Should I be cleaning my belly button?

About this episode

We talked about omplaphobia in a recent episode of Do You Really Know, which is the fear of belly buttons. Well the subject of today’s episode may make for awkward listening for anyone affected by that phobia. That’s right; we’re talking about belly buttons again. Now, be honest: when was the last time you washed your belly button in the shower? It’s commonly overlooked, but surprisingly it’s actually one of the dirtiest parts of the human body. That’s because it accumulates dead skin cells, clothing fibers, soap residue, and sweat, making it a haven for bacteria. In fact, it hosts more than sixty different species of fungi, yeasts, and bacteria! How does the belly button form? Why does my belly button sometimes smell bad? Do I need to use lotion? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: What do you get better at with age? Why has astrology come back into fashion? Are our phones really eavesdropping on us? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices