You use hot water to wash your hands

You use hot water to wash your hands
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There’s no need to scorch your hands with hot water to kill germs anymore when studies show that lukewarm and cold water work just as effectively. Researchers from Vanderbilt University in the US found that cold water did just as well as hot water at reducing levels of bacteria when people scrubbed, rinsed and dried their hands properly. The study authors also noted that you’d need to wash your hands in boiling water at a whopping 100 degrees Celsius in order to notice any significantly greater reduction in pathogens. Plus, hot water dries your skin out more than cold and lukewarm water does.

Make sure you wash your hands immediately after touching these 10 things.

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You push out your poo too hard

You push out your poo too hard
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Another risk factor for haemorrhoids is pushing too hard when you’re constipated. The harder you push, the more pressure you’re placing on the veins in your rectum, which may also lead to anal fissures, tiny tears in the lining of your anus. Try squatting for a few seconds instead of straining. Squatting naturally aligns your intestinal tract to help move things along with less effort. Or if that doesn’t work, pop a laxative to soften your stool.

Learn more about controlling constipation.

You don’t wash your hands long enough

You don’t wash your hands long enough
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Twenty seconds is all it takes to give your hands a proper scrubbing with soap and water, according to the CDC. But at least 95 percent of people don’t wash their hands long enough to effectively kill germs based on a university study. The average hand-washing time was less than half of the CDC’s recommendation – only six seconds. Need a clever way to keep track of time? Sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice to give you the perfect amount of time to properly clean your hands.

Learn why you need to worry about hand sanitiser. 

You forget to clean your toothbrush

You forget to clean your toothbrush
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Researchers from the University of Manchester found about 10 million germs like E.coli on the average toothbrush. That’s icky bacteria no one wants to put in their mouth! It’s important to rinse your toothbrush well after each use and occasionally soak it in a cup of vinegar for about 30 minutes to get rid of any leftover bacteria. And make sure you replace your toothbrush every three months.

Follow these additional tips to say goodbye to bad breath for good. 

You overwipe

You overwipe
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The number one rule of wiping: Less is more. One or two wipes are usually all you need to clean yourself up after using the toilet. But wiping too much can irritate your anus and cause small abrasions that trigger inflammation and itch. If more than one wipe won’t suffice, switch to wet toilet paper or an unscented baby wipe to decrease the irritation and friction from wiping.

Head here to solve that great toilet paper debate… should the roll go over or under?

You scrub your body too hard during washing

You scrub your body too hard during washing
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Aggressively scrubbing your skin with a washcloth or a loofah can remove the skin’s natural protective barrier. Instead, gently glide a cotton baby washcloth over the skin with as little rubbing as possible. Even using your hand to wash your body is good enough. Just be sure to switch out your loofah or washcloth regularly to avoid bacteria build-up.

Here are 9 things you need to know about eczema – especially if you have it. 

You never clean behind the toilet

You never clean behind the toilet
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It may be disgusting to think about but urine and faecal matter does build up and leaves behind a grimy residue behind your toilet that is hard to scrub clean. Roll up some paper towels and dip them in an antibacterial cleaner. While you face the front of the toilet, “floss” the back of it. Let the cleaning solution sit for a few minutes then “floss” again with a dry paper towel. And voilà, you’re done!

You don’t condition your scalp

You don’t condition your scalp
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Most people apply conditioner throughout the body of their hair and skip their scalp. It’s important to condition your hair from root to tip because conditioner helps hydrate your scalp to prevent it from itching and flaking.

Your soap doesn’t contain moisturiser

Your soap doesn’t contain moisturiser
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You can really dry out your skin if you use a bar soap without any kind of moisturising agent. When buying, look for soap with stearic acid listed under the ingredients or the word “moisturising” on the label.

You place the toilet brush back into its holder immediately

You place the toilet brush back into its holder immediately
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Toilet germs and moisture breed and multiply every time you put a toilet brush back into its holder right after each use. Let the brush dry completely after you’ve finished cleaning the toilet bowl so you’re not scrubbing the same bacteria back into your toilet the next time you use it.

Steal these 20 secrets from people who never get sick. 

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