We all love being in a clean, orderly home. Unlike rooms that are filled with clutter and induce stress, organized spaces create a calm atmosphere where you can relax in peace. And while cleaning can be a physically demanding activity, it is also often very fulfilling as you can instantly enjoy the results of your labor. But is it possible to clean too much?
According to the experts, it certainly is. Once your habit of keeping your house clean starts getting in the way of your personal life and relationships, you’re approaching mental illness territory.
The person in the following story seems to be on the verge of that line. They turned to Reddit’s Am I The [Jerk] community for some input on whether or not they are being reasonable regarding cleanliness of their home. Scroll down below to read the story and judge it for yourself.
Having a clean home is lovely, but it often takes a lot of effort to keep it nice and neat
Image credits: Satura_ (not the actual photo)
But while for some cleaning is a laborious task, others love getting their homes into tip-top shape. Maybe a little too much...
Image credits: Bayram Yalçın (not the actual photo)
Image source: Fit-Report-5909
For many, this seems like over-the-top behavior
Many commentators agreed that the Original Poster’s (OP) behavior is a little out of the ordinary. The level of concern regarding “germs” seems quite over the top for the majority, many of whom agreed that the OP here is acting like a jerk. Some even suspected they might have undiagnosed mysophobia that needs to be discussed with a professional.
Their obsession with cleanliness was further highlighted in the comment section, where they elaborated on a few details regarding their behavior. They noted that they always keep a change of clothes on them and are willing to change wherever they go. They also described the intricate ways they keep their bathroom clean by scrubbing it “everywhere [they] can possibly reach” daily with “bleach and chlorine mixtures.” When talking about public places, they described them as “a festering germ pool.”
People in the comments also pointed out that there are ways of “protecting” your home from germs that doesn’t alienate people so much. Being offered a plastic raincoat can be offensive to many and can send the wrong message to guests. Instead, one could cover soft furniture with blankets and throws that can be washed after the guests leave. The hard surfaces can then be wiped down to ensure it’s all clean.
Experts recommend keeping up with daily chores instead of doing weekly deep-cleans
However, experts say that that sort level of cleanliness is not necessary. One simply has to keep up with the general cleanliness of the house while paying specific attention to certain details. For example, anything that has to do with handling raw meat, should be cleaned right after use. That includes the towel you wipe your hands with after touching it.
In general, towels are a favored spot for many types of bacteria, so changing them once a week is good practice. Another thing you should do once a week is change your sheets. When washing towels and sheets, it is recommended to do it in hot water (140°F or above). If your sheets can only handle 90°F degrees, that’s not a big problem too, as long as you use oxygen bleach.
Keep your home clean, but don't get too carried away
Just remember not to get too wrapped up in keeping everything clean as it can affect your mental health. Healthline lists some of the cleanliness-related OCD symptoms online and those include:
• Using a very specific process or ritual for washing yourself or your surroundings
• Changing clothes several times a day
• Conducting precise decontaminating rituals
• Refusing to allow others into your safe spaces
• Using a very specific process or ritual for washing yourself or your surroundings
• Changing clothes several times a day
• Conducting precise decontaminating rituals
• Refusing to allow others into your safe spaces
Looking at these symptoms, it’s easy to notice that the OP’s behavior matches at least some of them. Of course, we do not have enough details to diagnose the OP, but it’s understandable that their actions are causing concern for the people around them. Hopefully, they’ll take people’s advice that they were seeking, and will not be driving their friends away in the future.
A lot of commentators thought the ask is unreasonable and even voiced their concern about the Original Poster’s mental health
Others were more empathetic, offering their own opinions about cleanliness and encouraging the OP to get help
