Trigger warning. We are “going there,” in a no-holds-barred look at some pretty gross habits. Let’s face it, we are all human and have our own quirky things we’d never admit to in public.

Being human means indulging is some disgusting behaviors once in a while.  When you’re in a relationship, your unique habits can, well… gross out your partner. You may wonder what quirky behaviors you have that might annoy your partner.

15 Gross Habits That Annoy Your Significant Other

Take a look at these 15 gross habits you may be guilty of doing.

  1. Picking your nose.

You should have grown out of the nose-picking habit in kindergarten. But if you’re still picking your nose, you’re not alone. We rate it as the number one gross habit that annoys partners. Resist the urge to dig deep into your nose. Instead, get a tissue and take care of business in privacy.

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  1. Biting your nails.

Tearing at your nails with your teeth like a neanderthal isn’t attractive. No wonder your partner finds this habit super annoying. There are good health reasons to kick the nail-biting habit.

  • Infection in your fingernails: When you bite your nails, you run the risk of a painful nail infection called paronychia. Symptoms are red, swollen areas where the infection lingers. This area fills with nasty pus and blisters.  Usually, you need an antibiotic to get rid of paronychia.
  • Teeth problems: Using your teeth as nails clippers can cause your teeth to shift, chip, or break. You also spread germs from your fingers to your mouth, causing bad breath, and who knows what else.
  • Hangnails:  When you tear off skin with your teeth, you make a hole that forms a hangnail. Hangnails get infected easily, causing pain, redness, and a swollen finger. Sometimes hangnails get so infected. You need surgery to remedy it.

  1. Not brushing your teeth.

Being an adult means you don’t need your mom to remind you to brush your teeth. If you’re skipping good mouth hygiene, your teeth can turn yellow. You’ll develop cavities and have stinky breath. It’s no fun to kiss someone with nasty breath. Stop waiting for your mom to show up, start brushing, and flossing twice a day. Your partner will love your sweet, kissy breath, and gorgeous smile.

  1. Farting.

It was hilarious in middle school, but loud, smelly farts aren’t that funny once you reach adulthood. No one wants to cuddle on the sofa with a farting partner. Perhaps you have gut problems that are causing gas. You may be allergic to dairy or sugar. Try giving up dairy or sugar for a couple of weeks to see if your obnoxious farts go away.  Sometimes that’s all it takes to end the pungent air gifts that are so annoying to your partner.

  1. Peeing in the shower.

Many people admit they pee in the shower. It’s so common that it’s almost an American pastime. Why do you do it? Convenience? Comfort? Just for fun? It’s unclear what the motiving cause is, but it’s actually not as brutish as it sounds. The urine gets washed down the drain with the dirt, dead skin, and other yucky bodily fluids. But all the same, if it bugs your partner, at least hold off peeing in the shower until when they’re not around.

  1. Smelling your armpits.

You raise your arms over your head, fake yawn, then do a quick turn of the head to take a sniff of your armpits. You think no one notices you. But your partner notices, and it’s extremely annoying to them. If you’re taking daily showers and wearing a good deodorant brand, you shouldn’t need to do the armpit sniffing test. If you really feel a need to sniff your armpits, go to the bathroom. There you can sniff all you want, plus put on a little extra deodorant if you need it.

body odors

  1. Not changing sheets on your bed.

Has it been weeks or months since you’ve changed your bedsheets? Sorry, but this is high on the repulsive list for a partner.  Over time your bed is a cornucopia full of dead skin, pollen, dust mites, dander, and other plain old offensive stuff. If you sleep in that stuff long enough, you can develop allergies or skin rashes. Studies found that simple measures like weekly laundering of your bedding can reduce allergens in your bedroom. Getting serious about washing your bedding is sure to get you off the repulsive list. Plus, you’ll sleep better every night under fresh, clean sheets.

