Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hygiene

Public hygiene help for Istanbul Gezi Park

procrastinator — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 06:44:09 -0800

How to sustain public hygiene and battle possible health hazards, possibly with strong chemicals, without poisoning the soil or thousands of people? I'm sure many of you have heard about the huge protests over here in Istanbul. It's still going on, and I'm among the many thousands living and working inside the Gezi Park, the center of the events. Obviously, with so many people visiting and living inside a relatively small area, we are starting to have growing public hygiene problems. The most immediately problematic areas are, understandably, the public restrooms—some brick-and-mortar, some portable... and it stinks. It would be straightforward to just take brooms, brushes and whatnot to wash everything away with some chemicals but this is a park, so we'd love to have advice on how to deal with a situtation like this without poisoning the soil and killing the greenery so many people fought to save.

What kind of—preferably cheap or DIY—machinery can we use with what kind of cleaning materials? Something like this, perhaps?

What should we look out for? What are we most probably are not aware of and will come to regret later? What are some ways to organize people and materials in the most efficient and speedy manner for this? Any related advice or how-to is welcome, really.

Thanks!

I don't really want dreadlocks.

Scientist — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:07:53 -0800

This feels like a silly question, but what do I do about my long, curly, tangle-prone hair when I'm out in the woods for a very long time doing fieldwork? I'm leaving soon on a three-month field expedition to central Africa, where I will be spending long periods of time in the rainforest conducting biological field research (yay!). I've got a pretty decent amount of general hiking and camping experience, but this will be my first significant field expedition and will definitely be the longest time that I've spent out in the bush without having access to modern bathing facilities. I'm mostly OK with that, except for one minor thing: my hair.

I have long, very curly hair that is very tangle prone. (Think Shepherd Book for a reasonable approximation.) I normally keep it tied back during the day which helps, but it's still a significant process to get it detangled in the shower in the morning, which involves lubricating the hair with copious amounts of conditioner (I go through a large bottle of conditioner in about a week and a half) and maybe ten minutes of manual detangling. Over several years of experimentation, this has been my most successful strategy for keeping my hair from getting knotted up without ripping it out or cutting it off.

If I get lax about my detangling regime, things go south very quickly. My hair very easily becomes knotted and matted, and the last time this happened (several years ago) I ended up having to get most of it cut off. I'd like to avoid this in Africa if possible, though of course if things get bad while I'm in the field I can indeed just hack it off short. What I would like though is for some strategy to help keep it from getting all tangled up that doesn't involve lugging dozens of giant bottles of conditioner around with me in my backpack (obviously not a real option).

Does anybody know of some kind of super hair lubricant that packs down very small such that I could feasibly take some with me, or have a great strategy for preventing tangles or for removing them once they begin to crop up? If so, I would be eternally grateful. I've been growing this mane for years now and I'd really like to avoid having to sacrifice it to the god of fieldwork. I feel a little silly asking about this sort of thing, but if anyone has any bright ideas then I'd love to hear about them.

Sweat -- do I have to wash it off (besides for smell purposes)?

defmute — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 01:48:28 -0800

I've been looking for info on showering/bathing in relation to sweating and whether it's sanitary or not. I can only seem to find articles that basically say "yeah, you need to shower cause you'll smell" but can't find anything that confirms whether or not it's actually sanitary or not e.g. infections. What do ya'll think/know? PS - I understand that many of you posting will most likely not be doctors.

One beard enkemptening, please.

griphus — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:26:50 -0800

I have a rather unkempt winter beard and I'd like to shape it into an actual (but still thick, long and luxurious) beard. Every time I try to do it myself, I fuck it up. I love my barber, but there's a bit of a language barrier and ever since this little mishap , I'm not yet willing to put my beard back in his hands. So I need some YouTube videos or sites or books or salon manuals or something that will allow me to work on my beard without reinventing the wheel. I don't want one of those moustache-zeitgeisty "How To Be A Man's Man The Manly-Man Way" books that are just a bunch of public domain photos of bare-knuckle boxers and some trimming guides you can get on the back of a box of razors. I want to learn the technique, the moves, all this stuff. I want to go from Tom Hanks ca. Cast Away to Brian Wilson.

