Is Your Home Too Clean?


Spring Clean Home

Some may say that a home can never be clean enough, and that with so many modern illnesses spread by germs and bacteria, it’s important to keep every surface and living space completely sterile. On the other hand, there are those who believe that keeping your home completely sterile, may end up leaving us even more vulnerable to infection and disease.

What products can be used to keep a home sterile?

There are myriad antibacterial products available on the market nowadays, and not only can we keep our work surfaces and floors sterile, but also our laundry, chopping blocks and cutting boards, children’s toys and even ourselves, with antibacterial soaps for our bodies.

What problems might all these antibacterial products cause?

It might initially seem that keeping your home sterile can only be of benefit to you and your family, but the reality is that their constant use could be leaving us more vulnerable to contracting infections and illnesses.

In similar ways to the over use of antibiotics, the concern is that continually using and misusing antibacterial products will end up destroying the good bacteria that is weaker, and will leave us with the strongest and most resistant bacteria in its wake.

Some respected doctors have begun warning the public about the dangers of living in completely sterile environments, and have stated their concern that children’s immune systems simply will not mature, leaving them weakened and prone to illnesses. Many have gone on to say that if we continue using antibacterial products in the way that we are, many children will begin to experience health problems as they get older.

Many bacteria are actually harmless…true or false?

This is in fact, true, and the reality is that we need to be exposed to many different microbes as we grow, to ensure that we develop enough antibodies to make a strong immune system. Environments that are too clean, may hinder a baby’s ability to develop a healthy immune system, and an increase in asthma and allergies in sterile homes adds weight to this theory.

So when should we use antibacterial products?

Some healthcare specialists and scientists say that the only place for antibacterial products is in caring for those who are sick and have compromised immune systems, but that these should still be used sparingly and onlyaround weakened patients. Using chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide or alcohol should be used to clean with instead, as these products disappear once used as opposed to antibacterial products that leave behind bacteria destroying residue. This then makes it hard for good bacteria to have a chance to re-establish themselves.

How do we keep a clean home without destroying all of the good bacteria?

The simplest and most effective way is to use the products mentioned above, such as bleach, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. It may seem old fashioned, and there may be many new products on the market that promise to bust bacteria and kick germs asses, but they work and are cost effective, too. Not only that, but you can keep your home safe for you and the rest of your family, while not compromising yours or their, long term health.