A seemingly trivial yet equally important topic is personal hygiene, which we follow in our daily lives. Most people think that brushing our teeth, washing our face and taking a bath are all about hygiene, but good hygiene is more than just these basic steps. It is a comprehensive approach to hygiene that helps maintain physical and mental health. But have you ever wondered? Are we practicing proper hygiene? Are there any steps that we are neglecting?
In this blog, we will look at which essential hygiene practices you may be missing from your routine and why they are important for maintaining overall health. Hygiene is not just about how you look but also directly affects how you feel and how your body functions. So, let’s look at all the aspects of hygiene that are important and that you may be missing.
Table of Contents
1. Thorough Hand-Washing: More than a quick clean
Handwashing is considered the foundation of hygiene, yet many people seem to neglect it. We all know we should wash our hands before eating and after using the washroom. But how often do we actually take the time to wash our hands thoroughly? Washing our hands without soap or washing them in a hurry doesn’t get our hands completely clean.
To thoroughly clean your hands, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, including the backs of your hands, your wrists, and between your fingers. The CDC recommends using soap and clean water, and if soap is not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is a good option. Regular, thorough handwashing helps prevent the spread of germs and can help protect you from illnesses like the common cold, cough, flu, and more serious infections.
Pro Tip: Whether you are at home or out and about, always keep hand sanitizer with you to keep germs away and keep your hands clean. Maintaining good hand hygiene is the easiest but most effective way to prevent illness.
2. Clean your Mobile: The germiest surface you touch
Did you know that your mobile, which you touch many times a day, could be one of the dirtiest things you touch? Studies have shown that mobile phones have more germs than a toilet seat, and when we hold our phones close to our faces to talk or touch them frequently, the bacteria on the phone can transfer to our skin and respiratory system, making us sick.
To maintain good hygiene, it is essential to clean your mobile regularly. You should wipe your phone with a microfiber cloth and an alcohol-based cleaner to kill germs. You can also use a UV phone sanitizer, which uses ultraviolet light to kill harmful bacteria.
Pro Tip: Clean your phone at least once a day to avoid spreading bacteria to your hands and face. And always wash your hands after using your phone in public.
3. The Importance of Brushing Your Tongue
Maintaining oral hygiene is not just about brushing your teeth every day, we should also clean our tongue every day. The tongue contains bacteria and food particles, so it is essential to clean the tongue. If we neglect our daily oral hygiene routine, it can lead to bad breath and can also contribute to tooth decay.
You can use a tongue scraper to remove bacteria and food particles from your tongue. By gently scraping your tongue every morning, you can improve your oral hygiene, freshen your breath, and reduce the buildup of bacteria that can affect your teeth and gums.
Pro Tip: Use a tongue scraper or toothbrush to clean your tongue at least once a day, especially in the morning before eating or drinking water. This step can significantly improve your breath and overall oral hygiene.
4. Change your Pillowcase Regularly
We all know that changing your sheets is important for hygiene, but did you know that your pillowcase also needs regular attention? Pillowcases come into contact with sweat, saliva, your hair oil, and the natural oils in your skin, which accumulate over time and can lead to acne and skin irritation.
Changing your pillowcase at least twice a week is a simple but very effective hygiene step that can improve your skin health. This helps reduce your exposure to bacteria and oils that can clog your pores, leading to breakouts.
Pro Tip: For extra skin protection, use hypoallergenic pillowcases made from natural fabrics like cotton. This will reduce the risk of skin irritation and help to keep your hygiene strong.
5. Clean your Skin Care Tools
We often overlook things like makeup brushes, sponges, and shaving tools in our hygiene routine. But in reality, they are breeding grounds for bacteria, oil, and dirt. When such tools are not cleaned regularly, they can spread bacteria to your skin or body. These bacteria can cause acne or other skin problems.
Cleaning your makeup brushes, sponges and shaving kit for men should also be given equal importance in your hygiene routine. Wash them at least once a week using a mild soap or a special brush cleaner. Choose a clean place, cupboard or box to store them. Regularly cleaning your makeup and shaving tools will keep your skin free from bacteria and skin problems and your tools will also last longer.
Pro Tip: Make time to clean your brushes on your day off every week. Your skin will definitely thank you.