I own a good precision trimmer and a shitty but workable beard trimmer. I shampoo and condition it when I shower. I occasionally put a bit of pomade in it, but the longer it gets, the less necessary that is.

Is there any hope for smooth skin, post-depilation?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:40:57 -0800

Brazilian wax has revealed unattractive skin issues. Is there anything that can be done to solve it? I had my first-ever Brazilian wax a couple weeks ago. I am extremely pleased with the results, and intend to stay bare for the foreseeable future. The only problem is that with the removal of the hair, I discovered that the skin of my mons pubis resembles, well, turkey skin. Lots of distinct nodules where the hairs grow out. These are not ingrown hairs, as they are not red or inflamed in appearance, and uniformly distributed. A darker version of uncooked turkey skin really is the closest thing I can think of in terms of describing what I'm seeing. Which is gross. I suspect this might be genetic and therefore unsolvable, but is there anything that can be done to reduce these bumps, or make them go away entirely?

Pantene or Ponds?

asockpuppet — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 07:53:44 -0800

Beardsmen, do you wash your beard with shampoo or facial wash?

Keeping a beard respectable

glasseyes — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:58:21 -0800

My friend is growing a beautiful bushy beard and moustache. After several months it's wonderfully luxuriant. But, it's got to the stage where he can't eat without spillage. As for soup, forget about it - he can hardly have a mouthful before he has to wield a napkin and wipe spoonfuls away. My friend is very elegant and finds this sloppiness excruciating, especially in public. How on earth did the Victorians manage? They had full beards, impressive whiskers, and seven-course dinners including soup and custard and blancmange and partridges and champagne. Did their valets come and give them a wipe and comb through after every meal? Is there some overlooked use of the finger bowl we're no longer very aware of?

Have put this in the clothing beauty and fashion category rather than food and drink, because it's such a beautiful beard.

Have I ruined my turkey?

jeatsy — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 04:51:23 -0800

Have I ruined my 7 lb turkey by leaving it uncovered at room temperature for 12 hours? I'll keep this quick: We left a 7 lb turkey in the fridge to defrost for four days (96 hours) and then left it for 12 hours overnight, uncovered, in the kitchen at room temperature (about 65F). Only now does clevercloggs me read online that maybe this was (considerably) too long to leave it in the open. Is it still safe to cook? Will extra time in the oven help?

Learn to floss

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 07:15:24 -0800

How do I *start* flossing? It's really painful... and apparently "not flossing" is my way of rebelling against society. I would like to start flossing, but every time I try, it's really painful. First the floss gets stuck between the tops of two teeth, then when I push down hard enough to get it through, it feels like it slices the gum open. Every time. How do I get past this? Is there a better way to apply less pressure? If not, how long would it take to just get used to it?

I also seem to have some issues of rebellion tied up in flossing (and brushing too, for that matter). A lot of the reason I don't want to do it, besides the pain, is that "people say it's good for you" - and I don't want to just blindly do what people say. A big part of my identity is thinking and acting independently. I've never had a problem with my breath smelling, so there's little social incentive there. But it literally feels like I'm going against my identity when I do try to floss.

But apparently if I want to have teeth when I'm older (I'm 28 now), I should get over the pain and identity/rebellion issues, and start. So, how?

Shaving causes skin irritation

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:04:46 -0800

How to avoid skin irritation from shaving? Best creme for women? Every time I've shaved my pubic area for the last few years, I've ended up with a terrible rash. Little red itchy bumps everywhere. I've tried different razors, cremes, gels, etc. and nothing has helped. It seems like it's gotten much worse as I used to be able to use anything. Does skin get more sensitive with age? I'm in my early 30's if it matters. I've tried the Bikini Zone and Coochy Creme stuff with no luck. Help me wear a bathing suit, please! Not really up to the cost commitment of waxing.

