To ask about basic personal hygiene?

[SteptoeAndDaughter]

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?

[Mintyy]

1 10 minute shower a day, usually in the morning.

Wash hair every 3 days, but would do more frequently if it looked greasy.

Brush teeth twice a day.

Only cleanse face at night if been wearing makeup.

Its easy.

[fishinabarrell]

I brush twice a day usually, though sometimes when really knackered I've missed off evening brush. Flossing...I aim for every day but realistically not.

Weekdays, before work. Mainly to ake myself up with very early mornings. Weekend..depends. After exercise for sure but weekends are more chilled so if I'm not going out I may not shower much.

Hair washing, every few days though I use dry shampoo if it loks greasy on the second day.

I wash my face in the morning, in the evening I usually only remember if I have a shower at night. I have been told though night washing is more important if you've been out and about because crap gets on your face and it's best to exfoliate then too.

I try to have a bath every few days and I like very hot ones but a friend has made me a bit paranoid now. Been ttc for a year and she's adamant my baths aren't helping.

[Mintyy]

Damnbamboo
"Other than the stinky bits - bum, groin, pits and tits, or unless you've worked out or it's very hot, how does your body get dirty to the point that it needs to be scrubbed down every day?"

Mine doesn't need to be scrubbed down everyday. I just wash those bits in the shower, everything else gets left alone, just rinsed in hot water.

But since they do need washed every day, why not do it in the shower where its nice and warm and the rest of you gets woken up anyway?

[fatlazymummy]

A good tip for people who are pushed for time is to use a nylon body puff with a moisturising body wash or cream. You can get your whole body clean, exfoliated, and moisturised in a few minutes.

[Rivercam]

Wash face, teeth etc morning and evening

Bath/shower/hair wash - every other day ( and after exercise)

Pants/socks -daily
Bras -longer

Tops -2 days, jumpers - more
Trousers -2-3 days (sometimes more if worn other clothes for work, or wear slob gear in evening)

Nightwear - week

I know I'm a slob compared to a lot of mumsnetters, but I wasn't bought up to change clothes daily, plus, I don't hve enought time(lazy!) to do all that washing and ironing!

[GotToBeInItToWinIt]

Surely it's easier to just jump in the shower than strip off in the bathroom and wash it all with a flannel, then rinse/wash the flannel?!

[WipsGlitter]

I cannot get my head round a strip wash. My mum does it and to me it is such an old fashioned granny thing to do.

[OnlyLovers]

Shower every morning and wash face while I'm in there. Remove make-up and wash face at night.
Brush teeth morning and night and, if I'm going out in the day or evening, usually then as well.
Floss most days not really Well, the intention is there ...
Wash hair in the shower, usually every other day or every three days
Can't stand the idea of a strip wash but would quite like a bidet.

Change pants/socks daily
Wear bras for about two–three days unless it's very hot
Change most other clothes daily as I tend to sweat quite a bit, apart from chunky loose jumpers, which don't seem to get so smelly so quickly, and some jeans/yoga trousers.

[AnyFucker]

How do jeans get stinky....are you wearing them commando ? My legs never, ever smell.

I have a bath or shower every day, missing a day occasionally. I'll do the undercarriage again if I'm on a promise.

Teeth brushed and gums gouged with pik twice daily. Hair wash twice a week or even less, am currently on day 5....

I wash my bras after a week or two if not daily wearing. Jeans...er, when they actually get dirty.

Underwear and socks...daily change. I never wash my face. Panty liners...Christ, no I don't want thrush thanks

I think people wash both themselves, their clothes and their linens too much in general.

[OnlyLovers]

My skinny jeans get stinky because they're so skinny round the crotch. And no, I don't go commando. I can usually wear them twice but one pair are so tight I can only wear them for a day.

[AnyFucker]

I am going to have to go and sniff my skinny jeans now. I have a pair that I don't remember ever washing ...

[SurlyCue]

What times/how often do you brush & floss? morning, after breakfast and night time just prior to bed. If i was heading out for the evening i would also brush before i left the house too

Shower? every morning, hair washed then too. Some evening i have a bath too if its been a long day

Wash your face? its done in the shower each morning and in the evenings when i get in i take my make up off.

[HighwayDragon]

Full Shower 2 times a week - it involves a full body moisturising after otherwise I'm dry and flakey, but bits and pits daily.

Teeth every morning, occasionally at night too - never floss,0.

Pants 2 times a day morning and before bed.

Bra gets sniffed

Jeans when visibly dirty

[Sparrowlegs248]

My habits have changed massively since moving into an old draught cold house with just a bath and no shower......I used to shower every morning before work and every night before bed.

Now I bath every now and then other night. Wash hair while bathing. In between, strip wash am and pm. So that's sinkful warm water, wash face, pits, bits. Feet sometimes (i have a tights/shoe combo that makes my feet smell)

Brush teeth twice daily (mostly)
Tops i wear twice, skirts/trousers/jeans 2 - ? Times. I don't really sweat much or smell and don't have a tumble dryer so try to minimise laundry.

