How often do you shower/bathe?

[fandemic]

Out of curiosity: how often do you bathe/shower? And if less than every day, do you so any maintenance in between?

I've always been a germphobe and used to be quite phobic about it - like, if for some reason I couldn't shower one morning, I would feel gross and uncomfortable all day. I'm not so bad now but still, until this week, showering every day. At the same time I have always suffered with dry skin and use a body lotion every day. I cut out products with sulphates a couple of years ago and switched to bars of soap, which I prefer, but even so - lots of washing.

I read this interview and have started experimenting with showering less: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jul/28/soap-dodger-meet-the-doctor-who-says-we-have-been-showering-wrong I was really interested in what this guy says about how if you wean yourself off showering frequently, your skin builds up a layer of useful bacteria which metabolise the sweat for you, so that you no longer smell. This was a bizarre idea to me as I usually think of sweat = dirt. I've just reduced to a shower every 2 days, using soap only on the smelly bits, and rubbing down with a plain flannel and water over the rest. I might reduce further if things go well. One issue I'm having, though, is what to do about dry skin and especially ingrowing hairs from shaved areas - I'm definitely not ready to stop shaving my legs, underarms, and bikini line and I usually use exfoliating gloves to wash daily in the shower. I'm also accustomed to the softness of skin you get from using body lotion every day and am wondering what to do about that ... basically I'm wondering if my skin will eventually settle down and be soft without the need for lotions.

Interested to hear other people's thoughts about all this!

Every 2 days usually (in this heat every day)

My children only bath twice a week

I’d love to get DH to shower less as it means the towels last longer too

Every day, unless I'm very sick in bed or something. I think it's basic self care.

I get that some people have mobility issues, skin conditions, etc, that make showering every day difficult (though I'm sure they wash themselves in other ways), but I really can't see why the average person wouldn't do it.

Also, the people who go two days or more without washing do smell, they just don't know it.

Shower every morning and probably have a bath about three nights a week

I have gone from every day to once a week. DH reports I do not smell and my skin feels so much nicer. I do dry brush and noisturise with coconut oil every day and if I was sweaty I wash my armpits and occasionally use deodrant. This is a new thing for me too but seems to be working so far.

Twice a day, morning and evening. I love showering! Morning is normally just a quick rinse to wake me up for the day. In the evening I spend longer using body scrub or shaving legs, etc. It's nice feeling clean before going to sleep.

Every day in winter after work (physical outside job). In summer twice a day because the nights are hot and sweaty. I only use soap on the smelly bits, never on the rest of my skin unless there is visible dirt.

Morning and night time shower each day.
Perhaps an extra one in the afternoon on a hot day to freshen up.

Depends - could be 3 times a day or once every other day depending on gym / exercise / weather / hair needing a wash.

I'll quite happily go every other day in cool weather if I haven't been in the gym.

Every day without fail. I’ll have another cool shower tonight before bed.

I simply never understand anyone who doesn’t shower daily, it’s the minimum adults should do.
You see all kinds of ‘excuses’ on here why people don’t, then there’s the environmental excuses and then the ‘your skin doesn’t need it’ nonsense.
Let’s be perfectly honest, if you’re not showering daily (or having a very thorough wash with soap and water), you smell (yes you do) and have very poor hygiene standards.

About once a week maybe less.

Just being honest.

My mental health is awful and I hate myself and I don't leave the house so if I'm dirty or smelly who's gonna know. It's not my top priority atm. I do a once over at the sink with a flannel if I feel particularly gross.

Before my MH was bad I'd shower every other day. Everyday is too much for me. There is such thing as over cleaning. You'll get rid of all your natural bodily oils.

Most days. Once or twice a week I might skip a day, particularly if I know I'm going to be grotty for most of it anyway and not going anywhere (gardening, doing a deep clean of the house etc) but I do feel a bit grim when I do that.

Quite often twice a day if I've been in work (12 hour shifts in a boiling hot care home in a sweaty polyester uniform).

So basically whenever if feel a bit grubby. I'll have one tonight as it was 30 degrees today and I was dripping with sweat, so feel pretty gross. I'll probably only have one tomorrow as it's meant to be much cooler.

Normally every day but sometimes twice a day in this hot weather.

Every evening. Couldn’t go to bed dirty and sleep on my clean sheets! Live in Florida, so often take a second shower after being out in the heat.

I shower three to four times a week, on the days I work out (after the workout obv). I have started to have two large buckets in the shower to catch the grey water and then put it on the garden. It's pretty shocking the amount that is used on a 7 min shower. I easily fill two large 15 odd gallon buckets

This topic has been done to death over and over and over.....,

I have a shower 2/3 times a week and wash my long hair once sometimes twice in that week. In between I do what I like to call a daily bird bath, which is basically a sink wash and I will shave necessary areas etc.

When I was a kid a bath was once a week on a Sunday and every day before school was a bird bath and every night before bed it was wash face/bush teeth and then wash elbows/knees/feet. So I guess in some ways I do the same now except I shower now and more often and I’ve the added extras of my skin care routine etc.

Every morning without fail.

Shower every morning. Very occasionally on a Sunday if I'm having a lazy day and not going out/ seeing anyoneI'll skip it.

At least once a day, I get really awful sweat rash so in warm weather I shower twice or if its a bath night I have a morning shower and an evening bath.

My boyfriend is a shower dodger, he washes the important bits in the morning but only has a shower when I wash his hair. He does have a bath 2/3 times a week, but he doesn’t actually wash himself in the bath, just bobs around. He doesn’t smell of BO, you can sometimes smell fresh sweat on him, but only in the mornings.

Every other month on a Sunday, unless the moon is over Jupiter which means I skip a year.

I don't shower in the morning because my shower is shit and I start work at 7.30 so I can't be arsed getting up earlier to have a bath. I have a bath or shower very night though. I didn't always, but now I feel grubby if I don't and I hate feeling sweaty in bed.

I think it will depend on different types of skin and activity, but the article was interesting, thanks for sharing it.

How often I shower depends on how much pain I'm in. It makes my arthritis flare and some days I'm not very stable and need help getting in and out and time to rest after. I do tend to before going out, which is not a daily event, and try not to worry too much about it.

Every day, sometimes twice. Can't understand people who don't wash. It's actually quicker to shower than filling sinks and trying to reach areas and then it's not done properly. We don't use pubey soap bars we use shower gels.

Twice a day. Before I get dressed and before bed.