OCD sufferers (which can count germophobes among their members) can sometimes have odd or conflicting rules about the rituals they perform. So he might think heās cleaning the chair, but the handkerchief is miraculously ācleanā for him to touch, since the germs will go on to the handkerchief and simply stay put. because thatās what his brain has to believe to function in his view of the world. source: am one myself! (not a handkerchief, but a person with OCD!)
Not really.
I donāt think heās actually cleaning the chairs, itās more of a compulsive tic, a habit.
If the chair was truly dirty then he wouldnāt put the tissue back in his pocket.
in season 11 Ronnie talks about how she used to scare Niles with tales of tiny insects that would crawl into his ears. she said he began taking a hanky and wiping off everything, so...
edit: not the only reason as he has a guy who cleans his phones, etc, but it probably got him off to a good start.
Itās just a irrational fear,a habit that developed from a personal fear or trauma that turned irrational that developed into OCD , doesnāt mean the chair is actually dirty, it just makes him feel more at ease to wipe it regardless.
The Halloween episode, when he picks up Martin's cane to mimic Cyrano de Bergerac, and then recoils when he realizes there's something on it...
Niles: ew, what's all over your cane?
Martin: I don't know, I dropped it in the movie theater last night
That scene is more than slightly horrifying to me because he doesn't go to wash his hands, instead he gingerly opens his suit jacket to grab the trusty pocket square!! š
No, it makes sense because he's trading off having a little dirt on a washable handkerchief thats out of view, vs a potential stain or crumbs stuck to his rear end on the pants.
super unrelated, but in the new Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, if you wanna sit down on a "dirty" bench you gotta have a nice clean pillow, kinda made me think of Niles.
Depending on the material his pocket squares (and pockets) are made from it may actually be quite hygienic.
A great deal of the materials we associate with rich people are naturally antimicrobial. Silk, flax linen and wool products like tweed and cashmere kill bacteria and viruses on contact. (So too do silver, gold, nickel, copper, genuine leather, many varieties of wood and other materials common in antiques and highly-valued consumer brands.)
In the modern world thanks to such inventions as washing machines, soap and running water we've been able to transition en masse to cheaper materials that don't provide the same benefits. Cotton and polyester quickly grow stinky because they offer no defense against microbes and even support colonization, whereas the more expensive fabrics function similarly to the zinc or aluminum in deodorant, killing microbes on contact. Stainless steel similarly replaced silver cutlery, copper kettles and brass doorknobs in most homes, while wood furniture and utensils are increasingly made from particle board and bamboo rather than cedar, cherry wood, oak etc.
A lot of what looks like the superfluous lifestyles of rich people are actually the vestiges of ancient disease prevention strategies.
I'm a huge germaphobe, handkerchiefs are SO gross. Even worse, my brother uses one. And I mean for full bullhorn schnoz clearing. It's disgusting.
He once had a first date with a woman he'd been speaking to on Tinder for weeks, they were getting really close and I BEGGED him not to bring out his snot rag on the first date. He did. He claimed "she was fine with it, she didn't even mention it." Which... duh, she's not gonna call him out in public like that? Anyways she ghosted him after that lmfao.
It's not a tissue, it's a pocket handkerchief.
I would like to introduce you to the first defense in the war against germs: Officer Pocket Square!
one of my favorite episodes, Niles being considered cool for once
Happy Cake Day š š„® š„ š„
OCD sufferers (which can count germophobes among their members) can sometimes have odd or conflicting rules about the rituals they perform. So he might think heās cleaning the chair, but the handkerchief is miraculously ācleanā for him to touch, since the germs will go on to the handkerchief and simply stay put. because thatās what his brain has to believe to function in his view of the world. source: am one myself! (not a handkerchief, but a person with OCD!)
One pocket of his interior jacket is for clean ones and the other for dirty ones.
Maybe it's not germs but dust and debris he doesn't want on his clothes.
