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.

The "logic" behind it, although I think it's a bit faulty, (do bear in mind this was probably written/thought up a long time ago!) is that usually when you use water sources in the kitchen you are fully clothed, probably wearing rubber soled shoes, only your hands would get wet and you would generally dry them anyway between tasks like washing up, cleaning, washing veg and tasks involving anything electrical.

Whereas in a bathroom, there is quite a high chance you are likely to be found naked, barefoot, dripping wet and liable to want to use electronic items as part of the drying process. They were likely trying to be idiot proof. I do, indeed, flip my bathroom light switch off on the way out of the bathroom every day, when I'm still mostly wet from the shower. Either they make light switches differently in Germany, or this isn't actually very dangerous at all. I do find it strange, I remember being taught in physics lessons at school about electrical potential and insulation and how it was deathly dangerous to touch light switches or plug things in with wet hands. I used to feel a little thrill of worry when I did it and now I just think it's totally normal and don't worry at all.

I have GFCI outlets in my bathroom and kitchen in the US.

The light switches in both rooms are 'rocker' style, limiting the possibility of water getting all over the switch and into the wiring behind.