Questions tagged [cleaning]

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Hand sanitizer and clean hands in halacha

Is there any discussion among poskim about hand sanitizer as a replacement for any of the standard methods for washing one's hands in halacha? Can it be used solely, for example, after going to the ...
Rabbi Kaii's user avatar
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2 votes
3 answers
821 views

How important is hygiene beyond required washing and mikvah immersion to Jews?

I know that mikvah immersion and ritual washing is required, but what about other bodily hygiene, shaving, teeth, house order, hair and all other hygienically addressable aspects of a modern human? ...
naarter's user avatar
  • 110
6 votes
2 answers
340 views

Are Colgate wisps allowed?

I am basing my question based off a question asked here. It seems like from there the general consensus seems that toothpaste does not have to be kosher. The way the wisp works is that it is a mini ...
Seeker's user avatar
  • 359
3 votes
1 answer
339 views

Cleaning Tallis Godol and Tallis Koton

According to Halacha is one allowed to give in his Tallis Godol or Kotton to a cleaners if the actual work will be done by non Jews?
Yhonasan Levinson's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
502 views

Justifying housework / keeping one’s home clean and tidy

Shalom. I was wondering if someone could provide me with sources in support of regular housework / keeping one’s home clean and tidy / beautifying one’s home. A source / warrant from G-d would make ...
Tom W's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
46 views

Does rain purify the earth in a similar way we use water for spiritual purification rituals or does the purification require a human element?

Judaism has different rituals around water and purification. A simple example is washing of the hands after a funeral or cemetery visitation. My question is this. Water is used for purification. Is ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 1,283
-1 votes
1 answer
234 views

Cleaning tefillin from Covid19 contact

If someone contacts COVID-19, then everything they touch has to be disinfected. This is normally done with a wet disinfectant. Are there any recommendations for how to do this for tefillin to avoid ...
Avrohom Yitzchok's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
414 views

Cleaning a Torah Scroll

Our shul recently had a sofer in to look at our newer Torah scroll. He suggested to the Rabbi that we clean the scrolls regularly, which we have never done. So we did it a few days ago, about 20 of ...
Cyn's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
26 views

Shofar odor cleaning recommendations [duplicate]

How do you remove the odor from inside a shofar? I have already tried hydrogen peroxide.
user5102's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
703 views

Not to sweep floor on day of traveling (source)

I just heard in the name of Rabbi Moncowits in Montreal that on day of traveling it is forbidden to sweep the floor. Because he once was in an accident and the Lubavicher Rebbe told him it was ...
hazoriz's user avatar
  • 7,506
1 vote
1 answer
183 views

Drying a cup on Shabbos with a paper napkin

Is one allowed on Shabbos to dry the inside of a wet cup with a paper napkin, or would this be prohibited because of sechitah?
user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
273 views

Are there any issues with blowing on your glasses to clean them on Shabbat?

Are there any issues with blowing on your glasses to clean e.g. dandruff off on shabbos? I was thinking that perhaps it is zoreh/winnowing - similar to blowing dust off old books? In regards to zoreh ...
Gabriel's user avatar
  • 303
1 vote
0 answers
56 views

Does Seventh Generation fabric softener fray tzitzit?

Has anyone had experience cleaning tzitzit strings with Seventh Generation fabric softener? Does it damage them or is it safe? When I clean my begadim, I let soap get on the strings, but since I have ...
Noach MiFrankfurt's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
346 views

Are there any issues with cleaning glasses with microfibre cloth on Shabbas?

Are there any issues with cleaning eyeglasses with microfibre cloth on Shabbas? I'm assuming the microfibre cloth only and no cleaning spray. I'm assuming the glasses are prescription glasses and the ...
Jakub's user avatar
  • 1,321
3 votes
1 answer
390 views

Crumbs of chametz that will not be eaten on Pesach but are easily accessed

Am I obligated to clean/remove chametz (less than a kazayis) from my house if there is no chance of me coming to eat it during Pesach even if these crumbs are in plain sight and easily accessed? E.g. ...
Gavriel's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
415 views

Moving the fridge for Pesach cleaning

Is one required to move the fridge and clean out all the chametz that has gotten stuck underneath? This question assumes that the fridge will not be moved at all during Pesach.
Gavriel's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
2k views

