Cultural cleaning practices

[mubarak86]

Sort of reminded by another thread about how when I got with DH and spent time with his non British family, how they were horrified by some of my cleaning (or not so) ways.
Eg, his family always wash meat/chicken before use. Not just a rinse under the tap, but they use flour, lemon juice and some even use olive oil soap and massage it in, before thoroughly rinsing it off.
Another one is how they wash the dishes. Small bowl of warm soapy water, sponge is dipped in, dish washed and set aside before rinsing soap off. Wearing of flip flops in bathroom, no bare feet ever. Flip flops left in bathroom, never to be worn outside of bathroom.

Would be interested to hear if you are in a mixed culture marriage or if you are not white British in what ways you feel you do things differently (or even if you just know others) . Keep it respectful please, no one is asking for opinions on what is the "right" way to do things.

This thread reminds me of when I was first married, and my father and husband, both of whom have chemistry backgrounds, had a heated debate at the dinner table about whether it was necessary to rince dishes.

As far as cleaning generally, one thing I always remember is that my grandmother ironed all kinds of things. Sheets, underclothing. It seemed weird because she really hated housework, so why do stuff that wasn't strictly necessary. I discovered later that it was to help keep down fleas and bedbugs and such - it was felt that the hot iron would destroy some of the eggs.

I live in Canada, most people have their machines in the basement, or laundry room, or occasionally a specially designed closet.

Mine however is in the kitchen, which I have discovered I quite like. I thought I wouldn't, but it's easy to keep track of and just do the washing along with whatever I am doing in the kitchen.

I think it's a weather thing. You have to dig down even if your house is on a slab because the ground freezes so much in winter, so it makes sense to just have a basement. Lots of washing machines get put there because it's not the nicest living space. But it's a pain to carry it up and down and easy to forget you put the laundry on.

1. Because it is less easy to smash glasses and crockery in a plastic bowl than in a composite granite or other hard material sink.

1. Because not everyone has a 1.5 or double sink to tip the last dregs of a cup of coffee that they have overlooked.

1. So that you can run a tap to rinse the suds off and not dilute what is in the washing up bowl.

Ah ok. Makes sense . ALways wondered.

That's as may be. But not washing meat is still the official advice and forms part of a food handling qualification.

Are the people bemused by washing up bowls the same people who are fretting about non-rinsers?

(Oh and yes, I too was taught the order of washing up at school.)

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread from the hated new MN recommendation feature but I thought this was too interesting to ignore. I still totally don't understand how washing up works without rinsing dishes at some point. It's not just a British thing. I've seen it in other European countries as well. I'm originally from India and these are the cultural cleaning practices that I've seen to be different (apologies..a lot revolve around toiletting habits because I just think these are brilliant.)

1. In India most people try to go to the toilet (for a big job) just once a day, every day and in the morning before you have your shower. Then you shower and are clean and fresh for the rest of the day. No stressing about using public toilets or being caught out in the middle of something...

1. A lot of Indians use water (usually from a mug or sometimes a hose, rarely a bidet) to clean themselves after using the toilet and find the habit of using toilet paper disgusting.

1. We were always told that you clean your bum with your left hand and therefore use your right hand to eat or do anything else. Don't think this one is very important or sensible especially since we thoroughly clean our hands or shower after going to the toilet anyway. Anyway your left hand is considered to be dirty.

1. You never wear shoes inside the house except for house slippers or sandals. When you go to other people's houses you leave your shoes outside in front of their main door.

1. When you eat in other people's houses it's considered polite to wash up your own plate after eating.

1. Don't use your left hand to serve yourself and if you are eating with your hands don't use your right hand either (wait for the host to serve you).

1. Never ever double dip!! We'd all get a heart attack and never be able to eat again. The exchange of saliva must be avoided at any cost!! Except with your partner. In fact there is a ritual at weddings where husband and wife feed each other and also their plates touch while eating, which symbolises that they are so close to each other now that it's ok for them to share saliva....

1. If you are drinking from a bottle of water always lift the bottle. Don't let it touch your mouth. Some of my relatives do this also when drinking water from a cup.

