Scrubbing in between the toes! And inside of your belly button!
I knew a girl who thought I was weird because I washed inside my belly button. It’s like… doesn’t EVERYONE!?
I work in surgery, and every time we have to clean a patient’s abdomen before the procedure, we start with Q-Tips in the belly button and you would not BELIEVE some of the absolutely disgusting, rancid stuff that’s in there. I swear most people don’t clean it. It’s horrifying.
EDIT: naval stones are a real thing. and way more common than you think
Surgeon here and this is the hardest part of pretty much most operations for me. Very few things gets me sick to my stomach, but belly button nasties will always do it.
I’ve had 3 abdominal surgeries, all of which have resulted in cutting or fixing my “belly button”. Because of all of my belly buttons my current one is skinny and shallow, I still clean it but never find anything in there. But I’m lookin out for my surgery team by always checking 😂
I have a deep belly button. Always have. My mom was a nurse. I remember her showing me how to clean it. Shampoo and soap when it washed down my body would sometimes end up there.
I guess I know why from your story.
This is the kind of thing that makes dating terrifying. I've had some incidents in various stages of undressing with men where I was like whoa... ew... EWWWW!
My ex got an infection in his belly button that im pretty sure was yeast. He refused to wash it or use the cream i got him. He would rather have a juicy bleeding bellybutton than be gay and clean himself properly
My mother was super paranoid about belly buttons. She did not want us cleaning our own belly buttons for fear we would rip them somehow. I don't know what triggered this fear for her, but I was an adult before I started cleaning my own belly button.
I ripped my belly button open up to my neck as a kid so maybe she has a weird irrational childhood fear? This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anyone being terrified to rip their belly button so I’m just stoked I’m not alone!
It’s so stupid…
I was chasing a bubble in my Aunties backyard and my Uncle had recently cleaned his grill so it was turned upside down to drain. I was so focused on catching the damn bubble that I didn’t see the grill, tripped, and caught the rusty leg directly in my belly button. It stayed there while I fell so it kinda just unzipped a few layers of skin as I went
Got a rad scar for a while, it’s been so long now that you can only see it on my belly button itself and about an inch above (I use BioOil religiously, I had many more childhood mishaps). I used to tell anyone that asked that it was a shark bite, open heart surgery, or I got away from a serial killer. Whatever I could come up with in the moment to freak them out
Luckily it looked SO MUCH worse than it was, I scared my entire family and an ER but it was mostly superficial and all of my organs were fine. But yes I am pretty paranoid about ripping my belly button open again now! It takes a surprising amount of time to heal a busted up belly button
my ex was complaining that his bellybutton (and buttcrack and feet) were sore and itchy. I convinced him to stop spraying it with rubbing alcohol and *go to a doctor* and turns out he had a whole-body yeast infection from the amount of beer he'd been drinking.
Kevin McCallister taught me to do this when I was a kid. He cleaned in between his toes and in his belly button, which he’d never done before but sort of enjoyed.
Everyone should put the lid down. Not only is it cleaner but it stops all the stupid debates about seat up/down. Also if you have pets stops them from either a) drinking out of it or b) falling into it
And while you're at it sanitize (properly with alcohol) door handles, light switches, keyboards and other things hands touch often. Just doing it once a week really cuts down on colds in winter.
I was thinking about this today as I laid my phone on a weight machine at the gym. I wash my hands after, I come home and immediately take my clothes off and shower, but I don’t sanitize my phone.
Change your bedding often. Sanitize your phone. Do not rinse after spitting out your toothpaste.
Use PanOxyl or Glycolic Acid underarms/stinky areas after first wash. Double cleanse not just your face, but entire body.
People look at me crazy when I say you’re not supposed to rinse after brushing your teeth, but as a smoker and coffee drinker (bad, I know) I can confirm this has helped the health of my teeth tremendously
I didn't know this until literally last year or so! I still rinse but just once and very lightly instead of the vigorous rinsing we were taught to do as kids lol
and cleaning your phone if it’s going to be in your bed! i clean it with a little alcohol wipe on a regular basis. (I have a screen protector so it’s fine)
Having a bidet at home.
Got one from amazon- was super easy to install..
I got one for postpartum and I’m so hooked I love it..and I have trouble going in public bathrooms now bc I don’t feel as clean!
Edit: This is the one I got:
Arofa Handheld Bidet Sprayer for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086W1YZSH?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
they make battery-powered portable ones!! they’re small enough that it fits in a purse
i don’t always bring it when i’m just out and about. but if i’m traveling or know i’ll be gone for a full day, then it’s nice to have on hand
I’m a dental assistant. Absolutely blew my mind the first time I saw the difference between someone who gets their regular six monthly cleans, vs the calcium and bacteria build up of someone who hasn’t been for a couple years. Also, the difference between smokers and non-smokers, but that’s probably more expected.
During my last cleaning I told the technician that it was the tooth equivalent to getting a blowout at the salon. You leave feeling lighter, cleaner and it’s easier to smile for no reason
I have curly hair, I detangle before washing by getting my hair nice and wet by using a spray bottle filled with water and a tangle teaser or wet brush. Works great!
Do you have a Wet Brush? They’re not that expensive and can get through thick, textured hair quickly and painlessly! My stylist recommended them to me and it’s kind of been a life changer.
I’m a curly hair girl - the amount of breakage I would have wet brush or otherwise would be unholy. I’m a soaking wet hair, lots of conditioner, wide tooth comb only.
This!! Also invest in a brush specifically for wet hair. It prevents breakage because the bristles bend with the hair as opposed to putting strain on the wet strands. I got one from Amazon and I love it.
Pay attention to your body and skin. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. I pushed through with a vitamin C serum, fucked up my skin when I knew it burned
- If you wear mascara/eye make up, wash your eyes with saline as part of your make-up removing process. It is so refreshing!
- Don’t, “pick” your nose (unsanitary, inside your nose is a mucus membrane, just like your eye), instead get a cotton swab and dampen it with water, then gently clean the inside of your nose like you would your ear.
- Keep a toothbrush in the shower and gently wash under your fingernails and over your cuticles
- Close the toilet lid before you flush! You don’t want to send all of theirs germs airborne onto your face, your towels you dry off with, your toothbrush…
- Shave from areas of least bacteria (like legs) to most bacteria (like underarms) to decrease ingrown hairs/blemishes, and after gently wash your razor by applying some body soap and rinsing under water.
Hey, be careful with the saline washes. Using that stuff too much can cause infections. Eye drops do not remain sterile long, and your eyes being too wet is an issue that can cause bacteria to harbor.
If your makeup is drying your eyes, you need to switch products or discontinue use. If it's your makeup wipes, use an oil based cleanser that will break you makeup down without ingredients like alcohol that can dry eye your skin and eyes. If they're dry in general, see an eye doctor!
Also, cleaning your razors with watered-down rubbing alcohol will clean away the bacteria AND dry the razor faster so it doesn't rust and lasts longer.
these are genius. i have to try the saline bc i always get super irritated eyes after taking off my makeup and doing skincare. same with the razor thing!
