15 Unpopular Hygiene Practices That People Actually Swear By

Just because a particular hygiene practice is normalized doesn’t in any way mean that it’s actually the best way to take care of yourself. In fact, there are a surprising number of unpopular hygiene practices that aren’t exactly normal, but end up being wildly effective. For instance, you might not think that something like baking soda could make for being a highly effective deodorant.

Yet, you’d be sorely mistaken. Some folks have stopped buying those heftily priced store-bought deodorants altogether. Also, if you’re not taking the time to dish out a thorough cleaning to your belly button then you’re doing it wrong. The odor of an unwashed belly button is not to be underestimated. It turns out that it can be downright nasty.

1. Invest in quality socks

Seriously though. What might seem like a bit of a hit to the bank account up front is actually a long-term investment in your feet not unleashing terrible odors on down the road. If you’re wearing low-quality, all-polyester socks, try out a cotton-blend or wool-blend for your socks instead. You might note a huge difference.

2. Wash your pillowcases more often

If you are dealing with a stubborn case of facial acne in spite of keeping up with a dedicated skincare regimen, you can try out washing your pillowcases more often. Some folks swear that this helps.

3. Clean your belly button

Our belly buttons can end up with insane amounts of dead skin cells building up in them. You don’t want this. The odors that can result are nothing if not gross.

4. Floss before brushing

You can really smell it on someone’s breath when they’re not flossing. The amount of tartar and food that builds up between teeth that haven’t been flossed is surprising to say the least. So, try and keep up with a regimen where you floss before you go to brush your teeth at night. You’ll very likely notice the difference right away.

5. Dry shampoo

If you’re feeling too lazy to give your hair a solid wet-washing, you can try out dry shampoo. Dry shampoo pretty much provides all of the same benefits, but you don’t have to exert the extra energy to dry your hair out and whatnot.

6. Apply almond oil to your cuticles

Apparently, some folks out there have made it their ritual to apply almond oil to their cuticles each night before bed. The rumor around town is that this can help make for both strong and healthy nails, which serves to provide its own confidence boost.

7. Use a bidet instead of toilet paper

The amount of people that are out there assuming that toilet paper is enough to get it done is apparently surprising. Plenty of folks would have you know that it’s actually much more effective and economically efficient to use a bidet instead of just toilet paper alone. You might’ve already seen a fancy toilet while out in public.

8. Unscented soaps across the board

It turns out that something as simple as using unscented soap, laundry soap, face soap, and body soap is potentially crazily beneficial for your skin. Plus, when you use unscented soaps they won’t then end up making some bizarre smell due to combining with any other perfumes/colognes that you’re using.

9. Scrub your feet clean before bed

It’s dangerously easy to forget altogether that our feet can end up absorbing all kinds of nasty germs and dirt simply from walking around. Do yourself a favor and devote a bit of time, regularly, to clean your feet off.

10. Wash your shoes in the washer every month

The cost of living across the board seems to be on a stubborn rise. Buying new shoes all the time is an easy way to burn through hard-earned cash. Instead, you could just try and wash your shoes in the washer every month. Then, you simply air dry the shoes. You might be pleasantly surprised at how nice your shoes end up looking.

11. Use antiseptic mouthwash to sterilize your toothbrush

Our toothbrushes can get nightmarishly dirty very quickly. We’re not talking about the kind of dirty that you might note at surface level. No, it’s those germs that are hidden to the naked eye that need to be attended to. Apparently antiseptic mouthwash can be very effective and this is why it’s one of our leading unpopular hygiene practices.

12. Vinegar rinse for your hair for an unpopular hygiene practice

Wow. It’s not every day that you overhear someone going on about how effective a vinegar rinse is for their hair, but here we are. At the very least, it could be worth experimenting with. It certainly seems like a cheaper way to strive for shiny and clean hair.

13. Eating foods with garlic

Okay, while eating garlic all the time is a surefire way to end up with some bad smelling breath that will need extra attention, it also might end up giving you a little boost in energy and overall vitality. Whether or not that’s purely placebo though, you’ll have to be the judge of.

14. Cold showers

You’ve probably crossed paths with one health nut or another who swears by the powers of proper and frequent cold showers. There are all kinds of reviews from people that have incorporated cold showers as part of their daily regimens that swear that they do things like boost focus and heighten one’s sense of well being.

15. Baking soda as deodorant

Oh, wow. We didn’t foresee baking soda being a stand-in as a highly effective deodorant, yet here we are. It’s really just a matter of whether or not you’re ultimately comfortable with discarding the more fragrance intensive deodorants for baking soda.