Personal Hygiene for Bartenders

Your appearance behind the bar speaks volumes about the way you conduct yourself while running the show.  I don’t care if you work at a club, saloon, or dive your personal hygiene and work attire should never be in question.  Proper grooming also sends a message to all guests you meet during your shift as to how you expect to be treated and how you expect them to act.  Another consideration is that you serve people all day with your hands: mixing drinks, shaking hands, and handling cash.  You can unknowingly be the source of contamination or transmission of bacteria or viruses.  This can be a hair follicle falling into a drink or shaking hands with guests and not washing up after.  You can not only make guests and coworkers sick, but yourself as well.  Missed shifts cost you money.  Among the most valuable tools you can have with you for every shift is the traveler’s grooming kit.  Keep it at work in a locker or manager’s office because it will bail you out after those late nights out.  Look like a million bucks so your guests will tip you accordingly.  Today let us take a look at what a decent kit includes and a few tips on using one.

Teeth are the first thing most people notice about each other.  Nothing is more off-putting than a bartender or server with food in their teeth.  Bad breath is equally offensive.  This portable toothbrush should be paired with floss or soft plastic dental picks and followed up by a breath mint or mouth wash.  Grooming kit cases provide plenty of extra room for you to throw in a travel-sized tube of toothpaste and floss.

Nose hair, ear hair, overgrown hair full of split ends, or a hair protruding from a mole all make for an unkempt and crude display.  Comb and cut any overly long hair.  Tweezers will help in removing any mutant hair that arises from an unseemly surface while the electric hair trimmer makes cutting back nose or ear hair an oddly pleasant task.  Just make sure to never push the trimmer too deep into your nostril or ear hole.  This trimmer is designed for the hair in your nose or ear and not any other part of your body.  Ever.  Trust me.

Don’t allow your finger or toe nails to grow too long.  And don’t chew your fingers or your feet when they do.  If you make a habit of doing this, you’ll subject yourself to any germs that collect under your nails as well as spoil your appetite.  Clip and file my friend.  Clip and file.  Your drinks will have a more professional presentation when being slid across the bar by well manicured hands.

Go across any shirt or pants with a lint brush to remove any fabric pills, lint fuzz, or errant threads.  This provides your clothes with a crisp clean freshness and makes you look the part of a seasoned professional.  Woolite produces a triple blade lint shaver that can handle any sort of garment and includes a blade guard so as not to damage the fabric.  It requires a couple of batteries but is well worth it if you dry clean your work clothes regularly.  You can pick one up here.

Your grooming behind the bar can set you up for success and better tip averages.  While some travel grooming kits can run well over $50 or $100, many more can be had for around $25.  The travel grooming kit used in this article is produced by Ben Sherman and can be purchased here.  Now look sharp and prosper my good bartender.

Cheers!