It refers to the set of practices perceived by a community as associated with the preservation of health and healthy life. It is the branch of science that deals with the promotion and preservation of health. In everyday life settings, hygiene practices are used as preventive measures to reduce the incidence and spread of disease.

The terms cleaning (or cleanliness) and hygiene are often used interchangeably, which can cause confusion. In general, hygiene primarily means practices that prevent the spread of disease-causing organisms. Since cleaning processes (eg hand washing) remove infectious microbes as well as dirt and grime, they are often the means to achieve hygiene. Other uses of the term appear in phrases including: bodily hygiene, personal hygiene, sleep hygiene, mental hygiene, dental hygiene, and occupational hygiene, used in connection with public health.

Home hygiene refers to hygiene practices that prevent or minimize disease and the spread of disease in the home (domestic) and in everyday life settings such as social settings, public transportation, the place of work, public places, etc.

Hygiene at home and in everyday life plays an important role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Includes procedures used in a variety of household situations such as hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, food and water hygiene, general household hygiene (hygiene of environmental sites and surfaces), care of pets, and home health care ( caring for those who are most at risk of infection).

Body hygiene refers to the hygiene practices carried out by an individual to take care of their health and body well-being, through cleanliness. Motivations for practicing personal hygiene include reducing personal illnesses, curing personal illnesses, optimal health and a sense of well-being, social acceptance, and preventing the spread of illness to others.

Personal hygiene practices include: seeing a doctor, seeing a dentist, regular washing / bathing, and healthy eating. Grooming extends personal hygiene in terms of maintaining good personal and public appearance, which does not necessarily have to be hygienic.

Body hygiene is achieved through the use of personal body hygiene products including: soap, hair shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, cotton swabs, antiperspirants, facial tissues, mouthwashes, nail files, cleansers leather, toilet paper and other similar products.

The practice of personal hygiene has several benefits. Some of these benefits are discussed below:

• Extends the useful life:
Since the practice of personal hygiene slows the spread of infectious diseases, the number of years one spends on this earth increases. Poor hygiene shortens life.

• To avoid intermittent illness:
The practice of personal hygiene helps the individual to avoid intermittent diseases, that is, a disease that when cured begins again in short periods or at irregular intervals. This comes at a great cost to the individual’s finances due to the unexpected payment of hospital bills.

• Increase in productivity:
When all workers in a company maintain personal hygiene, it helps increase the overall productivity of the company. This is especially the case in industries where job specialization is employed. Work factions slow down or even stop as a result of the illness of a skilled worker. It results in missing deadlines and this is very detrimental to the success of any industry.

• Increases one’s respect and personal ego:
A person who maintains personal hygiene earns respect wherever he is. It helps you gain association and friendship due to the fact that everyone always wants to be with clean people with good noses and good breath.

• Improvement of the national life expectancy rate:
If the members of the nation strive to maintain good personal hygiene, the national life expectancy rate will improve or increase. This would reduce the total death rate in the nation ensuring national development.

There are several ways to ensure personal hygiene.

• Body cleansing: the whole body must be kept very clean. This can be done by bathing regularly at least once a day. Also, long nails need to be trimmed or removed because they harbor disease-causing pathogens. It is advisable to use local body lotions such as shea butter which nourishes the skin and keeps it dry and healthy. The nostrils and ears should be cleaned periodically, as their hairs trap dust that can be dangerous to health.

• Hair care: hair should not be allowed to grow out, especially in men. It must be cut frequently. If the person wants to wear long hair, they should keep it very neat and clean. It can be tied or covered very well when working or attending to other important tasks in the company. Local hair formulas can be applied to the hair to keep it in good shape.

• Internal cleansing – enema (irrigation of the colon): Helps the body eliminate internal waste and keep the blood clean.

• Laundry / laundry: This prevents or minimizes illness and the spread of disease through dirty clothes and household bedding, such as towels. The items that are most likely to be contaminated with pathogens are those that come into direct contact with the body, for example, underwear, personal towels, face cloths, diapers must be cleaned and dried thoroughly before use.

• Cleaning of restrooms and hand-washing facilities: this is very important as it helps the individual to prevent odors and makes it socially acceptable.