How to wash your back, and the other places you skip

How to wash your back: the easiest way is a flannel held at both ends: lather it, reach it over your shoulder and see-saw it across. Water and suds running down your back are not the same as washing it.

Your back is one of three places most men skip in the shower. Here is how to get all three.

Quick answer

• Back: flannel held at both ends, or a long-handled brush.
• Behind the ears and the back of the neck: two seconds with your fingers.
• Feet: actually wash them, between the toes included.
• Rinse all three properly.

How to wash your back without a brush

1. Lather a flannel with a small amount of shower gel.
2. Hold one end in each hand and reach it over one shoulder, so it hangs down your back.
3. See-saw it side to side, then swap shoulders and repeat lower down.
4. Rinse by turning your back to the water and moving under it.

A long-handled brush does the same job if you prefer one. A silicone scrub is good for your shoulders and the top of your back, as far as you can reach.

Why your back gets missed

You cannot see it and it is awkward to reach, so most men let the water do the work. Water rinses. It does not wash.

Your back sweats under a t-shirt all day and under a bag strap or gym kit too. It deserves a bit more than a passing rinse.

Behind your ears and the back of your neck

Two seconds with soapy fingers. Behind the ears, the back of the neck, under the jaw. It is the bit everyone else sees and you never do.

The same goes for your belly button and the backs of your knees. Small places, easy to forget, quick to do.

How to wash your feet properly

Standing in suds at the bottom of the shower is not washing your feet. Lift each one, wash the top, the sole and between the toes, then rinse.

Your feet spend all day in socks and shoes, so they need more than the water running off the rest of you. Ten seconds each is plenty.

Dry between your toes properly afterwards too. Damp feet in socks is how shoes start to smell.

Make it part of the routine

Work top to bottom and these three get done automatically: neck and ears, shoulders and back, then everything down to your feet. It adds maybe a minute.

Short on time? Do these three first and everything else second. They are the places that get missed, not the places that get done.

A pump bottle makes it easy to grab a bit more gel for the flannel without thinking. GUYSTUFF Original shower gel comes in a 300ml pump bottle, with a silicone scrub you can add to the order.

FAQ

What is the best thing to wash your back with?

A flannel held at both ends is cheap and works. A long-handled brush is easier if you have stiff shoulders.

How do you wash your back with a scrub?

Use it on your shoulders and upper back, as far as you can comfortably reach, in small circles. For the middle of your back, switch to a flannel or a long brush.

Should you wash your back before or after your hair?

After. Shampoo runs down your back, so wash your hair first, then your body, then rinse everything.

Do you need to wash your back every day?

If you shower daily, yes, it takes seconds. After the gym or sweaty work, definitely.

Why does my back itch after a shower?

Often leftover lather, so rinse longer. If it keeps happening, ask a pharmacist or GP.

Top to bottom, nothing skipped. For the gel, have a look at GUYSTUFF Original.