I still can’t believe it’s not yet the norm here to have a hose installed next to the loo, and wash yourself with warm running water instead of dry paper! Dry toilet paper, why? If you don’t have a hose or jug you could at least use wet wipes or that foamy gel stuff on the paper. I’ve lived abroad and going back to English bathrooms can be a shock.
Even the layout is often unhygienic eg toothbrushes stored next to the loo so every time it’s flushed they get splashed with loo germs. The fastest way to spread norovirus and other bugs! Mouldy carpet edges and poor ventilation so everything stays damp.
I think carpet in bathrooms is very unhygienic. Wet rooms are much better, you just disinfect the floor and hose it down. In many countries kitchen floors have drains too, so when you’ve finished cooking you spray it then hose it down and all the dirty water goes down a drain. Saves using a grubby mop and you know it’s always clean, no splashes of oil or sauce or juice left for weeks to gather bacteria and fluff.
I’m shocked people don’t always clean their kitchen and bathroom sinks daily, clean their loo after each use and generally keep on top of basic hygiene like wiping down surfaces with Dettol before and after food prep.
I think it’s important to shower before going to work if you’ll be in close proximity to others, use anti perspirant and wear freshly washed clothes. With close family it’s still good hygiene to wash hands regularly, clean and floss teeth twice a day and wash feet, armpits, genital area, face every morning even if not taking a shower. Plus clean underwear.
Obviously if someone has disabilities or these self care tasks use up a lot of energy it’s a different matter. But a lot of people without disabilities don’t seem to care/notice if they’re wearing the same clothes to work day after day or have greasy hair and dandruff or smell of stale sweat.
I also think it’s really grim to wear outdoor shoes indoors (unheard of in much of the world, and the height of rudeness in many countries). Carpet or rugs or wooden floors, why bring pavement dirt and bacteria into your home?
I’m also not keen on pets indoors unless they have a specific room, their own bed in that room and this room is thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed daily to prevent pet smell and shedded hair building up. Let alone pets in kitchens.
I also think many people don’t understand bacteria and viruses and how they spread, eg damp towels and damp bath robes are a breeding ground for microbes, and bacteria can quickly multiply on uncovered food left out of the fridge.
Same with dust and limescale, if you keep on top of it there’s no build up. And washing machines, why don’t people clean the filter and run the machine on a hot cycle every month at least?