As far as everyday acts go, showering the right way seems like a no-brainer. But, ‘how often should you shower’ was one of the most searched for personal hygiene queries last year. Surprisingly, an even bigger proportion of Brits googled ‘how often they should wash their hair'.
As it turns out there could be many ways you're showering wrong, and it seems Brits are turning to Google for answers.
That’s why Drench spoke to health experts and analysed annual Google searches to reveal which were the most googled personal hygiene questions in the UK. Read on to discover what Brits are searching for.
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair is The Most Googled Personal Hygiene Question
Are you washing your hair right? Research from Drench, indicates a lot of us are confused about our hair routine, with a staggering 82,500 Brits annually asking Google how often they should be washing their hair. This makes it the most searched for personal hygiene query on Google, even racking up 71,760 more searches than ‘how often should you floss’, despite dental health being of importance.
So, how often should you be cleaning your mane? Well, depending on your hair type, most people don’t need to wash their hair every day, as this can be drying and damaging. If your locks feel soft, but not oily after washing then you’re probably cleaning your hair the right amount. However, if your hair feels dry and frizzy, then you’re likely washing too much.
Top tip: according to celebrity hairstylist, George Northwood, you only need a pea-sized amount of shampoo. Using too much can create a film on the hair; giving it a dull appearance. However, if your hair is particularly dirty, shampoo and rinse twice.
Are You Showering Properly?
‘How often should you shower’ was the second most searched for personal hygiene question, with 67,500 annual searches. In comparison, searches for how to wash ‘down there’, are a whopping 94% less than ‘how often should you shower’.
But there may be a good reason for so many Brits being confused about their showering habits. Studies show that showering every day can lead to a host of problems, such as aggravating eczema and damaging your natural skin barrier. However, not everyone’s skin is the same, so if you feel you can’t be clean without showering daily, stick to just one shower a day.
How to Remove Ear Wax is The Third Most Searched for Personal Hygiene Question
Did you know that ear wax is your friend, not your foe? It seems Brits aren’t so sure as ‘how to remove ear wax’ was the third most googled personal hygiene question - racking up 44,800 searches over the year.
But, the devices used to remove wax, such as cotton buds could be more of an enemy than ear wax. According to, health expert, Dr Asif Munaf, “using earbuds can not only cause the wax to impact further but in extreme cases, cause eardrum perforation.”
Thankfully our ears are self-cleaning, and what’s even better is that ear wax protects our ears from dirt and debris.
However, if you do have a blockage, the NHS recommends using a few drops of olive or almond oil in your ears. This should loosen the wax so it will naturally fall out on its own.
41,900 Brits Want to Know How to Stop Sweating
‘How to stop sweating’ is the fourth most googled personal hygiene query, earning 41,900 searches over the year. It’s no surprise that searches for this term peak in July – rising by 50% from June to July (2019). While you can’t control the weather or the natural process of sweating, there are things to help limit the amount of sweat, such as:
- Applying antiperspirant before bed – this allows the antiperspirant enough time to create a block over the sweat ducts.
- Wear light breathable clothing.
- Avoid spicy foods and caffeine as they can stimulate our sweat glands.
Revealed: The Hairy Situation Leaving Brits with Questions
Across the UK, Brits are turning to google for all things shaving. The most Googled shaving questions were:
- How to get rid of razor bumps – 40,200 annual searches
- How to shave – 28,200 annual searches
- How to shave pubes – 17,700 annual searches
- How to shave your balls – 13,300 annual searches
- How to shave down there – 12,820 annual searches
- How to shave your legs – 12,670 annual searches
In total, that’s a staggering 124,890 Brits puzzled over shaving in 2019/20. But, what’s got UK residents really bothered about shaving? Judging by the high search volume, Brits are most concerned about razor bumps. However, you’ll be glad to know razor bumps fade away on their own with time. Although, if you want a quick release you can always try moisturising the area or apply a cool compress.
But, if you want to avoid razor bumps altogether, save your shave for the end or after your shower. That way your pores are open and the skin is hydrated, making it easier to shave.
Belly Button Smell is More than a Fluffy Issue
‘Why does my belly button smell?’ was the 10th most googled personal hygiene question; with 25,880 annual searches. But, it seems Brits might have been able to avoid the unpleasant smell, if they had Googled ‘how to clean belly button’ first, with this query receiving 54% fewer searches.
Who knew that belly buttons could cause such a fuss? Well, belly buttons are built to trap sweat and dirt, so if you haven’t been cleaning this area regularly it will likely smell. Although, if you’ve been using instruments such as earbuds to clean the belly button, this can result in “redness and infection which can often be the cause of a smelly button” Dr Asif Munaf said.
You only need warm water and soap to gently clean around and inside the belly button to keep it clean. However, Dr Asif Munaf advises that by just showering and bathing regularly will remove “most deposited debris or sediment.”
So, how many of these questions have you pondered about, or did you know the answers already? If you liked reading about what Brits get up to on Google, then you may like discovering what British couples get up to in the Bathroom.
