Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.
How often should you bathe/shower?
Replies
-
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.1 -
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.2 -
I don't shower every single day, but then again, I am mostly sedentary, so I'm not getting particularly sweaty. I use antiperspirant so my pits don't sweat much, and I rinse my groin at least once a day with warm water, because that's more comfortable than tissue, and pat dry. I change all my clothes every day, and sleep in clothing now that it's winter. My partners have never said anything about my intimate odor that wasn't complimentary, and they would if they had an issue. If I should get dirty, I won't hesitate to take a bath, but if I'm not, I'm not going to worry about it.3
-
L1zardQueen wrote: »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
US. It is a two month bill.
So $300.00 per month to my $55.00 - three people at two showers per day.0 -
L1zardQueen wrote: »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
US. It is a two month bill.
So $300.00 per month to my $55.00 - three people at two showers per day.
Jealous❤️1 -
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?
1 -
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
15 -
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.
I'd say your imagination is very limited then - fair to say most people in most of the world (or even in our own little corner of the world) do not shower before putting on clean clothes in the morning AND before going to bed at night.
If you want to and you have time and it makes you feel better and water conservation is not an issue - sure, do so.
But I find it hard to imagine how somebody cannot see that is only their own normal - it isnt everyone's normal nor does it need to be.
16 -
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.3 -
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.1 -
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.
1 -
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.
13 -
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 '
9 -
I shower daily, I enjoy showering. But I only wash my hair about 3 times a week.2
-
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
-
Go get in the shower and blow the stink off for crying outloud or people will run when they see you comin'.3
-
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
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 898 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.2K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions