Am I not washing properly?

[Washerg]

Inspired (worried!) following a poster today talking about buttocks washing.

I shower daily. By this I mean I stand under the shower and clean under my arms with water only, same down below. I let the water run all over me for a good ten or fifteen mins but don’t actually scrub or touch other parts of my body. On days I wash my hair (weekly), the soap will run down my body obviously but that’s the extent of any soap that runs over me.

I have from time to time used some shower gel but only if I feel like it. Haven’t for about a year or so and before then it would be some weeks not others. Just don’t feel the need I suppose... and when I do use it, again it would be under arms and definitely not a big body scrub. I don’t think I’ve ever ever washed my toes apart from when I’ve been on the beach or outside with no shoes on in summer. I do use deodorant and perfume.

I’m actually worried now that I’m some sort of disgusting person who doesn’t realise it!! It’s not something I’ve ever discussed with friends. Am I weird? Should I be scrubbing away?! I’ve NC.

@Chocolateraincloud3

I scrub my armpits with a body scrub and they still stink of bo. Have to use an exfoliating glove which helps. I can’t imagine just using water on my armpits . I can’t wash my body without a bath sponge thing either.

A bar of soap is more effective I've found since the change started, rather than liquid. No idea why it would make a difference though.

@Chambored

In answer to your question, yes, you should be scrubbing away all over your body with soap or shower gel. I can’t imagine water just ‘running over your body’ gets rid of dead skin cells / dirt.

We found that two pumps of product should last an adult for their entire shower. Another common myth is that you should use body wash all over your entire body. But the reality is that you can effectively clean most of your skin by simply rinsing it with water.Oct 16, 2020.

Can’t get over this thread, someone actually described using soap as “competitive over washing” and others are decreeing they don’t smell badly even though they’ve never actually washed their arses. 😂

You’d not wash your dishes, pots or clothes in just a water rinse, so why think your body is any different. Doesn’t matter how “careful” you are with the water, if you ain’t using some form of soap on it, you ain’t washing it.

Crack out the shower gel, seriously.

Lamp - you've gone into detail on how you should wash and yet you're advocating using a flannel, which I personally find revolting and unnecessary. You also say to wash it often. Often? You're saying wash your bum crack with it and then wash it often??? The mind boggles. How about every single time after using it. Or just use your hands instead and then there's no need to use a slimy dirt infested rag. Yuck.

Still waiting to hear the context in which multiple drs have advised you about washing your vulva there travelbug....

How did it come up when you were in ICU? Shortly after you were extubated?

I’m kinda the same OP. Shower every second day (sometimes more) and wash my hair at the same time but I don’t use shower gel. I’ll wash under my arms with some shampoo but not anywhere else. My skin goes super dry otherwise. I don’t smell, never have, and I’m not the only one I know either who doesn’t use shower gel.

@Bluntness100

Can’t get over this thread, someone actually described using soap as “competitive over washing” and others are decreeing they don’t smell badly even though they’ve never actually washed their arses. 😂

You’d not wash your dishes, pots or clothes in just a water rinse, so why think your body is any different. Doesn’t matter how “careful” you are with the water, if you ain’t using some form of soap on it, you ain’t washing it.

Crack out the shower gel, seriously.

People will defend their right to ming to the death

People can come on here, claim to be whoever they want to be, be rude to people whilst stating they are acting in a professional capacity and thus, it's important to take things posted with a pinch of salt. Particularly when websites like the NHS etc. are stating otherwise.

But the advice given by she who claimed to be a gynaecologist was pretty much identical to that given on the NHS website. Wash vulva daily with gentle soap. Do not wash vagina.

I'm more roubles about the anal area though. Water will get trapped in there with shower pressure but as it's skin folds it won't all get washed away without any help. Like a fecal residue soup. Is this being wiped away on a towel? I hope it's being washed each use and not used to dry any other parts of the body after . Sadly any colleagues that share a toilet with OP and have the misfortune to use it afterwards will be aware of the lack of intimate hygiene if none of it is even getting so much as a hand sluice it's going to be far from fresh.

Hi OP

I got so far with reading the thread and gave up. I'm just here to tell you I'm the same - never use soap/shower gel and only wash my hair twice a week. I don't wear any perfume but I do wear deodorant.

I don't smell - my husband and son would have told me.

People will defend their right to ming to the death

I know. I get if you’ve skin issues and need to use specialised products. But to argue a water rinse is fine, and not actually ever wash after sex, periods, sweating etc, is really disturbing.

We all meet and know people who smell. And who clearly don’t know they do. It never once occured to me it was potentially because they didn’t know how to wash themselves properly.

I find threads like these fascinating. We are all so different and it’s not the type of stuff you can discuss with anyone in real life!

Find it interesting so many people saying use a flannel. I think flannels are absolutely grim. I just use my hands and a lot of shower gel, everywhere!