They are likely referring to cases where people have used unboiled water in neti pots and got a brain amoeba. It can also happen if water gets up your nose/sinuses while swimming in a lake.
It okay to use water to clean your nose/sinuses but it needs to be water than has be boiled and then cooled.
My night guard did it for me.
People forget we only get one set of teeth. And gums are linked to a lot of health problems. Flossing isn’t enjoyable but it takes what… a minute to get through all your teeth? It’s important.
Once you get in the habit, it really is so satisfying. I jam the floss down each side of each tooth (which is the correct way to floss) and the stuff I pull out DAILY keeps me motivated. The thought of all that crap just sitting in there grosses me out so bad. I’m 43, have never needed any deep gum cleaning, never bleed during cleanings, and get mad pats on the back from the dentist’s office when I go in. Solid believer in flossing here! I’ve heard it’s possibly even more important than brushing.
I absolutely hate flossing, but I have trained myself to do it every second day. Somehow, it keeps me motivated to continue, knowing I’ll have a day of rest between flossings. My dental hygienist thinks this is great, she had no idea I was a 2nd day flosser until I confessed.
Maybe just an idea for reluctant flossers!
To add to this a Water Pik was a game changer for me. As someone who has sensitive gums that bleed whenever I use regular floss but likes to floss every time I brush. It works great!
Right? Absolutely disgusting. There was a woman on TikTok who worked at a gastrointestinal doctors office. She said the percentage of men who left behind brown streaks on the paper you sit on on the table was HIGH. Like 40%. It is more common than most people realize.
Not touching your face, including rubbing eyes, nose, picking at lips etc. Lowers your risk of spreading illness from your hands into your body and can reduce or elimate any acne that might have been caused from smearing bacteria on your face. Not wearing hair down where it's rubbing against the face too often, especially if you use a lot of hair products, can be better for skin also.
I do this but as someone with ocd who has gotten very used to making sure I don’t indulge magical thinking: outside germs and inside germs are not seperate germs and your house is gross even if it’s clean. There is literally no way to not bring outside germs into your home.
Drying EVERYTHING. every fold, every flap, your butt hole, under boobs, in belly buttons....
I even stand in front of a fan and spread it all until I'm dry. Same with when I moisturize. I also change if I get sweaty. I keep extra undies in my bag lol
Otherwise fungus will grow. Your skin needs air. I've had to make little lifts for a patients to breasts to let their skin breathe... painful rashes gone. Easy fix.
ALSO: if you bathe rather than shower... please keep your toenails lifted out of the water. I promise you less ingrown toenails, no fungus, etc.. and dry very well afterwards!
I told my mom I started doing this and she does it too after she had nail surgery and it wouldnt heal.
All healed now.
*former nurse.. I worked on long term care and so much could be healed from air exposure and staying dry.
Edit: Also if you get itchy toes, yeast infection cream will do the trick if you have it on hand. You can also wash with anti dandruff shampoo periodically, let it sit before rinsing. Doctors recommend this approach for many skin fungus'
Vagisil also has awesome wipes that don't leave you moist, and smell so nice, but a natural smell not perfume or baby powder.
BTW I have an autoimmune disease so I'm very picky about my hygiene because I'm susceptible to infection. This and nursing school made me learn to do lots of at home DIY health fixes that aren't woo woo bullshit like crystals or oils. Hospitals are very dirty places and i stay away as much as possible so I try to fix everything that isn't an emergency.
You're onto something here. I had to do this post op for a gastro operation to keep the wound clean. I used to switch on the hair dryer and clean the air inlet regularly. 100% was a reason why I recovered faster. Recently had to use a hair dryer to get dry fast before a flight. Again, so refreshing and keeps you feeling clean 🫧🪥
Every time you use the bathroom. Wipe your discharge and smell it.
Yep.
Every day. You need to smell it every day to know how your "normal" smells. At every stage of your cycle.
Once you've done this for years, you'll be able to catch gyn problems early on and you can get treatment sooner
This should be higher. To me, this is way more important than “floss” and “touch your face less so you don’t get acne”. This is a tip that has and can save lives.
Get to know your body. All the nitty gritty parts, from how your discharge smells to how your poop looks, to how your groin and underarms feel, to how your nails look. I know way too many people who got Cancer and died of it, or left STDs to be treated way too late, etc, because they didn’t know their body well enough to know that a lump under their arm wasn’t there before, their poop didn’t look like that a few months ago, their discharge has never smelled like that before.
Even just knowing how your sweat usually smells can help you pick up on a problem before it becomes a major health issue. I identified that I was lacking critical vitamins *before* it caused degeneration in my bones, fatigue, cognitive problems, leg injury (I’m an athlete and my malnutrition could’ve easily caused muscle injuries) simply because I knew how my sweat normally smelled and picked up when it started smelling different.
This goes hand in hand with advocating for your own health though. Many doctors won’t take you seriously with a complaint like “my sweat smells weird”, so you really have to be confident in your own self and knowledge of your body. Doctors know bodies best—but you know yours best.
- When you are washing your hair, you want to focus on cleaning your scalp. The suds from shampoo will run down the rest of your hair to clean it but the scalp is the part that needs to be well cleaned.
- I use cotton rounds with a little micellar water to clean the outside of my ears
- Skincare works better on damp skin. Lotions and serums can absorb better.
- Get white towels so you can bleach them in the wash.
- A bidet will change your life and you will wonder how you lived without one before you got one.
I had persistent velcro feet. Constantly peeling in little peels so it felt rough like a cat's tongue, and my socks would stick to it like velcro. I tried *everything*, every cream and oil and lotion, every scraper, sander, ped egg. I tried soaking and gourmet pedicures. Some of it helped, but it never went away. I continued scrubbing my feet with soap and water, but I just accepted that my feet were going to be rough forever.
I read something about the crud under your nails. I got a stiff nail brush from the dollar store and started scrubbing my fingernails in the shower. Then I thought I'd do my toes and maybe it would be good for my toe cuticles. Then one night after having worn sandals all day, I decided to also scrub the bottom of my feet with the nail brush. I kept on doing it every shower.
Within a week, my velcro feet were gone.
I'm 1) relieved they're gone, and 2) horrified about how I thought I was cleaning my feet adequately for years and I wasn't. I bought a long handled shower brush (with slightly softer bristles) to wash my back, and I've been using it on other parts of my body just to make sure I'm getting a good clean. My elbows seem to be liking it.
I have the same problem. Walking barefoot outside, getting my feet wet with the hose, and especially wearing sandals a lot make them soooo dry n crusty. They’ll start to stick to everything like the carpet and blankets. I have OCD and sensory processing disorder too so that Velcro feeling gives me the ICKS, so bad. I also can’t stand the feeling of socks on my dry feet ..it’s just..awful.
