Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [hygiene]

The set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living.

90 questions
69
votes
3 answers

Is food still safe to eat within 5 seconds after being dropped on the floor (5 second rule)?

Today in the cafeteria my friend dropped a chicken wing on the floor and immediately picked it up and ate it. Afterward he claimed that the chicken wing was still safe to eat if it was consumed within 5 seconds after being on the floor. He said that…
James
  • 731
  • 5
  • 7
67
votes
2 answers

Do we need to brush our teeth?

While everyone is telling us that we should brush our teeth twice a day, the human species has evolved for several million years without any teeth brushing. Apes don't brush their teeth, and they don't have a mechanism to change their teeth like…
SIMEL
  • 29,037
  • 14
  • 123
  • 139
60
votes
1 answer

Is cleaning yourself with toilet paper cleaner than using water?

As a Westener, I've always been raised to believe that the best way to clean most objects is warm water and soap - self, dishes, clothes, pretty much everything. Except what is probably thought of as the "dirtiest" thing of all - our butts after we…
Dogmafrog
44
votes
1 answer

Is vodka (or alcohol solutions with less than 60% concentration) an effective hand sanitizer against Covid-19?

There has been a lot of insistence in some quarters that hand sanitizers need to have > 60% alcohol contents, even against the new coronavirus and so that e.g. vodka (which typically has lower concentration) would not be effective, e.g. Almost as…
Fizz
  • 57,051
  • 18
  • 175
  • 291
44
votes
1 answer

Are many allergies caused by too much hygiene?

One hears it once in a while that many allergies are due to people overly concerned with hygiene. The rationale is that growing up in a near-sterile environment will leave your immune system confused so that you then develop allergies. Is this…
Lagerbaer
  • 12,311
  • 2
  • 68
  • 81
41
votes
2 answers

Do hand sanitizers have a negative impact on the human immune system?

Related: Which is more effective at removing germs, washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizers? Does regular handwashing with antibacterial soap prevent disease? I've run across some claims stating that the regular use of hand…
Hendy
  • 21,665
  • 17
  • 116
  • 179
40
votes
1 answer

Is it good (for your health) to shower/bathe daily?

I only shower once every few days, sometimes as little as once a week depending how oily/sticky I'm feeling (I lead a pretty sedentary lifestyle so I don't reach that stage daily). People around me find it disturbing/disgusting but I usually shrug…
Dois
  • 623
  • 1
  • 5
  • 9
38
votes
3 answers

Do we need to clean our ears (remove earwax)?

Last year, I read on a newspaper that a research found that we do not need, or should not, clean our ears as the earwax comes out naturally and sticking in cotton swabs can damage our ears. Is my information accurate? Can anyone provide a summary…
Oxwivi
  • 491
  • 1
  • 4
  • 6
37
votes
4 answers

If I buy "flushable" wipes, can I flush them without problems?

I know they say "Flushable" right on the package, but are they? Do they break down fast enough to not cause problems in septic/sewer systems?
Tester101
  • 581
  • 5
  • 10
37
votes
3 answers

Does washing hands with soap remove more germs than plain water?

As a germophobic, I almost consume a soap bar each day due to the touch of a door handle or other daily used items around the house. This is instigated due to OCD perhaps. This is unhealthy and bad for the skin (As using too much is harmful and thus…
Haider
  • 941
  • 1
  • 7
  • 16
29
votes
1 answer

Does wearing headphones for long periods increase dangerous bacteria in your ear?

I have heard this many times, sometimes worded as such: Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ears by 700 times I'm wondering, is this true and, if so, does it pose a threat?
Aamir
  • 393
  • 1
  • 4
  • 7
28
votes
1 answer

Is it dangerous to use wooden cutlery and cutting boards with raw meat?

I have heard multiple times that "one should never cut raw meat on a wooden cutting board nor mix it using a wooden spoon." The reason most often cited is that apparently bacteria can survive in the wood's pores. I also found this PDF from the…
octosquidopus
  • 380
  • 3
  • 8
27
votes
1 answer

Is washing your hair too often bad?

This is one that I've heard on more than one occasion: "Don't wash your hair every day. Wash it every two days as washing it too often will damage it." Is there any truth in this? Can frequent hair washing cause hair loss?
Carra
  • 1,971
  • 1
  • 19
  • 23
27
votes
2 answers

Is house dust mostly made up of human skin?

Fortean Times I first heard the claim that house dust is mostly made up of human skin on a TV show, when I was a kid (probably Cheers, where Cliff makes this comment at the beginning of a Season 9 episode), but even today I often hear this "fact"…
Oliver_C
  • 47,851
  • 18
  • 213
  • 208
27
votes
4 answers

Do hand dryers in public bathrooms spread bacteria?

A hand drier is a warm and humid environment that is surrounded by bacteria from all the bathroom users. It is claimed that this is one of the main causes for spreading bacteria/microbes (NCBI ref) Is this claim truly accurate, and should hot air…
shorea2
  • 373
  • 2
  • 6
1
2 3 4 5 6