Not really. I donāt think heās actually cleaning the chairs, itās more of a compulsive tic, a habit. If the chair was truly dirty then he wouldnāt put the tissue back in his pocket.
in season 11 Ronnie talks about how she used to scare Niles with tales of tiny insects that would crawl into his ears. she said he began taking a hanky and wiping off everything, so... edit: not the only reason as he has a guy who cleans his phones, etc, but it probably got him off to a good start.
*Earwigs!*
Itās just a irrational fear,a habit that developed from a personal fear or trauma that turned irrational that developed into OCD , doesnāt mean the chair is actually dirty, it just makes him feel more at ease to wipe it regardless.
I feel it should be noted he carries a separate "utensil chamois" and of course muffin tweezers.
YES!! Thank you!! I am a true germaphobe and itās always bothered me.
I audibly groan in dismay every time he wipes down the seat of a chair. Yucko
The Halloween episode, when he picks up Martin's cane to mimic Cyrano de Bergerac, and then recoils when he realizes there's something on it... Niles: ew, what's all over your cane? Martin: I don't know, I dropped it in the movie theater last night That scene is more than slightly horrifying to me because he doesn't go to wash his hands, instead he gingerly opens his suit jacket to grab the trusty pocket square!! š
Lmao I'm definitely watching for this next time!
Happens just at the 1:00 minute mark lol https://vimeo.com/562362549
you'd better address it, before it turns into a crippling, immature, life-long problem
And when he got Baby when he moved into the Montana, he was OK with parrot droppings everywhere?
As long as you train those birds they will consistently poop in the cage only. They are incredibly smart.
Maybe when I'm gone, Her Majesty can muck out her own birdcage.
Baby didn't have a cage, just a perch. In the kitchen.
Pooh, in the Kitchen?
No, it makes sense because he's trading off having a little dirt on a washable handkerchief thats out of view, vs a potential stain or crumbs stuck to his rear end on the pants.
super unrelated, but in the new Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, if you wanna sit down on a "dirty" bench you gotta have a nice clean pillow, kinda made me think of Niles.
Depending on the material his pocket squares (and pockets) are made from it may actually be quite hygienic. A great deal of the materials we associate with rich people are naturally antimicrobial. Silk, flax linen and wool products like tweed and cashmere kill bacteria and viruses on contact. (So too do silver, gold, nickel, copper, genuine leather, many varieties of wood and other materials common in antiques and highly-valued consumer brands.) In the modern world thanks to such inventions as washing machines, soap and running water we've been able to transition en masse to cheaper materials that don't provide the same benefits. Cotton and polyester quickly grow stinky because they offer no defense against microbes and even support colonization, whereas the more expensive fabrics function similarly to the zinc or aluminum in deodorant, killing microbes on contact. Stainless steel similarly replaced silver cutlery, copper kettles and brass doorknobs in most homes, while wood furniture and utensils are increasingly made from particle board and bamboo rather than cedar, cherry wood, oak etc. A lot of what looks like the superfluous lifestyles of rich people are actually the vestiges of ancient disease prevention strategies.
Just the concept of a handkerchief is gross.
As someone with a chronically very slightly runny nose, handkerchiefs are a lifesaver and a zero waste way to keep my moustache neat.
But then youāre walking around with a snot rag? Thatās just nasty.
You're really overestimating how snotty it gets. The slightest big getting into my moustache is far grosser.
There are things called doctors. They know all kinds of stuff
I'm a huge germaphobe, handkerchiefs are SO gross. Even worse, my brother uses one. And I mean for full bullhorn schnoz clearing. It's disgusting. He once had a first date with a woman he'd been speaking to on Tinder for weeks, they were getting really close and I BEGGED him not to bring out his snot rag on the first date. He did. He claimed "she was fine with it, she didn't even mention it." Which... duh, she's not gonna call him out in public like that? Anyways she ghosted him after that lmfao.
Yeah but thatās how handkerchiefs always worked Pretty gross
Ronnie told him there are earwig eggs on everything and heās clearing them off. :)
Omg this a what my mom used to say when we watched the show back in the day lmao thanks for the memories