Dirt is unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin or possessions when they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include soil and dust.

Contents 1 Cleaning 2 Health 3 Neurosis 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Cleaning

When things are dirty, they are usually cleaned with antibacterial matter like windex and swiffer picker uppers and much domestic activity is for this purpose — washing, sweeping and so forth.^[1]

[edit] Health

Modern society is now thought to be excessively clean. Lack of contact with microorganisms in dirt when growing up is hypothesised to be the cause of the epidemic of allergies such as asthma. The human immune system requires activation and exercise in order to function properly and exposure to dirt may achieve this.^[2] For example, the presence of staphylococcus bacteria on the surface of the skin regulates the inflammation which results from injury.^[3]

People and animals may eat dirt. This is thought to be caused by mineral deficiency and so the condition is commonly seen in pregnant women.

[edit] Neurosis

People may become obsessed by dirt and engage in fantasies and compulsive behaviour dreams about it.^[4] The source of such thinking may be genetic, as the emotion of disgust is common and a location for it in the brain has been proposed.^[5]

[edit] See also

• Filth

[edit] References