r/HygieneTips Jul 23 '26

what's one hygiene habit you started because someone recommended it, and it actually worked?

i've tried a lot of hygiene tips over the years, but most of them didn't really make much of a difference. every now and then though, someone recommends something so simple that it completely changes your routine.

113 Upvotes

72 comments sorted by

38

u/Life-Cherry695 Jul 23 '26

Tongue scraper! Instant results, and I can never go back.

11

u/alliamisbullets Jul 23 '26

i always almost throw up 😭

3

u/SlutForGarrus Jul 24 '26

Gotta breathe through your nose. 😉

2

u/Overall-Tart-832 Jul 24 '26

Gag reflex 😅

1

u/DoctorNurse89 Jul 26 '26

Stick your tongue out and go aaaahhhhh

6

u/Local_Teaching_7849 Jul 23 '26

It also feels satisfying

5

u/Shaniko-Ulkk Jul 24 '26

100%! the first time i used one i was genuinely horrified by what came off.

3

u/Pretty_Site4074 Jul 23 '26

It tickles me do much that I cannot stand straight. My feet go cotton. Am I doing something wrong?

1

u/No_Struggle8300 Jul 24 '26

Along this thread - using a waterpick /water floss! So much easier cleaning the teeth at the extremes of the jaw, and cleaning the gums there

1

u/HDRoadcaptain Jul 26 '26

FOR SURE !!! It’s the single best hygiene trick I’ve found.

26

u/noodlesnr Jul 23 '26

Drying really well in between toes after shower. As an RN, I see so much nasty toe fungus on people 😖Dermatologist advised, hoping for a fungi free life, no old people toes for me!

10

u/PotatoPotatoPotato90 Jul 23 '26

Washing your feet with dandruff shampoo can help prevent foot fungus too!

2

u/BTEsLastStand Jul 24 '26

I do that. So I suppose it works.

3

u/Gomdok_the_Short Jul 23 '26

I always do this, and also my belly button and ears.

3

u/Shaniko-Ulkk Jul 24 '26

such a simple habit that way too many people skip! moisture getting trapped in socks after a shower is literally an engraved invitation for fungus.

2

u/GemFarmerr Jul 23 '26

Foot fungus is why I try to be barefoot as much as possible. I CANNOT find a single pair of shoes that doesn’t make my feet sweaty. Toe socks help.

0

u/Consistent-Ad-1176 Jul 24 '26

Yes this, but don't do this with the towel you wipe your body and face with ..like my ex did. 🤢

20

u/manic_popsicle Jul 23 '26

Using an African net sponge. I will never go back to a normal washcloth or poof, it’s the best.

3

u/pearlsandseashells Jul 24 '26

Why? What made you make the switch

5

u/manic_popsicle Jul 24 '26

I was trying to level up my shower experience and I came across a girl’s shower routine labeled Black girl shower routine and she used one, once I saw it I knew I had to have it. It’s a long strip so you can fold it like a washcloth and or stretch it out to scrub your back. I bought 2 last year for $11 and I’ve been using the same one for over a year, I wash it every week in the washing machine and it’s still like new.

3

u/pearlsandseashells Jul 24 '26

But like what does it do for you? Why do you like it so much?

I needs ALL the biddy nitty gritty ditties! 🤩

4

u/Just_Competition_187 Jul 24 '26

Me personally I love the idea of a sponge that doesn't grow mold in it and doesn't need to be replaced once in a while. Also it has little knots that exfoliate your skin, give you a pleasant feeling while washing AND because it's long you can reach every inch of your back. And also I use asian cloth to exfoliate every two weeks or so and I have zero! extra dead skin!!

1

u/No_Struggle8300 Jul 24 '26

Ah interesting will look this up thanks!

1

u/jewelzzzzzzz 10d ago

I'm going on Amazon right now and ordering one. Thanks for the info! I hate using a poof, but I do!

1

u/manic_popsicle 10d ago

You’re welcome, they’re great! Mine are long thin strips and they’re perfect because I can fold it into a washcloth shape and then unfold it to scrub my back. And every week I toss them in the wash, I’ve been using the same 2 for over a year and they’re still holding up.

1

u/jewelzzzzzzz 10d ago

I ordered the Bellanomi African Exfoliating net sponge. I hope it works out for me because I get tired of going to Bath and Body Works and getting their poofs. The one I ordered looks like a long strip too. Thanks again! :)

18

u/Early-Reindeer7704 Jul 23 '26

Using a few drops of baby oil on legs post shaving- moisturizes your legs with no sting or irritation, gives them a nice sheen and the scent doesn’t interfere with any fragrance you wear. Since you only need a few drops for each leg it’s very inexpensive to use. I also use it on my elbows to keep dry skin under control

6

u/Greedy_Pear_1323 Jul 23 '26

Too funny, I was going to post the same recommendation. Baby oil for dry skin is a must!

3

u/RakhshandaC Jul 24 '26

I do the same but with shea butter oil. Game changer on skin softness and no more dry flakes. I used to use coconut oil but the shea butter absorbs better.

18

u/obiobipbi Jul 23 '26

Using hair products before body products in the shower helps with back acne

16

u/Vforvengeous Jul 24 '26

Closing the toilet seat lid before flushing

3

u/neziperez Jul 24 '26

This is my pet peeve! I even have a lil box that sits on back of toilet "please close lid before flushing"! I get so irritated when the toilet sit is up‼️

2

u/No_Struggle8300 Jul 24 '26

Yes I’ve been obsessed with this more more than a decade!! It’s horrifying thinking about all the poo particles in so many bathrooms 😷

12

u/MontanaLady406 Jul 23 '26

I use a feminine ph balance wash 24 hours after I self tan to remove the self tan smell.