1. Don't touch people with your feet and apologise profusely if it happens. Books must also not be stepped on or.touched with your feet as you are meant to show respect to books.

10. Always wash your hands after eating and rinse out your mouth.

My Mum's standards of cleaning rivalled those of an Alaskan Military School.

Even if snowing outside, every morning bedroom windows were flung wide open and quilts thrown back to air the room & bed.

Bed linens & towels washed regularly and at 60+ degrees.

Dirty dishes scraped, then rinsed under hot water, then scrubbed with a soapy brush, then thoroughly rinsed under hot water tap. Left to air dry, or dried with a clean tea towel.

I love your mum!

@AlmostGrinchyTime that reminds me of the time I'd been reading a novel and set it on the floor beside the sofa when I'd finished. When my BIL saw this, he scolded me for "not respecting knowledge". It was a crime novel from the pound shop 🤣.
On a serious note though I understand that books are not as prolific in other countries and are very expensive.

@AlmostGrinchyTime That’s really interesting. I have travelled in India on two occasions and I love the country and the people. I’m wondering though, do some of the points you make apply to some sub-cultures within the country more than others. I know about the toilet issue with the left hand and eating with the right, but I thought it was a Muslim thing. Does it also apply to Hindus, Sikh and Jain sub-cultures?

Anyone from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

When I taught the @equality and diversity' unit for BTEC I would ask the class to stand up if they washed meat, it was interesting to see the split.

One of my friends in Jamaican and if I cook for her I can feel her cringing until I ask if she wants to wash the meat.

Who ever mentioned airing a room, you don't need to in the UK, there are vents that do that fitted in the wall or the windows.

I came across the slippers for the bathroom in Mauritius. A friend was learning Japanese and his teacher had 'bathroom slippers' and 'kitchen slippers'.

My own is not making the bed as soon as you get up, I throw the duvet back to let the bed 'breathe'.

The reason you can't put a washing machine in the bathroom is because the electrics in UK homes are too high voltage - same reason you can't have a proper plug for hairdryer like they do in the US.

When I moved into my do-er upper, the previous owners had a washing machine in the bathroom. (As well as lots of other dangerous 'improvements') But I found the location so useful that when we did the conversion we turned the (big) bathroom into a smaller one and added a separate utility cupboard with washing machine and an adjacent space for drying (the landing is very airy). Two fire doors separate the bathroom from the washing machine so fine from a building regs POV.

It's really handy to have the washing machine on the same floor as the bedrooms so laundry bags don't have to be dragged up and down.

I have read all of this thread now and come to the conclusion I am a filthy bitch.

There's no real reason why washing machines can't be put in the bathroom. There are drain pipes, hot and cold water intake, and if the objection is that water and electricity don't mix, why put sockets in the kitchen, where there's also water?

@FKATondelayo - that’s not the reason. The rest of Europe has the same voltage and electric is allowed in bathrooms.

OK I"m not an electrician - I'm just relaying what I was told and I believe is fairly widely understood. It's the steam / condensation that are the issues rather than running water - I understand.

When I bought my house and the electrical inspector saw the washing machine in the bathroom he went spare.

OK I googled - apparently it's building regs - no plug sockets in bathrooms unless 3M plus from running water.
www.idealhome.co.uk/news/washing-machine-in-the-bathroom-228443#:~:text=So%20while%20it%20might%20be,washing%20machine%20in%20a%20bathroom.

Exactly, apparently washing machines in bathrooms are common in Germany. I have the Washer Dryer in one of our bathrooms (no doubt it will be an issue if we ever sell). It works for us and I see no reason when it’s any more risky than a dishwasher beside the sink in the kitchen. Just to confirm it’s a shower in a cubicle in there. It’s not like a wet room.

In the UK, due to strict building regulations, plug sockets can’t be fitted in the bathroom unless they are at least three metres from the bath or shower.

I wonder if kitchen outlets are all three metres from the sink?

Literally cleaning the kitchen sink 6 inches from the toaster RN.
Weird isn't it?