Staying Fresh–Even When Showering Isn’t Gonna Happen

Here are two thoughts I’ve had as a parent with two small children:

1. Did I brush my teeth yet today?
2. When was the last time I took a shower?

So, how do you stay fresh even when showering isn’t going to happen? Craftily, that’s how!

It’s not a matter of hygiene. You could have been the most hygienic, and fresh person on the planet before you had kids. Once you have them? That goes out the window. It’s rather remarkable, actually. One day you could smell of roses and lavender, and the next minute you’re sniffing your underarms going, “Huh, not bad.” It’s okay, parents. It happens to all of us. Not because we don’t want to bathe, or brush our teeth; we desperately do. It’s just that we struggle to find the sliver of peace that allows for it.

We get up to the sounds of our kids, who, the very instant they wake up, need something. To go to the bathroom, to be changed, to be fed, to be supervised. Always something, and sometimes, every thingI And it really doesn’t stop all day. Maybe when you have one kid, you can sneak off during a nap. That is if you can find it within yourself to ignore the dishes, laundry, and general cleaning that needs to be done around the house. Dude, how is there so much laundry!? As soon as you add another child to the mix, forget about it. Unless you’re a wizard who can align sleep schedules like magic from day one, you know that if one sleeps, the other is awake, expecting things, wanting things, needing things. You’re lucky if you can go to the bathroom. So, showering and toothbrushing become luxuries.

If you’re found yourself horrified by the general lack of hygiene the parent version of you has, you’re not alone. I seriously find myself wearing the same thing, day after day, only changing my undershirt and underwear, and I reassure myself that this is okay, thinking, “Hey, at least I’m not putting dirty clothes on a clean body.” Maybe someday I’ll share my tips and tricks for being with it enough to reinsert showers into my life. Today is not that day. Instead, I’m going to touch on a few tips, along with some products, that can help you feel fresher even when showering is out. Ready? First, four tips:

1. Find some good on-the-go products. If you’re a busy parent, on-the-go is the way to go. Even when you’re at home, on-the-go products are great because they are portable and can be used as if you were on the go. Can you say “one-handed?” Score!
2. Stock up with sets of three. The reality is that if you found it easy to apply all your grooming products at home, we wouldn’t be having this heart-to-heart, here. So, just own the fact that sometimes you might need to freshen up in the car (never driving, always in park, of course), or while at the park. This means you should probably have access to grooming products at home, in your car, and in your bag/purse.
3. Get over your need to overwash your body and hair. This is a tough one, but, as a man, I’m fairly certain that I was showering and washing my hair too much in my pre-kids days. Your hair and skin have natural oils and conditioners that keep it healthy. Bathing with soaps strips each, and leaves them vulnerable. That’s not to say that you should go au natural, but it is to say that you’re okay if you don’t wash your hair every day (in fact, you’re probably healthier).

Next, here are some products you might want to consider:

Note: The products featured here were selected by me. If you click on a link and buy something, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I call that a win-win.

Underarm Deodorant & Antiperspirant

I’m not going to give you a rundown of this stuff. Chances are, you already have some that you like. To ensure that you apply it, though, make sure it’s accessible. See tip #1 above!

Mouth Wash

You’re not going to be able to get away with only rinsing with mouthwash in the long run, but in the short term, it can help you feel fresher. The reality is that mint has nothing to do with cleanliness. But after years of using toothpaste with mint in it, the combination of flavor, and the cool/tingly sensation signal to our brains that a change occurred which involves cleanliness. Want your mouth to feel cleaner? Use minty mouthwash. The go-to mouthwash in our house comes from ACT. Buy it here!

Floss Picks

These things are great! Flossing is imperative for good dental health. It’s one of the few things that all five of those dentists can agree on. If you’re a flosser (or were before you had kids), you feel unclean without flossing. The best thing about these is they can be used with one hand! I like these Glide picks here.