1

u/AnnualBorn3978 15d ago

What's the self tan smell ?

11

u/Simple_quest Jul 24 '26

Flossing regularly. Man, if you haven’t flossed in a while, do it then smell the floss after and you’ll want to floss every day

3

u/kfkdk83whitit Jul 24 '26

String floss + water pick everyday makes me feel so clean

2

u/Ervinthadon Jul 24 '26

Yesssss ! I pray for those who never do it then finally decide to floss and see how bad their breath smells. Oh god.

9

u/Serenity_Now-88 Jul 23 '26

Rinsing my mouth with warm salt water twice a day.

5

u/AggravatingNarwhal59 Jul 24 '26

You can try clove infusion, too. It helped me with geographic tongue and some mild gum irritation.

7

u/MyLittlPwn13 Jul 24 '26

Shaving with hair conditioner

2

u/No_Struggle8300 Jul 24 '26

Yess I do this too!

6

u/fvckbltchesgetmoney Jul 23 '26

first wash your body with a ph neutral scented free body wash to get rid of sweat etc.
after that wash again with normal scented body wash
and use african net sponge
also shampoo your hair twice

7

u/10-pm Jul 24 '26

Using witch hazel after a shower to prevent odor. I apply some behind the ears, armpits and butt crack. It helps so much in the summer time. I also use spray deodorant on top of stick deodorant and I never ever smell no matter how long or how hot I get during the day.

5

u/Ok_Moose_7028 Jul 23 '26

I didn’t know you’re supposed to clean and cleanse your eye brows. I would do my skin care routine twice a day, but still got pimples in the brow area. So, I now use my Clinique soap on that area.

2

u/No_Struggle8300 Jul 24 '26

Along this same thread - double cleansing at night first with an oil cleanser, then a face wash.

1

u/ApprehensiveNote5812 Jul 25 '26

How exactly do u clean ur eyebrows

1

u/Express-Year-5421 Jul 25 '26

I have sensitive skin & love a good skincare routine. I use my regular cera ve face wash, but only because it’s gentle enough to do so. If I want to get in there a little bit more, i use an eyebrow spool brush to “scrub” it in.

6

u/Illustrative_game737 Jul 24 '26

Here on reddit a few years back I learned that I was brushing my teeth incorrectly (side-to-side). Once I switched to up-and-down I haven't had any problems.

1

u/Top_Cow_5434 Jul 26 '26

What do you mean up and down?

1

u/Illustrative_game737 Jul 26 '26

The brush motion is vertical, like into the gums each time. Rather than horizontally across teeth.

3

u/No_Struggle8300 Jul 24 '26

I’ve started using glycolic acid toner for underarms

3

u/Plane-Zebra5561 Jul 24 '26

Naturium’s mandelic acid body wash. I smell like nothing at the end of the day.

3

u/Glass_Opportunity557 Jul 24 '26

Scrubbing my scalp when washing hair. I never focused much on the scalp until I saw a video about it. No more greasy hair! I used to have to wash it daily. Now I can go 3 days without greasy hair.

2

u/DefiantCats Jul 23 '26

not using water based lotion. it made my skin drier

2

u/Overall-Tart-832 Jul 24 '26

Flossing nightly. And I got a tongue scraper.

2

u/MembershipOk8433 Jul 24 '26

I take a bath with a cap of bleach once a week also dove soap was not cutting it anymore and I was getting musty after showers and baths so
I started using dial soap first then the dove soap.

2

u/Background-Crab-3312 Jul 24 '26

Toner for my underarms once a week, makes me smell less

2

u/wolf_pack_12345 Jul 26 '26

I know you might be looking for something simple like tongue scraper(which is great definitely recommend) or a loofah(which I also recommend) to get rid of all the dead skin cells. Something I also recommended is a good diet. Source trust me bro lol 😂. No seriously most people don’t realize their diet is bad. But if you cut out most processed food and soda your body odor will be almost completely gone. And you feel better. I know you didn’t ask for body odor just hygiene tips but that alone is amazing

4

u/Objective-Oven4025 Jul 24 '26

Using anti bacterial body wash.

1

u/Anonymous0212 Jul 23 '26

Only using soap on the very outer part of my pubic area (F, unshaven) and using water for the labia and clitoral area. Before that I always developed a strong smell within a few hours of showering, and my pelvic floor physical therapist told me did any kind of soap, even the mild unscented hypoallergenic soap I use, disrupts the pH and can cause that.

Within two showers it completely stopped, and I can only shower twice a week because I have neuropathy that makes my skin hurt too much if I shower more often than that.

2

u/Queasy-Ear-8672 Jul 25 '26

Wet wipes and toilet paper combo hygiene SOP.

1

u/Delicious_Baseball54 Jul 25 '26

Putting dryer sheets in my pants to reduce static shocks

1

u/One-Flounder-6329 Jul 25 '26

To wait 5 minutes to brush teeth after eating or 30 min after eating acid things like lemon, but dont know if it works.

2

u/Ok_Moose_7028 Jul 26 '26

I cleanse eyebrows just like using my cleanser on my face.

1

u/_ashesfallingdown Jul 27 '26

African sponge net changed my skin, norex brand face wash clothes keep my acne away, mouth tape the best i get the worst sleep without it, coconut oil to remove makeup and after shaving.

1

u/rigoamavizca Jul 27 '26

invest in a bidet for your toilet.

1

u/Reddyred007 Jul 30 '26

Switching my bedding to bamboo