Personal hygiene is the practice of caring for one’s body. This practice includes bathing, washing one’s hands, brushing one’s teeth, and more.
Personal hygiene practices can help you and the people around you prevent illnesses by reducing the number of germs present on your body. They can also help you feel good about your appearance.
Learn more about why hygiene is important, the best practices, and how to change your habits (or your kids’ habits) to make yourself feel and look better.
Personal hygiene can mean different things to different people. Practices may
- upbringing
- comfort level
- cultural practices
- religious beliefs
- access to things like personal hygiene products and clean water
- physical and mental health conditions, which may require additional precautions and hygiene practices, or make certain practices difficult without assistance
These main categories are a helpful place to start for building good hygiene habits:
Handwashing hygiene
Germs on your hands can easily enter your body through your mouth, nose, eyes, or ears.
To wash your hands, scrub them with soap for
If you don’t have running water or soap, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will also work. Use one that’s at least
Washing your hands frequently can help prevent or reduce the spread of infection.
Times to prioritize handwashing include:
- after using the toilet
- after changing a baby’s diaper or helping someone clean themselves
- before and after caring for someone who is sick
- before and after touching your genitals
- before and after touching a cut or wound
- before handling or preparing food
- after touching raw food ingredients, such as meat, poultry, and eggs
- before eating
- after handling garbage
- after sneezing or coughing into them, or blowing your nose
- after touching an animal, animal food, or animal waste
- after returning home from a public place
- after being outside, such as doing yard work or gardening
Be sure to wash your hands after helping someone else use the restroom. You may also choose to wear protective gloves, but it’s still best practice to wash your hands after removing the gloves.
Similarly, be sure to wash your hands before and after emptying, cleaning, or replacing medical devices like catheters, urostomy bags, or ostomy bags.
Shower hygiene
Personal preference may dictate how often you wish to shower, but most people may benefit from a rinse at least every other day, especially in warm weather. Showering with soap or body wash helps rinse away dead skin cells, bacteria, and oils.
You should also wash your hair regularly, though you do not usually have to do it daily. Shampooing your hair and scalp helps remove skin buildup and protects against oily residues irritating your skin.
If you prefer, you can wear a shower cap while in the shower to wash your body without having to wash your hair.
If you do not shower daily, it’s important to wash your face either daily or twice daily. If you wear makeup, be sure to remove it and wash your face before bed. This can help prevent pores from clogging.
Nail hygiene
Trim your nails regularly to keep them short and clean. Brush under them with a nail brush or washcloth to rinse away buildup, dirt, and germs.
Tidying your nails helps you prevent spreading germs into your mouth and other body openings. If possible, you should also avoid biting your nails because it can introduce germs into your mouth.
Teeth hygiene
Good dental hygiene is about more than just pearly white teeth. Caring for your teeth and gums can also prevent gum disease and cavities.
The American Dental Association recommends brushing at least twice a day for 2 minutes. Aim to brush after you wake up and before bed. If you can, brush after every meal, too, or rinse your mouth out with water.
The Association also recommends flossing between your teeth daily. This helps promote oral health and may also have other health benefits, including
These two steps can help prevent tooth decay and eliminate pockets where bacteria and germs can build up.
Hygiene while sick or caring for someone else who is sick
Some personal hygiene steps can keep germs from spreading to others if you’re not feeling well.
Steps can include:
- covering your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing (using the crook of your elbow to sneeze or cough can help prevent germs from getting on your hands)
- washing your hands after covering your sneezes or coughs, and after blowing your nose
- wiping down shared surfaces with an antibacterial cleaner
- not sharing any utensils, electronics, or personal care items
- throwing away any soiled tissues
If you have to be near others, wearing a mask may help prevent transmission of an illness.
If someone is sick, you may also need to follow certain cleaning practices to help prevent the illness from spreading, depending on the specific illness. These steps may include:
- laundering soiled bed linens in the warmest water the fabric can handle
- sanitizing high-touch surfaces like doorknobs and light switches
- sanitizing toilets and bathroom surfaces
Personal hygiene can help kids stay healthy, reduce illnesses, and build self-awareness.
It’s never too early to start teaching hygiene practices.
