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There is a moment many of us have as adults when we recall some action we used to take when we were younger that now fills us with horror and shame. From atrocious creative work to downright disgusting habits, we all have a few things that we hope remain in the past.
So someone asked “What have you always done, but later found out was gross?” and these brave netizens spilled their guts. So make sure you have already satiated your appetite because you are about to lose it. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites, and comment your own gross habits, if you are brave enough.
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#1
As a dude, standing up to pee. Seriously, the stuff sprays everywhere. We got one of those flashlights made for highlighting pet urine on carpet, and out of curiosity I shined around in the bathroom. It’s everywhere. Gentlemen, it’s really gross what we’re exposing the women in our lives to. We’re not talking about truck stops or rest areas, but the bathrooms of those we know and love. Sit down, it won’t emasculate you.
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#2
I pick my nose (privately then wash my hands). I just can’t deal with a clogged nose & my fingers work better than a tissue ever could
#3
I love to eat the crispy, crunchy white yucca flowers from my yard.
I ate them for years before discovering there are tiny little white waxy worms that live in the flowers and blend in.
I eat other bugs and worms and stuff, but not raw, so I started to wash them out of the flowers before I ate them.
I learned the flowers are nowhere near as nutty and crunchy and delicious without the worms, so now I leave them in.
#4
I didn’t use to close the lid on the toilet before flushing. Oh the sharticles.
#5
Omg this isn't something for me personal, but men?? Not washing their hands after they pee?? I seen this statistic during covid and asked my male friends and I couldn't believe how many said this was true. It's stayed with me ever since lol.
Cyber Returns 1 year ago
I always wash my hands when I pee. I'm not touching it with dirty hands!
#6
I was in my late teens before I learned you're supposed to wipe front to back not back to front. I was like damn and started doing it the right way. I could never get a good clean front to back. I figured I just needed practice but I did it for 6 months and it never improved. I went back to the way I've always done it. I've never had a yeast infection or UTI. Idk how far you guys are wiping but I don't have an issue
RaroaRaroa 1 year ago
If anyone is wondering and is too shy to ask. You wipe front to back intially, but don't keep smearing any No2 residue further backward than where it originated. Then wipe the back (if it's been a No1 and No2) separately, without bringing anything forward or smearing further up. (Can't believe I just typed that) The reason you do it this was is to keep the 'back' bacteria from getting near the front entrances (lol) and sneaking in to cause an infection. How does the bacteria get in? Through friction from too-tight clothing or sex are a couple of ways.
#7
As a child I would dig up bits of clay from the local sandbox. It wasn’t as good as play-doh, so I would cast it aside and continue digging.
Maybe I didn’t have a very good sense of smell at that age, because I was well into adulthood before I realized it was probably cat s**t.
#8
When I was like 5 or 6 years old I would love going to the grocery store with my mom because the vegetable and fruit and meat tables always had the best ice to chew on....
#9
I used to really like those self service lollies/candy buckets with the scoops. They were in most big box stores in Australia, like Kmart, Target, Big W. So much fun mixing and matching.
But then one day I started working at Target. Every single day I caught old people and kids with their hands directly inside grabbing them out and munching down all slobbery like. Turned me off forever.
Though not too long after they started disappearing from businesses so obviously someone got the unsanitary message.
Andy Cran 1 year ago
pic n mix (as it's known in UK)....I don't obsess over hygiene, have a reasonable minimum standards (enough to avoid illnesses or give illnesses).... will avoid pic n mix like the plague,I don't care if each box has an individual scoop and a lid some people are just filthy animals
#10
I am 66yo and only learned a week ago that you are supposed to FLOSS FIRST & THEN BRUSH your teeth! I saw something on Reddit about this & I asked my family (3 adult kids & husband). They ALL knew to floss first, brush second - WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME??? They just thought what I did was weird but never mentioned it.
WindySwede 1 year ago
Someone should make a short list, with a good source, to summarize all things you should know in life!
#11
I flushed my tampons my whole life until I was about 30. No one had taught me they weren’t flushable. I stupidly thought they were like toilet paper.
One expensive and embarrassing plumbing problem later, I never did it again.
#12
When I was a kid, I had pinworms. That’s no big deal, kids have them often from playing in dirt and putting their fingers in their mouth. However I was too embarrassed to tell my parents I had them, so I just…left it alone. I had recurrent bouts of worms on and off until I was in my late teens, and then at that point I developed a serious eating disorder for unrelated reasons and they all sort of died off because I wasn’t eating and pinworms feed on sugars in your intestines.
