I am not a germaphobe but I’ve never been exactly comfortable with the Tiny Humans eating directly off the table as Tiny Humans are prone to do. This is particularly the case at restaurants, especially fast food restaurants lacking plates. I usually improvised with napkins or food packaging but after purchasing a new changing pad that rolled like a yoga mat, I started to wonder if something similar existed for portable placemats. During my scouting mission I happened upon Skip Hop Zoo’s fold and go placemat. I am a sucker for the cute characters, but there are similar thin silicone or plastic products on the market that roll up tight enough to earn a space in a mommy bag.
Tiny Human #1 has thankfully curtailed her need to spread her meals across the table but Tiny Human #2 quickly embraced her new eating surface. Depending on the food whims of Tiny Human #2 however, the mat does seem to get a little sticky or greasy and it’s not always convenient to run it under the bathroom sink for a quick rinse.
This is where the clever cleaning hack comes in. (NOTE: I didn’t call it clever, M did) On a recent road trip to visit my family, I realized that a little splash of vinegar is perfect for giving the mat a quick clean before returning it to the mommy bag. Quite a few restaurants have vinegar in packets or bottles, no doubt intended for french fries, and I have taken to stashing a packet or two in my bag. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and does a great job of cutting through any greasy or sticky mess created by Tiny Human #2. Unlike using a baby wipe or alcohol wipe, I don’t need to worry about rinsing the mat before Tiny Human eats off of it again.
Inside the Mommy Bag 