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How often should you bathe/shower?
Replies
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paperpudding wrote: »Though I have more modern habits (like daily when no pandemic), my parents (b. 1912, 1917) grew up in the era of mostly weekly baths, and "sponge baths" from a basin/sink in between as needed: Heating the water on the woodstove, in some cases even drawing it from a well or by hand-pump first, to fill the tin tub . . . that tends to make the baths happen less often. Less stink than you might imagine.
Norms change. The modern habits of daily bath/shower are pretty new, I think, in the general population . . . maybe around the last century-ish? (Running water, electricity, is a big deal.) Yeah, people have fewer lice, bedbugs, etc., than in the distant past. Bathing isn't the only reason.
I was raised on 'one bath a week' and I'm only 37 (but not from the US). I've seen the shift to (nearly) daily showers in society, though not as 'bad' as in the US. There seems to be a tendency in western society (led by North America) to consider any bodily smell as a bad smell.
Anyway, I refrain from telling people how much (little) I bathe/shower/wash, knowing the judgment will be instantaneous, even though they don't think I stink.
Reading this thread, I'm mostly shocked at the (IMO) excessive water consumption. Living in Belgium, you would think water isn't an issue, but climate change combined with too much urban land cover is wreaking havoc on our water table and water is getting more expensive too.
I'm fully convinced that showering (more than) daily is just cultural and not necessary for our health (or even detrimental). But this is a difficult topic to discuss, since most people will just go 'oh yuck' at the mere idea of showering less than daily.
But even if you feel the need to wash yourself once or several times a day, I'm a big fan of going old-school and just using a washcloth (I hate showering anyway, I much prefer taking a bath
)
I could not have agreed with this whole post more! I'm UK based, and I'd say that most people probably don't shower more than once a day, but it amazes me how many people do from reading this thread. How do you people find the time!?
What's different? Time is the same everywhere.
I think you are conflating 2 separate parts of the sentence.
It reads to me: I am in UK and I'd say most people dont shower more than once a day.
and, separately - how do people find the time?paperpudding wrote: »Though I have more modern habits (like daily when no pandemic), my parents (b. 1912, 1917) grew up in the era of mostly weekly baths, and "sponge baths" from a basin/sink in between as needed: Heating the water on the woodstove, in some cases even drawing it from a well or by hand-pump first, to fill the tin tub . . . that tends to make the baths happen less often. Less stink than you might imagine.
Norms change. The modern habits of daily bath/shower are pretty new, I think, in the general population . . . maybe around the last century-ish? (Running water, electricity, is a big deal.) Yeah, people have fewer lice, bedbugs, etc., than in the distant past. Bathing isn't the only reason.
I was raised on 'one bath a week' and I'm only 37 (but not from the US). I've seen the shift to (nearly) daily showers in society, though not as 'bad' as in the US. There seems to be a tendency in western society (led by North America) to consider any bodily smell as a bad smell.
Anyway, I refrain from telling people how much (little) I bathe/shower/wash, knowing the judgment will be instantaneous, even though they don't think I stink.
Reading this thread, I'm mostly shocked at the (IMO) excessive water consumption. Living in Belgium, you would think water isn't an issue, but climate change combined with too much urban land cover is wreaking havoc on our water table and water is getting more expensive too.
I'm fully convinced that showering (more than) daily is just cultural and not necessary for our health (or even detrimental). But this is a difficult topic to discuss, since most people will just go 'oh yuck' at the mere idea of showering less than daily.
But even if you feel the need to wash yourself once or several times a day, I'm a big fan of going old-school and just using a washcloth (I hate showering anyway, I much prefer taking a bath)
I could not have agreed with this whole post more! I'm UK based, and I'd say that most people probably don't shower more than once a day, but it amazes me how many people do from reading this thread. How do you people find the time!?
What's different? Time is the same everywhere.
I think you are conflating 2 separate parts of the sentence.
It reads to me: I am in UK and I'd say most people dont shower more than once a day.
and, separately - how do people find the time?
The post appeared to be questioning how would people find enough time to shower twice a day. For me it's just part of the daily routine. Out of bed, into the shower, eat breakfast, dress for work. Then it's home from work, undress, shower, eat, sleep. Approximately that.
yes it was questioning that.
But separately to the statement about living in UK
or so it read to me.
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paperpudding wrote: »kittengirl88 wrote: »I wash up at the sink when I wake up, the "main utilities" as my mom calls it. I use a bidet, and usually shower fully every other day. I can assure you I don't smell in the slightest. My husband wouldn't be as enthusiastic to be all over me constantly if I did.
