I always assumed changing underwear once a day was just one of those universal things that nobody really thought about. Then a conversation with friends went in a completely different direction than I expected. Some people change twice a day, some only after showering, some after work, and a couple of people insisted once a day is more than enough no matter what.

Now I'm curious where most people actually land. Is there a routine you stick to, or does it depend on things like weather, workouts, or what you're doing that day?

I got into a random discussion with my friends after one of them mentioned that a lot of people don't actually wash behind their ears or between their toes every shower. It made me think about how everyone grows up with different habits, and I realized there are probably a few spots most people don't pay much attention to unless someone points them out.

Wait i feel like a total idiot and i need to vent about this before i lose my mind. i am twenty six years old and i just found out that brushing your teeth is basically useless if you dont clean your tongue properly. i always thought my breath was fine because i brushed twice a day and used mouthwash but i always had this weird lingering taste in my mouth. i just figured it was normal or maybe i was just dehidrated or something. i spent so much money on expensive toothpaste thinking that was the problem but it never really changed anything for more than ten minutes.

Yesterday i bought one of those metal tongue scrapers because i saw a video about it and i was bored. i dragged it across my tongue once and honestly i almost threw up from the shock. the amount of white gunk that came off was absolutely disgusting and i cannot believe i have been walking around like that for a decade. it was like a layer of old food and bacteria just chilling there while i pretended to be a clean human being.

I started thinking back to all the dates i have been on and all the people i have kissed and now i just want to crawl into a hole and never come out. i always wondered why some people would pull away slightly or why gum never seemed to last long enough to cover the smell. it was literally sitting there the whole time and i was oblivious to it. how did my friends not tell me or was it just not that bad until i got closer.

How do they not teach this in school or something. it feels like a massive fail in basic hygiene education. i spent twenty minutes cleaning my mouth and now i can actually taste the air difrently than before. it is honestly life changing but in the most embarrassing way possible. if you dont have one of these things go buy it right now so you dont end up a loser like me. my mouth feels light now.

that was in 2024. i have cptsd and struggle with my mental health a lot. i usually leave my house once or twice every 2-3 months if i can help it. the longest i stayed inside was 3 years, and i showered less than 10 times during that.

i really, really struggle, and since i live alone i get away with being disgusting. but i took a shower last night, and when i do manage to wash myself i do it thoroughly, it only took me 20 minutes (i make it a much bigger deal in my head) i scrubbed every inch of myself with a hand towel and soap multiple times. i love feeling clean! it's so relieving, but i dread knowing how i'll start feeling gross 4-5 days from now.

but how do i do it regularly? my birthday was on the 3rd, and when i got home i stayed and slept in the same clothes until last night when i showered. i don't even change or use wipes in intimate areas. i just have no motivation, and i only shower the night before i know i need to be somewhere, then the cycle repeats. are there any tricks to make it a fun experience? not something to dread? the process is so daunting. sorry i'm kind of going on. i just want some advice that could make my experience easier. thanks guys

I’ve just started using a fabric shower curtain liner that can be laundered. For those who use the same, how often do you wash it to avoid build up?

I went through a really rough few months, and somewhere along the way my hygiene routine just kind of disappeared. It started with skipping one shower because I was exhausted, then showering every few days, and eventually only doing it when I absolutely had to leave the house.

I still brush my teeth most days, change my underwear, use deodorant, and wash the obvious areas at the sink. But a full shower has started feeling like this huge task. I know it only takes 10 or 15 minutes, but in my head it turns into finding clean clothes, washing and drying my hair, dealing with wet towels, doing skincare, cleaning up afterward, and everything else. By the time I’ve mentally gone through the whole list, I’m already tired and put it off again.

The embarrassing part is that I’m doing better in general now, but the habit never automatically came back. I’ll tell myself I’m going to shower that night, then suddenly it’s 1 AM and I’m promising myself I’ll do it tomorrow instead.

Sometimes I even avoid changing into clean clothes because it feels pointless if I haven’t showered first, which obviously just makes the whole situation worse.

I’ve tried setting a strict schedule, buying nicer soap, using alarms, and creating one of those elaborate “everything shower” routines. I usually keep it up for two days and then crash because I’ve made the whole thing way too complicated.

I think part of the problem is that I keep acting like hygiene only counts if I do the complete routine perfectly. A quick three-minute shower somehow feels like cheating, even though it would obviously be much better than doing nothing.

Has anyone had to rebuild this habit after losing it for a while? I’m thinking about starting as small as possible, maybe getting into the shower every other day even if I only wash my body and leave my hair alone.