Have not read all 15 pages but I'm definitely more towards the OP end of the scale. I never use a separate shower gel, just the lather from shampoo although I wash my hair every 2-3 days not once a week. I don't shower on the days in-between though, and I never put soap on my bits anymore. Recurrent thrush from absolutely everything including Femfresh etc has taught me that just a bit of water is absolutely fine for me.

I do find MN massively OTT about all things cleanliness so I'm not overly bothered if I'm not aligned with the majority view.

@trixiebelden77 if you read the thread you will see I have posted the explanation at least twice.

Shortly after you were extubated? You don't need to be intubated and therefore extubated to be in ICU.

Sadly any colleagues that share a toilet with OP and have the misfortune to use it afterwards will be aware of the lack of intimate hygiene if none of it is even getting so much as a hand sluice it's going to be far from fresh

Yep, we all know who the great unwashed are when using a toilet after someone. That smell lingers.

@trixiebelden77 Maybe you are not in London (and maybe it's different in rural areas), but here you don't need to be intubated to get an ICU bed. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

(And if you don't want to read the thread, I ended up with a kidney infection, which turned to sepsis, and has now damaged at least one kidney...)

@OchNoAgain

Have not read all 15 pages but I'm definitely more towards the OP end of the scale. I never use a separate shower gel, just the lather from shampoo although I wash my hair every 2-3 days not once a week. I don't shower on the days in-between though, and I never put soap on my bits anymore. Recurrent thrush from absolutely everything including Femfresh etc has taught me that just a bit of water is absolutely fine for me.

I do find MN massively OTT about all things cleanliness so I'm not overly bothered if I'm not aligned with the majority view.

You can buy creams such as aqueous cream for down below. The way people say they can’t use it as if it’s all or nothing...even a GP would recommend it to wash with.

I agree with another poster after having a period water alone wouldn’t leave me feeling clean!

Not to mention bodily fluids after sex!

@gamerchick

Sadly any colleagues that share a toilet with OP and have the misfortune to use it afterwards will be aware of the lack of intimate hygiene if none of it is even getting so much as a hand sluice it's going to be far from fresh

Yep, we all know who the great unwashed are when using a toilet after someone. That smell lingers.

Agree, and the whole “I don’t think I smell someone would tell me” is nonsensical. Often people close to you will know but can’t say, or they become nose blind to it, don’t care, or they themselves don’t wash properly so have the same issue. And you shouldn’t have to rely on someone to tell you if you stink or not.

Intimate hygiene is the thing though, you can smell it if someone isn’t washing themselves properly down below.

@Bluntness100

People will defend their right to ming to the death

I know. I get if you’ve skin issues and need to use specialised products. But to argue a water rinse is fine, and not actually ever wash after sex, periods, sweating etc, is really disturbing.

We all meet and know people who smell. And who clearly don’t know they do. It never once occured to me it was potentially because they didn’t know how to wash themselves properly.

Agree. People get used to their own smell, doesn't mean they don't at all.

Water is not enough to wash your arse in any universe.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jul/28/soap-dodger-meet-the-doctor-who-says-we-have-been-showering-wrong

Personally I think no, you do need some sort of cleansing agent and friction.

There have been a lot of cleansing threads recently?

Like I said. People will defend their right to ming.

Wash your hands with soap, just hope you don't dry them on the same towel you've used to scrape off fecal matter that you haven't removed properly.

You can protest all you want but as soon as you drop your draws in a toilet. The next person who uses that cubicle will mentally call you a smelly bastard.

If you're cool with that then crack on.

What this thread tells me is that there are a lot of people who never evercise enough to sweat, because if you did, there's no way you'd think water was enough to clean yourself with, ditto a weekly hairwash.

Yes water especially if you stand under it for prolonged periods will have some sort of cleaning effect, but you won't remove grease/ sebum etc. You wouldn't have a bath without adding some kind of soap agent.

Like I said upthread, I know someone who is like this. People who don't use soap or any kind of cleansing agent just smell s bit greasy or musty, their skin looks a bit grey and grubby. They might not smell of BO but they do have a smell nonetheless.

Like I said upthread, I know someone who is like this. People who don't use soap or any kind of cleansing agent just smell s bit greasy or musty, their skin looks a bit grey and grubby. They might not smell of BO but they do have a smell nonetheless.

I totally agree with this and it actually slightly saddens me to hear so many people who don't wash much insist that they don't smell. To insist like this is to disregard the impact that they are having on others such as you and I who regularly smell people who are not washing much or not washing well. It shows how little people care about what they expose others to.

I'm still reeling from the number of people just barely cleaning themselves and thinking it's fine - even in summer - but Is this also why toenail fungus and athletes foot is so rampant?

@Othering

Lamp - you've gone into detail on how you should wash and yet you're advocating using a flannel, which I personally find revolting and unnecessary. You also say to wash it often. Often? You're saying wash your bum crack with it and then wash it often??? The mind boggles. How about every single time after using it. Or just use your hands instead and then there's no need to use a slimy dirt infested rag. Yuck.

I actually wash mine flannels everyday.