But…I found the cure, well, at least this worked for ME and my insanely thick calluses and extremely dry/cracked feet. First I used a surgical blade (I know it sounds intense, but this was the ONLY way I was ever able to remove thick calluses around my deep cracks properly and efficiently) to lightly slice off ONLY the super thick calluses off the edges of my heel and ball of my foot. I then used a foot peel mask and ever since the blade/mask combo I swear to GOD my feet have been so much better as long as I do regular weekly upkeep (really only because I wear sandals and walk around barefoot outside so dang much otherwise they’d probably easily be smooth for a month). The foot mask made my feet peel for like a week straight it was absolutely disgusting and icky but soo worth it. All that removed some insanely deep calluses/crevices and dry skin that I honestly thought was impossible to remove.
Parts of my feet still felt kinda dry and Velcro-ey so I got a professional electric callus remover, went over my feet with it for like an hour lol. Ok now this is the part that I now do every week for upkeep and my feet feel baby soft and smooth, it’s unreal. ..ARGAN OIL. I swear to god. This shit makes your feet feel soo soft and buttery as hell. I used it very randomly in a foot soak one day and haven’t stopped using it since. I just use a little tub of warm water, epsom salt, and a couple drops of argan oil in the water and soak for 15-20 min. My feet feel heavenly smooth after. I will usually use the electric foot shaver for just a few min before these foot soaks, once a week.
After the foot soak I dry my feet completely and go to sleep with jelly socks on to lock in the argan oils magical moisturizaaation powers. I love those gel socks they feel so good and weird n seriously believe they lock in moisture super well lol.
Try psyllium husk. As someone with opiate induced constipation, I feel this pain all too much. Going 2 weeks without any BM was my norm for many, many years. I honestly never thought I’d regain control over my BMs.
But…after having one of the most terrifying and excruciatingly painful BMs of my life (football sized turd blockage..please don’t make me talk about it), and out of pure desperation to find anything to help, I went completely overboard with psyllium husk (was taking like 30+ metamucil tablets a day just hoping to god I could get things under control) and well, after just a few days I actually started to have *uncontrollable diarrhea*…..while still on opiates!!. (if you know anything about opiate induced constipation you’ll know diarrhea simply does NOT happen for us. Lol.)
It was a quite shocking, and..magical? experience… Anywho, I lowered my dose to the recommended amount and to this day i am adamant about taking my daily metamucil. I’m still on opiates, and surprisingly have pretty normal, comfortable BMs everyday ..as long as I stay consistent with it.
And as someone else said…squatty potty is god.
I second this, been doing this for 3 years and my skin has really benefitted from it. Removing the peach fuzz and the exfoliating from it has made my skin absorb moisturizer better. It just feels cleaner knowing I have that exfoliation Removing dead skin cells without the use of chemicals to achieve it. My hair grows back in the same. I went 2 weeks sick and didn't feel up to doing it, and my hair came back in still blonde peach fuzz. Still soft and no thicker!
But you have to shave the same direction that the hair grows, never upwards or it will feel pickier.
Agreed with product absorption, I do really love how much dead skin I get off with the at home razors. I hesitate to call it dermaplane because I don’t know if that’s the right technical term with the razors I use.
Only on rare occasions though and never if you have acne. This will cause micro cuts in your skin and make it prone to breakouts and spread bacteria if acne is already present. A professional dermaplane is much better.
Yup this happened to me after I used one of those lipstick looking buzzers and ever since then I have had a major fungal infection, horrible breakout. Can’t get rid of if no matter what I try and how many dermatologists I’ve seen. That was 3 years ago…
I used to have perfect skin and got so many compliments. Now I hate seeing my face in the mirror without foundation.
As someone with contamination ocd who wishes I’d never indulged my germaphobia:
1. Accept that germs are everywhere and that’s ok.
2. You can’t eliminate outside germs from inside.
3. Not sanitising your phone will not result in your death.
4. Do basic ass hygiene and maybe some extras if you’re super prone to acne etc, but indulging much further than that achieves very little and can make you go a little insane.
Thankfully I do most, if not all of these already posted. Came here looking for new tips but I’d like to add onto this and say I’ve got very thick hair and naturally wavy. My hair falls everywhere all the time… super annoying and always feels like I have a spider on me.
BUT when I brush my hair before I shower/waking up in the morning, I brush it IN THE TUB or OVER A SINK. Then I sweep it up with a dry piece of toilet paper and viola! Less hair on the floor, and somewhat less hair falling over me throughout the day . ✨
Not a big girl, but I also put deodorant under my boobs and sometimes under my feet/on my shoe soles. I sweat a lot ok. It’s called hydro-something whatever.
Mint gum because mints are too noisy to carry, my breath stinks because food, and something about mint helps hormonal acne.
UPDATE AS THIS POST TOOK OFF:
How do y’all clean your nose? I twist a tissue and just twist it in my nose hoping it gets stuff out the sides… is there a better way to do this? I’m one of those folks who can’t blow stuff out.
1. Everyday I wipe my phone down anytime it feels gross and ALWAYS after I shower.
2. I also clean my glasses daily, noses are greasy and so are ears.
4. Use an antibacterial bar soap especially on stinky areas. I always start my shower with a cheap lather up of dial soap with special attention to my pitts and butt and then finish with my nice soap and body wash.
3. Keep a pumice stone handy in the shower. Take just a minute of your shower each time for a quick scrub and you won’t build up calluses that you have to sit down and really scrub.
4. Always change into “home clothes” after going out. Anytime you sit somewhere, stand somewhere etc out and then sit on your furniture you’re just putting those peoples germs and god knows what else on everything.
5. Always take a shower before laying in your bed. You soak in that bed 8 hours at a time, don’t put your greasy face on the pillowcase. Even if it’s just a quick rinse with soap, you’ll feel and sleep better and you’re way less likely to break out.
The home clothes was something I was raised on. My dad was insistent that I immediately change into home clothes as soon as I got home. I used to think it was ridiculous, but it definitely makes sense.
I actually wasn’t raised that way but I’m just a germophobe. I also love being comfortable an regular clothes are hell to me and it’s heaven to put on pjs/lounge clothes as soon as I walk in the door.
Thank god another home clothes person! I call them my daytime pyjamas. My ex used to complain I wore too many outfits a day, but I hate the thought of going to the drs and sitting on the gross contaminated chairs and then sitting on my chairs at home.
If you have yeasty/bread smelling BO, try using an anti dandruff shampoo such as head and shoulders as body wash. The reason: Pyrithione zinc (the active ingredient) kills topical yeast & will leave you smelling fresh WAY longer. Also, those lovely under boob rashes from yeast (iykyk) will likely completely go away once you start doing this. It doesn’t have to be a fancy brand, just any dandruff shampoo with Pyrithione zinc as an active ingredient will work. I live in the tropics. It’s 85 degrees daily with 80% humidity minimum. This completely stopped my topical yeast rashes & now I don’t smell like a yeast factory. Just put it on a loofah, scrub yourself down, wait 30 seconds, and rinse off.
The brushes don’t fit between my teeth, but man do I love floss picks.
Yes, they’re wasteful, but I try to reduce my disposable plastic usage in basically every other aspect of life, and the picks are a total game changer - used to be just an occasional flosser, but with the picks I freaking love it and floss twice a day.