Glad you mentioned this. Every time I hear or read discussions like these, I wonder how people could indulge in husband and wife activities without being clean.
and yet most people in most of time in most of the world have managed to do so without showering twice a day - or without having running water or anything like our modern first world experience
Natural instinct I suppose, but the trained modern mind rejects uncleanness.
well I have a trained modern mind - and it can understand how my normal is not superior to other people's normal and everyone doesn't have to do it like I do.
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paperpudding wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »kittengirl88 wrote: »I wash up at the sink when I wake up, the "main utilities" as my mom calls it. I use a bidet, and usually shower fully every other day. I can assure you I don't smell in the slightest. My husband wouldn't be as enthusiastic to be all over me constantly if I did.
Glad you mentioned this. Every time I hear or read discussions like these, I wonder how people could indulge in husband and wife activities without being clean.
and yet most people in most of time in most of the world have managed to do so without showering twice a day - or without having running water or anything like our modern first world experience
Natural instinct I suppose, but the trained modern mind rejects uncleanness.
well I have a trained modern mind - and it can understand how my normal is not superior to other people's normal and everyone doesn't have to do it like I do.
Yes I accept they're differences. I live in a warm country, but have traveled to cold places where I don't even wish to remove my clothes to go anywhere near water!!2 -
My bed sheets are white. I shower at least daily before bed.
If I've done a two-a-day training, then I shower at least twice.
Also, my best life affirming thoughts happen in the bathroom 🤷🏿♀️
Twice a day is my normal. Can't imagine people putting clean clothes on dirty skin to go to work or school in the morning, nor getting into a clean bed at night with dirty skin from the day just done.
Look at it this way..... it is arbitrary. Why once a day? Why twice a day? Why not once a hour or perhaps every 74.295677546 minutes?
Why do you suddenly think at say 7am "I am dirty, I need to wash from head to toe" and then again at 8pm "I am dirty, I need to wash from head to toe". Or "I have had these clothes on 6 hours, I need fresh ones"
As I said elsewhere in this thread, it is like imagining your food goes off and needs to be thrown away on the stroke of midnight on the "best before" date. Some might like the comfort of routine so do stuff whether it is necessary or not because that is what they do, I get that, but others tick differently.
No one is wholly right and no one is wholly wrong. We all live different lives, have different needs and experiences and outlooks, have differing living conditions and of course have differing amounts of money.11 -
L1zardQueen wrote: »The $600 water bill dictates how many showers I and family get a day or for how many minutes they are. It sucks.
What currency is that? My bill converts to about US$55.00
My water bill is $12 for two months (I usually shower once a day).3 -
paperpudding wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »kittengirl88 wrote: »I wash up at the sink when I wake up, the "main utilities" as my mom calls it. I use a bidet, and usually shower fully every other day. I can assure you I don't smell in the slightest. My husband wouldn't be as enthusiastic to be all over me constantly if I did.
Glad you mentioned this. Every time I hear or read discussions like these, I wonder how people could indulge in husband and wife activities without being clean.
and yet most people in most of time in most of the world have managed to do so without showering twice a day - or without having running water or anything like our modern first world experience
Natural instinct I suppose, but the trained modern mind rejects uncleanness.
well I have a trained modern mind - and it can understand how my normal is not superior to other people's normal and everyone doesn't have to do it like I do.
Yes I accept they're differences. I live in a warm country, but have traveled to cold places where I don't even wish to remove my clothes to go anywhere near water!!
yes location and climate is one difference - among many others: occupation, age, skin condition, activity level, water conservation, time, hot water availability, personal preference etc etc
No issues with anyone saying what they do or what their normal is - issue is when you conflate from that to 'I cant imagine how anyone can be different than me '
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I shower daily, I enjoy showering. But I only wash my hair about 3 times a week.2
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I only sweat on my head and neck when I work out. That's an advantage. I also have very dry skin and could not shower daily to start with. I do have washing mitts though that I use every morning where needed.3
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Go get in the shower and blow the stink off for crying outloud or people will run when they see you comin'.3
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I have a quick wipe over with a washcloth when I get up. Then I exercise, get sweaty, and have a shower. On the rare days that I don't exercise I will still generally shower, though I might have a less cursory wash instead.0
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Diatonic12 wrote: »Go get in the shower and blow the stink off for crying outloud or people will run when they see you comin'.
Sounds like a plus these days, people running away. Duly noted.
As a bit of less snarky comment: The social-niceties reasons to bathe, and the health reasons to bathe, might not both lead a person to the same answer, considered separately and objectively. In the course of this thread, there's a mix of both aspects, as well as some others (habit, upbringing, self image, etc.).14 -
Diatonic12 wrote: »Go get in the shower and blow the stink off for crying outloud or people will run when they see you comin'.
