Hello Kitty Toe Cleaner

Japan

This was another gift from the peripatetic Mary Roach, acquired on her trip to JAXA, the Japanese space agency, during the writing of Packing for Mars. I doubt there is any connection between this device and the Japanese astronaut training program. Toe jam is one of the last things you want floating around you in zero gravity.

I’ve never used (or even opened) this between-the-toes cleaner, which looks like a repurposed double test tube scrubber. Maybe I should have—my feet have always been the least favorite part of my body, now more so than ever. I won’t go into details.

There’s really not much more I can say about this object. It was clearly designed with care, and the how-to illustration on the packaging is helpful. I hope it finds a happy home. Better with your feet than mine.