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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask about basic personal hygiene?

284 replies

SteptoeAndDaughter · 17/01/2015 09:51

I'm in my 40s and yet somehow don't feel like I've ever got a handle on this.

What times/how often do you brush & floss?

Shower?

Wash your face?

I know there are no 'right' answers to these questions but I'm trying to figure out what it means to be well-groomed and to look after myself properly. Feeling a bit lost. What does it mean to you?

OP posts:
SteptoeAndDaughter · 18/01/2015 21:17

MrsJack: Towels hopefully just before they whiff!

Sheets: Every week (in theory), every fortnight (reality). But I sleep with a man and he is rather smelly!

Kids' sheets: Bottom sheet every week or two, duvet cover every month or when I remember

OP posts:
Saurus72 · 18/01/2015 21:40

Shower every morning and again if I go to the gym after work
Wash hair 6 times a week
Wash face morning and night, ditto brush teeth
Body lotion every morning, face moisturiser twice a day
Shave legs/armpits once-twice a week in Winter, every other day in Summer

I wash towels every 3 days, sheets once a week and change pillowcases every 2 days.

I just cannot understand people who don't like the feeling of being clean and fresh. Showering once or twice a week is just skanky, and while you may think you don't smell, you do. The person who said that her DP/DH showers every two weeks makes me feel sick - the house must stink to high heaven. I am obsessive about being clean but I think that is preferable to being smelly and dirty.

Re: environmental concerns. We don't take baths, and my shower rarely lasts longer than 3-4 minutes, so I would think the impact is comparable to one deep bath/week maybe?

JRShotMe · 18/01/2015 22:31

I shower every morning post-first dog walk, and again every evening - I exercise or go for a run most evenings, and I have dogs that I walk 2-3 times a day, every single day, and I can't stand feeling grubby or sweaty. The thought of going for more than 24 hours without a shower gives me the shudders unless I'm wild camping or on a multi-day hike, and on those occasions I baby wipe like a demon and am first into the showers on return! Run razor over legs most days, pits every day, bikini line and eyebrows are waxed once a month. Moisturise body after every shower, I love the new spray-on jobs, face morning and evening.

Cleaning teeth, absolute minimum is twice a day but 99% of the time it's 3 times. Mouthwash and floss every night. No matter how late I get home I brush my teeth and take make-up off, I wouldn't be able to sleep without doing it. Hair is washed every other day, or every day if I've had a particularly sweaty run/work out. Knickers changed twice a day, morning and evening, clean socks every morning, t-shirts/tops worn once. Exercise/running clothes - top, shorts/capris, bra, socks, kecks - thrown in wash immediately on return every day - I have 4 or 5 sets. Normal bras worn twice. I have a lot of jeans which I wear on rotation so generally will wash every 2-3 wears but that could be weeks apart. Hoodies/jumpers generally every 2 wears but it depends what I've done while wearing them. Towels and bedding washed twice a week - there is nothing better than a clean bed!

I don't think I'm excessive re. cleanliness, it's just normal maintenance to me; I know that most of my friends/close colleagues have similar routines and frankly, the people I come across that don't wash themselves or their clothes, or brush their teeth every day, you can tell. I can't stand feeling dirty or the thought of people thinking that I look or smell unclean. It just feels nice to be clean and fresh, and to live in a clean house - I can't bear dirty houses either!

YolandiFuckinVisser · 18/01/2015 22:52

You should try not showering for a week & then doing it, feels amazing. You don't get that feeling when you do it every day. I've just had my weekly bath, washed hair & mousturised, just about to get into lovely fresh clean sheets. You really notice the difference when its special!

JRShotMe · 18/01/2015 23:13

I'd have to be in a coma to not shower for a week! I can't imagine it feels that great on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th day...

I know I have a very active lifestyle, but even still, I just like to feel and smell clean and fresh, it's not a 'special occasion' thing! Each to their own (unless I have to sit next to you in which case please wash!) but I would feel dirty and I cannot imagine going to work or going out and being around other people feeling grubby or even suspecting that I might smell bad.

Only1scoop · 18/01/2015 23:17

Quite shocked at some soap dodging that goes on....

And as for not brushing teeth before bed Confused

I wear pants in bed

Just pants

gamerchick · 18/01/2015 23:40

I'm not shocked the amount of mingness that gets posted on here. Grin

Who wants to be that person who gets bitched about because people have to get close to them and they're oblivious?

Each to their own though... I'm surprisingly not arsed about dirty bodies that don't live in my house.

SurlyCue · 19/01/2015 01:22

Eugh! I feel grim if i havent showered for just one day never mind a whole week! And i certainly smell when i do miss a shower- i cant imagine the honk after 7 days of build up. I know plenty of those not showering daily will say they dont smell but i used to work with the general public and you could always tell the ones who didnt wash daily.

Squtternutbaush · 19/01/2015 01:41

I shower every second day.

