Do you feel like your own dirt / mess is 'cleaner' than someone elses?

Question

I sometimes have a 'thing' about germs. I feel contaminated by stuff sometimes. I have just come out of hospital and did NOT like the fact there were so many diseases, sick people, MRSA etc floating about, and tried to avoid the bathroom as long as I could. Now that I am home I feel so relaxed. I can just go home and sit on the toilet seat without lining it with tissue, etc.

The thing is, the hospital (yes, even an NHS one) is probably cleaner than my own bathroom which gets cleaned 'when I get round to it', but I feel like because the germs are 'my own' it is somehow not as gross as if it were the hospital.

Even when moving into a new place, it will be a few weeks before I can walk on the floor with no shoes, and before a bath I will rinse the tub out with hot water. After living there a while only THEN will I be happy to just take a bath without first 'sterilizing' the tub. I will then not be a super clean freak as it is 'my own' germs.

Does anyone relate?

Answer 1

I completely agree, if I went into someone elses house and it looks like mine has done at times I would be really uncomfortable, but in my house it's not a problem and I will clean when I feel like it, not necessarily when it needs doing.

Answer 2

Interesting! There's some scientific basis to your "feeling" that your germs at home aren't as dangerous. You've built up resistance to them, just like you have to the bacteria in your food, whereas, if you go to another country, even ones NOT known for illness, your stomach can get stressed out and you get "Montezuma's Revenge"!

Also, hospitals, though technically clean, are notorious for having lots of worse bacteria, like resistant strains of Staph, around. It could literally kill you, whereas the E.coli on your toilet will just give you the runs (usually)...unless it gets into your bloodstream--then you're toast!

For me, it really depends on the TYPE of mess. I find my housemate's disastrous mess more annoying than mine, but it doesn't seem "dirtier". But if there is old food lying around, that's gross.

My mom is the worst! She only cares about appearance, and has no problem using the same old rag on the sink, where we wash up, after having used it on the tub, floor and toilet!!! That's just nuts, but I can't teacher her otherwise.

Answer 3

Yeah, I understand how you feel.  Kind of like how someone else's f**t smells so much more disgusting than your own....because it's YOURS.

Answer 4

I agree we have to let our immune systems work.