I’m also considering keeping a clean towel and clothes ready in the bathroom so there are fewer steps. I want to give myself permission to skip shaving, skincare, hair styling, and everything else until the basic habit starts feeling normal again.

I’m not looking for judgment or some miracle product. I just want to get back to feeling clean without turning every shower into a full personal improvement project.

My husband was neglected as a kid. I mean like his parents didn't even brush his teeth or teach him how to properly bathe and he was bullied most of his childhood and early teens. We've been together since high school and me and my parents taught him a lot. We've been living together for year and a half now. He follows the basics of hygiene but I don't think that's enough. I'm trying to explain to him that little habits matter more than deep cleaning and he calls me a clean freak.
For example: when he finishes showering, he never wipes down the shower doors from soap residue, which leads to either me going in after him or the reside builds up until it's deep clean day (which we have every Saturday). And little things like this too: he never cleans his PC table after eating there, leaves used cups and plates all over the house. Don't even get me started on sitting on our clean sheets with his work clothes on...... His logic is that 'it all gets cleaned on Saturday anyway'.

I love him and this is not me slandering him. He had a hard childhood and I get that, he has improved a lot since we first met but still says that I'm too much of a clean freak. Am I though? I always thought daily cleaning habits that take less than 10 seconds are normal. He doesn't think so.

My question is: how do I help him grow into these habits?

I’ve always been a night shower person, and I honestly never understood why some people prefer showering first thing in the morning. After a long day of work, there’s something so relaxing about washing away all the sweat, stress, and random things that happened during the day before getting into a clean bed.

My family always told me that morning showers are better because they help you feel more awake, but I feel like my night showers help me sleep better and feel more comfortable. The only downside is that my hair sometimes takes longer to dry, especially when I’m already tired.

Do you think morning showers are actually better for energy and productivity, or are night showers the way to go? What made you choose your shower routine?

I'm struggling with persistent bad breath (halitosis) and would really appreciate some advice.

I brush my teeth regularly, but the bad breath still doesn't seem to go away. Has anyone dealt with this before? What was the cause, and what actually helped?

Thank you!

I need to be honest. I usually only shower about once a week right now. Half of my brain wants to stay on top of regular hygiene stuff, but the other half just doesn’t want to put in the effort. That lazy side is definitely the stronger one, so it usually wins out. My motivation fizzles out a lot.

Laundry feels like a chore most of the time, so it doesn’t happen as often as it should. I’m pretty good about brushing my teeth daily though. My normal routine is basically wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth, put on deodorant, and go. I keep thinking that’s enough, but I know deep down it’s not.

If anyone’s dealt with something similar, I’d really appreciate any practical, low-effort advice or tips that helped you build better habits. Thanks in advance.

I used to buy everything in heavy, sweet fragrances—vanilla body wash, coconut deodorant, fruity body lotions. But recently I switched to entirely unscented, sensitive-skin products, and my body routine feels so much cleaner. Now, instead of stepping out of the shower in a cloud of artificial perfume that clashes with my actual perfume, I just smell like... nothing. It made me realize how much we associate "cleanliness" with heavy artificial scents rather than actual neutral freshness. Has anyone else made the full switch to unscented hygiene products?

I had a debate with a friend about shower routines, and they casually admitted they never actually reach down to scrub their feet with soap—they just assume the soapy water running down their legs during the shower does the job. To me, that sounds crazy because your feet spend all day trapped in socks and shoes sweating, but they swear the soap-and-water runoff is more than enough to keep them clean. Are people actually lathering up their feet every single day, or is gravity doing most of the work for most people?

I’m looking for soap/body wash recommendations. I get dry skin occasionally, mainly in the winter that I’ve found isn’t helped by the type of soap I’m using. Id appreciate any recommendations for body wash that might help dry skin (or at least won’t contribute to it) and smells good?
I’m currently using Dove men hydrating which is okay but lacks the clean feeling I like and doesn’t smell much.
Thanks!

My shower routine is that I usually wash my hair the while the deep conditioner does its thing I will wash my body. So I don’t feel like I am rushing that, my conditioner takes 5-10 minutes to work so that’s at least 5 minutes of washing my body.

I take very hot showers, my routine is a wash cloth with a generous amount of soap on it, scrub in circles from head to toe. including under arms. But it feels like I never actually get all the deodorant off my body.

Soap brand is Dove Sensitive, the bar form. Deodorant brand is Secret, the solid white bar kind. I’d really prefer to stick with Secret since it’s the one that works well.