Phantom Smell?

sepsis — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 07:26:52 -0800

I apparently have a mildly unpleasant odor that permeates everything I own, and only one person can smell it. How can I find out what's causing it? Because it's kind of an embarrassing subject, my friend took 2 years to mention that I almost always have a odor (that isn't B.O.) and that it seeps in to my clothes, so that she can smell it on my clothes/pillow/anything cloth that I own. I've asked other friends and none of them are able to smell anything.

The one friend who can smell this notices that it gets stronger if I skip a shower. She can even faintly smell it right after I get out of the shower. I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea what it could be, or how I can find out what could be causing this. Any help at all is appreciated.

How unhygenic is constant handwashing of laundry?

Anonymous — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:10:34 -0800

For various reasons, it's significantly more convenient for me to handwash my dirty clothes/linens with detergent in the bathtub, and dry them on a rack in the living room. It's so convenient, in fact, that I'll bother to do my laundry, rather than wear rarely machine-washed and dirty clothes most of the time. This solution doesn't seem terribly unhygenic to me, though it does seem like something my mom would frown upon (hence the anonymity). Am I missing something? How gross is it, exactly? And how can I make it less gross? It's not like I want to brag about it to people, I just don't want to catch a fungus or something.

Disinfecting My Feet After a Spa Pedicure

iLoveTheRain — Sat, 19 May 2012 13:53:15 -0800

Currently in the process of getting a mani/pedi at a salon my friends have been to, but I haven't. Question about hygiene. I am really a newbie when it comes to having my nails done and I don't know a lot about the different tools. I am pretty sure the nice lady doing my toes right now cut my cuticles, and while I THINK that she disinfected her tools before starting with me, I am not
100% positive.

What can I do once I get home that could mitigate any potential infections? Would dousing my feet in rubbing alcohol be sufficient? None of my friends have ever mentioned having problems with this location but I am paranoid about my health so I just want to make sure I make the best of an ambiguous situation. The last spa I went to seemed hyper clean and great but they burned me badly during a deluxe massage so my sense of what makes for a good spa is sort of off.

Thanks!

E pluribus -- wait, how do you say 'soap' in Latin again?

jason's_planet — Sun, 13 May 2012 10:22:10 -0800

What's the best way to combine small shards of soap, the pale remnants of larger bars, into one usable bar? The process should not:

*stink up my apartment

*be ridiculously expensive

*ruin a piece of cookware

*involve significant fire risks

*imbue the finished product with a girly odor. The soap in question is the Irish Spring brand; that's what I prefer and the finished product should reflect its basic qualities.

Happy Mothers' Day! Thanks for your help.

Music to make brush to your mouth by

drzz — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:51:27 -0800

At the dentist today I was reminded again that I brush my teeth too hard and too briefly. The solution, obviously, is a theme song. Know of any songs about two minutes in length that will inspire gentle circular motions? Bonus question: Should there be a different theme song for morning and night? Thanks.

I want to smell better

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:08:36 -0800

I have extremely poor hygiene. I smell bad, and I want to change. Draw a line. Think of normal people in the middle. On the far right, put extremely and cartoonishly OCD people: say, the Glee character Emma Pillsbury. I am on the far left, but I want to be in the middle.

[I am aware that actual OCD is little like the popular perception of it. Ignore this, for argument's sake.]

------------

It has recently come to my attention that I rather frequently smell bad. Actually this has come to my attention in the past. Evidence of my smelliness:

1) Kids sometimes have looser filters than adults. A few months ago, when I was working as a tutor for some kids, one eleven-year-old refused to sit next to me, asking if I had showered. I tried to make a point of showering before meeting with the kids afterwards (but this was in the afternoon, and I was working all morning elsewhere so couldn't shower), and this issue was hinted at briefly a few times afterwards.

