Help! My mom ruined my oven, what do I do?

Question

My mom was watching my kids and she thought I got some new kind of cookie sheet that looks like plastic :oP. Well it was my plastic cutting board and it melted all over the oven. I have a cleaning person coming on Friday and she said that she will do her best. I REally REally do not want to have to get a new oven, the one we have is only 6 months old! The more I am checking into it though it looks like we will have to do that.
My bigger problem is should I make my mom pay for this? My husband definately thinks so and I do too, but they dont have much money. Not that we do either. We could not afford to buy a new oven. What do you think? Is it wrong to make them pay? I just dont know what else to do.

I talked to my husband and unfortunately he is not willing to do the half and half thing! *sigh*
We are going to try the steamer, wish me luck!

Brigette, do you mean a garment steamer? Thanks!

Answer 1

I would ask your mother for part of the replacement but not the whole amount. Pick a replacement oven and just replace what you have already...and maybe get half the amount and also maybe you could have her make payments?

When you were growing up I know you broke things that your mother probably just wrote off because you did not know any better. This is part of life..but if you could just bite the bullet on this and forgive her for an honest mistake..maybe MOM could come up with something..but what would happen if your babysitter did this and she was not related to you? I don't think you would get any money from them as it was an honest mistake. Since both you and your mother are not wealthy maybe she could work off the cost..as she is babysitting for you..also she could pay something that would not break her budget but I would not ask her to pay the whole bill of replacing your oven..maybe you could get a good used oven?

Next time tell her not to use your appliances ..that way there would be no misunderstand.

Also you are setting a example for your children..do you charge them for things they break in your house if they had an accident?

Answer 2

I'm assuming you've already called the help lines for both your stove and your cutting board. The manufacturers of the cutting board should know the exact chemical makeup of its product and how best to get it out of your oven.

My gut feeling is that covering the melted plastic with ice might make the plastic shrink away from the metal, or make it brittle and easier to break -- but that's just a guess on my part.

By the way, wooden cutting boards are far superior to plastic, both in utility and cleanliness. Researchers who've compared the two have discovered that they could not find germs on a wooden cutting board after it was properly cleaned, but the plastic cutting boards tended to hold bacteria in the scratches and grooves they receive from use. They even found germs in the grooves of plastic cutting boards after they had been washed. They couldn't figure out why wooden cutting boards were cleaner, but suspect wood might have a natural germicide. I personally believe it's because wood is a porous material that allows more air to get at the germs, killing many of them.

I have no suggestions for the financial question. Things like that can get really touchy between family members.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Now that the melted plastic has cooled off you may try to scrape it out.Try using a metal egg turner to scrape it out.When I was a young girl I melted a plastic bowl on my mothers favorite pot.I was scared I was going to get in trouble so I hid it under the house.Well several months later the pot was found.My mother just chipped the plastic off.Pot was as good as new. My mother still uses this pot 30 yrs later.
Everyone makes mistakes.You made plenty when you were younger.Don't ask your mother to pay for a new oven.She probably feels bad enough as it is.

Answer 4

Your Moms feelings are worth a million ovens! Go to Wal-Mart and buy a small steam (real steam) cleaner for $35 it will clean it up and save you & your Mom heartache.

Answer 5

Your mother made a stupid mistake. She's paid for plenty of yours, so cut her a break and pay for it yourself. If you did the same stunt at her house (different stuff, same result), would you expect her to ask you to pay for it? I'll bet not.

You have my sympathy however!!

Answer 6

i think she should offer to pay for it but, maybe you could ask her to split the cost if neither of you has enough money on your own. technically, it's her responsibility but i can understand were it would be hard to ask her to pay.