Look up washing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Washing is one way of cleaning, namely with water and often some kind of soap or detergent. Washing is an essential part of good hygiene and health.

Often people use soaps and detergents assist in the emulsification of oils and dirt particles so they can be washed away.

People usually wash themselves periodically. Little children, the sick, and people with disabilities may be washed by a caregiver. Often a shower or a bathtub is used for persons washing themselves or others. Showers or baths are commonly taken in the nude and often in private.

In Europe, some people (especially Italians) use a bidet to wash their private parts after using the toilet.

More frequent is washing of just the hands, e.g. before and after preparing food and eating, after using the toilet, after handling something dirty, etc. Hand washing is important in reducing the spread of germs.^{[citation needed]}

Brushing one's teeth is also a kind of washing.

Washing also refers to laundry, often hung on a washing line or tumble dried. Washing also refers to washing our faces when we rise in the morning. We also wash our face often to keep ourselves cool.

[edit] See also

• Ablution
• Bathing
• Car wash
• Cleaning agent
• Cleanliness
• Dishwashing
• Hand washing
• Laundry symbols, washing machine
• Sanitation
• Wikibooks:Car Washing Techniques

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