Hygiene Hot Takes: Are Your Habits Actually Gross?

Cast your vote on the hygiene routines that define us—or divide us!

Are you a gold-standard sanitizer or a minimalist who thinks 'good enough' is a hygiene strategy? From the bacterial wasteland of your smartphone to the great bathwater debate, it’s time to see where you stand. We’ve rounded up five of the most divisive hygiene hot takes. How will your answers compare to the rest of the clean freak (or filth-loving) internet?

An illustration of a woman rinsing her hair in the shower.

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Questions Overview

1. Hot take: Taking a bath is just soaking in your own filth.
  1. Facts.
  2. Fiction.
2. Hot take: Washing your hair every day is totally unnecessary.
  1. Facts.
  2. Fiction.
3. Hot take: Flossing is more important than brushing your teeth.
  1. Facts.
  2. Fiction.
4. Hot take: Not changing your sheets and pillowcases every week is gross.
  1. Facts.
  2. Fiction.
5. Hot take: If you don't clean your phone regularly, then washing your hands is pointless.
  1. Facts.
  2. Fiction.

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Expert Hygiene Habits

We’ve compiled a list of essential habits backed by skincare experts, dermatologists, dentists, and cleaning specialists to help you separate internet myths from medical necessity. From skin health to daily maintenance, here is the expert-approved blueprint for a better routine.


Skincare Expert Lisset Tresvant says, "Good hygiene, to me, is tied to self-care. Make sure you’re taking daily showers—whether that’s once or twice a day. If you don’t shower in the morning, definitely do it in the evening. When you go to bed, you’re going to sweat and accumulate oils, and you don’t want that to end up in your sheets, which can harbor bacteria and potentially cause more issues—like breakouts."[1]

Tresvant explains, "Hygiene can be hard for some people, especially if they’re struggling with depression or mental health challenges. Sometimes you just don’t feel like showering. But cleanliness boosts your self-esteem and self-worth. When you feel and smell clean, it shows. People compliment you, and that lifts you up. So hygiene isn’t just about being clean—it’s about feeling good and showing up confidently in the world."[2]

Tresvant also shares these tips, "Proper body care starts with regular showering and exfoliating your body with a sugar or salt scrub twice a week. This helps with skin texture, especially for people dealing with conditions like strawberry skin or KP (keratosis pilaris)."[3]

Tresvant says, "For hair, depending on your needs, you may wash daily or weekly. But if you wash it in the shower, wash your body afterward to remove any shampoo or conditioner residue that may irritate your skin."[4]

Tresvant adds, "When drying off, air-drying is great, but if you use a towel, pat—don’t rub. Then, apply a hydrating lotion followed by a body oil to lock in moisture. There are even body oils, like the one from Neutrogena, that you can use in the shower so you come out already moisturized."[5]

Dermatologist Lydia Shedlofsky, DO, says, "Your face needs to be cleansed at least once daily with a gentle fragrance-free product."[6]

Board-Certified Dermatologist Paul Friedman, MD, recommends washing your face "Twice a day, especially at the end of the day to help remove the debris and the oil that accumulates on our skin throughout the day...especially removing makeup for women and anything that could potentially clog pores."[7]

Dr. Shedlofsky also reminds us that "Washing our hands is important to prevent the spread of contagious disease, however, too much hand washing may be irritating to the skin. A good tip is to utilize fragrance-free soaps and to use thick emollient creams to avoid dryness or roughness."[8]

Board Certified Dentist Pradeep Adatrow, DDS, MS, says "Brush your teeth twice daily, floss daily, and clean your tongue daily."[9]

Board Certified Dentist Alina Lane, DDS, adds, "When you are wearing braces, it is a good idea to brush after each meal, especially foods that have sugar!"[10]

Cleaning Specialist Raina Ragin says to wash your bedding, including sheets and pillowcases, weekly.[11]

Cleaning Specialist Elias Weston recommends using hot water to kill any mites that could be in your bedding.[12]

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References

  1. ↑ Lisset Tresvant. Skincare Expert. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Lisset Tresvant. Skincare Expert. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Lisset Tresvant. Skincare Expert. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ Lisset Tresvant. Skincare Expert. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ Lisset Tresvant. Skincare Expert. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ Lydia Shedlofsky, DO. Dermatologist. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ Paul Friedman, MD. Board Certified Dermatologist, American Board of Dermatology. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ Lydia Shedlofsky, DO. Dermatologist. Expert Interview
  9. ↑ Pradeep Adatrow, DDS, MS. Board Certified Dentist & Oral Surgeon. Expert Interview
  1. ↑ Alina Lane, DDS. Board Certified Dentist. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Raina Ragin. Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Elias Weston. Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview