Regardless of what lazy people say, daily bath is absolutely essential and important for your hygiene.
Yet, despite having regular baths, there are certain body parts that are not washed in the right way, which can be damaging in some conditions.
Here’s where you are going wrong…
1. Hands
No points for guessing why? Washing hands before and after using the washroom, washing them before and after eating and washing them whenever you have touched surfaces that are bacteria prone is important because they can lead to dangerous infections.
The right way to wash: Much against the common perception, it is not important to use an anti-fungal or anti-bacterial hand wash every time you want to clean them. But make sure whatever you are using, you lather your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds – between fingers, finger tips, palm, back of the hand.
2. Face
You swear by expensive face treatments and scrubs but don’t realise that sometimes people get overzealous and end up exfoliating their skin more than what is needed, leading to breakouts and skin damage.
The right way to wash: Use a mild face wash and use your hands to build up a light lather, in circular motion. Wash your face and pat dry with a dry soft towel. Do not exfoliate every day.
3. Teeth
Brushing is an important part of our routine, yet you’d be surprised to know that most people don’t brush their teeth correctly, leading to bad oral hygiene. It can develop acid imbalance in the mouth and affect your enamel too.
The right way to brush: Hold your brush at an angle of 45 degrees against your teeth and brush in circular motions, without rubbing harshly on your gums. Try to brush all corners thoroughly in this motion. Never use a hard brush. Floss!
4. Ears
We apply dangerous methods to clean our ear- like any object with a narrow end or simply a pen. It can affect our ear drum and in worst cases, we can even lose our hearing.
The right way to clean: First up, the insides of your ear don’t need cleaning. It self–cleanses itself. For the outside, clean the sides of the ear, back of your ear with gentle pressure, avoiding the insides. People forget to clean behind their ears but it is extremely important.
5. Scalp
When we wash our hair, we focus on cleaning our hair and in the bargain end up ignoring our scalp hygiene – this often happens with people who have long and thick hair. Sometimes we don’t rinse enough to wash off the shampoo and conditioner completely.
The right way to wash: If you have thick hair, make sure you remove bunches of hair and clean your scalp with a mild shampoo. Rinse it off well. You can even use a hair rinsing pad. Also, avoid using too many hair products.
6. Belly button
You don’t even realise this area while thoroughly washing your body assuming that all the soapy water must anyway be cleaning it. But remember, your belly button can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
Right way to wash: Wash your belly button with warm water and soap. Instead of your fingers, use a cotton pad to do the needful.
