Essay:
Dirty TalkHow clean do we really need to be?

The first documented use of the phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness” is in a sermon by the English theologian John Wesley in 1791. The concept had long been present in many religious traditions by the time he came to use it, however; the act of being clean symbolizing a search for spiritual purity or the act of absolution. The Romans performed ritual ablutions to purify themselves before religious ceremonies, there are Jewish instructions for handwashing, and Japanese Buddhist temples have stone washbasins called tsukubai for visitors to cleanse themselves before entry. 

It’s no surprise then that, even in today’s largely secular context, Wesley’s words still resonate. The world is harsh toward messy people. The enduring cultural legacy of these various spiritual traditions is such that we continue to associate being tidy, orderly and clean with virtuousness—a hangover of history that could actually be making it difficult to judge how clean we truly need to be. It may be more pleasant to live in a clean home, but should we really feel ashamed—or any less grown-up or successful—because of an untidy living room?

While a cluttered home doesn’t signify moral decay, there are, of course, certain reasons for keeping things clean that are not an article of faith. It is vital for hygiene and sanitation, for example, though it is surprising how relatively recent it is that this was understood in a medical context. Even in hospitals, handwashing was uncommon well into the 19th century. When, in 1847, the Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis urged doctors to wash their hands between patients, he was mocked and ignored—even though mortality rates on one Viennese maternity ward went from 18% to less than 2% when his suggestions were implemented.