New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANSlife): The days of brusque, unkempt dudes are a thing of the past. Men are sitting up and taking notice of how they present themselves to the world, and personal hygiene is no exception to their grooming routines. Spoiler alert: just soap and water would not do!

If you have recently started paying attention to your intimate hygiene, here is some useful advice.

"Shower daily and try to keep the skin around the concerned areas dry and clean. Avoid wearing overly tight clothes and make sure to use an anti chafing cream made of natural ingredients like neem and coconut," Hitesh Dhingra, founder and MD of The Man Company, told IANSlife.

If you are a fitness enthusiast, use an anti sweat lotion to keep the sweat, odour and irritation at bay, he added.

As per Vikas Bagaria, the founder of Pee Safe, the genitalia are one of the most neglected body parts in men and can collect a lot of dirt and grime, making them prone to infections. Intimate hygiene is important for overall well-being and health and therefore it should form an essential part of men's daily cleaning routine.

"Men must trim or shave pubic hair regularly to keep the area clean and in good hygiene. Wash the genitals well with warm water before and after shaving. The genitals must be cleaned every day. Using a good-quality intimate hygiene wash can help in keeping germs at bay," he suggests.

Picking the right undergarments is essential too. Yogesh Kabra, Founder of XYXX Apparels says -

**No to tight underwear. One is advised to wear something that allows air to circulate well in the covered areas. Whether you choose briefs, thongs, boxers or even exotic inner wear, wearing them tight will do you absolutely no good. It cuts circulation to the essential parts and sweaty is not a good feeling.

**Don't be a repeat offender. Don't go lazy on washing your underwear on a daily basis. Research states clean underwear can contain up to 10,000 living bacteria - even after being washed. You may have endless packs of boxers and briefs but nothing gives you the permission to leave them dirty. Wearing undergarments more than once increases the risk of one smelling bad due to contamination by body fluids, dampness and leads to the growth of bacteria. And no one can deny the blissful feeling of putting on a fresh, crisp pair of undies in the morning.

**Discard them, dudes. Replace your underwear every six months. Once they start looking spent and shaggy it is time you threw them out.