Cleanliness

Introduction: 
Clean products are everywhere today.  Is that beneficial or detrimental?  Is there such a thing as too much cleanliness?  There are TV shows that go from home to home and clean up messes, organize houses, and attempt to clean up people's lives through it.  Today we shall address how I view cleanliness, slovenliness and sterility.  The author does recognize that these terms are somewhat relative, as they should be.  Different people see muck in different places, or even not at all. 

Stance Summary:
I am not the cleanest person in the world, nor am I what is known as messy.  I am organized, I don't like things on the floor, I like dishes put away, and things in an appropriate place.  I appreciate a clean space that can be efficiently used.  Dirty clothes in the hamper, books on a shelf (unless you need them for something besides waiting to be read, then desk or piles are acceptable).  However, when it comes to germs and food I may be a little less clean than normal.  I do not like, and maybe even detest, consistent sterility.  Clean:  good.  Sterile: bad!  A sterile environment is an unnatural state on this world.  I feel that having too clean, too sterile of an environment tricks our body in to letting down it's innate defenses.  Then, when the body encounters the real world it loses an advantage it had before. 



Personal Actions Based on Stance:
Some may find my food habits detestable.  I have been known to just rinse bowls and plates after using them.  I use the same cup for days on end before I put it in the sink.  My cast iron pots have food residue on it that could be weeks old, or it could just be from this morning, I really don't know.  I will use a knife for at least a few days before washing it, maybe a whole week or more, I don't really keep track.  it is not uncommon for a a knife I use to have food that is dried and stuck to the blade that I may decide to scrape off, or just keep using as is.  My skillet utensils (tongs & spatula) also can go days or more between cleanings.  I can easily use it on 5 different meals while grease and food particles are stuck to it.

Before the reader becomes too disgusted with me, let me clearly state that I abhor mold.  Mold is disgusting and has no place in the kitchen except the compost bin.  Rarely do I ever leave any food out long enough to mold on my utensils, cups or knives.  If I did, I would be thoroughly disgusted with myself and make sure that the item gets thoroughly cleaned, or dare I say it, sterile.

Expansion:
Despite the behavior above, and as stated, I don't like mold.  I find a moldy environment a detestable one that I wouldn't want to live in.  Nor does that position need to be readily defended as most people feel similar. 

I do also feel that there are environments that are much too sterile.  This does not mean to imply that all sterile environments should be banished.  It can be argued that some sterility is important, say if someone is sick, the body should be given a break from the outside attacks so it can focus on what is already inside the body.  That is good and proper, but once the body has healed and is no longer fighting anything and it has no need for any defense, it seems to become lax.  Similar to a vaccination I suppose, where a patient receives a dose of a low level disease so that the body can learn and adapt to fight off the stronger version of the disease.  So if the body is never given a chance against simple bugs found outside, or around the home, it will suffer horribly when it comes in contact with food poisoning, or a strong strain of influenza, and other common, but potent diseases.


Sources:

Closing:
In the end, all I want is the middle, the plain ol' healthy clean. Not too dirty, not too sterile.