2) Recently I had a falling out with a particular person. In the midst of this falling out, this person mentioned that multiple times in the past (three, four, five times in the past ~nine months?) he had had to cover for me with other people regarding my smell. (Saying, "oh, this part of the bar always smells bad," or "he's been lifting things all day," etc.)

3) Yesterday, at work, the person at the desk next to me said she smelled something funny. It was disturbing her to the extent that she had to spray some freshener. In particular, she said that it smelled like "burnt hair," though I have no idea what that smells like. However, I actually could smell myself at that time. I was wearing dirty underwear, with suit pants that are worn frequently without washing (because you're not supposed to dry-clean suits often, and not supposed to wash the pants in the washing machine, perhaps? Though I'm not sure on this last point), and the suit pants are rather tightly cut -- and there was a, shall we say, wetness from sweat. Maybe the sweat of my crotch didn't cause the "burnt hair" smell, but I could smell it, and one generally can't smell oneself (right?).

4) A couple weeks ago, at work, a co-worker commented multiple times (on different days) about all the dandruff on my jacket, even as I myself was brushing it off whenever I could. As I had used up my shampoo, I resisted in my mind buying more for a *very* long time, and this clearly came to a head (so to speak). When I finally just went ahead and bought some anti-dandruff shampoo, this went away in a few days.

-----------

It is no secret what's causing this: bad hygiene. It's possible (actually, I think likely) that I sweat more than other people, but I'm sure it's not so much so that it's anything more than a contributing factor. Evidence of my terrible hygiene:

1) I don't shower every day. I have to leave early for work, and don't generally set my alarm for more than 30 minutes before I leave (probably because I need the sleep -- really, maybe I should be asleep right now), and don't always shower. I'd say I shower about 3 times a week. Probably put on roll-on deodorant the same amount.

2) I frequently wear dirty clothes, including underwear. On some level, I think "it doesn't LOOK dirty, so I can keep wearing it." Part of it may be that I simply don't HAVE that many clothes, because I am always low on cash. In addition, I never want to spend the $2.50 to wash and dry clothes. But really, when push comes to shove, I could afford this if I forced myself to afford it. Instead, I'm just far too lazy to do anything about it.

---------

This lack of hygiene isn't just with showering and clothes. I also probably only brush my teeth about 3-4 times a week, and floss maybe once. My back has terrible acne, I think probably because I don't shower enough, don't wash my back well enough when I do shower, and don't wash the sheets often enough. (I think I've washed them about 3 times in nine months.) My car smells weird, though I never leave food in it, and I don't know what causes it. (Someone said it smelled like cinnamon. I wonder if the odd smell was caused by the use of a variety of strange-odored rear-view-mirror trees. Or, maybe, I am personally stinking it up.)

Look, this is all terrible. I know. I need to change. I think this could be actively harming my personal relationships, could harm me at my current job (as it could have at my old tutoring job), and so on. My problem is laziness, to begin with, I know. I've had depression in the past, but I don't feel bad right now, and some of this (certainly, the teeth stuff) predates the depression.

I know I need to change. I know on some level, the answer for me is "Just do it." "Just change." "Shower twice every day and scrub HARD with soap and never EVER wear dirty clothes and wash your sheets every week, etc." "Start thinking of your basic expenses as not just food, rent, and transportation, but food, rent, transportation, and hygiene." But even as I know this -- I'm still here, with this problem.

Do you have any thoughts about my situation? How can I change? Have you ever been like this in the past, and if so, how did you change?

[Also, if you can comment here without making me feel humiliated, that would be great. I am mortified when this issue has come up, and I am mortified now.]

My (unwashed) hands are clean.

troll — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:39:16 -0800

I have become adept at urinating without touching anything. Do I still need to wash my hands? I use shod feet to manipulate the lid and handle of the toilet; I open the door with a be-shirted hand; and a hooked thumb parts my garments, which in turn support and direct my "equipment" (if that's too vague, I don't mind going into detail). In short, I don't touch anything in the bathroom--including myself--so is it still hygienically necessary that I wash my hands? I'm leaning towards no, but certain friends are emphatically pushing yes.

