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Man Can’t Accept That His One House Rule Is “Excessive And Unreasonable,” The Internet Disagrees
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.
RELATED:
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
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
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Boredest Disabled Panda 2 years ago
He is already exposed to germs every time he leaves the house. Is he going to stop going out, as well? This is a phobia, and needs to be addressed through therapy before it gets worse.
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
I got my 1st bachelor's is micro biology, and my second in nursing. This type of s**t drives me insane. This person has no clue how "germs" works, and I guarantee you his is part of the problem if the development of super microorganisms (bacteria and fungi that develop resistance to antibiotics, anti fungals, and other forms of microorganism control). There is a difference from having a clean, tidy house, than from being legit OCD (an actual mental illness). If he grew up like this, I am sleo going to guess his immune system is horrible, because he wasn't exposed to all the microorganisms he should have been as a child that helps build healthy immunities. I hope he finds some help and gets some educated about "germs"
Load More Replies...
Alexandra 2 years ago
He might not realise that by asking his friends to change clothes or wear a rain thing, he implies that his friends are "dirty" and of course nobody wants to feel like that. Also, it's not very welcoming, is it? It feels as if guests are an imposition rather than a pleasure.
Ima Manimal 2 years ago
I have an Aunt who was like that. I just quit visiting. It was way too uncomfortable.
Libstak 2 years ago
You can have a pristine private space, that you share with no one or a select few, or your can have a warm welcoming home. Scotchguard the furniture, drapery, rugs, carpet. Cover furniture in throws that are quick and easy to wash. Spray some glen20 where people were sitting...after they leave and have spare indoor slippers by the door which are washable and can be sanitised after guests leave. That is as extreme as I think you can get without being crazy.
Hey! 2 years ago
This is the best answer yet, instead of calling him names and get therapy. Unfortunately, he won't see your answer. I have slippers by the door; got them during the COVID lockdown because this woman had lost her job but could knit. I have a pair for each of my children and their spouse/partner and a few extras. They like the idea of having an assigned pair too.
Load More Replies...
Barrygirl1943 2 years ago
You are NTA but it is not reasonable behavior. I do think you need to seek help. Whether it’s OCD or some type of germ phobic situation, you need to find out before it cripples your life and destroys all your relationships. Good luck
StrangeOne 2 years ago
There's germs everywhere and we're all covered and made of all sorts of bits of organisms, bacteria and germs, and that is actually healthy for us. Humans are not supposed to be extremely clean and free of all microbes. It's baffling to hear people actually concern themselves with something they can't see without a microscope. Are they looking through a microscope on every surface when they come home? However, the icky feeling of having others in your home, sitting on your furniture, not knowing how clean they are I can (by unpopular opinion) sort of get that feeling, which is one small reason I don't invite a lot of people over to my place, nor do I go to theirs. It is his home, his rules. Like it or not. We're all strangers on the net. Highly doubt any of us are going to be invited to this guy's home, so we shouldn't care that much.
Margaret Shannon 2 years ago
He's my new bff. I'll put on every stitch of dirty laundry, and show up at his place with a clean robe and socks. He'll wash all my laundry for me!
Brenda Wallace 2 years ago
And have his germs all over your newly washed clothes? 🤪 Disgusting.
Load More Replies... Boredest Disabled Panda 2 years ago
He is already exposed to germs every time he leaves the house. Is he going to stop going out, as well? This is a phobia, and needs to be addressed through therapy before it gets worse.
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
I got my 1st bachelor's is micro biology, and my second in nursing. This type of s**t drives me insane. This person has no clue how "germs" works, and I guarantee you his is part of the problem if the development of super microorganisms (bacteria and fungi that develop resistance to antibiotics, anti fungals, and other forms of microorganism control). There is a difference from having a clean, tidy house, than from being legit OCD (an actual mental illness). If he grew up like this, I am sleo going to guess his immune system is horrible, because he wasn't exposed to all the microorganisms he should have been as a child that helps build healthy immunities. I hope he finds some help and gets some educated about "germs"
Load More Replies... Alexandra 2 years ago
He might not realise that by asking his friends to change clothes or wear a rain thing, he implies that his friends are "dirty" and of course nobody wants to feel like that. Also, it's not very welcoming, is it? It feels as if guests are an imposition rather than a pleasure.
Ima Manimal 2 years ago
I have an Aunt who was like that. I just quit visiting. It was way too uncomfortable.
Libstak 2 years ago
You can have a pristine private space, that you share with no one or a select few, or your can have a warm welcoming home. Scotchguard the furniture, drapery, rugs, carpet. Cover furniture in throws that are quick and easy to wash. Spray some glen20 where people were sitting...after they leave and have spare indoor slippers by the door which are washable and can be sanitised after guests leave. That is as extreme as I think you can get without being crazy.
Hey! 2 years ago
This is the best answer yet, instead of calling him names and get therapy. Unfortunately, he won't see your answer. I have slippers by the door; got them during the COVID lockdown because this woman had lost her job but could knit. I have a pair for each of my children and their spouse/partner and a few extras. They like the idea of having an assigned pair too.
Load More Replies... Barrygirl1943 2 years ago
You are NTA but it is not reasonable behavior. I do think you need to seek help. Whether it’s OCD or some type of germ phobic situation, you need to find out before it cripples your life and destroys all your relationships. Good luck
StrangeOne 2 years ago
There's germs everywhere and we're all covered and made of all sorts of bits of organisms, bacteria and germs, and that is actually healthy for us. Humans are not supposed to be extremely clean and free of all microbes. It's baffling to hear people actually concern themselves with something they can't see without a microscope. Are they looking through a microscope on every surface when they come home? However, the icky feeling of having others in your home, sitting on your furniture, not knowing how clean they are I can (by unpopular opinion) sort of get that feeling, which is one small reason I don't invite a lot of people over to my place, nor do I go to theirs. It is his home, his rules. Like it or not. We're all strangers on the net. Highly doubt any of us are going to be invited to this guy's home, so we shouldn't care that much.
Margaret Shannon 2 years ago
He's my new bff. I'll put on every stitch of dirty laundry, and show up at his place with a clean robe and socks. He'll wash all my laundry for me!
Brenda Wallace 2 years ago
And have his germs all over your newly washed clothes? 🤪 Disgusting.
Load More Replies... Related on Bored Panda
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