How clean does the house have to be for Succos?

Success10 ↓

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 7:33 am

I mean we're eating and sleeping in the succah, we're basically dwelling there. The succah is nice and clean and pretty. So how much should it bother me that there's piles of everything everywhere else? I'm just trying to prioritize here, since the kids are home (Israel) and we're running out of time.

BadTichelDay

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 7:50 am

banana123 wrote:

It needs to be as clean as for Pesach. See Hilchos Seger 11:5.

No, pikuach nefesh comes first.
Let me explain - if you leave decomposing piles of everything everywhere undisturbed while you are out in the succah, chances are that new microbial life forms will evolve in them.
Maybe one of them will hold the key to defeating Corona!
After all, Penicillin, the first antibiotic ever, was developed from a mould fungus.
So don't let your urge to clean up stand in the way of science and progress!
Thumbs Up

Cheers, I'll try to get the house to normal Shabbat standard which isn't very high with me and the kids will probably turn everything over again while I'm in the succah and not watching...

Brachie69

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 7:52 am

Only as clean as you and your family need for simchas Yom Tov. Pls don't go crazy. Your mental health and comfort are most important.

avrahamama

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 7:59 am

Just shove everything in a corner. Stick a blanket over it so it looks like a bean bag chair and move on. Our yard is so muddy that all the in and out makes my house filthy during sukkot... I prioritize my kitchen, bathroom, and living room in that order.

↑ Success10 ↓

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 7:59 am

BadTichelDay wrote:

Oh my goodness, you're right!! B"H you replied in time, I'd almost considered putting away some laundry and throwing out some apple cores.

PinkFridge

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 8:09 am

Think about this way: what if you had to eat inside for a meal?
OTOH, just like on Pesach our floor is carpeted with matzah crumbs, the floor will be carpeted with leaves from what tree has leaves that look like yellow aravos?

↑ banana123 ↓

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 8:14 am

Success10 wrote:

Oh my goodness, you're right!! B"H you replied in time, I'd almost considered putting away some laundry and throwing out some apple cores.

No, no. Chalila. If you did that, your house would be cleaner than mine.

I am DETERMINED to win the Messiest House on Sukkot Award. And, my kids are determined to win the Grossest House on Sukkot Award, by continually bringing food into the bedrooms.

Seriously? Clean as much as you need to for your own sanity. Don't clean any more than that. It's not worth it. Just enjoy being in the sukkah and try to avoid getting bitten by the bidud bug.

zaq

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 8:54 am

Success10 wrote:

Relax! She was joking!

Great news! YOU get to decide how clean you want your house to be for sukkot. Or any other time, for that matter. Even for Pesach, all you have to do is get rid of your chometz. Sadly, that does involve quite a bit of cleaning, especially in the kitchen, but does not require things like folding laundry and organizing papers. For Sukkot even your kitchen can be a churban if it doesn't bother you. Though lich'vod YomTov you should make SOME effort at cleanup.

↑ Success10

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 10:21 am

zaq wrote:

I am going to prioritize food. Then maybe bathed kids. Then the house with whatever few minutes I have left. Wish me luck!

yaye

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 10:31 am

My DH always says, why clean the house on Sukkos, why wash the floor etc etc...
I'm quarantined so no cleaning lady.... not sure what will be clean and what not, but it makes me feel better that we'll be living in the sukkah!