Just Chuck The Tie Already

I've always hated the smell of dry cleaned clothing.  Before my first child was born, I worked in financial services and "suited up" every day.  We didn't have an organic dry cleaner near us.  While I made sure to only wear machine- or hand-washable shirts under my suits, I looked forward to casual Fridays when I could ditch those dry cleaned suits. These days, I only wear machine-washable clothing unless I have to dress formally.  I couldn't imagine hugging my child while wearing a dry cleaned sweater.

My husband suits up every day, so the topic of necktie care has come up.  They are only cleaned when they need a spot removed, and they are always dry cleaned.  I think that's pretty typical of the way most men care for their neckties.  Ick.

So when I read yesterday's Wall Street Journal and saw an article titled, "Nothing to Sneeze At: Doctors' Neckties Seen as Flu Risk," I had to read it.  Here was one interesting quote...

"A 2004 analysis of neckties worn by 42 doctors and medical staffers at the New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens found that nearly half carried bacteria that could cause illnesses such as pneumonia and blood infections. That compared with 10% for ties worn by security guards at the hospital."

Some doctors are resistant to going tie-less despite this evidence - they feel that neckties lend an air of professionalism.  So a company is selling neckties with a stain-resistant coating that the company says "repels bacterial infection."

Excuse me while I look up at the ceiling and sigh deeply.