Are there downsides to deep cleaning?
CrowdScience
BBC
4.8 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 22 January 2021
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Covid-19 has prompted a cleaning frenzy. CrowdScience listener William works as a personal trainer in a gym, and while cleaning’s always been part of his job, it’s now taken over much of his working day. He’s constantly wiping down equipment and doing regular deep cleans, and he reckons he can sanitize his hands 40 times in one shift.
This kind of routine might strike a chord with many of us, and it’s certainly vital to take hygiene seriously during times of pandemic.
But could there be any downsides to all this extra cleaning? There’s a whole world of microbes out there: some, like SARS-CoV-2, make us sick, but others are essential for our health. A rich microbiome is linked to a healthy immune system, while ‘good’ microbes help keep ‘bad’ ones at bay. And what about the chemicals in cleaning products – do they have any unintended consequences for our health?
CrowdScience turns to the experts to ask whether our supercharged hygiene routines could damage our immune systems, or promote the spread of superbugs. And we hear why, as long as we have a good diet, plenty of fresh air, and ideally a furry pet, we don’t need to worry too much about being too clean.
Presented by Marnie Chesterton Produced by Cathy Edwards for the BBC World Service
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of |
| 0:07.0 | Happiness Podcast. |
| 0:08.0 | For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want |
| 0:14.4 | to share that science with you. |
| 0:16.1 | And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley. |
| 0:19.4 | I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that |
| 0:25.5 | calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:31.9 | First I'm going to apply some hand sanitizer. |
| 0:34.0 | Then I'm going to put on my gloves. |
| 0:38.0 | This is crowd science from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:42.0 | I'm Marnie Ch Chesterton and this is listener William |
| 0:44.7 | walking us through his cleaning routine. I'm going to take my two sprays. |
| 0:48.6 | One's a detergent and the others are disinfectant. I'm going to spray into the cloth, clean, this is a dumbbell. |
| 0:57.0 | I'll admit this might not be the most thrilling thing we've ever heard on this show, but it's probably very familiar to many of you, particularly during |
| 1:04.6 | this time of pandemic when cleaning has become a bigger part of our routines, both at home and |
| 1:09.8 | at work. |
| 1:10.8 | Take my other cloth and the disinfectant. |
| 1:15.0 | Once again, go over at the whole kit. |
| 1:17.2 | William is a personal trainer in a gym, helping people get fit. |
| 1:21.5 | At this particular moment, gyms are closed in his native Scotland, so this |
| 1:25.3 | cleaning demo comes to you from his Glasgow flat. William's always done some cleaning as |
| 1:31.2 | part of his job, but when COVID struck, it took over much of his working day. |
... |
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