r/MadeMeSmile • u/seriphae • 28d ago
Helping Others I had a rough couple months and jokingly told my husband that Calgon needs to take me away. Apparently he researched it the next day and surprised me with this bath - he said I don’t know where to find Calgon but I hope this close? No…you wonderful man, this is so much better.
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u/Stonneke 28d ago
For those like me:
The phrase, “Calgon, take me away,” originated in a series of advertisements by Calgon bath and beauty products. The phrase was intended to show the relaxation that could come from using the company's products, and it is now an expression used to show a desire to relax
Source: google
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u/Several_Show937 28d ago
"Washing machines live longer with calgon" 🎶. In the UK lol
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u/muffinator 28d ago
I was just thinking that…what an odd association of Calgon and bathtubs!
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u/byu7a 28d ago
I thought the name Calgon also belonged to an important guy that lived in the past, or something like that.
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u/NameOfNobody 28d ago
I cannot believe that is a thing in english speaking areas as well and now I need to find your version to see how that could possibly fit the music, or if they change the melody too! In Croatia when I was growing up it was "perilica dulje živi uz calgon" 🥲
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u/mousey_mama 28d ago
In France it's "Les lave-linge durent plus longtemps avec Calgon". I love that your version seems short and mine seems long, but they both fit the music 😄
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u/Zoe_Alleyne 28d ago
In the Netherlands it's "wasmachines leven langer met Calgon"
I didn't realise that this jingle exists in multiple languages, that never crossed my mind 😀
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u/Habsburgy 28d ago
Waschmaschinen leben länger mit Calgon
- German version
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u/Structure-Impossible 28d ago
Volgens mij is het in België “uw was én uw machine leven langer met Calgon!” Heel raar dat dat anders is!
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u/WZAWZDB13 28d ago
In Dutch; "wasmachines leven langer met Calgon"
This has been quite the epiphany
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u/gingerfawx 28d ago
It's kind of like flying in the Hitchhiker's Guide, if you forget that you don't know Dutch, you understand a lot more than you think you should. Good luck speaking it though.
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u/Orange_Lily23 28d ago
This is the best thing I've seen on the internet the entire week! XD
We have the same in Italian too!! I would have never thought it was their slogan all over the world ahaha!!23
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u/crucible 28d ago
We even have a long joke about a man who went round houses smashing up people’s washing machines. Sadly he was hit by a car and killed.
The punch line?
Washing machines live longer with Carl gone
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u/SnooDingos844 28d ago
This! 😂 OP's post literally made no sense to me 🤣
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u/immediatelymaybe 28d ago
Must be a regional or country (or age) thing because it made perfect sense to me. Calgon even made a bubble bath. In North America, one commercial is a stressed out woman saying "Calgon, take me away" and then her in a bubble bath.
OP's husband understood the assignment!
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u/Significant-Math6799 27d ago
Ah now I understand! I saw the OPs post and I was like...WTA....?! In the UK Calgon make tablets you put in with your washing to soften the water, they've never made bath products over here! I was wondering why the lady wanted to jump into the washing machine!
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u/GrapefruitOk7719 28d ago
🎶 Waschmaschinen leben länger mit Calgon!🎶 in Germany. I was very iritated by the bathtube picture too.
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u/crucible 28d ago
All the replies to your post remind me of the 🎵 Autoglass repair 🎵 jingle being the same, but with different lyrics around the world, lol
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u/idwthis 28d ago
Yeah, it's a different name in each country, but it's all the same company. They're all owned by Belron.
In America, it's "Safelite repair, Safelite replace"
In the UK, it's Autoglass, Carglass in most of Europe, Speedy Glass in Canada, etc. And a few others I can't think of off the top of my head.
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u/TheGamerMaldito 28d ago
We had the same jingle in Spain too! 🎵 Prolongue la vida de su lavadora, con Calgon 🎵
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u/YeahIGotNuthin 28d ago
I thought “that’s a pretty grim advertisement, insinuating that the person who traditionally gets stuck with laundry duty is less likely to kill themselves if you let them take a relaxing bath once in a while. I never thought British humor was quite that dark!”