By the way, I wash my hands before I eat and after I defecate (I'll let you know if I find a way to do that hands-free). I hope it's clear that I'm male.

Billiard-ball smooth

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:24:29 -0800

Keeping the undergrowth in check - male edition. After years of letting everything down there grow wild and free, my ex requested that I keep it all in trim. Guess what? I kinda liked it. However, it's considerably trickier than I expected, because a wrinkly, stretchy surface doesn't really lend itself to being easily shaven.

I have this because it was cheap, but spheroids have a large surface area, and this thing has a very small trimming attachment. So ladies and gents, what would work better? I'm not angling for billiard-ball smooth, but if I have the option of getting there, that would be great.

Also, butt hair. What the hell is the point of that stuff and how do you deal with it effectively without learning yoga?

What misconception do I have about health and hygiene?

griphus — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:36:15 -0800

What did your parents tell you about health that turned out to be utterly wrong? My family is from Russia and, even considering that my paternal grandfather was a physician and my maternal grandmother is a dentist, have imbued me with a lot of misconceptions about health. Up until my girlfriend moved in and started giving me wide-eyed stares of disbelief regarding these things, I was under the impression that, for instance:

Being wet in anything but the warmest of temperatures could make you horribly ill. So, wet hair in the cold, or wet socks after water got in them, or not drying completely after taking a shower is something that made you sick.

Eating cold things while sick with a flu or cold makes it worse.

Mustard plasters open up your lungs if you have a cold.

Sitting on concrete outdoors does something terrible to your spine for some reasons I never quite understood.

Urinating on a burn disinfects it (I think this one actually has some credence to it.)

Now, I understand basic biology, virii, bacterial infections, and other things like that, but since I've been hearing this stuff regularly since a rather young age, I sort of end up accepting it like a reflex even if it makes no sense. I'm sure that a lot of people here, especially those not raised in America, grew up with similar misconceptions. So, what do I think about health and hygiene that is completely wrong?

Why are my gums sensitive once a month?

turtlefu — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:13:25 -0800

YANMD but about once a month a week before my period, my gums are sensitive. I have very good oral hygiene so this bothers me. Obviously it is likely to be hormonal but what can I do about it?

Not fakin' the funk in the five boroughs

jason's_planet — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:09:53 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good defensive cologne to use to ward off the nasty smells I encounter in the New York City subway system? It has to be cheap and come in a small package that I can throw in my bag to be used when necessary. Normally, I don't use cologne. I associate it with suburban gelheads and middle aged men who do not get out much and are trying too hard to be Sex-Ay. It's just not my thing, not part of my daily toilette.

Recent events have prompted a change of heart on this. I won't go into the gory details here but I will say this much: the NYC subways smell an awful lot worse than they did in the past. I have lived here nearly two decades and I can't remember the trains ever being this stanky. We could attribute this to many things -- cuts in the subway maintenance budget, depressed unemployed people who are neglecting basic hygiene, newly homeless people who aren't in a position to attend to basic hygiene. Whatever. In any event, I'd rather not endure another commute with the smell of someone else's unscrubbed unmentionables in my nostrils. Or on me, for that matter!

The solution I propose is to get myself a small bottle of cheap cologne to splash on my person when the funk hits the fan. It has to be cheap -- but not smell cheap -- and be available in a small package that I can carry in my bag. Nothing floral, fruity or citrus-y. Just a basic masculine scent that'll keep the stink away. The proposed budget is in the low double digits. Preferably under twenty. If it's good, up to thirty. It has to come in a small package, like one ounce or less.

As always, many thanks in advance.

Acne acne, go away

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:19:01 -0800

I have mild to moderate acne. My dermatologist is trying to push me towards Accutane, are there any other treatments out there? 20 year old male here. I have mild acne on my face and moderate acne on my back. I have tried a few prescription medication as prescribed by my dermatologist but they haven't really done the job.

