When the Internet was first conceived, it was believed it would help answer the big questions in life. It turns out that when it comes to personal hygiene, it is just as enlightening.
The simple questions are usually the most difficult to answer, such as this query posed by Twitter user Conor Arpwel: "Do you wash your legs when you take a shower?"
The prompt for this question remains unknown, but the intention was to find out how many people designate precious shower time to washing just their legs. Conor included a Twitter poll for people to have their say and almost immediately triggered an international debate.
Do you wash your legs when you take a shower?
— Conor Arpwel (@Arpwel) May 9, 2019
Six days, 3,300 likes and 838,000 responses later, the discussion has been dubbed "WashGate" and is no doubt a watershed moment for Internet debates on cleanliness.
Currently, 80% of respondents wash their legs in the shower, while 20% do not. The discussion hinges on the argument for and against relying on the "trickle down" effect, whereby shower gel and shampoo used on the upper body falls down, washing the legs in the process.
Don't legs wash themselves from the soap off the upper body?
— Nick (@Nickmate7) May 11, 2019
I feel like my legs don’t get dirty 🤷🏽♀️ plus, soap and shampoo run down my legs when Im showering
— Queenie🌹 (@Queen050780) May 10, 2019
Many find this concept abhorrent.
Everyone who voted no, think about all the toilet seats you’ve sat on and wash those thighs!
— Shredded Wit (@Pigglelit) May 10, 2019
Some called for a similar discussion regarding feet and whether people clean them, while others made bare-faced admissions of non-washing that, frankly, are shocking.
I haven’t used soap of any kind in the shower for years — just got water
— Barry in Iowa (@BarryinIowa) May 12, 2019
Because there are two kinds of people, one woman replied that she has a specially designed foot nook in her shower for washing her feet.
Not only do I was my legs but I had a special foot niche built into my shower when we re-did it just so I could wash/shave comfortably pic.twitter.com/eyFWhaTnSQ
— Margaret (@nursemegg) May 11, 2019
Conor, for one, washes his legs and went into detail about his specific washing routine.
"My showers only take 5 to 10 minutes, but I have a rather neurotic step-by-step bathing process. I wash my face and neck ... and then I use a generic organic body wash on back of my neck/ears, arms, underarms, chest, back, genitals, butt, legs, and feet in that order. Then, I wash my hair with shampoo and occasionally some conditioner."
Barely a day into his Twitter opus, Conor released his official statement on the matter, writing "My name is Conor Arpwel and I am a leg washer".
"Leg washing is an important component of my cleanliness regimen, but also I’m not out to get people who don’t wash their legs for various reasons.
"I only meant for this whole thing to be a fun & frivolous topic of conversation lol."
Here are some of the best responses, from leg washers and non-leg-washers alike.
Better together
I must say that after reading through this thread for the 3rd time, I took the most intentional shower of my life. Great tips, everyone. #BetterTogether 🤣
— Garrick D. Conner (@GarrickDConner) May 11, 2019
Preemptively closing my eyes for this one
I think a 'warts and all' TV show on exactly how people clean themselves would be a real eye opener.
— Tits McGee (@Scientits) May 11, 2019
The other leg day
Don't skip leg day!
— Morgen Johnson (@Morgen8112) May 11, 2019
What kind of day are you having?
Depends on the day, really.
— choking (@choking88348010) May 11, 2019
#MushroomLegs?
Honestly i focus on them now and then but they kinda wash themselves thanks to gravity. Certainly the less focused on part of the body 🤣 #MushroomLegs 🤣
— Paul (@Paul_Super_Card) May 11, 2019
Always the feet!
Usually....but if its morning and im running late and i know i hadnt done anything since my last shower but sit at my desk job and i know im not all dirty i skip the legs BUT ALWAYS the FEET!.. always
— Cassandra J Sotos (@Lexystar77) May 11, 2019
