Nowadays hygiene is foremost associated with washing and removing. But it may also mean keeping things separate. Such a separation between things is often taken for granted today. Or people don’t think about separation being needed in some contexts. Then it is mostly a matter of food hygiene. Other cases of separation people often take for granted.
Something people don’t think about is the need for own beds. People then don’t need to share a bed with someone who is ill. Today this may seem obvious. However, people in cool climates have historically often shared a bed too keep warm. The fires were extinguished at night to reduce the risk of unwanted fire. Which unfortunately lead to it becoming too cold indoors. To solve this the practice arose to share a bed with others. With efficient heating of homes this was not necessary anymore. That people got more floorspace per person contributed too. But not to the same high degree.
Another is the need to separate sewage from drinking water. Several potentially deadly illnesses spread through contaminated water. Above all this applies to cholera which is best prevented this way. With piped water and sewerage this disease becomes rare. It can also be prevented by boiling water or filtering it oneself. However, this requires more time which is often in shortage. Those expected to do it could have too high workload. Getting piped water and sewerage may then be an advantage to them.
Similar forms of upset stomach can be prevented through food hygiene. The most risky food is raw animal products. These are the most important to separate from all other food. Tools and what it is kept in/on have to be different sets before and after cooking. Or they have to bee carefully cleaned before these two uses. Heating works too. This is how I do with flippers which may rest against the skillet’s edge. But then one has to watch out so the tool is not destroyed.
It is also important to wipe up if one spills something else than water. What ends up on floors, carpets and furniture should if reachable be removed. The faster one does it the less job is required. Things out of fabric or fabric covers might not be possible to clean immediately. However, one then has to remove them so they are not used dirty. In contrast indoor dust is not harmful. I only consider such dust as an annoyance.
Something people often take for granted is brushing one’s teeth morning and evening. In the Western world this habit has spread surprisingly late. As late as in the middle of the 20th century there were loads of people literally never brushing their teeth. They had not been taught! So people got their teeth destroyed before reaching middle age. Our teeth are not adapted to a modern sugar-rich diet. Honey was the closest our ancestors came to heavily sweetened food and drink. This was laborious to get and could not be eaten every day. Moreover, they used blades of grass as we today use dental floss.
Som minimum measure or washing I think is healthy. But this is considerably less than many people believe. One does not have to wash clothes after only using them for a day. At least not by any less than they getting stains. I can use my clothes over parts of several days. However, I don’t get any infections from that. The historical problem was rather people not washing their clothes at all. In the same way it is not necessary to shower or bath every day. People doing this every other or just every third day don’t suffer more infections. Most important is it being done regularly so one knows it gets done.
The most important form of washing is washing one’s hands. To only use water and soap is more efficient than hand sanitizer. Alcohol only kills bacteria and is moreover dehydrating. Having soapy water on ones hands for at least two minutes in a row as I know destroy viruses. It does not kill bacteria but removes what they live on. Too much dirt on one’s hands favours harmful bacteria. When people touch nose and mouth they can get into their bodies. I wash my hands with soap after each time I use the toilet. People ought to do this after touching dirty thing too. This decreases the risk of infection substantially.
An earlier historical progress is the use of underpants. The point is them being situated between groin and other clothes. They may then be changed and washed more often than other clothing items which facilitates hygiene. Unfortunately, undies are now being sold which does not cover the groan. That they can still be sold must be due to superstition. Add the wearers having the habit of removing all their pubic hair. The thin skin of their genitals then scratches directly against their pants. Which additionally increases risk of infection.
Above all it is a myth that hair removal would be hygienic. If having pubic hair is a health hazard why do we normally develop it? In the light of evolution theory this does not make sense. Pubic hair and armpit hair must sensibly fill a function considering how little fur we have. The function of pubic hair is creating an air layer between groin and other things. Armpit hair spreads out sweat so it cools more efficiently. Without it the sweat is concentrated and causes more smell. Moreover, naturally hair-covered skin is thinner than in other places. To habitually remove hair without considering this is harmful. Of cause, one may remove hair if one wants to. However, people should not imagine that it would be good for health.
Finally, I want to point out that body smell can’t be entirely avoided. Body smell is not the result of filth but of our sweat’s own content. Naturally there can be too much sweat. This is why I shower regularly but only with water. Moreover, it is easiest for me to wash my hair in the shower. If I don’t wash my hair for more than four days the fifth day will be a bad hair day. Many believe they have to use soap on their entire bodies every day. Hence the widespread use of lotion on skin becoming dry. I only use hand crème during the colder half of the year. More than that I don’t need.
Uploaded on the 31st of July 2025.
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