By Shahar Shiloach
Translation by Yasmine Ariel
Cultural Cleaning Habits 
Are cleaning methods a matter of geography or is there an ideal shared by all people everywhere? I think it’s the first option. The definition of what is clean is a matter of culture, and the standards are often set by industries that have something to gain from them.
I have a Tibetan friend that opens his almond eyes in horror every time I forget to take my shoes off when I enter his home. For me, on the other hand, it took some time to get used to eating from dishes that were washed without soap, only water.
In India they burn garbage on the streets, and it is not uncommon to see people getting close to the smoke and “washing” their face and hands in a kind of little cleansing ritual. Indians also wash their clothes, hair, and bathe in the Ganges River, even drinking its water.
While to Western eyes it may look like a river of filth and diseases, to others it is a sacred river.
The Moslems and the Sikhs wash their hands and feet every time they enter a mosque or a temple. The French, on the other hand, have a reputation for not showering often.
I think it is interesting that in Israel, our increasingly dry country, people wash the floor with buckets of water. There is hardly any other place in the world where homes are cleaned this way. One of the reasons for this is of course the tiled floor that is so common in Israel, while in other places floors are made of wood, clay, stone, or covered with linoleum or carpet.
(An alternative to washing the floor with buckets of water is to sweep the floor, and then go over it with a damp rag.)
What Do We Really Need?
Clever advertisers have convinced us, through ducks that swim in the toilet bowl, housewives that refuse to scrub, and children that for some reason draw with ketchup on tablecloths that we need specific cleaning products for almost every item in the house.
They teach us that stone (or mineral) stains are almost as bad as genocide, and that white shirts should glow. They naturally don’t say anything about the fine print. So, here is a reminder: the stronger and faster the cleaning agent is, the more toxic it is.
The “active ingredient” is camouflaged with perfume so as to make us forget that we are breathing bleach on the way to the sparkling sink, or that skin contact with a degreaser can cause burns.
All of these things make the connection between what is considered clean, and what is
healthy very questionable. Besides, do we really need a different detergent for the floor, furniture, sink, toilet bowl, carpet, walls, and dishwasher, as well as laundry detergent, softener, stain remover etc?
Less Chemicals, More Nature
All these chemicals make the home a more dangerous place. They pollute the earth and the groundwater, their packaging joins endless piles of garbage and in many cases these ‘cleaners’ cause accelerated wear on the items being cleaned.
Make do with a few basic cleaning agents, preferably
ecologically friendly, locally produced, and used sparingly. A bowl that was used to serve fruit in, for instance, would be clean even if it where just rinsed with water.
The ambitious among us can produce their own cleaning products. I have learned that you can wash the floors with water that was boiled with orange peels; bleach can be replaced by 3% hydrogen peroxide, and lemon peels can be used to make an agent for shining surfaces.
Besides this, acids and commercial products can be replaced with vinegar, baking soda, warm water and a little scrubbing. It is cheaper, friendlier, and safer for children.
Dishes are easier to clean when washed right away. If you are having trouble letting go of your degreaser, maybe it is time to fry less food.
Most importantly, read the labels of the products you purchase! If you see a bunch of warnings, red X’s, or a skull and crossbones, maybe you should go with something a little gentler.
Dealing With Cockroaches
Although I am all for letting cockroaches live, I would rather they did so outside of my home. It is no great joy to discover a cockroach on the kitchen floor, especially not at night, but insect extermination is no fun either. After all, it is poison, and it is no coincidence that the house members must vacate during the extermination process.
As long as the extermination continues to be effective the poison is active. This is the floor that you walk barefoot on, your babies crawl on, and your pets lay on. This is the air you breath, and the cupboards that house your dishes, food and clothes.
My alternative suggestion is to install screens on the windows to prevent insects from entering, screen the drains, and seal cracks in the house.
Try not to leave dirty dishes and exposed foods around, seal your containers well –especially in the summer and do not give the vermin any reason to come.
Spices with strong scents like cinnamon, black pepper, and bay leaves repel insects. You can, in my experience, practice patience, and not get too excited about ants in the house; they do not really hurt anything.
The cockroaches can be swept outside, let the spiders and lizards do the rest. If you need an exterminator’s services, then try one who uses environmentally friendly techniques. It may be more expensive, but it is your health that is on the line –and yes, the environment as well.