A couple of months ago I decided to do my part to help the environment by no longer buying paper towels. Being well supplied with rags and old linens, I figured that this would be an easy switch. I found out, though, that there are some cultural norms that it is hard to psychologically escape. Drying lettuce with a dish towel, after washing off the dirt, seems somehow unsanitary. And, I'm sorry, when the cats york up on the floor, I am not going to use and wash a rag (digging through the recycling, I found some old newspaper to deal with that). I started wondering how clean rags and towels actually get in the wash - are the germs and filth just recirculating and somehow ending up back in the household food chain? I stopped using bleach quite awhile ago, so no back-door sanitation can be achieved that way. Yet what sort of toxins exist in paper towels? They just look clean! I have always believed in the "five second" rule, anyway.
Interestingly, I have had no health problems of any kind that relate to an unclean environment. We all have been brainwashed to buy products to secure the illusion of protection from ....what? Our bodies are adapted to the world around us. Some people believe that allergies and other autoimmune symptoms are directly related to over-exposure to cleaning agents and household chemicals.
Dusting is one of those "quarterly" chores that I get to only when extreme boredom sets in. Cleaning the bathroom is another general area of neglect in my life. I get down to bedrock only when I expect students in the house or when I am hosting band practice. Lately, though, I have discovered a couple of quick fixes to keep me ahead of the game.
Dust with your dirty laundry. When in transit with your loaded laundry basket to your washing machine, grab whatever item is on top and use it to dust the stair rods, bookshelves, piano, and whatever else you encounter in passing. Then just throw it in the wash!
After you shower, use your wet, soapy washrag to clean the sink and toilet. Yes, I know this sounds gross, but after all, you just throw it in the wash afterward. And your bathroom will be clean (or at least look clean) all the time!
It's all a matter of perception.
More anon.
I approve of this message. Americans are obsessed with cleanliness, to the point of near insanity, identifying it as being "next to godliness", whatever that means. Personal hygiene is an entirely different matter. "I stink therefore I am" is not appropriate except if one is a hermit and even then you might get sick of the smell. Kit, maybe you can guess who wrote this.(hint-think relative by blood)
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