I did not buy much on Friday’s walk: a box of “sliced kimchi” from Hmart (for Mom) and a marble taro bread from 85C (for Dad). I placed the sliced kimchi at the bottom of my Puma backpack and the bread on top. After reaching home, I was horrified to discover that the box of kimchi had burst open. A pool of the red kimchi vinegar had gathered near the bottom of the backpack and was starting to seep through.
Not wanting to think about this mess right away, I went for a 30min run. 265 calories later, I revealed the dirty Puma to the rest of the Kangs and asked for tips on cleaning the beast. Truth be told, not much advice was given. I was handed a bottle of Clorox wipes + paper towels and told to get to work.
Not wanting to get my sleeves dirty, I took off my shirt and began wiping. I was able to clean away most of the vinegar, but a faint (but distinct) smell remained. Some of the vinegar had seeped into the bottom fabric of the backpack. Before long, I realized it would be near impossible to get it all out.
I was more than ready to give up on the Puma (which has been crazy useful these last few years), but my mom (who had been secretly watching on the side) assured me things would be fine. Thankfully, she was right. After letting things dry for a few days, the smell faded. By the time we used the Puma again, things were unnoticeable unless you brought your nose real close.
PS: the kimchi that caused the mess was not even the one my mom wanted. Next time, I was told to go for “the one on the far right that’s not the green cabbage and is brighter in appearance.”
