To think it's disgusting to not wash your feet/legs?

[mumofwantwomany]

I keep seeing posts on twitter about the amount of people who apparently don't wash their legs or feet in the shower (there was a picture that's been circulating of all the parts of your body colour coded into what should be scrubbed thouroughly, what should be less intensely washed etc). AIBU to think not washing your legs and feet in the shower is just really unpleasant? It takes ten seconds maximum, why would anyone deliberately not do it?

The thing is, it isn’t actually all that healthy to be immaculately clean at all times. Humans need to have some bacteria on them. Unless, for some reason you wade through shit with bare legs, it isn’t necessary to wash your legs.

I've got a history book in which the author reenacts Elizabethan hygiene practices. There was a lots less washing, obviously less products but undergarment shifts were employed to wick the sweat away from the body. These shifts were washed frequently (with urine). Funnily enough, she said they didn't smell. If anything she noticed the modern smell of products more.

Also I wonder what nomadic/tribal people do in places where water /heated water is scarce. I don't think they spontaneously combust somehow.

We are mammals. Our bodily secretions are there to protect our skin. I don't think using products all over to wash is strictly necessary.

I bath most days. I did find after an operation where I couldn't get my scars wet,so strip washed instead, having to consciously wash my neck more as it got visibly grubby looking if I wasn't careful to do this. Proof that a bath is good at cleaning you, whether scrubbing or no scrubbing is involved.

Nobody asks me to lick their body parts so I don't care how or if they clean those parts.

I'm very confused about the "sitting in your own filth" comment.

I bathe in water, and use soap. If you're sitting in your own filth, you either need to use more soap, or you need more water.

Or shower first, like the Japanese.

I obviously don't mean I'm sitting in a bathful of grotty water with bits of dirt floating in it
I just mean - it feels grubby and like you're sitting in your own filth. And for what it's worth, I only ever have baths to relax (eg with face mask and bath bomb) so I always have a shower first so I can be clean for it.

I scrub head to toe daily as soon as I get home from work. I do dirty work outside (am an engineering technician), and where I live, ticks are a problem. If nothing else, a head to toe scrub gets the "work" and any tag-along critters off.

If I didn't have a filthy job, I probably would not be so fastidious).

I don't get filthy if I'm not doing a lot. If I've been to the gym the only thing I notice is 'disco fanny' I just don't sweat a lot. I do get greasy hair though so I have to shower every day much to my annoyance.

There was me thinking that my legs and feet were just tanned...

No this is not disgusting, but it is grim

I don't have any fungal infections. I bathe once or twice a day, never do my feet. Also FWIW, I don't boil wash my pants. Gasp!

Fascinating fact alert! Strimming wearing plastic knee/leg protectors makes your knees sweat.

Whenever I read these threads I'm fascinated by where people sweat. Behind your knees? Really?

But the water and soap runs down you.... 🙄

I'm allergic to soap/shower gel so don't scrub with anything other than an exfoliating mitt anyway. You'd probably think I'm vile but I can't see a difference.

@Gatehouse77 no I don't get sweaty behind my knees unless I'm in 30 degree heat... not even when I cycle to work.

@drsausage - no, actual sweaty knees. Front.

I don't specifically wash my feet or legs. I don't get any infections or anything like that, everything seems fine. They look and smell clean when I get out of the bath or shower.

I never understand the "sitting in your own filth" in the bath stuff.

How filthy are you?

Just chill out ffs, I'm sure you're very clean and your mummy is very proud.

You have a shower so you are clean for your bath?!?
Wow.
You know how much energy and resources you are wasting there right? If your feet are particularly dirty could you not just rinse them under the bath tap a bit before you put the plug in to fill it?
Not to mention that amount of washing is terrible for your skin.

Well I came on here to comment but now I'm just confused at the amount of people with sweatykneeitis....i didn't even know it was a thing.

Now I'm hyper focused on whether my knees feel sweaty... currently I think I'm good but who knows what tommorrow shall bring.

And now I can't bloody remember if I washed my feet in the shower before bed...dammit that will be my random thought of the night

Baths are good, you can use the shower to rinse off afterwards.

Can't imagine not washing legs or feet, never come across that before.

If this is something you give this much thought to then “get a life” is a valid comment

As long as people don’t smell and aren’t visibly dirty then I couldn’t care less if how they wash themselves (or not).

And sweaty knees? I’m overweight and can be quite sweaty in the summer but have never experienced sweaty knees!

no, actual sweaty knees. Front.

If you're encased in plastic then I can see that happening tbf. But why aren't you wearing leather chaps?

Leather chaps are sooo last year darling!

Hard plastic is the best protection for rocky ground with sharp stones flying up and hawthorns. I fucking hate hawthorns.

In case someone really wants clean feet. I had this last summer because i like to walk barefoot when it's really hot.
Not good if you are REALLY ticklish