Are you a clean freak or a dirty slob? Do you worry about germs, or are you in danger of picking up a gross disease due to poor hygiene? Most worrying of all, do you cause problems by overcleaning? Find out in this quiz!
Are you a clean freak or a dirty slob? Do you worry about germs, or are you in danger of picking up a gross disease due to poor hygiene? Most worrying of all, do you cause problems by overcleaning? Find out in this quiz!
Here's an interesting one to start. According to the US Department of Health, scientific studies haven't yet proven that flossing is actually good for your teeth. That doesn't mean you shouldn't floss if you've just eaten a plate of ribs, but if you do it too much, you could damage your gums.
Wash yourself. Please. Just don't worry if you're not doing it every day— you might not need to, and overuse of washing products can damage your skin.
Short nails are more hygienic than long nails. That's because gross germs and dirt can get stuck under your nails and end up in your food, on your face, or anywhere else you might put your hands.
Sleep is important to your body's general health. The more you sleep, the better your body can repel disease. If you're sick, you're obviously not very clean, since you're spraying germs everywhere!
Change your washcloths every month to avoid too much bacteria build-up. That said, if you, say, drop your cloth in the toilet or clean up something really nasty, you should definitely not keep using that cloth!
Antibiotics don't help with a virus, so they're not for when you have a sniffle. In fact, it's dangerous to take antibiotics when you don't need them, as it encourages the development of antibiotic-resistant superbugs that are immune to medicine.
A clean kitchen will harbor fewer germs. Making sure that your kitchen surfaces are clean is an important step in avoiding food poisoning. Plus, it helps make sure your house doesn't stink.
Social stigma notwithstanding, there's some evidence to suggest that, especially for kids, eating boogers can help them to develop a stronger immune system. This may be gross, but picking your nose and eating what you find might actually be good for you.
Eww. Fresh underwear is important for not smelling disgusting. Quite aside from anything else, this part of your body produces and holds a lot of sweat. If you're not changing your underpants daily, maybe start now.
No matter how often you're washing your towels, you should probably do it more often. If you're showering every day, the Cleaning Institute recommends washing your towel twice a week, and letting it dry thoroughly before each use. A wet towel is one of the most enticing germ breeding grounds in your home.
Listerine was originally invented as a floor cleaner before it was solved as a solution for bad breath. There's no medical benefit to using mouthwash, and halitosis is an invented condition designed to trick you into buying oral health products you don't need. This does mean, though, that if you ever want to really give your floor a good clean, mouthwash is the perfect cleaning product.
Spray cleaners take around a minute to work, so it should be left on a surface for at least thirty seconds before you wipe it away. This also means that a spray bottle and a paper towel is more effective than a wet wipe.
Air conditioners come with removable grills that collect dust and dirt from the air. If this builds up too much, the conditioner will stop working effectively, and will spray dust into the air, potentially triggering allergies. Not having an air conditioner is best for those with allergies, but if you do have one, make sure you clean it regularly.
You should wash your hands for at least twenty seconds to get them clean. Focus on scrubbing underneath your nails, as that's where you'll be holding onto the most germs.
A bit of a trick question here: you should definitely cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, but you shouldn't use your hands. If you sneeze in your hands, you'll then have germs in your hands that you'll pass on to everything you touch. Instead, sneeze into your elbow.
Biting your nails is a fantastic way of getting all kinds of dirt and germs into your mouth. A better solution is to use clippers, but make sure you clean them regularly.
Fun fact: kids need germs. Studies have shown that growing up in a sterile environment increases the chance of a child developing asthma and eczema. Yes, you want your house to be clean, but it's okay to let a kid's room be a bit messy.
You spend a lot of time in bed, and fluctuations in temperature when you're asleep means you sweat an awful lot while you're there. You probably need to change your bedsheets more often than you realize.
So apparently there is some scientific evidence for the Five Second Rule. Bacteria don't arbitrarily wait to jump onto your food, but there's actually not much bacteria on the floor inside a building, as it's dry and unwelcoming. This is different if you're outside, of course, but indoors? Eating off the floor is relatively safe.
Flushing the toilet causes a lot of spray, and micro-particles of poop and pee can go flying around your bathroom. Make sure you close the lid of your toilet to flush, and don't keep your toothbrush too close to the toilet.
Shirts are worn close to your stinky, sweaty body, and as such, they need to be washed regularly. If you're wearing an undershirt you can get away with leaving it, but if a shirt has direct contact with your skin, it's absorbing a lot of sweat every time you wear it.
Here's the thing: most pants are made from different materials than shirts. While shirts need to be washed regularly, pants will often wear out quicker if washed regularly. Jeans in particular are made of thick denim which can handle being worn a few times, but shouldn't be washed too often.
Scarves touch your body and travel around in the big wide world, so they will eventually get dirty. Most scarves aren't designed to be washed too often, so washing them a handful of times a year will probably be fine. Just be gentle about it.
Phones pick up a lot of bacteria, out and about with you in the world, and being pressed against your face. Emily Toth Martin of the University of Michigan recommends disinfecting your phone at least once a day, possibly both morning and night— especially if you use your phone while eating.
There is no right frequency for washing your hair. Everyone's hair is different— some people feel like it needs to be washed daily, while others feel their hair gets dry if they wash it too often. Just wash your hair as often as you feel comfortable, however frequently that might be.