You are being unbelievably rude with these continued comments. You've made your point that you believe those who don't shower daily, or multiple times a day, clearly must have odour issues. You're actually wrong about that, btw, but believe what you will. Quite aside from it being unnecessary to shower daily, some people actually can't due to medical conditions. Have you stopped to consider how your constant belittling makes us feel? No, didn't think so.19 -
Nony_Mouse wrote: »Diatonic12 wrote: »Go get in the shower and blow the stink off for crying outloud or people will run when they see you comin'.
You are being unbelievably rude with these continued comments. You've made your point that you believe those who don't shower daily, or multiple times a day, clearly must have odour issues. You're actually wrong about that, btw, but believe what you will. Quite aside from it being unnecessary to shower daily, some people actually can't due to medical conditions. Have you stopped to consider how your constant belittling makes us feel? No, didn't think so.
Beyond that, I truly don't see why it matters. I mean, I bathe. But in the time of Corona, there are literally times when I don't see anyone or leave my own property for 5 days, maybe more. I bathe when I think I need to bathe. That includes personal perceptions of cleanliness, my own perception of whether I smell sweaty, whether I've actually done anything lately that makes me sweaty or dirty, whether I'm going out in public, and more. In my personal context, the abstract idea that I ought to bathe on X frequency because of some theory about other people that I'm actually not going to see for literally *days* . . . that's just silly.13 -
I shower daily, but they would be very quick 3 minute showers in the morning with a showercap on, as I only wash my hair every5-6 days or so. I find those quick showers quicker and easier than washing at the sink.3
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Every other day unless I have been sweaty or done something that made me dirty again like a Jeep Safari in Crete. I have dry and quite sensitive skin so every day is a no go for me unless it's really needed.2
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Nony_Mouse wrote: »Diatonic12 wrote: »Go get in the shower and blow the stink off for crying outloud or people will run when they see you comin'.
You are being unbelievably rude with these continued comments. You've made your point that you believe those who don't shower daily, or multiple times a day, clearly must have odour issues. You're actually wrong about that, btw, but believe what you will. Quite aside from it being unnecessary to shower daily, some people actually can't due to medical conditions. Have you stopped to consider how your constant belittling makes us feel? No, didn't think so.
Beyond that, I truly don't see why it matters. I mean, I bathe. But in the time of Corona, there are literally times when I don't see anyone or leave my own property for 5 days, maybe more. I bathe when I think I need to bathe. That includes personal perceptions of cleanliness, my own perception of whether I smell sweaty, whether I've actually done anything lately that makes me sweaty or dirty, whether I'm going out in public, and more. In my personal context, the abstract idea that I ought to bathe on X frequency because of some theory about other people that I'm actually not going to see for literally *days* . . . that's just silly.
Yes I agree Nony and Ann. Both about the point and the rudeness of delivery.
Of course there would be hygiene/health/odour issues if someone were to not shower/ wash thoroughly for a month or some silly length of time - but this idea that everyone has to shower exactly the same routine as I do - regardless of whether their location, climate, age, skin condition. lifestyle, occupation, water capacity etc etc is same as mine, or else they will stink or something - just absurd.
are people really so self centred that they cant understand any norm other than their own??
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I don't come here much anymore for the reason I’ll state in a minute but I shower at least twice a day regardless of what I’ve done during the day. Eff it, that’s me and what I do. No one complains I smell so i must be doing something correct.
And as far as why I don’t swing by there much... some of you come off as pretentious, condescending, pompous dickheads to anyone who you don’t agree with. You turn what should be a civil debate into personal attacks.
Yup, I’m looking at you people in the previous post.6 -
I arguably smell worse after my bath currently. I definitely smell more. Depends on whether you like the smell of pine tar or not. Then there's my current topical steroid of choice, it smells...mossy? Maybe like a gerbil. We don't have those here, so I wouldn't know. Some of all that is quelled by the thick layer of heavy emollient I then apply to my skin though. That particular steroid cream actually acts as an extremely effective anti-perspirant, which is quite handy.
I sincerely hope that the disagrees appearing on posts from people with skin conditions or other medical issues are accidental. If not, may you be cursed with my skin in the height of summer for a month, with no clue as to how to tame it. You can also have my ME/CFS at its worst for good measure.5 -
Thought this discussion was over, but I see it's restarted a month later. I keep it bookmarked so I know when there are new posts.
So, I've been trying to shower less since reading all this. Last Sunday night was very late, so I thought I'd still be clean enough on Monday morning. Didn't work. I felt horrible that day.
