Italy's first female astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who is coming to the end of a six-month mission on the International Space Station, has published a video explaining how astronauts maintain their personal hygiene in a weightless environment.

In the video, which was published on the European Space Agency’s (ESA) YouTube channel on Tuesday, the astronaut explains how to deal with challenges such as washing without running water, where to spit toothpaste and how to stop your nail clippings from flying around.

The 38-year-old also hit headlines in Italy on Sunday when she became the first to try an espresso in space, thanks to a pioneering coffee machine made to operate in the extreme conditions of space.

Samantha Cristoforetti on Sunday became the first astronaut to drink an espresso in space. Photo: Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (Asi)

The capsule-based machine was created with the collaboration of Italian coffeemaker Lavazza, Argotec, an Italian engineering company that specializes in the design of aerospace systems and the Italian Space Agency (ISA).

The coffee machine, which takes its name from the International Space Station, is called ISSpresso and can also create a variety of hot drinks.

Cristoforetti, who is a military pilot from Milan, has spent almost six months on the International Space Station conducting various experiments and activities. She is due to return to Earth between May 13th-14th.