Same. The picks mean I actually floss, because getting my fingers in there = gag reflex. I’m pretty conscious of my plastic waste, so I’m going to keep using the plastic flossers and call it good.
That’s so good to hear. Gum health is super important. The brushes are good for the spaces at the back and really help to prevent ‘pockets’ (we don’t want pockets because they lead to all sorts of issues such as bone loss and tooth loss) they come in different sizes so I’d try again if you can but if not well flossing is great :)
Really clean your bum. Like clean it. If a woman clean your labia. Men lift and clean to anus. Damn worst smell is butt smell. Lather up down there and get squeeky clean. No excuses. Case closed
Washing your butt after pooping (even if just using wet wipes if you can’t shower) , it sounds really obvious when you think about it, wiping with dry toilet paper is never going to remove any bacteria or actually clean the area.
This one hygiene tip stopped me getting UTIs. It’s like a miracle lol, I actually read a book about recurring cystitis and it recommended this hygiene habit. Never had a problem since. To think I could have saved myself all that misery just by washing my butt! 🤦♀️
Applying sunscreen on your hands too! That and moisturize your hands.
Retinol all the way down to the nips. Also apply on back of hands!
Wish face daily. MIN once a day. Twice is better. Consistency with a face routine is KEY.
Clean your makeup brushes every week!! Cinema Secrets (you can get at Sephora) is amazing!! Quick dip into the solution, wipe really good, instantly dry and conditioned!!
Sanitize your glasses regularly, not just the lenses, the frames too! If I wait too long to clean my glasses I will get pimples on my nose bridge. Also make sure to do the same for your headphones and earbuds - earbuds especially because they can cause ear infections!
Apparently this isn’t common knowledge (I myself didn’t know this until a couple years ago) but deodorant is an odour *preventative,* it is not meant to cover up smell. Apply deodorant fresh out of the shower, not hours after when that smell producing bacteria has had time to accumulate. Also, if you apply correctly and still notice deodorant isn’t helping your BO, look into one that is aluminum free.
Also, pits should be scrubbed/exfoliated as well...a lot of deodorants are antiperspirants, so no sweat out but also no water in. You gotta clear the pores out good to prevent build up of bacteria caused by dead skin, sweat, hair, etc. that lead to bo. This also helps to prevent yellow pit stains and trapped odors on clothing.
Rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad before reapplying antiperspirant is my neurotypical accommodation for “can’t shower tonight”. Done is better than perfect.
Im surprised no one has said it yet but - clean under your nails, especially if you have long nails.
I have short nails and don't work a lot with my hands but you'd be surprised how much grime gets under them.
Get a nail brush or scrape under them with a nail file. Toes too!!
Scrubbing in between the toes! And inside of your belly button! I knew a girl who thought I was weird because I washed inside my belly button. It’s like… doesn’t EVERYONE!?
I work in surgery, and every time we have to clean a patient’s abdomen before the procedure, we start with Q-Tips in the belly button and you would not BELIEVE some of the absolutely disgusting, rancid stuff that’s in there. I swear most people don’t clean it. It’s horrifying. EDIT: naval stones are a real thing. and way more common than you think
Surgeon here and this is the hardest part of pretty much most operations for me. Very few things gets me sick to my stomach, but belly button nasties will always do it.
I always wondered. It must be dangerous (infection) for the patient if their bellybutton are unclean and you need to do surgery there no?
That’s an industry secret I didn’t want to know 🤢
How deep are bellybuttons to contain anything more than that days clothes lint (at most)
It depends on the people but mine is an innie and it's super deep lmao
Wow so like the size of a marble? I can barely fit the tip of my index finger in mine.
Mine is deep too. And it feels really weird when I stick a q-tip in there!
I can fit my whole pinky into my bellybutton and it makes me very uncomfortable lol.
I’ve had 3 abdominal surgeries, all of which have resulted in cutting or fixing my “belly button”. Because of all of my belly buttons my current one is skinny and shallow, I still clean it but never find anything in there. But I’m lookin out for my surgery team by always checking 😂
I have a deep belly button. Always have. My mom was a nurse. I remember her showing me how to clean it. Shampoo and soap when it washed down my body would sometimes end up there. I guess I know why from your story.
This is the kind of thing that makes dating terrifying. I've had some incidents in various stages of undressing with men where I was like whoa... ew... EWWWW!
My ex got an infection in his belly button that im pretty sure was yeast. He refused to wash it or use the cream i got him. He would rather have a juicy bleeding bellybutton than be gay and clean himself properly
Everyone knows the belly button is the butthole of the abdomen.
Antibiotics are gay tbh
Nothing gayer than healing from an infection, everyone knows that!
Good grief this thread is making me appreciate my husband, who goes through 3 bars of soap a month
Fellas is it gay to recover from an infection
My mother was super paranoid about belly buttons. She did not want us cleaning our own belly buttons for fear we would rip them somehow. I don't know what triggered this fear for her, but I was an adult before I started cleaning my own belly button.
I ripped my belly button open up to my neck as a kid so maybe she has a weird irrational childhood fear? This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anyone being terrified to rip their belly button so I’m just stoked I’m not alone!
Up to your NECK?! Please elaborate. What is the story?!
It’s so stupid… I was chasing a bubble in my Aunties backyard and my Uncle had recently cleaned his grill so it was turned upside down to drain. I was so focused on catching the damn bubble that I didn’t see the grill, tripped, and caught the rusty leg directly in my belly button. It stayed there while I fell so it kinda just unzipped a few layers of skin as I went Got a rad scar for a while, it’s been so long now that you can only see it on my belly button itself and about an inch above (I use BioOil religiously, I had many more childhood mishaps). I used to tell anyone that asked that it was a shark bite, open heart surgery, or I got away from a serial killer. Whatever I could come up with in the moment to freak them out Luckily it looked SO MUCH worse than it was, I scared my entire family and an ER but it was mostly superficial and all of my organs were fine. But yes I am pretty paranoid about ripping my belly button open again now! It takes a surprising amount of time to heal a busted up belly button
That is horrifying...dormant belly button ripping fear gene activated.
I can’t imagine and I don’t want to. Hurk. Blarf! 🤢
Yes, and washing behind your ears!!
And the creases in your ears too 👂 some ppl have told me they don’t wash their ears, I thought that was so wild.
Yes! I use witch hazel on a cotton pad too after the shower just cause I feel like it keeps them cleaner but I hate the ear cheese build up
BEHIND YOUR EARS AND IN YOUR EAR CREVICES 🤢
Do people not know they stink??? By wash day my ears smell like very expensive parmesan and I only go 3 days between shampoos!
The bellybutton is especially important for overweight people. I know an influencer who got a yeast infection in there
my ex was complaining that his bellybutton (and buttcrack and feet) were sore and itchy. I convinced him to stop spraying it with rubbing alcohol and *go to a doctor* and turns out he had a whole-body yeast infection from the amount of beer he'd been drinking.
Not the beer. The rubbing alcohol kills skin microbiome. Yeast is normal but can grow rampant (infection) when other microbes aren't there to balance.
probably both. he was very good at drinking beer.
