Advice about cleaning with bleach! It stresses me out!

[Starflowerr]

So last year I got a little overboard with my cleaning remedy. I would make a bleach water solution and put it in a plastic spray bottle. I was constantly spraying the sink area and then wiping the walls near it and the mirror near it because I was scared of the bleach water sitting there. I also noticed that I tend to use the bleach water to clean the soap dispenser, cabinets, door knobs and even doors and panels which I know is unhealthy OCD ritualizing. Everytime I use the bleach water I get stressed out for some reason. Maybe because I know I need to wipe everything down with water when I use it. I'm trying to use an OCD self help book until I can get official treatment and I'm really perplexed and stuck on my obsession with using bleach. Using any other cleaning products to me doesn't feel "clean enough" or I keep obsessing that there are still poop particles on the soap dispenser or something like that. Anyone have any advice or input on my obsession with using bleach water?

[mmmmww]

I feel you.I used to wash my hands with bleach spray, from fear of having bacteria stuck under my nails and such. But I managed to get passed that by repeatedly telling myself "no one else washes their hands with bleach and they are all fine. Plus, the chemicals are likely worse for me than the bacteria". It took a while, a lot of repeating this but I eventually managed to stop.

I know using bleach on hands is different to using it on inanimate objects/surfaces, but maybe you could use a similar approach. Try repeating to yourself that no one else uses excessive amounts of bleach on door handles. Etc. If it helps, I can tell you that, whilst I was washing my hands with bleach, I was not cleaning other surfaces with bleach. Our bathroom sink went months without being cleaned at all, because my OCD prevented me from doing it, it also prevented my husband from doing it, because I wouldn't allow him to. Also i have never cleaned things like door handles, light switches etc. And I am fine, 😊

So feel free to use this, "a fellow contamination OCD sufferer has never cleaned door handles, and they are fine". Repeat this over and over, each time your get the urge to clean with bleach, when you know logically bleach is not needed. Then try and resist the compulsion to use bleach. It will be hard, but keep trying.

Also maybe look into alternative cleaners. Again, I understand and know full well the "doesn't feel clean enough". But again, if it helps, almost all bacteria can't survive boiling water, so cleaning things like your bath, shower, sink, etc, just pour some boiling water on/in. Dettol (if you are in the UK) is also good at ridding bacteria. And now there are also probiotic cleaners, so you can fight bad bacteria with good bacteria. Think of it as a little army of good bacteria having battles against the bad bacteria, and of course the good guys always win. 😁