Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
We all have heard of this idiom!
They say, cleanliness is a nature that comes naturally to you. Of course, it can be hammered into somebody too. The best suitable examples for this are my best half and our equal half!! I can confidently say that, the most heard phrase by our little one, in his whole life till date
is, “Wash your hands!”. I can also say that constant yelling, nagging, requests, stern looks, detailed explanations have transformed them from ‘ugly dirty ducklings’ to ‘neat and clean beautiful swans!’. Of course, all this has happened not without an outburst or a repartee! The senior’s favorite wisecrack is, “Haath ghis gaye hain, dho dho ke’!” (=My skin might erode one of these days because of excessive hand washing!)
So, I can say that the men in our little family, though not natural ambassadors of cleanliness & hygiene, but have adopted the role gracefully!
Having been an ardent devotee of the God of Cleanliness and Hygiene for so many years, I now think that cleanliness is a bane. Yes, this is believed NOW by yours truly!!
Why??
I mean, the 3 mortals inhabiting our home are epitome of cleanliness and hygiene and I have no complains whatsoever with all of us in this regard…
But what do you do when you have friends, acquaintances or neighbors who do not believe in your principles and doctrines of cleanliness and hygiene! I really mean what do you do, when…
- They straight away open the fridge and drink water from the bottle, without washing their hands and ignore your and your help’s request to have water in a glass, which they are offering RIGHT AWAY!
- They’d eat on the dining table without washing hands again, even if they had removed their shoes a minute ago, of course with their hands, and opening-closing all casserole lids et al!
- While in deep thought they’d take their finger deep into a nasal tunnel and the very next moment use that hand to pick up namkeen or biscuit kept in the plate!
- They taste the food they are cooking with a spoon, add the salt, and use the same ‘used’ spoon into the dish and check the final taste!!
- They put a piece of chicken or a part of the vegetable from THEIR plate back into the serving bowl, when they are not able to finish it, saying that, one should not waste food!!
- While serving food into their plate from the serving bowl, they’d touch the serving spoon with their used spoon, or leftover food or even leftover bones!
- Wiping the spoon or the plate with their piece of clothing viz dupatta or the sari or even the T-shirt!!
- They’d keep all the spoons, napkins directly on the dining table on which their child was jumping up and down a minute ago or even sitting without his UG!!
- They’d use the toilet and come out without the mandatory hand wash!!
And going through all these unclean activities, surely fill you with revulsion!!
I am very upset with my parents who introduced me into the world of cleanliness when I was barely old enough to say ‘A for Always; B for Bath; C for Clean’ and then ingrained the pearls of hygiene deep into my brain so much so that all my 5 senses revolt if anything is not clean!! If I had not learned all these ‘good’ habits from my parents, I would have relished the food and would be unperturbed and not cringe whenever I encountered any unclean act near me!
I know, all this may sound very petty or trivial to many, but I know for sure, that these are not some minor aberrations!
Because, if they were, then I believe, we should not be hesitant in using anybody’s toothbrush or even tooth pick! We should be sharing the same towel freely with anybody!! And the same dental floss should last for years and years! Right?!
Wrong!! If we are so particular about our toothbrush, toothpick et al, then I believe we should be particular about hygiene too! We should respect other’s right to cleanliness too!!
Studies show that, 80 percent of infections are transmitted by direct and indirect contact, thus, hand washing is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself!And others!
Every hand you shake, every hand rail you touch, every door knob, every light switch, every counter top, every dog you pet…simply everything you touch can place dangerous germs on your hands.
The importance of hand washing can be assessed by looking at a list of germs found on human hands. Here are a few:
- Shigella flexneri…causes vomiting, headache, diarrhea
- Streptococcus pyrogens…causes tonsillitis, sore throats, scarlet fever,impetigo
- Salmonella … causes severe diarrhea, stomach pain, dizziness, fever
- Rhino virus…over 200 strains causing great misery in the form of colds
- Proteus vulgaris…urinary tract infections
- Hepatitis A…vomiting, liver disorders, jaundice
- Escherichia coli O157 …kidney failure, uncontrollable fever, death
- Rotavirus …55,000 children hospitalized with this each year
- Echovirus…meningitis, encephalitis, neonatal sepsis, myocarditis, and chronic infection
- Coxsackie virus…sore throat, abdominal discomfort, or nausea
We all can help in the prevention of disease by promoting the importance of hand washing!