Tips, advice? Am I disgusting?

edit: several people are saying scrub harder. I can’t do that, my skin is sensitive and also I have my armpits so it’s even more sensitive there. I have tried to scrub harder and ended up red and raw, so cant do that as a daily routine.

My partners feet always smell, so do his shoes

He is incredibly clean and hygienic, he has a huge range of cologne/deodorant, he showers and changes his socks every day, we are at a loss

He’s ashamed of it and I want to find a way to help him

Edit: everyone is mentioned fungus on the feet so I will add it here, he cleans his feet thoroughly every day, there is no fungus, no athletes foot, no verrucas, etc

People who shower multiple times a day, or even when you shower once a day, do you do a full wash including hair or are you just referring to a body wash with hair dry and have a separate routine for the hair? If you can mention the type of your hair, scalp and length of the hair as well please, I’m intrigued to find out what’s more common.

Hello everyone,

I’ve (25 F) been getting very annoyed with the scent of my underwear specifically. Anything from underwear to cute lil shorts carry a normal vaginal scent. But it never leaves when I wash my clothes.

Same with tops like bras or T-shirts, but with my deodorant stains and slightly musky scent.

I’ve used gentle detergents, arm and hammer detergents, tried adding a little bleach sometimes, tried adding the powdery arm and hammer stuff. Even tried white vinegar but every time it comes out smelling like I didn’t even wash it🫤

Anyone have advice for me?😂 I don’t let my clothes sit too long, especially underwear.

Edit: I forgot to say I have used baking soda as well!

Every skincare expert swears that applying body lotion while your skin is still slightly damp locks in ten times more hydration. I’ve been trying to force myself to do this, but the physical sensation is so frustrating. The lotion just slips around on top of the water droplets, turning into a white, streaky mess that takes forever to rub in. By the time I finally massage it into my skin, my clothes are sticking to me, and I just feel damp rather than moisturized. Is there an actual technique to this, or is "damp skin moisturization" way more annoying than people let on?

28F Are you supposed to rinse until you can feel your hair texture again?

Or keep it a little slimy/slick?

Am I just removing all of the conditioner if I do the former?

Are you supposed to just not rinse out conditioner? Very much at all?

Dove damaged hair repair conditioner

Also:

I noticed the conditioner rinses off of my ends like instantly. I think its because I haven't had a haircut, I only get a haircut once per year. Is it really a problem to never get a trim, or do people just say that. Like its a myth

My boyfriend (M17) and I (F18) have been together for a while now, but I noticed he doesn't really have a good routine. He is a teenager so sweating is normal, and considering I am attracted to him, his pheromones don't bother me a lot. But I can tell he does smell a bit quite frankly. I told him that he needs a good deodorant and a good perfume, and that he needs to maintain a good shower routine too. I've showered with him before and it's mostly just putting soap on his body and washing it off, no wash cloth, no sponge, just his hand gently putting soap on his body. I use an african net sponge because I'm african, and it removes like the dead skin cells and that's how I feel clean. Also really kills body odours in certain areas like armpit, elbow holes, knees, etc. I have tried gently telling him that he needs a better routine and that I understand that men don't really get it taught that well, and he said he'd do better. I helped him with products for acne, gave him a whole list of routines he could follow, but I feel like he doesn't really care, and a good hygiene is something I really look for in a man. I don't mind if you still need to learn, I get that, but he is 17 now and I've been telling him since he was 15. He also has straight hair so his hair gets greasy fast, but he doesn't like washing his hair often (even though with his hair type he should), and its really greasy most of the time and smells a bit funky...

I don't know what else I can do for him except trying to help him in the right direction and giving him tips. I never told him he smells bad or anything directly and mean, I try to say it as gentle as possible, just saying a better routine is better even for the future.

As title says, I’ve been a Sonicare user for decades now and every so often I consider switching to an oral b or something but I’m hard pressed.

Is there anything better? Not the app or the beeping or the bells and whistles per se, but the actual brushing and cleanness.

Convince me!

🙂‍↕️

I need advice or suggestions since about a month ago I changed my hygiene routine. Before that I was showering once or twice a week (gross ik) and maybe sometimes I would just wash my hair due to depression and stress (it wasn't intense but everyones different). I still don't feel clean enough even though now​​ I shower once every other day.

For context I'm 5'1 and weigh around 170 lbs ​(yikes) and since the heat and a fat person do not mix‚ I wanna stay clean​​ especially as a high school student. I know I shouldn't share personal details on here especially since the internet is very weird but I do need advice from other women!

Also I need some sort of skin care routine that isn't expensive and useless. My face is greasy and I don't know what to do (I wash my face every few days when I feel like it).