That leaves me still in the twice a day camp.2 -
And as far as why I don’t swing by there much... some of you come off as pretentious, condescending, pompous dickheads to anyone who you don’t agree with. You turn what should be a civil debate into personal attacks.
Yup, I’m looking at you people in the previous post.
oh thats funny - complains about people being pretentious condescending dickheads - and others making personal attacks. 
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Thought this discussion was over, but I see it's restarted a month later. I keep it bookmarked so I know when there are new posts.
So, I've been trying to shower less since reading all this. Last Sunday night was very late, so I thought I'd still be clean enough on Monday morning. Didn't work. I felt horrible that day.
That leaves me still in the twice a day camp.
Why did you try to shower less Tony?
If what you were doing was working for you, why would you change it?
Water conservation maybe?
I still shower same as when thread started - almost always once daily, occasionally again if going out in evening and been hot day or playing sport or something, occasionally not at all if lazy weekend pyjama day
That works for me and am not planning to change it.
Other routines might work for other people - no problems there.
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paperpudding wrote: »Thought this discussion was over, but I see it's restarted a month later. I keep it bookmarked so I know when there are new posts.
So, I've been trying to shower less since reading all this. Last Sunday night was very late, so I thought I'd still be clean enough on Monday morning. Didn't work. I felt horrible that day.
That leaves me still in the twice a day camp.
Why did you try to shower less Tony?
If what you were doing was working for you, why would you change it?
Water conservation maybe?
I still shower same as when thread started - almost always once daily, occasionally again if going out in evening and been hot day or playing sport or something, occasionally not at all if lazy weekend pyjama day
That works for me and am not planning to change it.
Other routines might work for other people - no problems there.
Yes you're right. Somebody was implying that twice a day was OCD. I guess we all need to realize that when we're on the internet, we're playing to an international audience, and there can't be a "one size fits all" prescription.4 -
I shower or have a bath every other day, unless I have a reason to do it more frequently. My skin would literally fall apart if I showered multiple times a day.
Never once has anyone told me I stink.
Well, there was that one time when I mucked out an entire horse barn in the heat because the owner was ill. Then even I couldn't stand to be downwind of myself. 4 -
Of all the threads to result in drama... lol.
One thing I've noticed is that taking a shower seems to put me in "serious" mode, so I'll sometimes take a shower even if not planning to go out that day when I have work to do and have been goofing off (more than usual).
Two showers, though... only if I have a date, pretty much.2 -
When on multi-day river trips, showers aren't always that frequent. Different rivers have different regulations where the water can drain into. On the Middle Fork Salmon, for instance, soapy water has to go onto the ground away from the river. That means you take a bucket of river water to rinse off away from the river. Solar showers can be really deluxe, and two people can easily shower with five gallons of water. Jump in the river to get wet, go up on shore away from the river and soap up, then rinse off.
Then there's the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. All soapy water has to go INTO the river. That water is COLD. If you get two or three showers on a 23-day trip, that's not uncommon.
In the orientation video there's a funny section. It says that there may be a day when you notice a strange smell around camp. That smell could be YOU. Yes, it's a good idea to get a bath in at some point, but it's a lot more challenging than just turning on the shower.
That first hot shower when you get home is really awesome. I sometimes do have two on that day. But I'd skip it to be back in the canyon.
Same goes for multi day camp trips. Even car camping it's sometimes hard to bathe. There's plenty of options, but sometimes it's just fine to go three or five days.
On my last Grand Canyon trip, when we got back and had access to a mirror, one of my trip mates who typically keeps his head and face clean-shaven said, "Well, I was wondering which would grow faster, the hair on my head or on my face." His discovery: Ears.6 -
paperpudding wrote: »Thought this discussion was over, but I see it's restarted a month later. I keep it bookmarked so I know when there are new posts.
So, I've been trying to shower less since reading all this. Last Sunday night was very late, so I thought I'd still be clean enough on Monday morning. Didn't work. I felt horrible that day.
That leaves me still in the twice a day camp.
Why did you try to shower less Tony?
If what you were doing was working for you, why would you change it?
Water conservation maybe?
I still shower same as when thread started - almost always once daily, occasionally again if going out in evening and been hot day or playing sport or something, occasionally not at all if lazy weekend pyjama day
That works for me and am not planning to change it.
Other routines might work for other people - no problems there.
Yes you're right. Somebody was implying that twice a day was OCD. I guess we all need to realize that when we're on the internet, we're playing to an international audience, and there can't be a "one size fits all" prescription.