Pre-Pasted Disposable Toothbrushes

I’m one of those people who could not start his day without brushing his teeth–that is, until I had kids. Morning breath is the worst. The smell, the taste…yuck! It’s also the second thing all five dentists agree on. So, if you want to feel fresh, it’s going to be tough to do it without brushing your teeth. Thing is, have you ever tried to unscrew a toothpaste cap, apply toothpaste to a toothbrush, and brush your teeth while holding an infant? Pretty tough. That’s why pre-pasted, disposable toothbrushes are so great. With a little moisture, you have a one-handed, on-the-go brushing experience awaiting. I wouldn’t make a habit of only brushing in this fashion, but for those days when you for real wonder, “Have a brushed my teeth?” and you’re already out of the house, these things are a must. Colgate’s Wisp line is small and portable. Find them here. If you like a more normal sized toothbrush, I like these by ReadyBrush.

Orabrush Tongue Cleaner

You might not realize it, but the body is a bacteria machine. Some of that bacteria lives in your mouth, on your tongue. You can thank these little guys for bad breath. To remove this bacteria, this tongue cleaner works really well. Do you need it? Probably not, especially if you brush, floss, and rinse. But using one of these feels like a power wash for your mouth, and can help you in a not-so-fresh predicament. Buy them here!

Face Cleansing Wipes

When you think about what’s exposed to the world on an average day, you come back with two main body parts: your head and your hands. As a result, it should come as no surprise that each picks up a fair amount of dirt and grime throughout the day. Therefore, it should be no further surprise that it’s a good idea to clean these areas somewhat regularly. Face cleansing wipes are gentle enough to be used without damaging your skin, and leave you feeling fresher. My wife loves these from Burt’s Bees. As for me, I’ll be looking into picking up these from Dude Wipes.

Hand Sanitizer

While we’re talking about body parts exposed to the world all day, let’s not forget our hands. So, what do you use for those? Soap and water, of course. When we can’t find any? Hand sanitizer. Look, it’s 2019 (wait, it’s been 19 years since Y2K?!). If you aren’t using hand sanitizer, get on it. Buy some here!

Flushable Wipes

Sorry, I’m not sorry. I’m going to talk about poop. If we tell our kids that everybody does it, we can’t pretend that parents don’t. We do. It’s messy. It stinks. And if it happened since your last shower (which, let’s face it, could be days ago by now), it’s bound to leave you feeling less-than-fresh. So, what does that mean? Well, if you’re in a jam, won’t be showering for a while, and want to up your cleanliness game, finish off your BM with a flushable wipe. Men, I’ve been using these from Dude Wipes. Ladies, I stock our bathroom with a Cottonelle variety for my wife. And for the kids, I use these bad boys from Kandoo here.  

Shoe Deodorant

Some of you have stink foot. You know who you are. While I’m not currently a victim of the affliction, I was in my more athletic days. It was then that I learned to use shoe deodorant. Coming in spray or powder varieties, you simply apply a small amount to your shoes prior to putting them on to ward off the foulness. I prefer the spray variety because the powder can leave a bit too much mess. This stuff here looks like it’s worth checking out.

Dry Shampoo

Remember how I mentioned that we probably wash our hair way too much? Well, it’s true. But, here’s the thing: sometimes my hair gets pretty oily. If there’s one thing that screams “Unclean!” it’s oily hair…okay, there are probably lots of things that scream unclean. But this is on the list, for sure! So, when that happens, and you don’t have time for shampoo, massage some dry shampoo in there. It’ll take care of the oiliness, and any collateral funk, without stripping your hair of those good, natural conditioners. Plus, if you get a dry paste, you can’t style away your bad hair day too! Ladies, look at this stuff from Drybar here. Guys, this paste from R + Co looks nice.

The next time you don’t have the time (or free hands) to freshen yourself up, don’t fret. First, you’re hardly the only parent to have found himself or herself in that predicament. Next, follow the three easy steps laid out with the suggested products described above, and you can get by rather well.

Worth noting again: The products featured here were selected by me. If you click on a link and buy something, I may receive a commission. I call that a win-win.

And another thing: Header image (customized by me) courtesy of Pixabay.