[FoodieMum3]

I have a bath every night. Wash my hair every second night.
Quick wash/freshen up in morning - put on roll on antiperspirant.
Brush teeth twice a day (first thing in morning, last thing at night) but probably do during the day if I was meeting a friend etc.
Change underwear and socks everyday.
I would wear a top for 2 days and jeans for 3 days

[GlitzAndGigglesx]

Brush my teeth in morning after my coffee, after lunch if I'm home then before bed
Wash my face in the evenings
Wash hair every 1-2 days
I shower once to twice a day followed by moisturiser
Knickers changed twice a day, bra changed after 2-3 days
Shave once to twice a week
Full body exfoliate once a week
Deodorant 3 times a day, perfume as and when
Wash clothes after every wear

[PUGaLUGS]

Brush teeth no less than twice, sometimes more. Use interdental brushes once a day and floss. Visit dentist every six months.

Shower every day (twice if been to the gym), shower every morning and quite often have a bath in the evening.

Face is washed when I shower/bath. I always take my makeup off first though.

I exfoliate all over every morning in the shower and then moisturise, shave every other day, give myself a mini facial a couple of times a week, wash hair every other day, nails are either painted by me or I will have gel.

Underwear is changed every day, jeans are washed after a few wears, tops/dresses are washed after every wear. Jumpers after say three times of wearing, always hand wash them. I always wear deodorant.

[EnlightenedOwl]

bath /wash hair daily
work trousers worn once then put in wash jeans will do a couple of wears maybe more
tops go in for washing after one wear
underwear fresh on every day
always use deo, body spray and top up in day if needed also use panty liners
no make up but do moisturise daily, clear varnish nails

[AnyFucker]

PUG, I don't know how you find the time to do all that

[Sallystyle]

I shower when I feel like it and I have a bath when I feel like it. If I don't feel like it I wash with soap.

I cleanse and moisturise in the evenings. Moisturise in the mornings.

Wash hair twice a week- I have thick dry fuzzy hair.

I was clothes when they smell or when they are dirty.

Change knickers every day.

Rarely wear a bra.

Shave my legs in the summer but rarely in the winter.

Armpits are shaved once a fortnight... more in the summer.

Clean teeth twice a day, floss when I remember.

[Thudercatsrule]

Shower/bath 3-4 times a week

Hairwash - if I'm working every other day, if I'm at home every 3-4days, it doesn't get dirty.

Face wash/teeth, every morning/night.

Pants every day, sometimes just before bed as well, bras every couple of weeks.

Jeans when they are either dirty, or baggy so can sometime be many weeks in between washes.

[Theveryhungrycaterpillar123]

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.

[HowCanIMissYouIfYouWontGoAway]

to me it means showering and brushing my teeth in the morning, making sure my hair is brushed. Wearing deodorant. Wearing clean clothes. In the evening having a bath, flossing, brushing my teeth and getting into PJs. If for some reason I can't have a bath, then wash hands, face and bits.
obviously basic things like washing hands after using the loo. I wash myself after having a poo because I don't feel that just loo roll gets you clean enough.
shave armpits when they're hairy because hair traps sweat and no matter how much you scrub, there's a faint smell if you don't. wash hair - I used to do it every day but that was knackering my hair so now it's about 2 or 3 times a week.
body moisturiser after bathing
It's very very important to me to feel clean. Possibly I am obsessive about it. I even put a capful of dettol in the bath. I am always genuinely terrified of smelling bad.

[Jackieharris]

As a preface I have quite a sedentary life so don't ever get sweaty.

I have a bath once a week, maybe less.

I hate showers, would happily never have another one my whole life.

I wash my long thick curly hair in the bath. I once went a year without shampooing it at all, was dyed & conditioned. I can easily go a month without washing it if it's tied back. I must be doing something right as I often get compliments on it.

In my weekly bath I shave, exfoliate and use body wash. I spend about 1-2 hours doing everything. I'll also use a facial exfoliator and face mask. This is the only time I'll get my face wet. If I've had make up on I'll use make up remover but that's it. I look several years younger than my age, so again must be doing something right.

I use roll on deodorant every morning.

I'm pretty obsessive about flossing, I have them all over the house and in the car. But I usually only brush my teeth in the morning and sometimes I'll skip that if I'm in a rush but I do have a spare toothbrush in the car for a dry brush if needed. I have good teeth and haven't needed a filling for over 15 years.

I wear clothes until they are dirty.
I only have 2 bras so each gets worn for a few days.
Pants and socks are new everyday.

[MrsHathaway]

Brush teeth every night and some mornings. F loss if I remember.

Brush hair morning and night.

Shower after vigorous exercise or when my hair needs washing - after a recent cut it was too short to put up and needed washing every other day ; now it can go up it goes an extra day or two. I can smell myself after exercise so I know when I smell. I genuinely don't need a daily shower. I use a good APD which reduces perspiration to practically zero in normal temperatures.

I do not wash between showers. Strip washes just move dirt. Your genitals are self-cleaning so don't like frequent washing. I might wash my feet if they feel nasty though. Feet are gross.

I don't wash my face unless it gets something on it. I don't moisturise or wear foundation. I have always had compliments on my skin, and never had teenage acne or indeed any spots at all. I used a toner a bit as a teenager "to fit in" but it was uncomfortable so I stopped when it ran out. I use aqueous cream to remove eye makeup when necessary.

I wear clean knickers and socks every morning, and another pair after a shower. I don't menstruate (Pill) or have discharge that reaches my underwear. I wear a clean bra every second or third day.

I wear bottoms two or three times but that depends more on sticky-fingered toddler and muddy walks. I would wear a top twice because I wear a vest (twice) underneath, but often there is someone else's snot on it so I can't expect to!

I am lucky to have skin and hair that don't need much attention. I suspect this is partly genetic and partly self-perpetuating.