6. Foot Hygiene: A step you should not skip
We often focus on cleaning our face and upper body, but foot hygiene is often neglected. Feet sweat more than other parts of the body, and if not washed properly after coming from outside, it creates an environment that is conducive to bacteria and fungi. This can lead to persistent foot odor or fungal infections. It can also increase the number of bacteria in your home.
Remember, your feet can carry bacteria from outside, so it is important to maintain good foot hygiene. Wash your feet daily with soap, especially after coming in from outside. Pay special attention to the spaces between your toes when washing your feet, and dry your feet thoroughly after washing to prevent moisture build-up. Use sweat-wicking, breathable socks and shoes to take proper care of your feet.
Pro Tip: You can use a foot scrub to keep your feet soft and clean as well as remove dead skin. You can soak your feet in warm water with a little salt for a while to further relax your feet. You can also use a moisturizer after drying your feet to prevent cracks and dryness.
7. Skin Care: Choose Products That Suit Your Skin Type
While focusing on skin care, it can be difficult to choose and use the right products for your specific skin type. Due to lack of proper knowledge, many people use the same cleanser or moisturizer whether their skin is dry, oily or sensitive. Which can sometimes harm your skin, such as causing skin irritation, breakouts or excessive dryness.
Use a gentle, suitable cleanser for your skin type and follow it up with a suitable moisturizer to keep it hydrated. Choose products according to your skin type, if you have sensitive skin, choose products with fewer chemicals and irritants. Also, always apply sunscreen during the day to protect your skin from harmful UV rays and wear a scarf when you go out.
Pro Tip: Remember, a good skincare routine is also an important part of your overall hygiene. Choose and adjust your products according to different seasons and your skin’s changing needs.
8. Cleanliness and Hydration: Don’t forget to drink water
It is not only important to keep your body clean on the outside, but it is equally important to maintain good internal health. Drinking the right amount of water helps your body flush out toxins. Water helps your body naturally detoxify. Staying hydrated keeps your skin looking fresh and radiant.
Try to drink at least eight glasses of water every day to keep your body hydrated and maintain its natural balance. This keeps your body hydrated. Drinking the right amount of water is important for good hygiene, as it supports all your body systems.
Pro Tip: Carry a reusable water bottle with you to remind yourself to drink water throughout the day. This will keep both your body and skin healthy.
9. Keep your Environment Clean: Clean your space regularly
In today’s fast-paced world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep your living space clean along with your body. Both physical hygiene and clean-living space play an important role in our health and well-being. Clean your home regularly, especially those items that come into contact with or are constantly touched, such as doorknobs, light switches, chairs and tables. Keeping these items clean reduces the spread of germs and bacteria in the home.
Use an all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant to wipe down your home and household items. Don’t forget to clean your floors or carpets regularly. Along with a clean environment, clean air is also just as important, and today you can maintain healthy air by using amenities like air purifiers.
Pro Tip: Everyone is short on time these days, but you can create a weekly cleaning schedule to keep your home clean and healthy.
10. Maintain Cleanliness in Public Places
It is not easy to maintain your personal hygiene in public places, as many places we visit every day can contain germs. Be it public transport, public bathrooms or shops. There is a lot of traffic in these places which can spread bacteria quickly, so we need to pay extra attention to cleanliness in such places.
Always carry hand sanitizer with you when you are out and use disinfectant wipes to clean high-touch surfaces if possible. Which is what we were doing during the pandemic. Especially when using public restrooms, try to avoid touching handles and sanitize toilet seats if possible. Most importantly, don’t forget to wear a mask in public places.
Pro Tip: Assess the situation before going out and don’t forget to carry a mask, hand sanitizer, and wipes with you. These will help keep you clean and healthy.
Conclusion:
Cleanliness has become an essential part of daily life as we see today, there is an increase in epidemics which spread quickly due to unhygienic conditions or unhygienic surroundings. Therefore, the approach towards cleanliness should change. By including these frequently suggested hygiene steps in your routine, you can not only maintain a clean body but also a healthy environment and mind. From washing your hands and feet thoroughly to cleaning your mobile phone to using the right skincare products, each step is important and equally beneficial. By keeping a clean home and surroundings, we can take care of ourselves and our family.
Hygiene-FAQ Section:
- What are the 10 steps of hygiene?
- Why foot hygiene is important?
- How to take care of self-hygiene in public place?
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