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Hygiene poverty refers to the inability to afford many of the basic hygiene and personal care items that most of us assume to be readily available. The harsh reality of living on a low income is that it severely limits choices, often forcing people to choose between heating their homes, paying the rent, having enough to eat, or maintaining personal cleanliness.
It’s the difficulty of washing your hair because affording shampoo is beyond your means.
It is not being able to purchase deodorant because money is needed for the electric card.
It is not being able to replace a toothbrush when needed or sharing a toothbrush because one each just isn’t an option.
It is being unable to change your baby’s nappy as often as is needed and scraping out the contents before reapplying it.
It is washing hair, bodies, faces, and clothes in the same cheap washing up liquid used for the dishes.
It is being housebound because you can’t afford period protection or have to improvise with rolled-up loo roll and socks.
It is having to choose between shaving foam and razors or the transport fare to a job interview.
It is going to school with matted hair because there is only one hairbrush in the household and there’s no time for everyone to get a chance to use it.
It is not being able to launder clothes, school uniforms, and muddy sports kits when needed.
It is being ‘judged’ for living in an unclean home, because you can’t afford the cost of household cleaning products.
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