It is extremely important to wash your hands.
- After using the washroom at home or at any public place.
- Before as well as after eating food.
- After visiting a patient at the hospital.
- Before and after one starts cooking food, especially meat, fish and poultry.
- After changing a baby’s diaper.
- After touching pets or cleaning their feces.
- Before touching young infants and children.
- Before and after touching injured areas and changing the dressing of a wounded person.
- After collecting and throwing out garbage.
- After sneezing, coughing and blowing your nose.
- After cleaning around the house.
- After being outside (playing, gardening, walking the dog, etc.)
Hygiene is probably more necessary today than it has ever been!!
So, like it or not, but PLEASE, Wash Your Hands!!
36 Responses
Lets shake hands on this one baby….or do I see u eyeing my hands….. 🙂
Well ….its the same story here of shouting & screaming in all possible intonations and the mission towads perfection is on …85% accomplished ….rest on the way !!!!
Wonderful post!
I crinkled my nose when I was reading.. But you are so right!
Disgusting habits. I shall circulate this post. Brilliantly written.
U knw I dont particular consider myself ‘that’ fussy abt cleanliness but I soooo strongly agreed with ALL the points u put down;-o
This post is timely…what with swine flue & all. Thank U, seriously it never hurts to read even something u already know:-)).
I tell you one thing, i am really not a hygiene freak but I honestly appreciate your attempt to persuade (read.. push :))me though i have basic sense of hygiene.
Still Keep Pushing!
It has been of the cleanest and most hygienic posts that I have read in the recent past.Well done.I am generally particular about washing my hands,but now I will ensure I do so more regularly.You have created one more clean human. Thank you
God I loved the post. You wrote about a thing that is rarely talked about, but is so important!
But what cinched it for me was the names of the virus and bacteria! Finally on a blog do I see my subject (otherwise dominated by people in computers :P)! lol…
Loved it!
Btw, Echerichia coli is (alphabet)O 157! See, can’t help showing off!!! 😀
Pardon me! 😛
And if you need any more names please drop me a line! 😀
And kudos to you for the research!! This is the best thing I love about you! 🙂
Things you said about friends,acquaintances and neighbors are so true and the feeling that comes when you see them doing is disgusting.
shilpa
An enlightening post… to say the least! 🙂
Hmmm…
But sometimes over cleanlinesses may lead to less resistance against diseases. The immunity system works in such a way that it can fight any germ when strong, but when weakened God knows! But over cleanliness sucks, but I guess after removing our shoes we should clean our hands!
Good post!
Useful for our neighbourhood uncles and newly married couples and the classic teens!
Cheers!
some of the habits of ‘unclean’ people really made me YUCK……..
I am really thinking of making a hard copy of this article and stick it onto public places….every point is a gem…
Wonderful post! I agree with each an every point you mentioned. You are in such a tight spot when such unclean acts happen in front of you…you can neither say anything, nor you are happy suffering quietly.
And yes, there loads of people around like that. Wish they read this and take home some learnings.
very good post..nice one..shilpa..
Great One. Worth reading 🙂 Even I am mailing it to a few of my friends. Not because they have the disgusting habits you mentioned here but because your post is worth it 🙂
A very nice post.. I dint know about all those germs.. really informative one!
I was really terrified looking at a such a long post and appreciating u in my heart for the patience in writing this post.
Anyways its a good post
3. Nice post..keep up the gud work
2. Thanks 4 visiting my site and commenting
1. now why dis msg – dere is a small issue wid ur “Follow My Random Tweets” button – the link is not updated properly…in case u wanna correct..in current code (in that gadget or in edit html) search for “http://twitter.com/YourLink” and replace “YourLink” wid ur Twitter id.
Happy bloggin and tweeting 😀
Very clean post!!
Yes, we must wash our hands and especially before eating! After eating everybody does, but before, not many people do so!
Another post I have to hide from biwi!!
BTW, after the swine flu scare I have started washing my hands often. All thanks to the genius who decided to put up awareness postsers on my washroom mirrors.
@ Aashima Choudhary: Yeah, let’s shake hands on that!! 🙂
Great going girl! I know, these things dont come easy!! Loads of efforts!!
@ lostworld: Thanks Rohitha!