My dermatologist will constantly suggest I consider Accutane but this is not something I want to use.

I feel like there is a whole world of skin care products/methods that I am not using. I will splash my face with water in the morning and shower at night, in addition to using a topical prescription cream as needed. What else can I do? What else should I be doing?

Next appointment with my doctor is in exactly one week, I would like to have some things to discuss with him. Maybe my acne is from my diet? Or I need to try a different prescription medication? Or maybe some other behavior?

That doesn't really happen, does it?

yawper — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:23:12 -0800

2 part question about morning breath: 1 - are there any movies in which the characters address this issue, rather than pretend it doesn't exist? 2 - Do you kiss with morning breath? It always bothers me when movie characters wake up and have full-on makeout sessions without regard to their breath. Because let's be honest, morning breath stinks. I realize it's a movie and addressing life's ugly little details would make it boring, but I'm curious - are there ANY movies that address this in a realistic way? I imagine there's a comedy or two out there that would touch on it.

And this got me thinking...maybe it actually happens in real life? Are my partner and I the only ones who avoid kissing on the mouth in the morning? If so, how does it work? I have never actually done it so...does your mutual bad breath make it tolerable? Enlighten me, metafilter!

How to clean a water bottle with a black cap?

circular — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:49:07 -0800

I have a water squeeze-bottle on my bike. It has a black cap/drinking-assembly and I'm concerned that it might get really gross under there without me ever knowing about it. How should I clean it? Should I just get a different bottle?

Not having an immune system is frightening.

fancyoats — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:17:35 -0800

Household tips for the immunocompromised? My husband was recently diagnosed with Stage III Anaplastic Large T-Cell Lymphoma. It is one of the fast-growing, aggressive types of Lymphoma, which responds very well to chemotherapy, and since he is young and otherwise healthy, his oncologists have given him a very good prognosis.

He is currently receiving a chemotherapy regimen called CHOP every three weeks. The doctors have warned him that the second week of the cycle (days 7-14) are when his white blood cell counts will be lowest, and he should consider himself immunocompromised during that week. Today is the start of that second week, and I am freaking out a little.

We have two young children and I am worried about when our oldest starts preschool in September, being that schools are basically huge germ factories. I have never been all that germophobic (I have no problem eating the cookie that drops on the kitchen floor, etc.) so this is new territory for me. I know that frequent handwashing is important, and I am planning on buying a bunch of things of Purell or other alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and keeping one in each car and one in my purse and several in other key places around the house. I was thinking of getting maybe some of those Clorox wipes or something like that too. Does this seem like a good idea?

I know we should clean places like our computer keyboard, our phones, our doorknobs. But how? Spritzing with rubbing alcohol? Wiping with bleach? Is that bad for the keyboard to have bleach on it? Any other germy hotspots I should know about?

The bathroom will be cleaned as often as I can manage. Any advice or tips/techniques to keep things as sanitary as possible?

I know we also need to be careful with food safety, but I am not sure whether I need to change anything about my habits. I know not to use the same knife/cutting board for meat and vegetables. Do the rules about Listeria that apply to pregnant women (i.e., no soft cheese and no deli meats, etc.) also apply to this situation? How about leftovers, are they ok? To what extent? We wipe down our counters daily, but should I be doing it more? What should I be using? Paper towels with bleach instead of our kitchen cloth with soap and water? We have plenty of dishcloths and we currently use at least 4 or 5 fresh cloths every day -- whenever there is a new mess, we get a clean cloth. They are washed in hot water with bleach. Are they clean enough?

Is there anywhere online I can find explicit guidelines about this stuff? I would appreciate any and all advice -- things I may have overlooked, etc.

And is there such a thing as too careful? I am thinking it would be easy to fall down the paranoid rabbit hole of "ZOMG there are germs EVERYWHERE!!!!" and I would like to be reasonable but also, you know, keep my husband from dying of a preventable infection.