Cleaning Up After a Show: What Do You Do?

[pckellyd]

Ok, this may be obvious, but it isn't to me

What do you all do with your dirty product when cleaning up at a show? I don't use everything in the recipe demo, so after my first show I wound up having to wash everything because I only had one bag to use! I do NOT want to have to do that everytime! Please help

Thanks!

 

[khergatt]

I take a crate with a garbage bag and put all my dirty stuff in it. Then I put things in there as I go. I carry the crate full of dirties out to the car and take it home to wash those items. The unused stuff goes back in my bag. (Keeps my bag cleaner, too.)

 

[pampered.chris]

I went to the Dollar store and bought a tub that you would use in a one basin sink. I call it the dirty dish tub. I take that with me to every show along with a small garbage can and plastic grocery bags. That way there is a place for all my dirty stuff and one for trash while I am doing the recipe. I leave w/ my dirty dishes and I know that everything in it is mine.


Edited to add, my dirty dish tub gets cleaned after every show and when the items are unloaded from the dishwasher they go back in the dirty dish tub for the next show or back into my kit. This works wonders when you are doing back-to-back shows.

 

[sklay723]

I bring a Rubbermaid bin and stack my dirty pieces in it as I go through the show...I stop and rinse products as much as I can so that they don't have food stuck all over the place, but that depends on how much time I'm working with. Then I come home and load my dishwasher, and I clean out the inside of the bin with some antibacterial dish soap and rinse it out well and air dry it. I think it's a 10 gallon tote size. I've been doing that for over a year and it works great. Since I clean it after my shows, it's clean enough to load some other things in to take TO the shows (and then those items go into my clean carry case when the bin is full of dirty stuff to go home).

 

[AlowayFamily]

I do the same thing with a plastic bin, I am not sure how big, but it does a great job getting the clean products in the door and dirty out the door. I have products packed in my totes too, and I don't like putting dirty dishes in the tote, although I have done it.

The different thing I do is with my trash. I have plastic trash bags that are really small, probably about the size of a Wal-Mart bag (I bought in bulk at Sams on accident thinking they were larger, I'll recycle WalMart bags when these are gone) and I use binder clips to "attach" the bag to my dirty bin on one side. So I can put dirty dishes on one side and throw trash in the bag on the other.

I place the bin under my table, so as I am demonstrating, I can move things out of my way easily. Then I take them out at the end of the show and review what has been shown to them, to help them remember what they liked and want to order.

 

[wadesgirl]

I wash my products at the host's house. I'm not even going to try to get them home and then wash them. It's a great way to chat with your host if she offers to help.

 

[babywings76]

The times I attempted to take my dirty dishes home, it just didn't flow right. I'd have extra time and felt like I was hovering over the guest, so I would just do the dishes. I like having a trash bag or something to line a bin or something, just in case a host doesn't have a clean empty sink or something though.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Dirty Product...

Gee, what a disappointing thread. I thought this was going to be a discussion of the stuff that someone keeps trying to sell me via e-mail.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Gee, what a disappointing thread. I thought this was going to be a discussion of the stuff that someone keeps trying to sell me via e-mail.

LOL Thanks for the laugh.

 

[kcjodih]

I do the same thing with a plastic bin, I am not sure how big, but it does a great job getting the clean products in the door and dirty out the door. I have products packed in my totes too, and I don't like putting dirty dishes in the tote, although I have done it.

The different thing I do is with my trash. I have plastic trash bags that are really small, probably about the size of a Wal-Mart bag (I bought in bulk at Sams on accident thinking they were larger, I'll recycle WalMart bags when these are gone) and I use binder clips to "attach" the bag to my dirty bin on one side. So I can put dirty dishes on one side and throw trash in the bag on the other.

I place the bin under my table, so as I am demonstrating, I can move things out of my way easily. Then I take them out at the end of the show and review what has been shown to them, to help them remember what they liked and want to order.

That's EXACTLY what I do Nancy except mine is the red crate! Then I use my one tote for extras that I'm not using, just showing. Add my briefcase with catalogs and my TTA tote and I'm out the door.