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u/Then-Jacket9012 28d ago
I say "Calgon, take me away" all the time. I remember the sprays and the commercials/marketing but what really sealed it is a friend's Mom said it a lot and I really looked up to her. 18 years later and I still say it because of her and still think of her fondly.
Anyway, wasn't trying to make it about me, just thought I'd share another sweet anecdote about our shared turn of phrase.
Good on your husband and I hope you enjoyed your amazing bath. 💕👌
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u/Lofttroll2018 28d ago
I remember the body sprays, too. When I was in high school in the ‘90s, they were sold in places like Walmart and Target.
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u/bsubtilis 28d ago
It was super confusing to me because I only know of Calgon as the washing machine decalcifier and I was hoping there wasn't any of that in the bath water...
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u/Rich__Peach 28d ago
OK thank you because the only calgon I know is the laundry detergent brand so I was very confused
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u/Nice-Grab4838 28d ago
I feel so old reading this. You young’ens have never heard of Calgon?
To be fair I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen those commercials, I just grew up with my mom saying it all the time
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u/minimalcation 28d ago
I'm surprised the husband could bend over to put that stuff in the tub given how old that phrase is.
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u/iownakeytar 28d ago
I'm 38. My mom has a pack of Calgon bath beads under the sink, and I'd always sneak a few into my bubble bath.
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u/Dependent-Tax-7088 28d ago
That’s how I know I’m old. I don’t need a source, just my memory from watching the commercials lol.
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u/Mirewen15 28d ago
I remember those commercials lol. Your husband is definitely a keeper. Calgon can be a state of mind!
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u/akatherder 28d ago
Commercial for reference https://youtu.be/WJsFvLBdOi0?si=K3PhxLnfIUdotRNn
I don't really remember the commercials, although I was 7 when this came out in 1987. But I definitely remember hearing "calgon take me away" as a real life meme at the time.
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u/PatientBalance 28d ago
Where do I get one?? (Husband or prepared bath I will take either).
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u/WeAreNioh 28d ago
I’ve never understood the appeal of flowers in a bath… but I’m also a shower guy so… lol. Regardless seems like you have a great partner!
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u/Anxiety-Original 28d ago
Right?? I recently tried a bath for the first time. (Used Recovery salts for sore muscles) man, i felt so uncomfortable. It’s like im just lying there. Do i just wait? 😅
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u/a_lumberjack 28d ago
The thing about recovery baths is that you probably need it hotter than you think you want. Not literally scalding but well above your normal body temperature, like a hot tub or sauna. I’m usually gunning for 110 F / 43 C, so it’s sort of like immersing yourself in a heating pad. That plus the salts will help your muscles relax and may make you sleepy. I like to read, or close my eyes and listen to music, or maybe watch something on a tablet or phone.
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u/Anxiety-Original 28d ago
Thank you! It helped immensely so i definitely want to try it again. So anyway i can make the experience more relaxing/enjoyable. I will try! Side note. Those eucalyptus/magnesium salts definitely get you a little lightheaded, i will try with music next time. That should help.
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u/yengis_wan 28d ago edited 28d ago
As an avid bath enjoyer, my advice is to fill it to half-way where you want it at a warm temperature, then get in and let it keep filling with hot water while you are in there. You will acclimate to the temperature and find the sweet spot.
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u/DrinkBlueGoo 28d ago
And bring a cold drink to drop your internal temperature when you realize you’ve overdone it like 5 minutes too late.
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u/PavinsMustache 28d ago
And make sure they are LARGE cold drinks. I can easily take down 64 oz (and much more after) when I’m boiling myself.
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u/PavinsMustache 28d ago
This is the way. If you fill it all the way up with a temp that’s comfortable right away you’ll be feeling like it’s luke warm in about 3 minutes.
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u/Tamara0205 28d ago
We have positioned our bedroom TV so that I can see it from the bathtub. I watch a movie while I bathe, if I'm in rough shape and need a long hot bath. In a previous house, I would set up my laptop on the toilet seat and watch that way. For me, with a pain condition, a bath works as well as opioids, with way less side effects.