#13
as an asian i was always taught growing up to throw used toilet paper in the trash bin. it wasnt until i went on a school trip to italy the chaperone mentioned to everyone “the plumbing system here isnt as good as the USA so you guys are just gonna have to throw it in the trash bin” and everyone went “ew”. and thats when i learned that it was gross to throw toilet paper in the trash bin since the issue was youre basically having s**t bits sitting around in a bin.
#14
not brushing my teeth every day.
i struggle with life-long dysthymia (basically chronic mild depression), and during the covid lockdown it got pretty bad and i'd straight up brush my teeth every other week, at best. i didn't see the point because i didn't leave my room.
i forced myself to get a thorough professional clean after about a year of this and it felt amazing. i've miraculously never had a cavity, though.
Garthus Andicus 1 year ago
I went from brushing my teeth almost never for 2 years, getting 7 cavities and losing one tooth, to brushing everyday and flossing occasionally. It's sooooo worth it to have teeth.
#15
Spitting in public(on the sidewalk, streets, etc.)
Growing up in a smaller Texas Town, spitting whenever and wherever was a p common thing. It was totally acceptable to be walking down the street, and just kinda spit if you felt the need to. Never really thought anything of it. I didn't realize people found spitting on sidewalks offensive until was about 30 or so. I still to this day don't understand why. I try not to do it as much anymore. But.. if there ain't anybody around bet'chur a*s I'ma spit tho.
EDIT: It has been brought to my attention that spitting can be a factor in spreading specific diseases/viruses. After doing some quick research on it, I have found this to be factual. Moving forward, I will be even *more* mindful of my spitting habits.
#16
Sharing a bar of soap with my husband. I thought it was normal until it came up in my mom group. If we are going to bump uglies, we can definitely share soap. I don’t care if it’s gross, we only have one soap holder. 🥴
Ripley 1 year ago
This *is* normal. If you're concerned about the top layer of soap having someone else's bum germs on it a quick go under the shower will wash them off. Also, it's SOAP - it's job is to make you clean. Anyone who can't share a bar of soap with their own partner has serious issues.
#17
All my life I wiped my toothbrush on the hand towel to dry it up until my sister asked what the f**k I was doing
#18
Not washing newly purchased clothing items
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 year ago (edited)
I was taught to do this as a child, so I always wash my new clothes before wearing, and NOW my mother DOESN'T wash her new clothes! I'm baffled! She TAUGHT me that clothes had processing chemicals etc. on them and plus, you never knew if someone else had tried them on in the store before you bought them. So she ALWAYS washed our new clothes before we wore them. Now she just puts them on without washing and I'm like O_O;
#20
Double dipping snacks. Pretty logical but only found out recently that’s very bad etiquette
#21
Not brushing my teeth when I wake up. I would only brush my teeth after breakfast, and I would rarely eat breakfast. So most days I would only brush my teeth at night. I figured “Well I brushed last night and haven’t eaten anything since, so why should I brush again?” Then I learned about all the bacteria that feed on the tiny bits of food left in your teeth and they literally expel gas and feces in your mouth as they consume it. And this is what causes awful morning breath. So I have this mental image of bacteria poop and farts coating my mouth and have brushed every morning since regardless of eating breakfast or not.
g90814 1 year ago (edited)
I brush before bed, and in morning when I get up. I wear a mouthguard for teeth grinding, so I think my lower teeth might get extra icky. You are removing tartar buildup when you brush, it builds up more at night. Wait 30 mins after brushing to eat to allow your teeth to regain their coating that keeps bacteria from building up. Floss after eating to remove food particles. A good swooshing with water to rinse after eating is a good idea too.
#22
I use my earring to scrape out the muck from under my nails then put the earring back in my ear
#23
I’m surprised to not see this here: wearing shoes inside. My family was not a shoes off family and they always wore outside shoes inside. I remember a few friends homes were strict shoes-off homes, but I thought that was the minority. I was about 27 years old before I realized it was disgusting and people were definitely judging my etiquette.