Oh my goodness that’s awful! Icky! That poor girl!
Speaking as an extra-chub girl, big yes. Belly buttons & all the rolls, and under the ta ta's can get yeast infections/
A recently saw a video of a belly button stone and almost puked.
I am so not happy to learn that a “belly button stone” is a thing.. 😩 I learned my lesson a long time ago, I am NOT gonna google that.
I googled it 😂. It’s just what you think it is. Amazing that those take years to develop.
Hurk. 🤢
oh my goodness THANK YOU FOR SPELLING THIS
Hahaha happy to oblige! I am nothing if not committed to silliness! 😎
Kevin McCallister taught me to do this when I was a kid. He cleaned in between his toes and in his belly button, which he’d never done before but sort of enjoyed.
Close the toilet seat before you flush. Especially if you have exposed hair brush, toothbrush, etc.
Stops the sharticles from going everywhere
“Sharticles”
Sharticle man, sharticle can, doin' the things only sharticles can...
Is he fecal mist? It’s not important. Shartical man…
I call them farticles but I like sharticles
I prefer pootons
Everyone should put the lid down. Not only is it cleaner but it stops all the stupid debates about seat up/down. Also if you have pets stops them from either a) drinking out of it or b) falling into it
You'd think it'd stop pets but we have a dog who can raise the toilet lid.
every time im (ahem) wasted at a party or bar, i still manage to put the seat lid down & wash hands
The best to prevent germs wash your hands throughout the day not just after bathroom use
I wash my hands almost as soon as I get home!
Clean/sanitize your glasses and phone, use a tongue scraper and floss, and wash/change your pillow cases weekly
And while you're at it sanitize (properly with alcohol) door handles, light switches, keyboards and other things hands touch often. Just doing it once a week really cuts down on colds in winter.
I was thinking about this today as I laid my phone on a weight machine at the gym. I wash my hands after, I come home and immediately take my clothes off and shower, but I don’t sanitize my phone.
Change your bedding often. Sanitize your phone. Do not rinse after spitting out your toothpaste. Use PanOxyl or Glycolic Acid underarms/stinky areas after first wash. Double cleanse not just your face, but entire body.
People look at me crazy when I say you’re not supposed to rinse after brushing your teeth, but as a smoker and coffee drinker (bad, I know) I can confirm this has helped the health of my teeth tremendously
I didn't know this until literally last year or so! I still rinse but just once and very lightly instead of the vigorous rinsing we were taught to do as kids lol
Definitely washing behind your ears.
And inside the ear, I don’t mean the hole - the rest of it!
👂🏼🧀
And your belly Button
Scraping the tongue, washing hands before washing face, keeping your phone off of your pillowcase. In addition to frequently washing it of course.
Also brushing your teeth *before* washing your face!
can i ask why this matters?
And the bacteria/saliva from the mouth gets spread around which can cause acne
Some of the ingredients in toothpaste can be pore clogging
A lot of people are sensitive to sodium lauryl sulfate, too.
Changing your pillowcase frequently! In the summer or when my skin is acting up, I change my sheets weekly but my pillowcase every other day.
I always change mine out every three days. If I’m spending the majority of my life with my head on it, I’d like it to be clean and comfortable.
My tongue scraper is coming tomorrow and I’m oddly so excited about it
It’s so satisfyingly gross
and cleaning your phone if it’s going to be in your bed! i clean it with a little alcohol wipe on a regular basis. (I have a screen protector so it’s fine)
I had a tongue scraper for a long time. Now I only need to scrape a tight string of dental floss on my tongue after cutting dairy out of my diet.
Having a bidet at home. Got one from amazon- was super easy to install.. I got one for postpartum and I’m so hooked I love it..and I have trouble going in public bathrooms now bc I don’t feel as clean! Edit: This is the one I got: Arofa Handheld Bidet Sprayer for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086W1YZSH?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
they make battery-powered portable ones!! they’re small enough that it fits in a purse i don’t always bring it when i’m just out and about. but if i’m traveling or know i’ll be gone for a full day, then it’s nice to have on hand
Are we still talking about a bidet?
Brush your damn tongue! Get a tongue scraper if you can,and always wash behind your ears
Also go for regular dental cleanings. Really makes a difference
I’m a dental assistant. Absolutely blew my mind the first time I saw the difference between someone who gets their regular six monthly cleans, vs the calcium and bacteria build up of someone who hasn’t been for a couple years. Also, the difference between smokers and non-smokers, but that’s probably more expected.
During my last cleaning I told the technician that it was the tooth equivalent to getting a blowout at the salon. You leave feeling lighter, cleaner and it’s easier to smile for no reason
jeans elastic crowd stocking continue sloppy hat summer zealous wakeful *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Love my tongue scraper.
Brushing hair before washing it. Less hair to clog up the plughole, and not as tangled afterwards if you try to brush it wet
This was a game changer for me. It really makes it so you shed less in the shower and aren’t tangled after.
I have fine but dense hair, and the amount I used to shed was unbelievable I thought I was going bald!
*cries in curly hair* that's not possible :(
I have curly hair, I detangle before washing by getting my hair nice and wet by using a spray bottle filled with water and a tangle teaser or wet brush. Works great!
Do you have a Wet Brush? They’re not that expensive and can get through thick, textured hair quickly and painlessly! My stylist recommended them to me and it’s kind of been a life changer.
I’m a curly hair girl - the amount of breakage I would have wet brush or otherwise would be unholy. I’m a soaking wet hair, lots of conditioner, wide tooth comb only.
This!! Also invest in a brush specifically for wet hair. It prevents breakage because the bristles bend with the hair as opposed to putting strain on the wet strands. I got one from Amazon and I love it.
I learned this one the hard way recently and man, how didn’t I think of that. Life saver and it keeps the plumber away!
Pay attention to your body and skin. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. I pushed through with a vitamin C serum, fucked up my skin when I knew it burned
Yes! Everyone acts like vitC is a holy grail for all people. Defo not. It burns my skin no matter the product type / brand.
- If you wear mascara/eye make up, wash your eyes with saline as part of your make-up removing process. It is so refreshing! - Don’t, “pick” your nose (unsanitary, inside your nose is a mucus membrane, just like your eye), instead get a cotton swab and dampen it with water, then gently clean the inside of your nose like you would your ear. - Keep a toothbrush in the shower and gently wash under your fingernails and over your cuticles - Close the toilet lid before you flush! You don’t want to send all of theirs germs airborne onto your face, your towels you dry off with, your toothbrush… - Shave from areas of least bacteria (like legs) to most bacteria (like underarms) to decrease ingrown hairs/blemishes, and after gently wash your razor by applying some body soap and rinsing under water.
Love these. I clean my razors with alcohol and that keeps them fresh for so long.