I can see what you're saying, in a few posts. I also see quite a few posts that suggest people really need to bathe/shower on a particular schedule (like daily, or twice a day) or they stink, or they're rude, or they're "not modern", or whatever. I think you're right, it's not a "one size fits all" prescription.
My point of view all along has been that it's individual and situational. (And I'm gettting multiple disagrees on posts where I'm trying to say that, for some reason . . . perhaps because I'm not communicating well, perhaps because some believe that a particular schedule is absolutely essential no matter what, I have no idea.)
What you've said about your personal views doesn't sound OCD, to me. It sounds like you have a twice daily habit that's pleasant and helpful for you, and affordable in time & money.
At the same time, hygiene focus *can* be a manifestation of obession or compulsion. It's one of the classics, I think, right up there with eating behaviors, as a potential manifestation. It was "out, out, d*mned spot" that was the plot device, not Lady MacBeth stress-eating Scottish shortbread cookies.
The (atypical) idea that if we don't wash or bathe on X frequency, other people will realize how terrible we are because we smell . . . well, sometimes some people do smell, and sometimes other people know deep in their souls that there's something secret and dirty about them, and that if they wash enough then other people won't figure that out. Both of those extremes are . . . unproductive, let's say.
As with whether certain eating (or food tracking) behaviors are obsessive or not, the question of whether hygiene is an obsession or compulsion resides in the psychological profile of a person, what's in their head. Granted, some obsessions or compulsions (most any type) can be so extreme as to become evident in a person's behavior; but within a broad range, behavior alone doesn't tell us whether someone is obsessive, compulsive, etc.11 -
I shower maybe twice a week. Less if I can get away with it. And normally mostly because my hair needs washing (although I have noticed since going sulphate/silicone free my hair needs washing less often). Even then I'll only use shower gel maybe once a month or so, with the run off shampoo I just don't need it.
But I'm just not a smelly person. Never really have been. In summer or when doing sports I do wear deodorant, but not really because I need it per say, just because I want to be sure I don't smell.
On the side note of skincare, I've never understood body moisturisers. I never needed them. I've always half put that down to the fact that I don't wash too much with soaps/wash that often.
I'm active year round, but only sweaty when it's hot out. I've showered several times a day in the summer (more rinsing off than complete showers) but this time of year more just when my hair needs to be washed or I've been in the woods and am hoping to get rid of any ticks.
Like yours, my shampoo is silicone free. Also "Paraben free, Sulfate free, Mineral oil free, Petrolatum free, Formaldehyde free, Cruelty free." It seems the less I wash my hair, the less I need to wash it. I use my shampoo as body wash and conditioner as shaving cream.
Now that I'm in control of the thermostat I don't need moisturizer.
When I worked in an office I washed my hair every morning. I've been working from home since 2011 and keep decreasing the frequency.3 -
I'm a little bit shocked, and somewhat dismayed, at seeing that so many people shower daily or even 2-3 times daily. Maybe it's because in California we are bombarded with messages about water waste.
I just can't help thinking, the water! The water!
I don't leave the sink running when I'm brushing my teeth or washing my face.
I shower every 2-3 days. I learned a while back just from researching beauty-related things that washing your skin with soap too frequently tends to dry it out. This was before people started talking about microbiomes. Same thing with shampooing your hair too frequently - it can make your scalp and ends dry and can cause fallout.
As far as sweat goes, I only tend to sweat on my face and neck and only when I work out. I usually wash those afterward.
I don't start to feel icky until it's been 4 days since I've had a shower, sooner if I've had a particularly sweaty workout.
Maybe some people feel icky if they don't shower every day.
I've never had a problem with body odor that deodorant couldn't solve.
Thanks for posting the article, OP.
When my OH wastes water I remind him that almond trees are parched in California
This was a major plot point in Goliath Season 3.0 -
paperpudding wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »kittengirl88 wrote: »I wash up at the sink when I wake up, the "main utilities" as my mom calls it. I use a bidet, and usually shower fully every other day. I can assure you I don't smell in the slightest. My husband wouldn't be as enthusiastic to be all over me constantly if I did.
Glad you mentioned this. Every time I hear or read discussions like these, I wonder how people could indulge in husband and wife activities without being clean.
and yet most people in most of time in most of the world have managed to do so without showering twice a day - or without having running water or anything like our modern first world experience
Natural instinct I suppose, but the trained modern mind rejects uncleanness.
well I have a trained modern mind - and it can understand how my normal is not superior to other people's normal and everyone doesn't have to do it like I do.
Yes I accept they're differences. I live in a warm country, but have traveled to cold places where I don't even wish to remove my clothes to go anywhere near water!!
Yes, I definitely showered more when I lived in Okinawa and Costa Rico and had no air conditioning.0
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