You can wipe down a child’s hands after changing their diapers or before they eat, brush their teeth and gums before bed, and get them into a daily bath routine.
This helps you begin the process and slowly teaches them as they grow and take over the process.
Here’s a list of hygiene activities, how you can introduce them, and when is a good time to start:
Brushing teeth
You can begin brushing a baby’s teeth and gums when the first tooth pops up. They can brush their own teeth by about 3 years old. However, you may have to stay with them to guarantee they’re doing a good job and brushing long enough.
Play a 2-minute song when it’s time to brush teeth. That will let your little one know how long they have to brush, and they’ll get used to the process. Likewise, you may have to continue flossing for them until they’re older and can handle that task better, around age 7.
Bathing
You’ll be giving your baby baths regularly, but by about age 5, they should be able to handle this task independently. As they’re growing and you’re supervising bath time, you should take the opportunity to teach about washing all the different body parts, especially:
- armpits
- groins
- neck
- belly
- knees
- elbows
- back
- feet
You can also use this time to teach them how to wash their hair without getting suds in their eyes, and what to do if they do.
Handwashing
Wipe your baby’s hands with a warm washcloth before mealtime, after eating, and after changing a diaper. During potty training, make washing hands an integral step in the process.
You can teach your child to sing the ABC song while they wash. It’s about
Make it a priority to ask your child to wash their hands any time you’d like to encourage good hygiene, like before meals, after playing outside, after petting an animal, or after being near a sick friend.
Nail hygiene
You’ll clip your child’s nails when they’re a baby, but as they grow older, you can help them care for their own nails. Encourage your children to wash under their nails at each shower.
Then, sit down with them weekly after a shower for a trim. Nails are softer and clip more easily after a shower.
By age 7, many children should be up for the task alone.
Good personal hygiene habits are directly related to fewer illnesses and better health. Not keeping up with personal hygiene habits can lead to minor side effects, like body odor and greasy skin. They can also lead to more serious issues like infections.
For example, if you don’t wash your hands frequently, you can easily transfer germs and bacteria to your mouth or eyes. This can lead to many issues, from stomach viruses to pink eye.
Not brushing your teeth can lead to teeth issues and plaque buildup. Inadequate dental care is also a risk factor for several serious health issues, including heart disease.
Your hygiene habits can also affect your self-esteem. Looking and feeling presentable can give you confidence and a sense of pride in your appearance.
Other conditions may be prevented or the risk of spread minimized by practicing good personal hygiene, such as:
- viral infections, like the flu, the common cold, and viral pink eye
- some causes of diarrhea and vomiting, like norovirus and some bacterial infections
- fungal infections, like athlete’s foot and ringworm
- pinworms
- hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD)
- hot tub rash, which can be less severe if you bathe to remove the irritating chemicals
- seasonal allergies, as allergens may cling to your hair or skin
If you want to improve your personal hygiene or help a child develop better habits, these strategies might be helpful:
Set reminders
If you can’t remember to shower, wash your hair, clip your nails, or brush your teeth, you can set a reminder on your phone or make a self-care checklist. The cue will push you to the activity; you’ll begin doing it yourself over time.
Use signs
If needed, you can hang a reminder in the bathroom to wash your hands after using the toilet. It is common practice in restaurants to remind staff members to wash their hands.
You can put a little sign by the plates or bowls in the kitchen to remind yourself or others to wash your hands before eating. Signs with a visual can help young children who cannot yet read.
These signs can help jog your memory and improve your habits, helping both you and your children.
How to help habits stick
It takes time to learn a new habit.
One trick to sticking with a new habit is to start with one at the beginning of the week and make it your priority. Then, practice it for a week or two. You can add a new one when you feel comfortable with it and it feels automatic. Over time, you’ll establish the habits you wish to have.
Building good personal hygiene habits takes a lifetime of learning and honing. Caring for yourself in these ways is good for your physical and mental health. Talk with your doctor or dentist if you find it difficult to adapt to these practices. They may have other tips.
Sometimes, explanations and demonstrations are a good jump-start for taking better care of yourself. This is especially true for kids. A doctor can better explain the consequences of not caring for yourself, and a parent can use them as backup for building habits that will last a lifetime.