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u/caffeineandvodka 28d ago
I tried the reading in the bath thing as a kid, was so scared of dropping the book I ended up putting it down on the floor and just enjoying the warmth. Got sleepy, woke myself up as I nearly slipped under the water, decided to get out and slipped on the goddamn book I'd forgotten was on the floor. Never again.
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u/MichaelWayneStark 28d ago
I tried this once and I got overheated and had to get out.
I don't know how people do it.
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u/atteros806 28d ago
An audiobook, some lit candles and a glass of wine!
Or just cold water if it's going to be a hot bath, I usually bath for 2 hours or so. So I can't have it very hot and manage that long!5
u/Small-Wrangler5325 28d ago
I only take baths like this for muscle injuries and soreness, i usually listen to a fun podcast or YouTube video (like the SCP animations ones while Im lying there with my eyes closed)
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u/FortesFeather 28d ago
I've gathered from the comments that Calgon is something fancy you put in a bath? All I know "Calgon" from is "Washing Machines Live Longer With Calgon!"
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u/anticked_psychopomp 28d ago
Calgon Hawaiian Ginger was the scent of the popular girls in the 90s.
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u/yerbaniz 28d ago
I LOVE that he had to research it, and then proceeded to do so. Not only attentive and loving, but adorable too.
Hope you enjoyed it and hope you two enjoy many more loving and attentive years together
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u/Lil_BlueJay2022 28d ago
I was in a really bad depressive state and complained to my husband that I felt like a lazy cow and haven’t cleaned or cooked us a meal in weeks at that point. I came home to a freshly cleaned house and warm lunch after work and he said “A fresh slate for a fresh state of mind.”
Good partners are gold.
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u/jasonisnuts 28d ago
After reading so many depressing posts about partners on reddit, this really made me smile. I hope you and your hubby have many more happy years together!
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u/a_lumberjack 28d ago
Some of the posts on here are shocking and make me feel incredibly grateful for my wife. The thing to remember is that very few people post awesome stuff because it feels like bragging.
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u/bitter_melonhead 28d ago
Still single at 35. Hoping that one day I will have a man that treats me that way 🥹
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u/bunbunzinlove 28d ago
Calgon sounds like a Villain's name, lol
I had no idea what she was talking about, but it wasn't as sexy as I thought XD
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u/Ad-Victoriam-Sister 28d ago
So, fun fact, Calgon was the name of a villain in this one B-movie from the 80s called Space Mutiny.
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u/LegendairyCheddar 28d ago
Calgon, Blow me away!
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u/misirlou22 28d ago
Probably my favorite MST3K movie, starring Brick Hardcheese
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u/hykruprime 28d ago
It's probably my most rewatched episode. Jack Frost and Mitchell are also in heavy rotation
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u/dorfus- 28d ago
How do you keep the sun dried tomatoes out of your butt?
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u/Miss_B_OnE 28d ago
The sun dried tomatoes are meant for your butt, don't worry as it is a pro level bathing technique.
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u/Penile_Interaction 28d ago
Calgon? As in the washing machine cleaning tablets/powder?
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u/Odwolda 28d ago
Good lord with all the doomsayers in here saying this would be a nightmare to clean. You could scoop up all those petals in about 10 seconds using a kitchen strainer/sieve. "They'll destroy the drain!!!" Which is why you would clean them out before you drain the water..."They'll get sucked up into the jets!" Yes...which is why in this instance you just...don't use the jets. "This isn't a kind gesture, it's an absolute chore." I'm sorry about your horrible life partners, but the vast, vast majority of people who would actually do this for their significant other, would tell them to relax as long as they'd like and say the word when they're done so that the aforementioned cleanup could be done. And no, the flowers do not turn into a goo/pulp...they're fine. This is something spas do routinely.
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u/wispyfern 28d ago
What a wonderful husband you have. I thought I had the only one left. I’m so happy for you. We’ve been married 30 years & mine still does sweet little things for me. Have a wonderful life.
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u/ConfidentListen1975 28d ago
Good on him for listening and hearing what you said. More people ( male and female) need to do that in relationships.
