Hygiene Guide for Adults (for Those Not Taught to Grow)

There are no classrooms that teach you the basics of hygiene as you grow up. Your parents can do whatever they can, but a surprising number of people live to adulthood with gaps in their knowledge. We are here to fill in these gaps.

Last week we asked our readers what skills they were n’t taught as children . While we got a huge response, personal hygiene skills were top of the list on some of our commenter lists. And this is understandable. Most people do not receive outside input for these important daily activities until much later in life. For this reason, we are going back to basics.

Start by building sustainable habits

Of all the skills associated with personal hygiene, making it a habit is at the core of all skills. It doesn’t matter if you know how to properly brush your teeth as long as you only do it once a week. This may sound minor, but it is important. If you don’t already have sustainable hygiene habits, start by identifying areas where you have sustainable habits and develop them .

As we said earlier, if you need to create a new habit, it’s best to use the old one . If you’re already in the habit of brushing your teeth, floss (or, if that doesn’t work, floss in the shower!). Be open to changing the order in which you do something, but try to keep it as close to your existing routine as possible. Build up gradually as needed. Everyone is generally expected to have a complete hygiene regimen by the time you become an adult, but this may not always be the case, depending on how you were raised.

How to shave properly

Learning to shave is a rite of passage for some families. Others, however, may not receive deep lessons. Of all the things you might have missed out on as a kid, there are a few things that can cause bleeding if you do it wrong, but shaving is one of them. There are many different ways to shave, so there is no one correct set of instructions, let alone the fact that men and women need completely different strategies. However, there are some basics that suit everyone.

The first thing you need to do is choose how you are going to shave. Electric razors are cheaper in the long run, but they often don’t provide the closest shave possible, which means your skin will be rougher and you’ll have to shave more often. On the other hand, disposable razors can be much less annoying and have better results, but you will have to buy replacements over time. You can read more about the different types of shavers for men here and for women here . They both overlap, but each has its own unique challenges.

Once you’ve decided what you’re going to shave, you need to learn how to do it. For women,this video will show you how to properly shave your legs. Men must decide whether they will shave off their beards or keep them trimmed and neat. Regarding the latter, we previously reviewed a video that explains how to keep your beard tidy . If you don’t want to go shaved, About.com has a handy step by step here .

Of course, when shaving, it is important not only to slide the blade over the body. It is also important how and when you do it. As WikiHow suggests , if you shave in the shower, use warm water and shave last. Warm water will reduce skin irritation.

How to take a shower properly

Showers are used everywhere because they are essential for both cleanliness and health. Plus, they’re pretty simple: get some soap and wipe yourself down with running water. It’s simple, right? Well, there are a few more things to keep in mind. First, the order in which you wash can make a big difference. Start by letting the water drain on its own for a couple of minutes. Warm water can make it easier to remove dirt and residues. Make sure it’s not too hot as it can dry out your skin.

As we stated earlier, you should shave towards the end of your shower. Towards the end, you should wash your face, as it is in this area that it is best to work under warm water. Of course, all this waiting may seem comfortable to you, but do not hesitate too long. As our partner site Jezebel learned in a shower discussion with Dr. Sanjay Jain , if you shower for more than 10-15 minutes or so, it can remove beneficial oils and damage your skin more than it helps.

You also need to take care of your habits outside of the shower. As Women’s Health Magazine notes, you can make the situation worse if you don’t clean your washcloth or loofah regularly:

Washcloths and scrub pads can harbor bacteria, mold and yeast, says dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, M.D. If you are using a washcloth, replace it at least once a month. Schlesinger says the best way to keep the loofah clean is to dry it completely between uses, even if it requires keeping it outside of a shower filled with moisture. If you prefer a washcloth, take a new one every day and do not use it on your face. “This is very irritating to the skin and leads to dry patches, breakouts and even sores,” says Schlessinger, who recommends washing your face with your hands instead.

Towels should also be cleaned fairly regularly . Alternatively, try experimenting with different soaps, shampoos, and conditioners to find the one that works for you. We’ve previously discussed how to choose the right hair product , and Everyday Health has some information on choosing between shower gel, shower gel, or soap bar .

How to brush your teeth properly

Your teeth are harder to brush than most parts of your body, and if you don’t, it will hurt even more. Rotting teeth can be excruciating. It doesn’t take long, but it’s easy to get it wrong. Simply sliding the toothbrush over the outside of your teeth for ten seconds will not help much. As shown in the video above, it is recommended that you brush your teeth for two minutes two to three times a day. You can divide your mouth into four parts (bottom left-right and top left-right) and spend about 30 seconds on each.

You also need to watch out for flossing your teeth. Flossing is the process of placing dental floss between your teeth and removing any food or debris that might get stuck, and sliding it over your teeth to remove any debris from surfaces. Dental care company Oral B also offers a simple four- step flossing process :

1. Wind: Wind 18 inches of string around the middle fingers of each hand. Pinch the thread between your thumbs and forefingers, leaving a distance of one to two inches. Use your thumbs to run the floss between your upper teeth.
2. Guide: Draw one to two inches of thread between your fingers. Use your index fingers to run the floss between the contacts of the lower teeth.
3. Glide: Gently run the floss between your teeth in a zigzag motion. DO NOT PROTECT THE ROOM BETWEEN TEETH. Trace around the edge of the tooth with dental floss.
4. Glide: Run the floss up and down the surface of the tooth and under the gum line. Thoroughly clean each tooth with a clean floss.

Dental floss isn’t just used for popcorn kernels between teeth. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to combat bad breath (if it’s not a motivator, I don’t know what). While you are doing this, pay attention to your language. Tongue is an often neglected part of oral care, but your tongue contains bacteria that cause bad breath. Tongue scrapers will scrape bacteria off the tongue and reduce bad breath. Many cheap toothbrushes have tongue scrapers on the back of your head that you can use if you don’t want to buy another accessory.

miscellanea

There is practically no limit to the amount of additional products you can use on your body to keep it clean, smell good, or squeeze a little beauty out of it. Something is needed, something superfluous. Here are some things to add to your repertoire:

• Deodorant: The main function of deodorant is to fight the funk your body starts to emit when too many bacteria build up on your skin. As we said earlier , the brand you buy doesn’t really matter and they mostly differ only in scent. You might consider an unscented deodorant though, as your personal scent can actually play an important role in your romantic endeavors. For best results, wear antiperspirant at night .
• Mouthwash : If you practice proper oral care, mouthwash shouldn’t be absolutely necessary, but it won’t hurt . This helps to eliminate excess bacteria and helps fight tooth decay. Just make sure you don’t use it as a substitute for brushing your teeth or to mask bad breath. In fact, only solving basic problems will help.
• Perfume / colognes: The use of an artificial scent is largely a matter of personal preference. For some this may be attractive, others may use too much and put it off. If you want to try experimenting with perfumes and colognes, start with the fact that find out how much – it’s too much .

You can find all sorts of ways to improve your appearance and hygiene if you watch yourself closely enough, but don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by trendy products or claims of scientifically super-advanced chemicals that will make you more attractive. The basics are still the most important: cleanse yourself regularly, groom your hair gently, and if you choose to enhance your natural scent, do so with caution and discretion.

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