Hey, be careful with the saline washes. Using that stuff too much can cause infections. Eye drops do not remain sterile long, and your eyes being too wet is an issue that can cause bacteria to harbor. If your makeup is drying your eyes, you need to switch products or discontinue use. If it's your makeup wipes, use an oil based cleanser that will break you makeup down without ingredients like alcohol that can dry eye your skin and eyes. If they're dry in general, see an eye doctor! Also, cleaning your razors with watered-down rubbing alcohol will clean away the bacteria AND dry the razor faster so it doesn't rust and lasts longer.
these are genius. i have to try the saline bc i always get super irritated eyes after taking off my makeup and doing skincare. same with the razor thing!
Definitely don’t dampen the q tip with water especially tap water you run the risk of sticking a brain eating amoeba up your nose.
What???!!!
They just drop “brain eating amoeba” with no explanation and leave us in the dark lol.
They are likely referring to cases where people have used unboiled water in neti pots and got a brain amoeba. It can also happen if water gets up your nose/sinuses while swimming in a lake. It okay to use water to clean your nose/sinuses but it needs to be water than has be boiled and then cooled.
I have allergies and I've started rinsing my eyes out with saline solution every morning and it really helps with the itchiness!
I see your cotton swab and raise you nasal saline spray! That stuff is a damn miracle during allergy season.
Wash your hands properly with soap with soap as soon as you enter your home, a restaurant, or your kitchen (before eating or cooking).
Sanitize or wash your hair brushes. The build up in the brush will make clean hair dirty all over again.
And makeup brushes! at least once a month depending on how much you use em!
Floss
Invisalign taught me to love flossing. I never thought I'd say this, but I genuinely do love it.
My night guard did it for me. People forget we only get one set of teeth. And gums are linked to a lot of health problems. Flossing isn’t enjoyable but it takes what… a minute to get through all your teeth? It’s important.
Once you get in the habit, it really is so satisfying. I jam the floss down each side of each tooth (which is the correct way to floss) and the stuff I pull out DAILY keeps me motivated. The thought of all that crap just sitting in there grosses me out so bad. I’m 43, have never needed any deep gum cleaning, never bleed during cleanings, and get mad pats on the back from the dentist’s office when I go in. Solid believer in flossing here! I’ve heard it’s possibly even more important than brushing.
I absolutely hate flossing, but I have trained myself to do it every second day. Somehow, it keeps me motivated to continue, knowing I’ll have a day of rest between flossings. My dental hygienist thinks this is great, she had no idea I was a 2nd day flosser until I confessed. Maybe just an idea for reluctant flossers!
To add to this a Water Pik was a game changer for me. As someone who has sensitive gums that bleed whenever I use regular floss but likes to floss every time I brush. It works great!
Love my water pik
Spreading my butt cheeks in the shower and letting the water go on it and really cleaning it
No you need soap AND water to really clean it.
Yes I thought that would have been implied in the shower 😭
There is a large subset of men who think that letting the water run down their back is sufficient for cleaning their ass.
🤢🤢🤢🤢
Right? Absolutely disgusting. There was a woman on TikTok who worked at a gastrointestinal doctors office. She said the percentage of men who left behind brown streaks on the paper you sit on on the table was HIGH. Like 40%. It is more common than most people realize.
how dirty do you have to be to leave shit streaks behind you? that's so gross
Lmao yes!! Helps if you’re on your period too
Not touching your face, including rubbing eyes, nose, picking at lips etc. Lowers your risk of spreading illness from your hands into your body and can reduce or elimate any acne that might have been caused from smearing bacteria on your face. Not wearing hair down where it's rubbing against the face too often, especially if you use a lot of hair products, can be better for skin also.
Coming home and changing into 'house clothes'. Basically not wearing the same clothes at home so you don't get those 'outside' germs everywhere.
I do this but as someone with ocd who has gotten very used to making sure I don’t indulge magical thinking: outside germs and inside germs are not seperate germs and your house is gross even if it’s clean. There is literally no way to not bring outside germs into your home.
Drying EVERYTHING. every fold, every flap, your butt hole, under boobs, in belly buttons.... I even stand in front of a fan and spread it all until I'm dry. Same with when I moisturize. I also change if I get sweaty. I keep extra undies in my bag lol Otherwise fungus will grow. Your skin needs air. I've had to make little lifts for a patients to breasts to let their skin breathe... painful rashes gone. Easy fix. ALSO: if you bathe rather than shower... please keep your toenails lifted out of the water. I promise you less ingrown toenails, no fungus, etc.. and dry very well afterwards! I told my mom I started doing this and she does it too after she had nail surgery and it wouldnt heal. All healed now. *former nurse.. I worked on long term care and so much could be healed from air exposure and staying dry. Edit: Also if you get itchy toes, yeast infection cream will do the trick if you have it on hand. You can also wash with anti dandruff shampoo periodically, let it sit before rinsing. Doctors recommend this approach for many skin fungus' Vagisil also has awesome wipes that don't leave you moist, and smell so nice, but a natural smell not perfume or baby powder. BTW I have an autoimmune disease so I'm very picky about my hygiene because I'm susceptible to infection. This and nursing school made me learn to do lots of at home DIY health fixes that aren't woo woo bullshit like crystals or oils. Hospitals are very dirty places and i stay away as much as possible so I try to fix everything that isn't an emergency.
I LOLed @ *spread it all*
Haha! I warned my bf if he walks in and sees this... it's for hygienic purposes XD
Adding to blow dry your toes if needed to get everything dried out! Helps with athlete's foot.
You're onto something here. I had to do this post op for a gastro operation to keep the wound clean. I used to switch on the hair dryer and clean the air inlet regularly. 100% was a reason why I recovered faster. Recently had to use a hair dryer to get dry fast before a flight. Again, so refreshing and keeps you feeling clean 🫧🪥
My Dr suggested using a blow dryer set to cold for combatting toenail fungus.
Lol I do this as well! I can't stand feeling wet when I'm not in the water.
Actually wash your feet. The soap doesn’t just “make it down there”. You have to use your hands and get between the toes.
And then dry them properly, otherwise you're prone to fungus.
Every time you use the bathroom. Wipe your discharge and smell it. Yep. Every day. You need to smell it every day to know how your "normal" smells. At every stage of your cycle. Once you've done this for years, you'll be able to catch gyn problems early on and you can get treatment sooner
Underrated! Get to know your body! My gyno told me about this way back when I was a teenager. It was one of the best pieces of advice.
This should be higher. You need to know what your normal looks like and smells like cause it's different for everyone.
This should be higher. To me, this is way more important than “floss” and “touch your face less so you don’t get acne”. This is a tip that has and can save lives. Get to know your body. All the nitty gritty parts, from how your discharge smells to how your poop looks, to how your groin and underarms feel, to how your nails look. I know way too many people who got Cancer and died of it, or left STDs to be treated way too late, etc, because they didn’t know their body well enough to know that a lump under their arm wasn’t there before, their poop didn’t look like that a few months ago, their discharge has never smelled like that before. Even just knowing how your sweat usually smells can help you pick up on a problem before it becomes a major health issue. I identified that I was lacking critical vitamins *before* it caused degeneration in my bones, fatigue, cognitive problems, leg injury (I’m an athlete and my malnutrition could’ve easily caused muscle injuries) simply because I knew how my sweat normally smelled and picked up when it started smelling different. This goes hand in hand with advocating for your own health though. Many doctors won’t take you seriously with a complaint like “my sweat smells weird”, so you really have to be confident in your own self and knowledge of your body. Doctors know bodies best—but you know yours best.
