Hygiene standards vary widely across the globe, often shaped by cultural habits, resources, and climate.
What’s routine in one country can seem unusual or even unsanitary elsewhere. This is especially true when it comes to hygiene practices that Americans view as unhygienic.
From squatting toilets and bucket baths to eating with hands and using twigs for dental care, many global traditions clash with typical American cleanliness standards.
These differences don’t necessarily reflect poor hygiene, they simply highlight contrasting values and customs.
In this guide, we explore 14 hygiene practices that Americans commonly see as unhygienic, despite their effectiveness.
1. Squatting Over Sitting:
While Americans typically avoid squatting on toilets and may find hovering unpleasant, especially outside public restrooms, the source notes that research indicates squatting is actually the healthier way to use the toilet.
Furthermore, it is argued to be potentially more hygienic as you don’t have to touch the surface. This contrasts sharply with the common American practice and perception.
2. Water Over Paper:
Bidets, which use water for cleansing, are widely accepted around the world, but Americans often reject them, partly due to hygiene concerns about the water spray.
In contrast, critics point out the significant limitations of using only toilet paper for thorough cleanliness.
This highlights a cultural divide where Americans favor dry cleaning over water for post-toilet hygiene.
3. Bucket Baths:
Unlike the preference for lengthy, Western-style showers common in America, people in places like Ghana, the Philippines, and parts of Australia frequently use bucket baths.
The idea of bathing with a bucket often makes Americans uncomfortable. However, this method can be more water-efficient, often using less water than a typical shower.
4. Using Catch-All Cleaning Products:
Americans commonly use a variety of specialized soaps – one for the face, another for the body, a third for hands, and sometimes even a fourth for feet.
In many other cultures globally, the concept of specialty soaps is viewed as unnecessary or even laughable, and it is typical to use just one soap for everything.
5. Nighttime Bathing:
In America, showering in the morning is considered a fundamental part of good hygiene, seen as necessary for getting ready and appearing presentable for the day.
Conversely, in many other countries, the practice is to bathe at night. This is done to wash away the day’s accumulation of dirt and grime before going to bed.
6. Finger Foods:
Eating in America typically relies on using utensils, and not using them is largely seen as unhygienic, with very few exceptions.
This contrasts significantly with cultures like India, where using one’s hands to eat is a normal and expected practice. The cultural norm dictates the acceptable method for cleanliness during meals.
7 Masking:
During the pandemic, a notable group of Americans expressed concerns about the hygiene of wearing a mask for extended periods.
However, the source points out that in countries like Japan, wearing a mask when feeling sick was a common and accepted practice long before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
8. Kiss To Greet:
While Americans are usually comfortable with handshakes and might hug friends, kissing someone on the cheek as a greeting is generally avoided and makes many uncomfortable.
This practice, common in countries like France, is often viewed as unhygienic by Americans, highlighting different cultural norms for physical contact in greetings.
9. Perfume as Hand Sanitizer:
In Turkey, guests are traditionally offered a scented perfume called Kolonya for cleaning their hands. This liquid contains a high alcohol content, which is effective at reducing germs and bacteria.
However, using perfume in place of conventional hand sanitizer is a practice that might cause some Americans to express skepticism.
10. Remove Your Shoes:
Taking off one’s shoes before entering someone’s home is a widely accepted courtesy in many parts of the world. In places like Japan, hosts often provide slippers for guests to wear inside.
Some Americans, however, find the idea of removing their own shoes and wearing someone else’s footwear inside a home unhygienic.
11. No Soap Hand Washing:
In Hindu culture, hand washing is sometimes performed using ash and soil instead of soap.
Although studies have indicated that scrubbing with these natural substances can be an effective method of cleaning, the concept of washing hands without using traditional soap is something that many Americans find quite unpleasant.
12. No Deodorant:
In American culture, it is considered embarrassing to forget to wear deodorant. However, deodorant is not commonly used in many other countries.
For instance, only about 7% of East Asians report regularly using deodorant, potentially due to genetic factors that result in many individuals in that region having less body odor.
13. Twigs Over Toothbrushes:
While brushing teeth with a toothbrush is the standard hygiene practice in America, many cultures around the world rely on twigs for cleaning their teeth.
These natural twigs have been demonstrated to be effective at removing plaque, offering an alternative to commercial toothbrushes and dental products common in the US.
14. Air-Drying Clothes:
Americans frequently use electric dryers for laundry, partly driven by concerns about potential mildew and mold growth.
However, electric dryers are less common in many other parts of the world. Consequently, many people globally rely on clotheslines or other simple methods to air-dry their clothes, a practice sometimes viewed skeptically by dryer-dependent Americans.
Alicia Richards