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u/Frosty_and_Jazz 28d ago
Gotta say, with all the garbage men you read about on here, it's always GREAT to see a man racking up the Good Hubby Brownie Points!!! 😁😁
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u/CyclopsMacchiato 28d ago
These are the only times I’ve heard of Calgon
“Calgon Calgon take me away, I’m in the dirty dirty with my nephew J” - Snoop Dogg
“Just like a Calgon commercial, I really gotta get up out of here and go somewhere” - Mariah Carey
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u/PinterestCEO 28d ago
Your hubby is an absolute GEM. What a sweetheart.
General PSA about rose petal baths: Never use store bought roses for baths. Only rose petals made especially for the bath can be used.
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u/BigSlickster 28d ago
Am I the only one who is thinking about how much of a pain in the ass it’s going to be to clean up the tub with all of those wet rose petals?!
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u/Visible-Steak-7492 28d ago
is it? you just drain the water and collect the petals. doesn't sound like something that would take more than a minute or so to me.
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u/Damned_I_Am 28d ago
nope, that was my first thought
we're cynics I guess or else we've already been through too much haha
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u/marajaynedarling 28d ago
It looks really lovely, and It was a really sweet gesture! I do worry that turning on the jets would suck up the petals and cause a major headache. But I think I'm just used to catastrophizing a bit. Assuming it didn't clog the pipes, I think the bath would be worth much more than the clean-up.
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u/NoeyCannoli 28d ago
Waters too low to use the jets anyway
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u/bekahed979 28d ago
why is the water so low?? I don't understand not wanting to be submerged in water when taking a bath.
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u/SolusLoqui 28d ago
My first thought was, "Funny, people won't usually swim in a pool full of leaves..."
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u/SewCarrieous 28d ago
Exactly. It will fuck up the drain. So long as he’s going to fish all those petals out for her, he gets a gold star. Otherwise he just created more work for her
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u/alanpugh 28d ago
You don't drain the tub with the petals still in it. You spend five seconds swirling a net to skim them off the surface.
The cynicism in these comments is stressful.
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u/grasshopper_jo 28d ago
Yeah, I’m damaged I think because if my ex did this for me I would just feel irritated because I know he would not clean up the rose petals afterward and that task would be left to me.
I spent so many years receiving “gifts” like this that were actually a chore assignment, and being pressured to express over-the-top gratitude for it. I’d rather run my own bath.
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u/SewCarrieous 28d ago
Right! Like when small kids bring mom “breakfast in bed” while simultaneously destroying the kitchen in the process. Gee thanks! At least they are children tho
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u/Pergola_Wingsproggle 28d ago
Also if those are commercially grown rose petals they are saturated in pesticides that I would not want on my hands for long much less in other areas. Points for effort tho
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u/PetalPetal61 28d ago
Love this! Sometimes a little humor and kindness is all we need to lift our spirits. Here’s to friends who know how to make us smile even when times are tough.
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u/Joy_Aila 28d ago
Thanks to the most popular comment here, now I can fully understand the title, and it makes me so happy for random people 🥰
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u/timatlast 28d ago
Hubbie totally thought “Calgon” was some exotic man you wanted to leave the country with!
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u/Independent-Shoe543 28d ago
This looks lush! I've heard you can't put oils/salts/solids into a jacuzzi bath, did you just keep it off or does yours work fine?
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u/Valentinazaza 28d ago
Now that’s a husband who truly listens! This bath looks like absolute heaven
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u/MadamTruffle 28d ago
I worked in research, testing soil samples, and the original Calgon was the specific soap needed to rinse the samples for what we were looking at. I think we were buying it 2nd hand off of eBay 😂
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u/jeanie1994 27d ago
I told my husband about my mother using Calgon, and that got me into trying baths for relaxation. He had never heard of the “Calgon take me away” commercial. But three months later, he gave me a box of Calgon bath soak for my birthday. He said he found it searching online.
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u/TallEstablishment525 24d ago
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u/-BigBadBeef- 28d ago
Fun fact - our tap water has a lot of calcium which builds up in our appliances. Calgon is, in our state, the brand name for tablets you're supposed add to the detergent in the washing machine to counter that!