19 Perfectly Common Things People Find Disgusting, But Others Don't Think Twice About Them

It's pretty funny how everyday things that seem perfectly normal to some of us can spark feelings of discomfort or disgust in others — revealing how our "ick factors" can truly differ from one another. For example, some people HATE the feeling of lotion and have difficulty putting it on their body when they need to.

Person applying cream to their face with a smile, focusing on skincare
Ada Summer / Getty Images

Recently, Reddit user Jazzlike_Razzmatazz wanted to know the common things that give people the icks when they asked: "What is the thing you find disgusting but others don't?"

Person in a hoodie grimaces with the text "That's Disgusting" at the bottom. Background shows a scenic painting

The thread got over 6K responses. Below are the top and most often repeated comments, and maybe you'll even agree with some of them:

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1."Breathing someone’s 'breathed' air. Like, laying under the blanket and facing my now ex-husband was physical torture. The air felt warm and used, lol. And yes, I know it’s irrational and in my head, but I hate it."

A couple smiles and embraces on a bed, sharing an intimate and joyful moment

2."Toddlers with food on their faces. It drives me nuts. I just want to get a washcloth and clean their face off."

Child smiling with chocolate smeared on face, wearing a bib, looking directly at the camera

3."Don't get me wrong, I floss, but when people do it in front of me, I find it disgusting."

Adult and child in white shirts enthusiastically flossing their teeth in a bathroom mirror

4."People wearing their dirty shoes on their couch or bed. It seems like it’s commonplace."

Person relaxing on a couch, wearing a chunky knit sweater and jeans, using a smartphone. They have one leg resting on another person's knee

5."Eating runny eggs."

A fried egg with a runny yolk is being cut with a fork and knife on a plate. A napkin lies next to the plate

6."Hair when it’s not attached to a body. Hair on soap, hair in bathroom sinks, hair on the floor, in the shower, etc. Freaks me out for some reason."

A bar of soap with a noticeable hair on its surface, set against a black background

7."Empty glasses of milk. The little bit left behind always makes me wanna throw up for some reason."

Child holding a clear glass of water with both hands, focusing on the hands and glass

8."Sitting in a warm seat someone was just in. Absolutely disgusting."

Empty subway seats with a "Do not lean on door" sign visible on the adjacent door

9."The texture of wooden cutlery."

Eco-friendly disposable wooden cutlery in a brown paper cup, set against a backdrop of green leaves

10."Socks! Unfortunately, I have to wear them, but I hate them. Unless it's fluffy ones. The second I am at home, normal socks have to go."

Feet wearing cozy, thick socks under a herringbone-patterned blanket on a bed

11."A microfiber cloth is the worst texture ever."

A neatly folded blue microfiber cloth on a plain background

12.Bellybuttons. I have an irrational hatred of them. Whenever my ex would rub his belly button with his finger, I would almost gag. I can touch and clean my own in the shower, of course, but I have to almost disassociate to get the job done. There was a Levi's commercial a decade or two ago where the bellybuttons would sing, 'I'm Coming Out' and the visceral reaction I had to it still haunts me to this day."

Person wearing a sleeveless, cropped top and jeans, with a navel piercing visible. Casual attire, possibly a candid moment

13."Cotton balls and Styrofoam."

Five fluffy cotton balls stacked together
Five fluffy cotton balls stacked together
Box filled with packing peanuts
Box filled with packing peanuts

Thatphichai Yodsri / Getty Images, Dem10 / Getty Images

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MandyRose8713

"COTTON BALLS: I have hated them my entire life. I can’t stand touching them!!!

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14."Dirty keyboards. Especially a mechanical keyboard with tons of chips and hair. Disgusting as shit."

Close-up of a dusty computer keyboard with visible grout around the keys, highlighting the need for cleaning

15."Greasy phones, greasy laptops, greasy cabinet doors, greasy fridge doors, And, of course, the main culprit, GREASY FINGERS!"

Close-up of a smartphone showing a screen covered with fingerprints and smudges

16."Feet. They gross me out so bad."

Two pairs of feet peek out from under a white duvet, suggesting a cozy, intimate setting

17."Earrings. Not when they're in someone's ear, but when I have to touch them when they're not. Just a piece of metal that's been through someone's skin disgusts me irrationally."

Two gold hoop earrings with posts, displayed overlapping on a white background

18."Eating cake after someone has blown all over it. Especially when a little kid has blown all over it."

A person blowing out candles on a rectangular cake with chocolate icing and sprinkled edges, surrounded by friends in a cozy setting

19.And lastly, "The sounds people make when eating. Literally turns my stomach."

Woman eating pasta with a fork, smiling

You can read the original thread on Reddit.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.