Washing Tallit Katan

One thing I never read about tallit katan is how to wash them? Does wool need to be dry cleaned? Cotton can be handwashed. I guess I could handwash wool as well, but doesn't seem as good an idea. Any ...
Gary's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
199 views

Pesach: Birds and Backyards

I recently asked someone knowledgeable why those who are makpid to remove even the tiniest, halachically-unimportant pieces of ~chometz from their homes before Pesach do not seem to care at all about ...
SAH's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
433 views

Germaphobes washing on Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur

One is not allowed to wash their hands past their knuckles on Tisha B'Av, except if there is dirt on their hands, or if it is for a Mitzvah (SA OC 554:8-10). The same is true, for the most part, for ...
DonielF's user avatar
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16 votes
1 answer
259 views

Where did the incense-altar sweeper get his broom from?

Mishna, Tamid chapter 3, in a loose translation: Those who merited removing the ashes from the inner altar and the candelabrum would precede. They had four tools in their hands: the basket, the ...
msh210's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
45 views

Can I move my chometz after the bedikah?

According to this document, one should sequester all chometz in one's home either in a cabinet or behind a mechitzah prior to performing the bedikah (the search for chometz). However, does this have ...
SAH's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
333 views

How do you kasher your teeth?

A Pesach preparation guide tells me to kasher my teeth on Erev Pesach. How on earth does one do this?
SAH's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
151 views

Pesach cleaning at non religious house [closed]

If I'm boarding at a non religious persons house (they don't keep kosher), what are the rules for cleaning for pesach? I share the pantry and fridge so I don't know what to clean and how well to clean ...
racheli appelbaum's user avatar
9 votes
0 answers
485 views

Was the Ark of the Covenant ever cleaned [duplicate]

Was the blood that was sprinkled on the Ark on Yom Kippur allowed to dry and accumulate through the centuries, or was there a provision for cleaning the Holy of Holies and the Ark in particular?
Ken's user avatar
  • 91
10 votes
1 answer
201 views

Post mortem Tahara

I'm looking for sources discussing the religious aspect of the Tahara done on deceased Jews. I recall someone mentioning that the religious aspect of it was a practice we picked up from the Muslims ...
user6591's user avatar
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11 votes
3 answers
17k views

Cleaning blood from the temple

According to the Mosaic Law, blood was to be sprinkled on the alters, before the curtains and other places in the temple. This would result in many places, especially the curtains, being blood ...
למה זה תשאל לשמי's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
514 views

How do you wash a Kittel?

I have a cotton-polyester kittel from Ben's Tallit Shop (everyone's favorite, right?) Here's the description: http://tzitzit.tallit-shop.com/pleated-kittel/ Does anyone know how to wash them? Do I ...
ezra's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
115 views

Are there any sources that say to wash hands with soap after the bathroom?

Are there any sources in Rabbinic literature that mention washing hands with soap after using the bathroom? I.e that just using the cup (נטילת ידים) isn't sufficient. An explicit statement would be ...
Scimonster's user avatar
  • 23.1k
4 votes
1 answer
185 views

Sponja on Shabbos - May one do it?

In Israel a popular way of cleaning floors is with sponja. Is there a way that one may do this on Shabbos? (sources)
Gershon Gold's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
2k views

Advice - cleaning my shofar

I saw that the Shulcha Aruch (I think it was 586?) states that one is allowed to pour wine into the shofar to clean it. I have an old shofar that smells a bit musty and like ... old sheep (I guess it ...
DanF's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
363 views

In kashering, can you leave utensils eino ben yomo *before* cleaning?

As I understand, the first step in kashering a kitchen is to thoroughly clean everything and then leave it untouched for 24 hours (eino ben yomo). Would it be technically permissible to clean the ...
SAH's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
738 views

Can a woman clean her father, when he is naked, if he cannot?

Let's say an elderly man needs to be cleaned: he cannot clean himself because of extreme weakness. Can his daughter do this or must she hire someone else?
ray's user avatar
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15 votes
2 answers
837 views

Wearing clean but not "freshly laundered" clothes in the 9 Days

As an extension of this unanswered question, and based on the site linked to in this question, what does "freshly laundered" mean? I had a bunch of long sleeved shirts laundered in mid-June but then ...
rosends's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Brush teeth on a Ta'anis

I find it difficult to go a day without brushing my teeth. Is it okay to brush my teeth on a Ta'anis (fast day)? I imagine it's forbidden on Yom Kippur, but what about the other fasts?
user5303's user avatar
  • 1,474
7 votes
1 answer
152 views

Not passing up a mitzvah: putting away laundry at a parent's behest: closest pile first?

