To not wish to be called OCD?

[BlueButTrue]

Every day I:

Clean my floors with floor wipes (twice a day, more if I see any mark etc).

Wash up as I go.

Make my beds first thing

Hoover all rooms (about 3/4 times a day)

Wash on, put a wash away

Clean kitchen surfaces (3/4 times, more if I'm using kitchen more).

Clean cupboard doors/draws

Hoover sofa

Hoover living room rug (twice)

Wipe down living room surfaces (3/4 times)

Clean toilet (3/4 times a day, sometimes more)

Clean bathroom (about twice a day top to bottom, and little wipe downs etc whenever else).

Empty bin

Wipe down bedroom furniture/dust surfaces

Every other day I:

Steam clean bathroom and kitchen. Sometimes this is every day too.

Hoover behind sofas (will do this each day if any actual messes are created).

Twice a week:

Clean out fridge

Clean inside cupboards

My Nan is apparently "worried" at the extent I'm cleaning, but I think it's healthy and normal. It keeps me calm and makes me happy. I don't believe it's extensive. "Cleaning isn't good for the soul" says DNan.

MIL has hinted I should be checked for OCD.

Personally, I find this quite offensive. OCD is a serious health issue and not one to joke about.

AIBU to clean the way I do and think it's healthy? AIBU to think it's offensive to others who really do suffer that it isn't acceptable to go around, throwing the term 'OCD' about?

Yes don't do it tomorrow. You'll know whether you are Fine with that ow whether you can't cope

Hugely excessive. How do you do anything else?!

How long do you spend cleaning every day? Do you feel you have to do all those things multiple times a day?

It really sounds an awful lot of cleaning to me.

Sorry, but it does seem you're doing an inordinate amount of cleaning. Surely hoovering all rooms 3/4 times a day is way too much?

Maybe your MIL went about it a bit clumsily, but I think you should reflect on what she said, she does have a point.

Nice to see the Institute of Armchair Psychologists out in force today . I wonder how many of the "Yes, I think you do have OCD" posters who do not themselves have experience/ a diagnosis of OCD have any idea what it really means.
My DD has (psychiatrist diagnosed) OCD. People are always asking if she's very tidy. She's very much not!

Llamacorn put it perfectly:

"I have severe OCD and it pisses me off that people think ocd is just for super tidy people, and they throw the term around so flippantly. I am quite messy actually grin OCD is a way of thinking, uncontrollable obsessions and compulsions. Yes it can manifest as obsessive cleaning for some people, but there are many other ways it can present too*

How come you hoover 3/4 times a day?

That said, OP, if you think you have a problem that needs checking out then do. There is medication that can help if you have OCD and it's impacting on your life. You do clean A LOT.
I also like your sensitivity as regards use of the term.

I'd be worried about you too. Where do you find the time?

Do you excessively clean to combat awful intrusive thoughts? Does that ease the thoughts? OCD is a severe mental health illness. It's a cycle, awful intrusive though.. compulsion to alleviate the though... thought come back, compulsion starts.. and so on. If you are suffering horrendous thoughts and cleaning is your compulsion then it could well be. If you are obsessive about cleaning then maybe you just have obsessive tendencies.

I have OCD and anxiety. Does not being able to complete these tasks make you anxious? Do you constantly think about doing them? The amount your cleaning does appear to be excessive, but it does depend if you have an incredibly messy toddler/child/DP.

Do you work?

Do you have children?

If the shoe fits....

That is not only excessive and unnecessary, but also massively unhealthy.

I think they have a point and you should be listening to them.

What if you're unable to complete your routine? Do you feel upset or anxious?

I feel disappointed, as if I was missing a hobby or something

I don't think it's necessarily OCD but it is more cleaning than is necessary even for a very well presented home.

For a comparison, I work near several extremely posh financial services institutions with absolutely spotless lobbies that hundred of people walk through at least four times a day, and my own employer is cleaned to a similar standard and has hundreds of students making even more journeys through it. And they don't clean and hoover as often as you do.

I think it is at least worth exploring what is driving you to clean to this extent without flinging diagnoses around. You must have very little time to do anything else - is it stopping you from doing things you want to?

Stop telling people every breath you take, and they won’t be able to comment on it.

It does sound excessive. How long do you spend cleaning and what other daily responsibilities do you have?

Stop telling people every breath you take, and they won’t be able to comment on it.

I don't. MIL just knows really. I haven't told anyone specifics

I don't feel anxious or as if something 'bad will happen'. I just like looking at an immaculate house and mess annoys me

Why won't you answer about work/other responsibilities?

If it 'keeps you calm' then great, but that amount is way too much unless of course you have nothing else to do. Get a proper hobby!

And this is really, truly how you want to spend your life?

It is extreme. Don't you have a job?

BTW you shouldn't make beds first thing. You should leave them to air for a couple of hours with the windows open. Dust mites thrive in warm damp environments.

I don't think it's necessarily OCD but it is more cleaning than is necessary even for a very well presented home

I know what you're saying but really, the carpets look fabulous after a hoover and don't look half as good if I leave them to just be hoovered once or twice a day. Perhaps it's because they're cream? I don't know.

My lounge area is dark wood so very easy to get away with less hoovering etc but really, I do it anyway because I have a fantastic hoover that is a pure joy to use and super light