Cleanliness in Practice

Don’t Live Like a Slob. Our society, a vacuum of true manliness, pushes the idea that all men are slobs. Yet there is nothing inherently manly about slovenly living. Everyone, men, and women alike have a natural tendency to take the path of least resistance when it comes to cleanliness. Cleanliness takes work. But our culture often gives men a pass to revel in their sloppy tendencies. Don’t drop things on the floor, don’t leave dishes in the sink, don’t leave your clutter all around the house. You’ll not only create a more pleasant environment, you’ll stop creating extra work for your wife.

Establish a Daily Cleaning Regimen. The problem many men have with keeping their home clean is that they let the clutter and dirt build up until cleaning seems like an insurmountable task. Instead of waiting for this to happen, establish a 10-minute cleaning routine and resolve to perform it daily. Here’s my recommended regimen:

• When you get out of the shower, spray it down with a mold and mildew prevention spray. This will keep your shower clean and increase the time between deep cleanings.

• Keep disposable cleaning wipes on the sink. When you are done brushing your teeth and shaving, wipe down the sink and mirror with one of the wipes.

• Spend 5 minutes before you go to bed picking up any clutter that has arisen during the day.

Don’t Dress Like a Slob. Take some pride in your appearance. Don’t be a metrosexual, but don’t be a slovenly mess either. You do not want to eat out in a restaurant and see everyone dressed slobby. How would it look to see men and boys dressed in basketball shorts, wind pants, and sleeveless shirts, wearing their baseball cap backward? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that a place like Subway is the paragon of fancy dining and thus necessitates formal attire. But would it hurt to put on at least a pair nice khaki pants and t-shirt that covers your arms? There is always a place for everything and the restaurant is not the place to advertise arms or legs.

• If your shirt needs ironing, iron it. And don’t try to convince yourself that by not ironing it, you’re capturing a sort of rugged sailor’s look. No, you look like a tool who didn’t iron their shirt.

• Don’t use your dirty clothes basket or the floor as your closet. If it’s still clean, put it back in your dresser or on a hanger. If you put something in the hamper, it means it needs to be washed. Wash your clothes frequently enough that you don’t have to rummage through your dirty clothes to find something to wear. Whatever you pick out of your hamper is going to be wrinkly and smell bad.

Sir Godfrey Gregg

TO BE CONTINUED ……..