 

[pcsharon1]

I have recently tried to start washing at the hosts home and it just isn't working for me. I am going to go back to carrying in a plastic tub/crate for my dirty dishes. What I loved about that is that if I got home and didn't feel like loading the dishwasher or washing the dishes right then, I could fill the tub full of super hot soapy water and let things soak till morning - after taking out stones and the ice cream scoop of course. It was just way easier for me than trying to wash at the hosts home. I usually feel like I'm in her way. People are leaving or sticking around to chat. I've actually had hostesses who had plans after their show to go out with friends and they are all just waiting for me to leave. And I tend to cut myself on my knives when I am trying to wash them in a hurry at the hosts home. And leave things behind.

 

[KellyTheChef]

I went to the Dollar store and bought a tub that you would use in a one basin sink. I call it the dirty dish tub. I take that with me to every show along with a small garbage can and plastic grocery bags. That way there is a place for all my dirty stuff and one for trash while I am doing the recipe. I leave w/ my dirty dishes and I know that everything in it is mine.


Edited to add, my dirty dish tub gets cleaned after every show and when the items are unloaded from the dishwasher they go back in the dirty dish tub for the next show or back into my kit. This works wonders when you are doing back-to-back shows.

I do something similar, only with a plastic stackable DRAWER from Office Max. It goes TO shows packed with clean product, I stash it under my table and put dirty stuff into it as I use it (keeps my table looking clean...plus I know when I run out of tools, that I have put everything into the recipe hopefully!) so it comes home with all dirty dishes. I wash it out and re-load it for the next party with clean tools!

 

[DebbieJ]

I wash mine at the host's house, or she or another guest do them for me.

 

[Crystal Patton]

I also wash at the Hosts house after the show. I have occationally left a piece behind, but it's an excuse to follow up with the host on the business or outside orders.

 

[Fluffy215]

I do the same thing with the tote. The only time I wash them at the hosts home is when they are a friend of mine. Otherwise I take them home. I don't have an electrical dishwasher though. I have my DH who washes them for me Yes, he is so trained in the care of PC products LOL And if I get home to late at night he washes them first thing in the morning before he goes to work He says that is contribution to my business Now I am truly a "Pampered Chef" LOL

 

[pampermejolene]

I just toss them in a garbage bag. I generally wash EVERYTHING that was at the show with me, even if it was just to look at and not used. It was still handled by people and I want it to be clean for the next time it touches food.

 

[Chefgirl2]

I put my dirty dishes in a white garbage bag inside my large tote(comes w/ kit). I was losing too many products when others did my dishes. Plus, it cuts my time at the host's home drastically down. No more leaving her home at 10:30 or 11:00 because I get chatty. Now, I leave a 7:00 show no later than 9:30. I make $65 an hour instead of $45...which is still great! But, I noticed my sales are higher when I keep the show short and fun for my hostesses.

 

[khergatt]

My husband does my dishes, too! He also feels it is his contribution to my business. I do shows, he does dishes! It's awesome (so is he!).

 

[Brandi2007]

I rinse them at the hosts house and put them in a bag to bring home. One of my daughters contributions to my business is to load the dishwasher with my dirty show dishes! She gets $1 per show for that. (She is 8)

 

[AlowayFamily]

I just toss them in a garbage bag. I generally wash EVERYTHING that was at the show with me, even if it was just to look at and not used. It was still handled by people and I want it to be clean for the next time it touches food.

I do the same thing! I bring my TTA with most of my untensils in them. I encourage my guests to look at whatever they want, and then when I get home I put all of them in the dishwasher. I need to remember to have the dishwasher empty so I can do that when I get home.

I love the idea above about soaking the dishes in her tub! What a great idea, I'll have to start doing that if I don't get the dishes loaded in the dishwasher.

 

[PamperChefCarol]

I wash at the hostess' house. The only time I haven't done this was when I did a show in a church basement with no stove, no oven, no running water. That was a challenge, but have hotplate will travel! I really hated having to pack up the dirty dishes. I don't have the option of using a bus tub or rubbermaid tote (space is at a premium in my miata) so as I go thru my show, I just place the dirty stuff in a sink of warm water and soap. I have never had anyone say I couldn't use their sink. Plus, this way since I do the same recipe all month long, my kit is repacked and I am ready to do the next show.

 

[jwpamp]

I wash mine at the host's house, too. Keep them in a small rubbermaid bin under the demo table til the show is over and then do them. Usually doesn't take long.

I was told by my hubby that my car always smells like onions and garlic (its true), and it is NICE to not have to do any clean up when I get home!