I brush my teeth in the morning.

Change clothes every second day if can get away with it.

Knickers and socks changed daily, bra every second/third.

To be honest I'm not all that fussed if I smell of human though, I don't wet or soil myself and I don't sweat very much so I would hardly reek after a day. That said I can't use any scented products so I don't smell of much.

Goats milk soap, simple shampoo, water/crystal based deoderant, ecoegg or surcare soap powder and possibly a bit of tea tree oil in the softener drawer, I just smell... Meh.

Rather that than be a huge scaly, itching, bleeding mass of eczema though. Now that is a bit off putting :o

Squtternutbaush · 19/01/2015 01:43

I do love it when people chime in that they worked alongside people and could tell they didn't wash daily... Maybe those people didn't wash for a month as opposed to a day or so inbetween.

StarsOfTrackAndField · 19/01/2015 01:48

Brush teeth twice a day. Floss everyday.

Shower and wash hair every day.

Change socks, pants and t shirt everyday.

Shirts everyday in summer. every other day the rest of the year.

Jeans and wool jumpers after a week of wear.

wobblyweebles · 19/01/2015 03:23

I shower once a week whether I need it or not.

Well. Someone had to say it.

CanadianJohn · 19/01/2015 06:52

I've only skimmed the thread, but I'd like to observe that UK hygiene has change a lot in the last couple of generations. When I went to boarding school (in the late 50's) the clothing list included only three shirts, only three pairs of underpants, and only three pairs of socks. The laundry was done weekly, and took 3 - 4 days to be returned, so I, and everyone else, changed socks, pants, and shirt only twice a week.

As I remember, there was no provision at all for cleaning blazer, trousers, or sweater. I guess I wore them all term long.

There were no showers, and each person had a scheduled bath time, once a week.

riverboat1 · 19/01/2015 06:57

Amazing the ability some MNers have to be able to smell other posters from behind their computer screens, and assure them they are definitely whiffy. Those are some magical noses.

PrimalLass · 19/01/2015 07:31

I know people are saying ' I wear deodorant', isn't it normal to wear deodorant as part of every day? If I didn't I would smell.

No, I don't normally bother unless I am going through a sweaty phase. I do shower every day though.

Only1scoop · 19/01/2015 08:14

Just couldn't get into bed with bits of food and plaque on my teeth and let the residue do its worst overnight whilst I sleep Confused

Surely if you can only manage once a day night is better.

Squtternutbaush · 19/01/2015 08:27

I've never brushed my teeth at night, i got my first filling last year at 27. My teeth are fine otherwise.

Morning breath however... :o

Only1scoop · 19/01/2015 08:29

Kind of expected that next....was waiting for the.... Grin

"Never brushed my teeth at night and dentist says they are the most wonderful pearlies he's ever seen"....

Squtternutbaush · 19/01/2015 08:34

I can only speak the truth Wink

Never affected my health or my teeth so I'm happy as are those who wash daily/weekly/monthly.

I can't find the time to get bothered by other peoples lifestyles tbh

Only1scoop · 19/01/2015 08:36

Doesn't bother me as I don't have to go near any of you

Had a partner who once was a minger... would have a glass of coke before bed no brushing....eeeeuuuuu

Next Grin

Squtternutbaush · 19/01/2015 08:39

Oh god, yes I see.

How does one deal with such atrocity in their life?

Only1scoop · 19/01/2015 08:44

Bin em Wink

SeasonsEatings · 19/01/2015 08:45

I shower daily and thought that most people did. Pre children hair washed every other day. Now probs twice a week. Teeth cleaned morning and night. Nightie (think jersey or satin slip) with knickers to bed, knickers changed daily. Bra not changed frequently.....

SqueezyCheeseWeasel · 19/01/2015 08:53

Shower & hair wash daily
Cleanse face twice a day with a fresh muslin cloth every day
Brush teeth twice a day (inc water flosser)
Shave armpits & legs every other day
Dentist every 8 months (that's the schedule my dentist uses) & hygienist every 4 months
Clean top, pants & socks daily
Clean bra & trousers every couple/three days

I often have a bath in the evening too as a relaxation thing. Probably 2-3 x a week, I use body lotion or body oil after that.

Clean bed sheets every week and fresh towels every other day. Oh and a clean tea towel in the kitchen every day.

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 19/01/2015 09:03

The thing is a lot of people think they don't smell, but it's like people having a dog saying their dog doesn't smell, they're just used to it! I have a dog by the way so I'm not dog bashing at all Smile. My friend had to report her colleague as they worked in a small office and she couldn't cope with the body odour. She put up with it for month but when she fell pregnant it was making her physically sick. She absolutely hated doing it and got on really well with her colleague. It was made even worse as there were only 2 of them in the office most of the time so it was fairly obvious it was her. Her colleague was adamant she couldn't smell as she showered every couple of days and changed her clothes fairly regularly etc. I would hate to inadvertently be that person!