The Importance Of Cleanliness In Good Health

By: Roberta Frost, Ph.D.

Published: January 11, 2009     Exclusive Article

The subject of cleanliness has been discussed from all angles for many years. Arguments against, as well as for, have been presented with various degrees of effectiveness. It was not so long ago that washing the whole body was considered a sin and a shame, and bath-tubs were originally introduced in spite of protests from the sanitarians.

The pendulum has now swung too far in the other direction. Cleanliness is sometimes claimed to be the means of prevention and cure of almost all kinds of diseases. Health Departments are often required to spend a great deal of time and money on municipal housekeeping such as street cleaning and collection of refuse. Expense of this kind should not be charged up to health work as there is very slight chance that disease can be prevented in this way.

On the other hand, cleanliness in the form of pure water, pasteurized milk from inspected dairies, fresh food from sanitary kitchens and stores—handled by people free from communicable disease—all have a real effect upon the public health.

Personal cleanliness is very much a matter of personal choice. There are certain social standards that most of us prefer to measure up to, but small habits are those most likely to affect health. Keeping the hands clean probably does more to promote our own health and prevent spreading disease to others than all the other types of personal cleanliness put together. Children can be directed toward the clean hands habit with effective results from an early age.