desk and observed while we got to go on a tour led by the founder, Don Aslett.  He was getting ready to take a group of young girls and we were asked if we’d like to join.  He’s a fascinating man, who is sharp as a tack at 80.  He started a cleaning business while in college to pay his way to school and ended up building it into a multi-million dollar company across the US, Varsity Contractors.  The museum, www.museumofclean.com, is full of antique sweepers and all kinds of cleaning inventions and so much of it is hands on. 

Carpet sweeper display

He also stresses recycling and has numerous displays using recycled cleaning items made into other things.  He and Bill hit it off right away as Don was a big Cleveland Indian fan and kept quizzing Bill about various players from the “old” days.  He was impressed that he got every question right.  We enjoyed following

Tub couch

the young girls and seeing how they answered his many questions to identify items they would never have seen before.  The museum is a non-profit and many items are donated.  Don has picked up items from all over the world so we got to see how they cleaned things in Germany, England, The Orient and beyond!  Don has been on QVC, a lecture/inspirational speaker and several TV programs.  If you ever get the chance to go to Pocatello, Idaho, you really need to see this place. 

Molly was patiently waiting for us so once I visited the gift shop (full of cleaning books written by Don, over 35 books) we headed up the highway to Idaho Falls.

It was lunchtime when we arrived and I said I’d eat the leftover chicken in the cooler and some veggies and we would stop to get Bill something.  Our first stop of interest was Reed’s Dairy where they make cheese and ice cream.  They sell cheese curds and that’s what we really wanted.  When we arrived they had a sign that you can get grilled cheese sandwiches so I went in and got Bill one with ham and they use homemade bread.  For $5 he got a nice sandwich, chips, soda and a kiddie ice cream cone.  What a deal!   So we ate in the car and then I went back for a kiddie cup for me and some Colby cheese curds and some cheddar ends, which were really inexpensive.  The ice cream was very creamy and delicious.  You could go out and see the farm animals too!  The place was very busy and a bus from the YMCA arrived as we were about to leave so that was good timing!

The rest of the day was a rush of shopping for us and some for the RV park.  We went to Sam’s, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Fred Meyers, City Books and Dave’s Market.  The car was packed full since we got cases of water and cartons of soda for the park.  We managed to get home about 6:30 which surprised Bill.  We only unloaded our stuff and once we got somewhat organized I scraped up enough leftovers for us each for dinner.

We were both tired as it’s not the same sleeping in hotels with outside noises going on and thin walls.  We were in bed by 10!