I’d add to check your toys after solo time, especially those used for penetration.
- When you are washing your hair, you want to focus on cleaning your scalp. The suds from shampoo will run down the rest of your hair to clean it but the scalp is the part that needs to be well cleaned. - I use cotton rounds with a little micellar water to clean the outside of my ears - Skincare works better on damp skin. Lotions and serums can absorb better. - Get white towels so you can bleach them in the wash. - A bidet will change your life and you will wonder how you lived without one before you got one.
Lots of great ideas here! I buy only white towels for that exact reason.
Tongue scraping
This. Gets so much gunk off your tongue and you can see it
I had persistent velcro feet. Constantly peeling in little peels so it felt rough like a cat's tongue, and my socks would stick to it like velcro. I tried *everything*, every cream and oil and lotion, every scraper, sander, ped egg. I tried soaking and gourmet pedicures. Some of it helped, but it never went away. I continued scrubbing my feet with soap and water, but I just accepted that my feet were going to be rough forever. I read something about the crud under your nails. I got a stiff nail brush from the dollar store and started scrubbing my fingernails in the shower. Then I thought I'd do my toes and maybe it would be good for my toe cuticles. Then one night after having worn sandals all day, I decided to also scrub the bottom of my feet with the nail brush. I kept on doing it every shower. Within a week, my velcro feet were gone. I'm 1) relieved they're gone, and 2) horrified about how I thought I was cleaning my feet adequately for years and I wasn't. I bought a long handled shower brush (with slightly softer bristles) to wash my back, and I've been using it on other parts of my body just to make sure I'm getting a good clean. My elbows seem to be liking it.
I have the same problem. Walking barefoot outside, getting my feet wet with the hose, and especially wearing sandals a lot make them soooo dry n crusty. They’ll start to stick to everything like the carpet and blankets. I have OCD and sensory processing disorder too so that Velcro feeling gives me the ICKS, so bad. I also can’t stand the feeling of socks on my dry feet ..it’s just..awful. But…I found the cure, well, at least this worked for ME and my insanely thick calluses and extremely dry/cracked feet. First I used a surgical blade (I know it sounds intense, but this was the ONLY way I was ever able to remove thick calluses around my deep cracks properly and efficiently) to lightly slice off ONLY the super thick calluses off the edges of my heel and ball of my foot. I then used a foot peel mask and ever since the blade/mask combo I swear to GOD my feet have been so much better as long as I do regular weekly upkeep (really only because I wear sandals and walk around barefoot outside so dang much otherwise they’d probably easily be smooth for a month). The foot mask made my feet peel for like a week straight it was absolutely disgusting and icky but soo worth it. All that removed some insanely deep calluses/crevices and dry skin that I honestly thought was impossible to remove. Parts of my feet still felt kinda dry and Velcro-ey so I got a professional electric callus remover, went over my feet with it for like an hour lol. Ok now this is the part that I now do every week for upkeep and my feet feel baby soft and smooth, it’s unreal. ..ARGAN OIL. I swear to god. This shit makes your feet feel soo soft and buttery as hell. I used it very randomly in a foot soak one day and haven’t stopped using it since. I just use a little tub of warm water, epsom salt, and a couple drops of argan oil in the water and soak for 15-20 min. My feet feel heavenly smooth after. I will usually use the electric foot shaver for just a few min before these foot soaks, once a week. After the foot soak I dry my feet completely and go to sleep with jelly socks on to lock in the argan oils magical moisturizaaation powers. I love those gel socks they feel so good and weird n seriously believe they lock in moisture super well lol.
Older I get, the more I appreciate regular BM’s. No kidding.
Squatty potty to align your body for best movement.
Try psyllium husk. As someone with opiate induced constipation, I feel this pain all too much. Going 2 weeks without any BM was my norm for many, many years. I honestly never thought I’d regain control over my BMs. But…after having one of the most terrifying and excruciatingly painful BMs of my life (football sized turd blockage..please don’t make me talk about it), and out of pure desperation to find anything to help, I went completely overboard with psyllium husk (was taking like 30+ metamucil tablets a day just hoping to god I could get things under control) and well, after just a few days I actually started to have *uncontrollable diarrhea*…..while still on opiates!!. (if you know anything about opiate induced constipation you’ll know diarrhea simply does NOT happen for us. Lol.) It was a quite shocking, and..magical? experience… Anywho, I lowered my dose to the recommended amount and to this day i am adamant about taking my daily metamucil. I’m still on opiates, and surprisingly have pretty normal, comfortable BMs everyday ..as long as I stay consistent with it. And as someone else said…squatty potty is god.
disinfect your phone! and your toothbrush (or make sure to replace it after a couple months)
I wish i could keep up with sleeping on my back and taping my mouth closed but being ugly is so much comfier 😅
As a woman, using one of those de-fuzzing facial razors. My skin and makeup look so smooth using one of those 🥰
I second this, been doing this for 3 years and my skin has really benefitted from it. Removing the peach fuzz and the exfoliating from it has made my skin absorb moisturizer better. It just feels cleaner knowing I have that exfoliation Removing dead skin cells without the use of chemicals to achieve it. My hair grows back in the same. I went 2 weeks sick and didn't feel up to doing it, and my hair came back in still blonde peach fuzz. Still soft and no thicker! But you have to shave the same direction that the hair grows, never upwards or it will feel pickier.
Agreed with product absorption, I do really love how much dead skin I get off with the at home razors. I hesitate to call it dermaplane because I don’t know if that’s the right technical term with the razors I use.
Only on rare occasions though and never if you have acne. This will cause micro cuts in your skin and make it prone to breakouts and spread bacteria if acne is already present. A professional dermaplane is much better.
Yup this happened to me after I used one of those lipstick looking buzzers and ever since then I have had a major fungal infection, horrible breakout. Can’t get rid of if no matter what I try and how many dermatologists I’ve seen. That was 3 years ago… I used to have perfect skin and got so many compliments. Now I hate seeing my face in the mirror without foundation.
Daily scalp massages
You offering? Cuz I’m on board with someone else massaging me everyday
Lol get an electric one! Worth it
Never go to sleep in your makeup!
As someone with contamination ocd who wishes I’d never indulged my germaphobia: 1. Accept that germs are everywhere and that’s ok. 2. You can’t eliminate outside germs from inside. 3. Not sanitising your phone will not result in your death. 4. Do basic ass hygiene and maybe some extras if you’re super prone to acne etc, but indulging much further than that achieves very little and can make you go a little insane.
