Is your house too clean?

[JanZ]

There is an interesting article here .

So I was right to be relaxed about being a domestic slut !

I have always subscribed to this philosophy. With 3 cats and a dog in the house, plus occasional rabbit, my children have been brought up effectively crawling around in germs! So far they are allergy-free and disgustingly healthy. There was a very nasty bout of gastro-enteritis at the boys' school recently and only one of my boys succumbed and then only for a couple of days whereas other children were off school for over a week. I suspect my boys' immune systems have been well and truly charged up over the years.

My mother is constantly bemoaning my lack of housewifely skills and my attitude towards cleaning, but obviously my laziness in that direction is just right for my children's health ;o)

Yes!! I was right all along lol. My DS2 loved eating mud from the garden and I remember him once coming in and MIL saying 'look he's been eating chocolate' In fact he's 3 1/2 now and still has the odd nibble.
I too am a domestic slut :0 Maybe we should start out own club lol?

just seeing if i can do a big grin

his is domestic slut propoganda to make you all feel better - there is nothing better than CLEEEEAAAANNNNNN!!!!!

The World Health Organisation have several petri dishes stationed around my house in the hope that some of the various types of grime may be fruitful in growing ne strains of penicillin

It reminds me of the time that a friend decided it was time to stop sterilising when they went away for a walking weekend and saw her dd putting sheep shit into her mouth!

Ds (3.5) must have a great immune system: he only gets bathed rarely (he hates them), I stopped sterilising early, he gets given out of date yoghurts/fromage frais (only a couple of days!) and there is plenty of cat hair and dust around the house! Come to think of it, he's only had a couple of bouts of illness - although that may also be due to extended breast feeding.

Dd kisses the dog on the nose every night before going to bed! I am bit of a domestic slut, if it wasn't for the cleaner we would be in trouble

I'm with everyone else and think that a bit of dirt is good for you.
Trouble is, I don't know anyone who isn't the same, which rather puts paid to the theory that we're too clean these days. We do far, far less cleaning than our grandmothers, who spent most days at it, and as others have said, many of us keep animals in the house. I really must conclude that it isn't too-clean houses that are causing the increase in allergies etc. Perhaps it's too-clean bodies?

Another reason I don't need to clean YIPPEE

Another thing to think about is the temperature of our houses. Some people say that by decreasing the temperature of your house by a couple of degrees reduces the number of colds and things that their kids catch. Don't ask me why, or whether this is backed up by anything factual.

I grew up in a cold house, always being told to put on an etra jumper and close the curtains. Have to admit that I rarely got ill. But I was ruddy miserable being cold, and now I have a constant fight with Dh over the thermostat settings!

alas my house looks as though a herd of cattle have meandered through and my poor ds has every allergy going.

My house is definitely not too clean. Wish my windows and taps were though. In that article she said that having animals in the house during first year reduced allergy risk for kids, but I had heard that that was the case unless there were allergies already in the family in which case it increased the risk. Does anyone know if that's right? Should I rush out and buy a kitten? Still ds and dd are with MIL this week and she has loads of animals and birds so they will be immune boosted when they get back. Although last time ds went he came back with campylobacter. Yuck.

Droile I think you're right - it has a lot to do with "too clean" bodies. I seem to remember that Bristol Uni (I think) did a study that said that those kids that were bather/showered twice a day, had their hands washed before/after and in between every meal etc had more allergies than their less clean counterparts. I'm sure it was that study that also made the point about farm kids beign the healthiest ones.

The rise in central heating, carpets and draught proofed houses also has a large part to play, in providing ideal breeding grounds for house mites.

Having said that, all these studies just provide averages: some farm kids also get still get allergies/sick, while just 'cos you are ultra clean does not necessarily mean that your kids will get every allergy/illness going.

I suppose my interest is that it just proves we don't need to obsess/feel guilty about cleanliness. If you're naturally very clean and tidy, then great (and how do you do it! ), if you're not, then chill!

I have a friend who lives in the country, breast feeds and the family eat a mostly organic diet yet they still have ashma as it's in the family. btw they're very clean though

Answer to the question : NO!

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