Hygiene experts reveal the body parts that most people DON'T wash properly - and the horrifying odors, rashes, and INFECTIONS that can occur from neglecting them

Have you ever wondered if there are any body parts you're not getting completely clean? 

If you've ever wanted to know exactly how you're supposed to clean behind your ears or the best way to guarantee your armpits stay sweat-free, there are certain techniques that might benefit you. 

While you might think you're already squeaky clean, it's possible you're missing these specific spots, including underarms, feet, ears, your neck, and your scalp. 

FEMAIL spoke to a dermatologist and a hygiene expert to find out exactly how to stay scrubbed up.

Hygiene expert Mary Futher, known as Madame Sweat to her fans, and dermatologist Dr. Margarita Lolis have revealed the body parts that most commonly go without a proper wash 

Clean beauty founder and product developer Mary Futher, who makes viral videos as Madame Sweat and founded the brand Kaia Naturals, is an expert when it comes to personal cleanliness.

Futher, who is based in Toronto, Canada, has even launched products like sweat powder and detox charcoal deodorant to make sure her more than 780,000 TikTok followers are keeping clean. 

She is an etiquette expert in the world of grooming, giving tips on her blog, The House of Hygiene, where she breaks down everything from why one armpit smells worse than the other to reducing boob sweat. 

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Margarita Lolis, based in New Jersey, has also weighed in with her suggestions on keeping underarms, feet, and more sweat and dirt-free.

Feet: Fight sweat with a salty product

Just washing your feet in the shower isn't quite enough, according to Futher. 

The expert warned that 'odor sweat glands exist in the feet, groin and underarms that are called the eccrine glands, and when you sweat, the sweat sits on the surface of the skin and turns into bacteria, causing a very smelly type of bacteria.'

'Some people have more of this bacteria than others because they are very sweaty,' she continued, suggesting people use her brand's underarms bar on feet, or another product that includes salt. 

'The salt helps eliminate the bacteria that causes the odor, as salt leaves a bit of a film so it will help throughout the day and help fight off that odor.'

Futher warned that 'odor sweat glands exist in the feet called the eccrine glands, and when you sweat the sweat sits on the surface of the skin and turns into bacteria'

'The key is to wash very well with the bar including between the toes.' 

According to Futher, it also helps to use a sweat powder in your socks 'to help absorb some of the sweat as this will keep that moisture from turning into bacteria.'

Dr. Lolis agreed and warned that 'moisture and warmth between the toes creates an ideal environment for fungal infections as well as erythrasma, a superficial bacterial infection.'

The dermatologist suggested 'drying thoroughly and applying a foot powder,' or using deodorant on your tootsies to prevent unseemly odors and sweat. 

Underarms: Body wash just doesn't cut it

Futher said 'most people do a quick "drive-by" by washing for two seconds with what I like to call at "tootie fruity" body wash'

She even developed a soap specifically for this purpose. 'Underarms is my thing and this happens to be a top seller for us,' she said about the underarm bar

Dr. Lolis suggested using 'a benzoyl peroxide wash such as Panoxyl to help reduce bacteria causing odor', as well as plant-based Miles deodorant to keep the area 'dry and odor free'

Do you feel like no matter how hard you scrub, you still need to wear multiple layers of deodorant? It might be because of the body wash you're using. 

Futher said 'most people do a quick "drive-by" by washing for two seconds with what I like to call at "tootie fruity" body wash.' 

'This is not going to help when it comes to underarm odor, as this is an area of the body that one should spend the most time given the number of bacteria - and odor causing bacteria - in the area,' Futher warned. 

Instead, she advised washing for 20 seconds with natural antibacterial soap, which she said would 'give your deodorant a little help.'

According to the cleanliness expert, you should look for ingredients like salt and apple cider vinegar and then you'll 'get more mileage out of your deodorant, as the salt will leave a barrier on the underarm to help combated bacteria,' which is 'something a heavily fragranced body soap cannot do.' 

Futher even developed a soap specifically for this purpose.  

'Underarms is my thing and this happens to be a top seller for us,' she said about the underarm bar. 

However, you should not use it all over your body - just on the armpits.

Dr. Lolis agreed that 'beyond simply applying deodorant, properly washing the armpits helps control bacteria that cause odor.' 

The dermatologist suggested using 'a benzoyl peroxide wash such as Panoxyl to help reduce bacteria causing odor.' 

Dr. Lolis also recommended Miles deodorant, and said, 'natural, plant based ingredients can help to keep the area dry and odor free.'

Neck: An area long forgotten by many

Futher explained that the back of the neck was another area to focus on, as 'most people assume the soap from the shampoo can do the job.'

Instead, 'you need to actually rub back there as some people develop pigmentation back there from poor hygiene, as sweat and debris collect there because of clothing collars, which create friction and skin folds.' 

If the back of your neck is dirty, it can be seen on a white shirt's dirty collar. 

Scalp: Make sure you massage to get rid of build-up

Washing your hair regularly doesn't guarantee it's clean, which might be why your scalp feels dry and irritated. 

'While hair gets washed, the scalp itself might not be adequately cleansed, leading to buildup of products and oils,' Dr. Lolis warned.  

According to the dermatologist, 'massaging the scalp during shampooing can improve scalp health and hair growth,' so make sure you take time to shampoo. 

If you still feel a build-up, it might be time to switch shampoo.  

'One can also use a scalp exfoliant or Nizoral if prone to thick waxy scale,' Dr. Lolis advised. 

Nizoral is an anti-dandruff, antifungal shampoo that controls flaking and itching.  

Ears: It's more than just using a Q-tip

Futher suggested 'a good rub with soap back there to help prevent a waxy build up that often forms'

When it comes to your ears, you shouldn't just use Q-tips and call it a day. 

Futher suggested 'a good rub with soap back there to help prevent a waxy build up that often forms.' 

She recommended using a face cloth for the scrub. 

'Behind the ears is a big one!' Dr. Lolis agrees, as 'these areas can accumulate sweat, oils, and dirt.'

'I see patients with build up of dead skin, grease and flakiness behind the ears,' she said. 

The dermatologist suggested using Nizoral, or cleaning your ears thoroughly in the shower and making sure to wash off any excess shampoo or conditioner and pat dry.

Belly Button: Not cleaning it out can lead to infection

You might not think about your belly button all that often, but it's actually imperative to keep it clean - or you could get an infection. 

Dr. Lolis advised that 'the navel can collect lint, sweat, and bacteria, leading to odor and infection if not cleaned regularly with soap and water.'

That's not the only cautionary tale.  

'I've had many patients come in to evaluate a growth in their navel which turned out to be a buildup of keratin which can harden and is hard to remove,' Dr. Lolis said. 

Keratin is a type of protein that helps form the tissues of the hair, nails, and the outer layer of the skin, but too much can block the pores in your skin and cause serious issues.