My kid asked: I know there's a general rule of en maavirin al hamtizvos, we don't pass over a mitzva. For example, in mishnayos Yoma, the kohanim don't pass over the nearest blood basin to put ...
msh210's user avatar
  • 73.7k
4 votes
1 answer
805 views

Prohibition against leaving a laundry machine running into shabbos?

I've been struggling to understand this issue for a while. It's come to my attention that it's forbidden (according to some opinions, at least) to start a laundry / dryer load on erev shabbos, and let ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
218 views

cleaning smooth shiny surfaces on shabbos

How may one clean a sticky shiny smooth surface on Shabbos? During the week one can simply wet a napkin and then wipe the surface, but on shabbos you're not allowed to wet a material due to a ...
Ani Yodea's user avatar
  • 13.1k
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Liquid soap on Shabbos

Regarding using bar soap on Shabbos the following has been asked and answered. Using a bar of soap on Shabbat My questions are in regards to liquid soap. May one use liquid soap on Shabbos? Is there ...
Gershon Gold's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
227 views

sources that neatness brings brocho/mazal

I heard in a daf yomi shiur on the end of Moed Katan (27a ‘Couch of Fortune’) that Jews kept an extra neat bed for brocho/mazal. One of the reasons that he gave was that in general neatness brings ...
hazoriz's user avatar
  • 7,506
10 votes
1 answer
142 views

How do we determine whether a dish is clean?

There are situations in which the question arises in halacha (specifically, the laws of kashrus) whether a piece of flatware or a dish is clean — by which I mean whether it lacks any remnant of ...
msh210's user avatar
  • 73.7k
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

How long must clothes be worn before the 9 days for them to count as not fresh?

I've only read "short period" as a time given for how long to wear clothes you're planning on putting on during the 9 days. Is there anything more specific than that? Is there an efficient and ...
Echad-Ani-Yodeya's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
457 views

How to clean up from one meal for another on Shabbos?

If after clearing the table on Shabbos there are lots of crumbs still left behind, how should one get rid of these properly? May one use their hands or mini broom to brush them into ones hand, ...
Dude's user avatar
  • 4,362
2 votes
1 answer
348 views

Self-Cleaning an Oven to Kasher If Food Residue Remains

From http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/623729/jewish/How-do-I-kosher-an-oven.htm: "If your oven is of the self-cleaning variety, koshering it is fairly simple. All you need to do is self-...
user5173's user avatar
  • 608
4 votes
1 answer
125 views

Kashering a Hard to Clean Pot

Is it possible to kasher a pot that has areas that are hard to clean, for example the rim? Is there anything one can do to these areas if they can't be completely cleaned out that will allow the pot ...
user5173's user avatar
  • 608
7 votes
2 answers
346 views

contact solution on shabbat

I use a contact solution that is hydrogen peroxide based. That is, the solution is hydrogen peroxide. The solution is put into a special case with a platinum disc at the bottom. The disc acts a ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 760
5 votes
4 answers
5k views

How should a tallit gadol be washed?

What is the best way to wash a tallit gadol? Mine is a fairly traditional large black and white wool tallit with plain white (not techelet) tzitzit. After a few years in shul it's a little yellow ...
Jakub's user avatar
  • 1,321
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Is toothpaste an issue on Shabbat?

I heard that squeezing the toothpaste tube might be considered wringing. Does this have any basis?
Ani Yodea's user avatar
  • 13.1k
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Using a bar of soap on Shabbat

I have heard plenty of times that one shouldn't use bar soap on Shabbat. What are the sources for this Pesak and why is this so? My LOR says Yesh Al Mi Lismoch but I would like to see a nice ...
Hacham Gabriel's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
206 views

Cleaning clothes before Shabbos and Yom Tov

The Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim Siman 242 writes that it was from Takkanas Ezra that one should clean their clothes on Thursday because of "Kavod Shabbos". The Mishneh Brurah in Sif-Katan 5 explains ...
Yehoshua's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
585 views

Preparing laundry prior to Chatzos on 10 Av

May one sort their laundry and load the washing machine prior to Chatzos (midday) on 10 Av of a year where Tisha B'Av is on a Tuesday, so that, that way, they can immediately turn on the machine at ...
Gershon Gold's user avatar