The Bible says “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Now, you may or may not believe in the Bible, but you can’t deny the importance of proper sanitation.
Your hygiene matters a lot. It not just keeps you presentable, but also keeps you healthy and makes you feel good about yourself.
Marinating proper personal hygiene does not have to be expensive and difficult. Here are 10 hacks that will help you maintain your cleanliness.
1. Wash your hair thrice a week
Washing your hair with good shampoo and conditioner is absolutely necessary. It helps you get rid of dandruff and dirt in your hair. But be careful not to wash your hair daily!
Your body produces some of the best oils and nutrients that are necessary for having strong, long hair, and taking regular breaks between washing your head helps to restore them. Treat your hair to some oil. It is necessary to keep your hair hydrated.
2. Use coconut oil for your hair
If you have serious dandruff problems, you may be well off using coconut oil. Coconut oil helps to control secretion of oil from your scalp and thereby reduces dandruff. Simply massage your hair with coconut oil for an hour or two before you wash your hair.
There may be plenty of anti-dandruff shampoos in the market, but the chemical irritants in those can make your problem worse. Add to that the irritation and itching they cause to your scalp and they are no longer such a good idea.
Thanks to the moisturizing properties of coconut oil, it also reduces itching and flaking of scalp as well as gives your hair a shiny, smooth look. Men could also try hair pomade, which helps them style their hair as they desire with ease.
3. Clean your teeth
You definitely want to be able to give a confident radiant smile to people you meet, and that is not possible without having clean, white, healthy teeth. While brushing your teeth twice daily is a must for having healthy teeth and gums, it is not enough. Flossing should be a part of your daily dental hygiene routine. It freshens your breath, cleans your gums and can prevent tooth decay.
You do not need to spend a lot of money to get your teeth whitened professionally. Brushing your teeth with a paste made up of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can work magic. In addition, rinse your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide every week to get rid of germs.
4. Get rid of ear wax
Your body produces as a protective measure against bacteria, bugs and dirt. But avoid cleaning them regularly–you will produce so much of it that it becomes a real pain. Apart from affecting you hearing due to clogging of your ear, too much ear wax can actually cause ear infection.
Cotton swabs are one of the most widely used ear cleaning options–but be careful NOT to put them directly in your ear canal. Hydrogen Peroxide helps to soften and loosen ear wax, so that it can be easily removed from the folds of your ear.
5. Get rid of bad breath
I am sure I do not need to stress the demerits of having a bad breath. Few things are a greater turn off than the stink that your mouth exhales. So it is no wonder getting rid of it must be high in your priority list.
Scrubbing your tongue can be an effective way to reduce smelly breath. After brushing your teeth, make a habit of cleaning your tongue as well. You can get a tongue scraper or use the back-face of your brush to get rid of the waste and germs in your tongue.
Another way of ensuring fresh breath is to gargle with baking soda or hydrogen peroxide. Mouthwash made of these compounds can also help you whiten your teeth.
6. Keep your body cool
Hot summer days bring, with them, all sorts of problems for your body- from excessive sweating to rashes, itchy red skin, smelly body and what not. It is therefore essential to keep your body cool.
You can start by eating proper food. Fruits rich in water such as water melons, grapes, cucumbers, coconuts, strawberries among others keep your body cool and hydrated during hot summer days. In addition drink a lot of water preferably with fresh fruits and herbs. These provide you with necessary vitamins and minerals to fight the heat.
You should definitely get an air conditioner if you can afford it. They help maintain the right temperature inside your house even when temperature goes soaring outside.
7. Use natural deodorants
A daily shower is necessary but is usually not enough to prevent you from reeking for a whole day. In order to fight the sour odor, your body decimates especially from your armpits, deodorants are a must.
Choose those deodorants that are free of aluminum (which are usually associated with breast cancer). Better make your own deodorants. There are many DIY guides on making homemade deodorants using coconut oils and arrowroots.
You can even replace deodorants with coconut oil. The natural antibacterial and antifungal properties of coconut oil kill fungi, yeast and bacteria. You can simply rub a little coconut oil in the armpits and feel better.
8. Shower the Bond way
There is no better way to get rid of all accumulated dirt and stink in your body than taking a good old shower. But you can make the whole experience more fulfilling by employing the much famed James Bond shower.
For a James Bond shower, start showering with warm water, but before you get out, turn the water cold for a few minutes. The benefits of a cold shower are many. It makes your hair smoother and your skin looks healthy and hydrated. In addition, it makes you feel invigorated and energized immediately.
9. Take care of your skin
Smooth, clean and healthy skin is an essential element of a hygienic body. Proper skin care is necessary to keep it healthy and glowing for years to come.
Protecting your skin from sun is one of the most important steps in your skin care routine. Excessive sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and sun burns that take the charm out of your skin. Apply sun screen whenever you walk out in the sun, especially when you are out in a beach.
You need to keep your skin hydrated. Use moisturizing creams and lotions after showers to prevent it from dryness. In addition, replace strong soaps that strip your skin of oil with mild cleansers.
10. Clean your feet
There are many reasons to clean your feet. That they smell -really, really bad- is unarguably on top of the list. The sweat produced by your feet when trapped in your socks and shoes cannot evaporate resulting in a disgusting stink.
The solution to your smelly feet is quite simple and inexpensive: wash your feet properly. Get a wash cloth and scrub your toes and base properly. Further, soak your feet in a baking soda and lemon mixture.
Alternatively you can use Epsom salts or vinegar to prepare a mixture to soak your feet in. Using clean socks and shoes is also equally important to prevent foul odor reeking from your feet.
Featured photo credit: Pixabay via pixabay.com