You felt so!!? Am glad that I am not the only one!! Oh, yes, these are truly repulsive! Thaks once again!
@ Reflections: Am glad you agree with this!! 😀
And welcome on “A rose is a rose is a rose!” 🙂
@ Makk: happy to Help! 🙂
@ BK Chowla: Thank you Mr. Chowla! Oh, I am glad! 😀
@ Guria: Thank you so much! You too…me a Bio student too!!
Oops, I missed that abt E.coli!! Thanks for pointing out that error! Rectified it! 🙂
@ Shilpa: I know the feeling only too well! 😀
@ Roshmi Sinha: Happy to enlighten!! 😀
@ pawan: I dont know abt over cleanliness, all I know is that cleanliness is a MUST!
And BTW, why single out neighborhood uncles, newly married and teens!? U mean others practice cleanliness and hygiene to the hilt?? 🙂
@ R S V : Thanks Rahul! I guess that would be a great social service!! 😀
@ garima: Thanks a lot lady! I know what you mean! Yeah, wish that happens!! 🙂
@ Shankar: Thank you Shankar!
@ Sojo varughese: Thanks Sojo. Am glad you liked it!
@ evanescentthoughts: Thank you, Avada.
@ Sandeep: Yup, it was a long post! :p
Even long posts terrify me!!
Thanks for reading it.
@ @ngshu: Thank you.
And I have rectified the Twitter link. Thanks for the suggestion!
@ Keith: Thanks Keith. Yes, you are bang on target! I guess it happens the most in restaurants! Of course, it happens at homes too! Not ours though!! 😉
@ Paritosh: OMG!! One more!! 😀
So the genius already knows the need of the hour, so you need not hide this post from her!! 😀
Thank god, my mom doesnt read blogs!
She would have taken a print out of this post and stuck it on the monitor of my system 🙂
@ Aditya: OH! Then I guess, in that case, I AM Suggesting you to take a print of this post and stick it near your monitor!! 😀
my mom would be glad ….someone finally spoke her heart out. She has been trying to put me in the above habits….though i follow most , i skip some 😉
@ Pankaja: WoW! I am glad to make your mom happy! And you should listen to her and follow the remainder habits too! I know, you will as you are a good girl! Right??!! 😀
hey wow…basically all my nightmare magnified in a telescope…:P
actually, that reminds me of washing my hand now…:D
I have an award for you at my site 🙂
Very beautiful and informative post. I liked it very much.
considering the current scenario….i think washing hands become all the more important…maybe we will make a habit of it now…which will remain a habit for ever
@ Sid: 😀
@ evanescentthoughts: Thank you Avada for the Awards! 🙂
@ Babli: Thank you and I am glad you liked it!! 🙂
@ Shahid Mukadam: Yup, it’s a wonderfully clean habit and one should adopt it wholeheartedly, ASAP!! 🙂
What a informative post!! Style of your writing is different and very attractive. This post is wonderful.
@ M VERMA: Thank you Mr. Verma, for such wonderful words! 🙂
This is such an informative, funny and serious post, all rolled into one!
The points that you mentioned are so right. It is so important to be conscious about cleanliness. I am going to recommend this post on my blog for other bloggers to read too. I am also planning to jot down my thoughts too.
Good Eye opener.
Di, You are writing real good blogs.
Keep it up.
Sheelu
@ Swapna Raghu Sanand: Thanks a lot Swapna for such nice words!! 🙂
Though its so very important, but sadly most of the time it is not followed!
Thanks a lot! That’s such a sweet gesture. I saw your post…I am speechless! 🙂
@Sudeep: Thank you so Sheelu! Its so nice to see you here!
So welcome on “A rose is a rose is a rose!” I know that sounds so formal!! 😀
Am glad you liked my posts! So keep coming and keep sharing on this blog! 🙂
With utmost satisfaction, i would like to inform you that this post of yours has been selected as a suiting piece to honor my newly installed wall of fame.
So, I would like you to take out some of your precious time and gimme a small writeup introducing this post in about 40-50 words to mail address:[email protected]
I would also appreciate it if you could nominate some more posts(including yours) which can be pinned up on my wall.
yours truly
RSV
Hi
Phew! That was long but absolutely necessary. Only I wonder whether the people who need to see will see it. I agree with you on every single point that you have mentioned. 🙂