hygiene news stories on Newser

You Don't Want to Know What's on Your Cellphone

Evann Gastaldo — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:30:05 CDT

If you’re reading this on your smartphone, you might want to go wash your hands now: A new study out of London finds that one out of six cellphones has fecal matter on it. UK researchers swabbed 390 mobile phones and the British hands that used them, and found that...

Columbia Business School Tells Its Students They Smell

Rob Quinn — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 08:13:00 CDT

Columbia Business School has emailed first-year students to let them know that being stinky and pushy isn't going to help them find jobs in finance. A "friendly reminder" sent to students and obtained by Dealbreaker informs them that company recruiters have complained and urges them to follow personal hygiene basics,...

Those Gloves Aren't Keeping Your Food Safe

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 13:08:00 CDT

You probably cringe when you see the guy behind the deli counter putting your sandwich together without wearing gloves. But a new study says that when it comes to food safety, gloves can actually do more harm than good, partially because they provide a (possibly) false sense of security. The...

96% Say You Wash Hands; Only 85% Actually Do

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:47:22 CDT

The good news: 96% of adults claim they always wash their hands in public restrooms, according to a phone survey. The bad news: only 85% of adults actually do, a new observational study finds. Despite the dirty people who are lying about their hygiene habits (and, perhaps, sharing a bread...

WTF Trend: Diapers for Brides

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:45:00 CDT

Dancing at your wedding while wearing a wet, dirty diaper: Doesn’t that sound like every bride’s dream come true? Despite how bizarre and gross it seems, apparently there is a market for bridal diapers, Courtney Dunlop discovered. Sure, some dresses take a lot of time and effort to climb in...

Sorry, Ladies: Johnny Depp Stinks

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:58:00 CST

Johnny Depp may be the Sexiest Man Alive , but he smells gross. “He isn't big on personal cleanliness,” a source tells Fox , adding that he “usually smells because he rarely showers” and his longtime girlfriend, French supermodel Vanessa Paradis, has a similar problem. “No makeup and unruly hair—she’s a...

Why Robert Pattinson Smells Awful

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:34:43 CST

Robert Pattinson has a reputation as more than just every tween’s heartthrob: He apparently stinks, and New York finally found out why. “If he doesn’t change his clothes and the paparazzi get pictures of him in the same outfit all the time, then they can’t sell the pictures,” the Twilight...

Elmo Takes On Swine Flu

Harry Kimball — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:05:56 CDT

The fuzzy residents of Sesame Street are teaming up with the federal government to school kids on the dangers of swine flu and how to prevent it, the Washington Post reports. Elmo and human pal Gordon have taped PSAs that instruct children to be sure to wash their hands and...

Tiny, Tight, Humiliating: Speedos Are de Rigueur in France

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:41:47 CDT

Mortified visitors can't believe it when continental pools insist that men wear tiny, tight Speedo swimsuits, writes Angelique Chrisafis in the Guardian . An Irish journalist was recently hauled out of a French pool and could only return in an "unbelievably skimpy" pair of Speedo trunks that were "bloody uncomfortable for...