  1. Spitting.

Spitting was against the law in the Middle Ages, and it should be illegal today. If you’re still flinging a giant ball of spit now and then, you may want to reassess this habit.  It’s a big no-no when it comes to relationships. No one wants to kiss a spit flinger. If you must spit, do it in the toilet, and please flush afterward. Breaking this habit would make your sweetie a lot happier.

  1. Not cleaning your smartphone.

Are you scratching your head right now, saying, “I’m supposed to clean my smartphone?” Think about it. Do you grab your smartphone and take it with you into the bathroom to sit a spell and write texts?  During the day, do you touch coffee shop counters, door handles, and work computers? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Most people don’t think about cleaning their smartphones. Sanitize your smartphone with a cleaning wipe at least once a day to remove grime and avoid spreading germs.

  1. Butt scratching.

It should go without saying that butt scratching is definitely a gross habit. It’s also socially unacceptable and a big turn off for your partner. If you’re having issues with your hiney, head to the bathroom and fix it.  No one wants to hang out with a butt scratcher, so nip this bad habit in the bud right away. Capeesh?

  1. Talking with food in your mouth.

Remember when you were a kid, and you told the joke about “seafood,” then opened your mouth so the person could “see” your food?  It was funny back then, but “see” food isn’t funny when you’re an adult. Your partner loves you. They love to talk to you at dinner, but when you splatter food from your mouth onto their shirt, it could push them over the edge. Try to take a bite and swallow before you talk at meals. It could save your relationship.

  1. Not washing new clothing.

Okay, this might seem like a biggie, but it’s disgusting if you think about where your new clothes have been. People are covered with parasites, germs, and bacteria. They touch clothes on the rack at the store and try on clothing–many of them minus their underwear. Bathing suits and lingerie have been found to contain fecal matter. If this doesn’t convince you to wash your new clothing, nothing will. When you get home from the store, throw your new clothing into the washer right away so it’ll be nice and clean for wearing.

  1. Not replacing your toothbrush head.

It’s easy to forget to replace your toothbrush head. But if you brush your teeth twice a day after several months, your toothbrush takes a good beating. The bristles wear down, causing your brushing to be ineffective. Your mouth harbors germs and bacteria that accumulate on your toothbrush. Over time, your toothbrush is germ-infested so, it’s important to replace your toothbrush or toothbrush head at least once a month.

  1. Not washing your hands.

Your sweetie wants you to wash your hands. Not washing your hands spreads disease and germs. Poor hygiene is never romantic. Wash your hands after you use the toilet, after you’ve been outside or before you cook.

  1. Poor toilet hygiene.

It’s time to get serious. And yes, we are going there.

One of the biggest annoyances to many is when someone’s partner does not practice good toilet hygiene. Disgusting behaviors range from forgetting to flush (or not ensuring all waste flushes) completely to “dribbling” down the side of the bowl to leaving up the toilet seat for them to touch. Do your significant other a favor and don’t make them a party to cleaning up after you use the toilet. While you are at it, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet, as well!

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Final Thoughts: How do you stop gross habits?

Everybody has a habit to kick. Researchers suggest you can stop a bad habit by replacing the bad habit with a healthy one. If you constantly bite your nails when you’re nervous, take a yoga class to lower your stress. Researches believe it takes three weeks to break a habit. Over time, your positive habit eventually becomes a new way of life, crowding out your old bad habit.

It’s also important to find out how your gross habit affects your partner. Ask them questions like

  • Which of my gross habit affects you the most?
  • How does it make you feel?
  • Does it make me less attracted to you?
    Do my gross habits embarrass you? Annoy you?

If you’re human, you’re apt to have a gross habit of some kind. We all do things without thinking about how it affects our partners. Bad habits take time to stop, but it is possible if you’re motivated. Replacing bad habits with a new one is a powerful way to change.

Your gross habits affect your romantic relationship. Don’t assure your partner doesn’t care. Ask them which habits bother them. Show them you want to change to improve your relationship. Good chance, your sweetie will love you even more for wanting to change for them.