hygiene routines

As the days went by, I took note when the family changed clothes, washed their hair, etc. Obviously I wasn't watching their every move, and I don't pretend to have a clear picture of their routines, but I was curious. While I was there, I operated under their definitions of hygiene and cleanliness.

To make sure we're on the same wavelength, let me make something clear: cleanliness is a social construct. And no, I'm obviously not disputing the physical existence of germs, or the correlation between cleanliness and disease. But our sense of what degree of purity constitutes cleanliness, or what actions are necessary to render something clean, or what distinguishes clutter from filth, are certainly subjective.

Anyway, they tend to change clothes every day or two, and I saw them wash garments occasionally. They wash and comb their hair with water and detergent. They rinse their hands with water alot, especially before and after eating. They don't seem to conceptualize the herd and its accessories as being as unclean as I would be inclined to. (That's pretty much how I feel about American dog owners as well.) Cleaning usually constitutes rinsing. We eat out of communal bowls, but tea glasses are always washed between drinkers. Cookware is always cleaned after use, often with the powdered detergent that they use for everything.

There wasn't much privacy for my own personal hygiene routines. Even in situations without much privacy, like camping, I'm accustomed to the norms. Like changing in a sleeping bag: since you're not exposed or anything, it's an acceptable thing to do. But it's certainly not clear to me that it would be acceptable here.