My teenagers maintain that a little filth and germs make them healthy. I have the sneaking suspicion that they may have picked up at least some of this personal philosophy from their mother. While I’m a self-confessed “tidy-aholic” I wouldn’t really claim to be a neat freak and I do think that fresh air and “real life” makes a person healthier. But, I don’t know that I’d go as far as to say filth and germs are actually good for a person!
I do remember reading an article years ago that put forth the theory that modern homes may be too air-tight for good health. With our focus on chemicals and cleanliness and “energy-efficiency” in our homes, this article proposed that germs were actually getting trapped within houses and that the lack of fresh air was making people more unhealthy. This seemed pretty reasonable to me as I definitely sleep better with a window open and feel better when my house has been aired out. Of course, I don’t suffer from any seasonal allergies, though. I imagine if I did—all that fresh air would actually bring in all sorts of allergens and irritants.
I suppose there may be something to theories that exposure to germs and imperfection helps build up a person’s immune system. I know that my own children seemed to spend the first five or six years of their lives with perpetually runny noses and now they are very rarely sick. But, there’s also something to the fact that cleanliness is important for someone whose immune system is already compromised. I suppose, like so many things in life, it really comes down to balance. Too much of anything isn’t necessarily good for you (well, maybe chocolate and sleep) and I imagine a person can actually be too clean for good health…
See Also: Is Medicine Made to Look and Taste Too Much Like Candy? and Spring Cleaning As a Family–All At Once or Over Time?