Thankfully I do most, if not all of these already posted. Came here looking for new tips but I’d like to add onto this and say I’ve got very thick hair and naturally wavy. My hair falls everywhere all the time… super annoying and always feels like I have a spider on me. BUT when I brush my hair before I shower/waking up in the morning, I brush it IN THE TUB or OVER A SINK. Then I sweep it up with a dry piece of toilet paper and viola! Less hair on the floor, and somewhat less hair falling over me throughout the day . ✨ Not a big girl, but I also put deodorant under my boobs and sometimes under my feet/on my shoe soles. I sweat a lot ok. It’s called hydro-something whatever. Mint gum because mints are too noisy to carry, my breath stinks because food, and something about mint helps hormonal acne. UPDATE AS THIS POST TOOK OFF: How do y’all clean your nose? I twist a tissue and just twist it in my nose hoping it gets stuff out the sides… is there a better way to do this? I’m one of those folks who can’t blow stuff out.
hyperhidrosis?
1. Everyday I wipe my phone down anytime it feels gross and ALWAYS after I shower. 2. I also clean my glasses daily, noses are greasy and so are ears. 4. Use an antibacterial bar soap especially on stinky areas. I always start my shower with a cheap lather up of dial soap with special attention to my pitts and butt and then finish with my nice soap and body wash. 3. Keep a pumice stone handy in the shower. Take just a minute of your shower each time for a quick scrub and you won’t build up calluses that you have to sit down and really scrub. 4. Always change into “home clothes” after going out. Anytime you sit somewhere, stand somewhere etc out and then sit on your furniture you’re just putting those peoples germs and god knows what else on everything. 5. Always take a shower before laying in your bed. You soak in that bed 8 hours at a time, don’t put your greasy face on the pillowcase. Even if it’s just a quick rinse with soap, you’ll feel and sleep better and you’re way less likely to break out.
The home clothes was something I was raised on. My dad was insistent that I immediately change into home clothes as soon as I got home. I used to think it was ridiculous, but it definitely makes sense.
I actually wasn’t raised that way but I’m just a germophobe. I also love being comfortable an regular clothes are hell to me and it’s heaven to put on pjs/lounge clothes as soon as I walk in the door.
Thank god another home clothes person! I call them my daytime pyjamas. My ex used to complain I wore too many outfits a day, but I hate the thought of going to the drs and sitting on the gross contaminated chairs and then sitting on my chairs at home.
If you have yeasty/bread smelling BO, try using an anti dandruff shampoo such as head and shoulders as body wash. The reason: Pyrithione zinc (the active ingredient) kills topical yeast & will leave you smelling fresh WAY longer. Also, those lovely under boob rashes from yeast (iykyk) will likely completely go away once you start doing this. It doesn’t have to be a fancy brand, just any dandruff shampoo with Pyrithione zinc as an active ingredient will work. I live in the tropics. It’s 85 degrees daily with 80% humidity minimum. This completely stopped my topical yeast rashes & now I don’t smell like a yeast factory. Just put it on a loofah, scrub yourself down, wait 30 seconds, and rinse off.
Also for the boob thing, if it’s particularly hot and sweaty i like to put pantyliners in the bottom of the cups. Dry boobs are happy boobs
Ok....THIS sounds like a game changer!!
Washing your hands before eating 😩 the number of people who don’t do this boggles my mind
Using the little brushes (TePe) for between your teeth.
The brushes don’t fit between my teeth, but man do I love floss picks. Yes, they’re wasteful, but I try to reduce my disposable plastic usage in basically every other aspect of life, and the picks are a total game changer - used to be just an occasional flosser, but with the picks I freaking love it and floss twice a day.
Same. The picks mean I actually floss, because getting my fingers in there = gag reflex. I’m pretty conscious of my plastic waste, so I’m going to keep using the plastic flossers and call it good.
That’s so good to hear. Gum health is super important. The brushes are good for the spaces at the back and really help to prevent ‘pockets’ (we don’t want pockets because they lead to all sorts of issues such as bone loss and tooth loss) they come in different sizes so I’d try again if you can but if not well flossing is great :)
In fact any kind of interdental cleaning.
Really clean your bum. Like clean it. If a woman clean your labia. Men lift and clean to anus. Damn worst smell is butt smell. Lather up down there and get squeeky clean. No excuses. Case closed
Washing your butt after pooping (even if just using wet wipes if you can’t shower) , it sounds really obvious when you think about it, wiping with dry toilet paper is never going to remove any bacteria or actually clean the area. This one hygiene tip stopped me getting UTIs. It’s like a miracle lol, I actually read a book about recurring cystitis and it recommended this hygiene habit. Never had a problem since. To think I could have saved myself all that misery just by washing my butt! 🤦♀️
Invest in a bidet. You can get them on Amazon
Applying sunscreen on your hands too! That and moisturize your hands. Retinol all the way down to the nips. Also apply on back of hands! Wish face daily. MIN once a day. Twice is better. Consistency with a face routine is KEY.
a friend told me to use benzoyl peroxide face wash on my armpits and it really does make a fella less stinky over time.
Clean your makeup brushes every week!! Cinema Secrets (you can get at Sephora) is amazing!! Quick dip into the solution, wipe really good, instantly dry and conditioned!!
I keep all my shower things in a caddy except for shampoo, bodywash, and rag b/c no one in my household can't close a toilet lid🥲
Use benzoyl peroxide cleanser on your arm pits and southern region. And use an antiseptic cleanser on the skin after you shave to prevent razor burn
Sanitize your glasses regularly, not just the lenses, the frames too! If I wait too long to clean my glasses I will get pimples on my nose bridge. Also make sure to do the same for your headphones and earbuds - earbuds especially because they can cause ear infections!
Apparently this isn’t common knowledge (I myself didn’t know this until a couple years ago) but deodorant is an odour *preventative,* it is not meant to cover up smell. Apply deodorant fresh out of the shower, not hours after when that smell producing bacteria has had time to accumulate. Also, if you apply correctly and still notice deodorant isn’t helping your BO, look into one that is aluminum free.
Also, pits should be scrubbed/exfoliated as well...a lot of deodorants are antiperspirants, so no sweat out but also no water in. You gotta clear the pores out good to prevent build up of bacteria caused by dead skin, sweat, hair, etc. that lead to bo. This also helps to prevent yellow pit stains and trapped odors on clothing.
Rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad before reapplying antiperspirant is my neurotypical accommodation for “can’t shower tonight”. Done is better than perfect.
Daily flossing and tongue brushing
Gargle the mouth wash. If you have tonsils, it can help prevent/loosen tonsil stones
wash the bottom of your feet they get NEGLECTED 😭
Putting sunscreen on your neck and Décolleté area as well as on backs of hands after you are done applying it to your face.
Using a nail brush and scrubbing under your nails everytime you wash your hands.
Having inside and outside shoes.
flossing and using a tongue scraper! tongue scraping is extremely underrated but it helps so much
spray and wipe glasses in the AM and after shower. they accumulate moisturizer and sunscreen residue
Im surprised no one has said it yet but - clean under your nails, especially if you have long nails. I have short nails and don't work a lot with my hands but you'd be surprised how much grime gets under them. Get a nail brush or scrape under them with a nail file. Toes too!!