XanthippeⓐWulf🇨🇦️️🇬🇧 1 year ago
I don't judge people on their shoes on or off choice. We weren't a "shoes off" household. It was your personal decision. Sorry if people think it's "gross," but one of my acquaintances is adamantly against shoes in the house because they think it is "uncivilized." Meanwhile, they let their cats sit on the counters and lick their a******s for hours, but never wipe them down to prepare food. We have indoor pets that have active outdoor lives (we take them hiking a lot & one is my service dog). Our floors are cleaned daily, so I don't personally feel this is an issue.
#24
Not washing behind ears
David Paterson 1 year ago (edited)
I know the story behind that. It comes from the days of the British Raj in India. Male Indian elephants develop a secretion behind the ears that drives them mad if not washed regularly. Elephant handlers in India know this and also insisted on the washing behind the ears of their family and friends. So if ever you're washing an Indian elephant "remember to always wash behind the ears".
#25
I was taught to wash my sheets once a month. Realized you’re supposed to do it way more.
Cyber Returns 1 year ago
Those white ghosts you see that look like sheets with holes in are in fact the spirits of people who died changing the quilt covers and are cursed to spend their afterlife trying to find the corners
#26
I always had dry hands as a kid and it didn't like how it felt so I'd spit on my hands all the time
usernamenotfound 1 year ago
My daughter went through a phase of doing this. She couldn't stand the feeling of lotion either tho, but she eventually grew out of it
#27
I used to take s***s, would wipe for a bit, but if it was taking to long I would just stuff a wad of TP in my crack and deal with it later.
#28
Left dishes out in my room. Until I got freaked out at seeing ants everywhere, then I always put away dishes after finishing.
#29
Used to pluck my eyebrows on public transport.
So sorry to anyone who got those sticky little living hair follicles stuck to their clothes and skin.
#30
Eating snow, just take the same handful of snow you might see a kid stuff in their mouth and let it melt in a glass. Bet you wouldn’t willingly drink it!
#31
As a young child, I didn't understand that as a female, we *have* to wipe for sanitary reasons. I felt that it was just another unfair stipulation imposed on my gender at the ripe age of maybe 5? So I refused to wipe when I peed because boys didn't have to.
Bogdan Chelariu 1 year ago
Men wipe too! Or at least should... I do, and am not ashamed by it! It's more hygienic!
#32
Teen years… Getting in bed with *outside clothes* on. Sitting on my bed with outside clothes on. Keeping my shoes on while sitting on my bed, might put my legs on the bed with the covers on but that’s f*****g disgusting and it bothers me when anyone does it in movies or my house (because anyone else in the world can do whatever they want — just not in my house).
I’ve made it a rule to change out of your outside clothes before getting into a bed.
M 1 year ago (edited)
When I see people in movies or TV walk in from outside and put their sneakers up on the same bed they sleep in, I am amazed by the grossness. Between even just the floors of public restrooms and the sidewalks with dogsh!t everywhere, I cannot imagine thinking this is fine. At an absolute minimum, I take my shoes off at the door when coming inside.
#33
Showered in a dirty tub. Once I discovered how gross it really was, my hoarder mother didn’t like it when I cleaned the bathroom, so I just lived with it til I was able to get a place.
#34
I casually use cat whiskers as toothpicks when I find them laying around. I still do but not in public after I was sitting on a bus next to a stranger and got a bit happy when I found a whisker in my scarf. Poor stranger got discussed and surprised at the same time.
WindySwede 1 year ago
No thanks! Same with the lady who let dog taste spoon with food, then back in pot!
#35
I chewed with my mouth open for decades
XanthippeⓐWulf🇨🇦️️🇬🇧 1 year ago
You are a monster. Jk, but really though, don't need a show on what your food looks like chewed, so please folks, unkess it is medically necessary, chew with your mouth closed. *This public service announcement brought to you by the counsil of people that are silently murdering you in their mind while you chew with your mouth open*
#36
Walking barefoot. My kid freaks out if I step outside without shoes. I don't think they'll survive an apocalypse.
What do you think ?
Stacy Jones 1 year ago
Can someone bring up about licking your fingers to get a better grip? I work in retail, and so many customers do this to count their money - I'm not touching that! One guy actually spits, like hocks-back and SPLAT!, on his fingers and then tries to hand me the cash. Please stop doing this!
Stacy Jones 1 year ago
Can someone bring up about licking your fingers to get a better grip? I work in retail, and so many customers do this to count their money - I'm not touching that! One guy actually spits, like hocks-back and SPLAT!, on his fingers and then tries to hand me the cash. Please stop doing this!
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