PURPOSE: The aim of this paper is to analyse the factors influencing clean lifestyles in urban communities, emphasising the role of education. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: In this study, we used an ordinary least square (OLS) model to assess the level of hygiene behaviour in urban communities. In the model, the regressed dependent variable is the level of hygiene behaviour. The score ranges from 1 to 5, where 1 represents the most imperfect way of life (or dirty way of life) and 5 represents a clean way of life, as indicated by the guided classification. FINDINGS: The highest level of hygiene is achieved when a person has undertaken 12 years of education. For the case of Indonesia, this implies that a person will have a high level of hygiene behaviour in their living conditions when they have completed senior high school (12 years of schooling). The level of hygiene behaviour becomes higher when per capita expenditure (as an intermediary of salary) increases. This suggests that family units with higher incomes will have higher hygiene scores, resulting from cleaner living conditions. ORIGINALITY: This paper gives a new perspective on the relationship between education, income and urban environmental quality. The integration of socio-economic and environmental factors can serve as a policy basis for designing targeted interventions to promote sustainable urban living and improve people's well-being. © 2026 World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD)