Washing is a method of

cleaning Cleaning is the process of removing unwanted substances, such as dirt, infectious agents, and other impurities, from an object or environment. Cleaning is often performed for beauty, aesthetic, hygiene, hygienic, Function (engineering), function ...

, usually with

water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

and

soap Soap is a salt (chemistry), salt of a fatty acid (sometimes other carboxylic acids) used for cleaning and lubricating products as well as other applications. In a domestic setting, soaps, specifically "toilet soaps", are surfactants usually u ...

detergent A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with Cleanliness, cleansing properties when in Concentration, dilute Solution (chemistry), solutions. There are a large variety of detergents. A common family is the alkylbenzene sulfonate ...

. Regularly washing and then rinsing both body and clothing is an essential part of good

hygiene Hygiene is a set of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases." Personal hygiene refer ...

and health. Often people use soaps and detergents to assist in the

emulsification An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although ...

of oils and dirt particles so they can be washed away. The soap can be applied directly, or with the aid of a washcloth or assisted with

sponges Sponges or sea sponges are primarily marine invertebrates of the animal phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), a basal clade and a sister taxon of the diploblasts. They are sessile filter feeders that are bound to the seabed, and ar ...

or similar

cleaning tools Cleaning tools include the following: *Acoustic cleaning * Air blaster * Air knife * Besom * Broom * Brush * Building maintenance unit * Camel-hair brush *Carbon dioxide cleaning * Carpet beater * Carpet sweeper *Chamois leather * Cleret * Cyclone ...

. In social contexts, washing refers to the act of

bathing Bathing is the immersion of the body, wholly or partially, usually in water, but often in another medium such as hot air. It is most commonly practised as part of personal cleansing, and less frequently for relaxation or as a leisure activity. ...

, or washing different parts of the body, such as

hands A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the koala (which has two opposable thumbs on each "han ...

hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...

, or faces. Excessive washing may damage the hair, causing dandruff, or cause rough skin/skin lesions. Some washing of the body is done ritually in religions like Christianity and Judaism, as an act of purification. Washing can also refer to washing objects. For example, washing of clothing or other cloth items, like bedsheets, or washing dishes or cookwear. Keeping objects clean, especially if they interact with food or the skin, can help with sanitation. Other kinds of washing focus on maintaining cleanliness and durability of objects that get dirty, such washing one's car, by lathering the exterior with car soap, or washing tools used in a dirty process. Washer

Washing bodies

People wash themselves, or bathe periodically for

religious ritual A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions or behaviors that alters the internal or external state of an individual, group, or environment, regardless of conscious understanding, emotional context, or symbolic meaning. Traditionally ...

or therapeutic purposes or as a recreational activity. In

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, some people use a

bidet A bidet (, ) is a bowl or receptacle designed to be sat upon in order to wash a person's Sex organ, genitalia, perineum, inner buttocks, and human anus, anus. The modern variety has a plumbed-in water supply and a drainage opening, and is thus a ...

to wash their external genitalia and the anal region after using the

toilet A toilet is a piece of sanitary hardware that collects human waste (urine and feces) and sometimes toilet paper, usually for disposal. Flush toilets use water, while dry or non-flush toilets do not. They can be designed for a sitting p ...

, instead of using

toilet paper Toilet paper (sometimes called toilet/bath/bathroom tissue, or toilet roll) is a tissue paper product primarily used to clean the human anus, anus and surrounding region of Human feces, feces (after defecation), and to clean the external gen ...

. The

is common in predominantly

Catholic countries The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome ( the pope)."Richard P. McBrien. ''The Church: The Evolution of Catholicism.'' (New York: Harp ...

where water is considered essential for anal cleansing. More frequent is washing of just the

hand A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the Koala#Characteristics, koala (which has two thumb#O ...

s, e.g. before and after preparing food and eating, after using the toilet, after handling something dirty, etc.

Hand washing Hand washing (or handwashing), also known as hand hygiene, is the act of cleaning one's hands with soap, soap or handwash and water to remove viruses, bacteria, microorganisms, dirt, grease, and other harmful or unwanted substances stuck to th ...

is important in reducing the spread of

germ Germ or germs may refer to: Science * Germ (microorganism), an informal word for a pathogen * Germ cell, cell that gives rise to the gametes of an organism that reproduces sexually * Germ layer, a primary layer of cells that forms during embry ...

s. Also common is washing the face, which is done after waking up, or to keep oneself cool during the day.

Brushing one's teeth Tooth brushing is the act of scrubbing teeth with a toothbrush equipped with toothpaste. Interdental cleaning (with floss or an interdental brush) can be useful with tooth brushing, and together these two activities are the primary means of c ...

is also essential for hygiene and is a part of washing.

Ritual purification Ritual purification is a ritual prescribed by a religion through which a person is considered to be freed of ''uncleanliness'', especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification ...

through washing includes acts like Maundy, a Christian ritual involving washing of the feet, or ceremonial washing in Judaism.

Washing bodies

Bathing

Hand washing

Hair washing

Face washing

Washing items

Dishwashing

Clothes washing

Washing cars

See also

References