You've Been Cleaning Your Feet Wrong Your Whole Life
The hot water. The steam. The added bubbles. The time to relax, unwind, and cleanse both inwardly and on the outside. Regularly taking a shower or bath can increase blood flow, improve how well we concentrate, and act as a pain relief method. It can decrease fatigue and swelling. It also removes dead skin cells and washes away bacteria, as reported by Medical News Today.
There are steps to keep in mind when cleaning our bodies, too. Healthline lists out reminders, such as washing the entire length of the body, rinsing off any and all soap, and applying moisturizer at the end.
While this all seems pretty straightforward, it may surprise some to learn that there are wrong ways that people go about washing themselves. Reader's Digest Canada published an article on seven body parts that are being mistreated in this way, and, in particular, many people have been cleaning their feet incorrectly for years and years!
Our feet need thorough cleansing, scrubbing, and drying
On Reddit, some users said they don't wash their feet, as "They're standing in soapy water most of the shower" or that they are a "proponent of the trickle-down effect." Others stated, "You need to scrub that dirt off" and that it "makes me happy to know my piggies are clean." Dollar Shave Club shared that over a quarter of men, specifically, don't wash their feet while showering.
Reader's Digest Canada says that even though water and soap are getting on our feet during this time, that doesn't result in a thorough cleansing. The publication goes on to report that we should scrub all parts of our feet every few days with a pumice stone and that we should dry off our feet really well, including in between the toes.
"Common foot conditions, such as toenail fungus, Athlete's foot fungus, and plantar warts, can be caused by excessive moisture. Although many individuals' feet perspire excessively, often causing the aforementioned conditions, these foot ailments can also be caused by not drying one's feet properly after bathing," Dr. Bruce Pinker says on the topic.