Am I not washing properly?

[Washerg]

Inspired (worried!) following a poster today talking about buttocks washing.

I shower daily. By this I mean I stand under the shower and clean under my arms with water only, same down below. I let the water run all over me for a good ten or fifteen mins but don’t actually scrub or touch other parts of my body. On days I wash my hair (weekly), the soap will run down my body obviously but that’s the extent of any soap that runs over me.

I have from time to time used some shower gel but only if I feel like it. Haven’t for about a year or so and before then it would be some weeks not others. Just don’t feel the need I suppose... and when I do use it, again it would be under arms and definitely not a big body scrub. I don’t think I’ve ever ever washed my toes apart from when I’ve been on the beach or outside with no shoes on in summer. I do use deodorant and perfume.

I’m actually worried now that I’m some sort of disgusting person who doesn’t realise it!! It’s not something I’ve ever discussed with friends. Am I weird? Should I be scrubbing away?! I’ve NC.

Think you are getting a hard time in her OP!
I generally bath rather than shower, wash hair, and will use soap or shower gel for any obvious dirt but other than that just soak.
When i shower i use shower gel over my body but not as fastidiously as many pp here. How carefully a i wash depends on how dirty i feel, hot day or after exercising or working in the garden I will wash more thoroughly than on a cooler day without much activity.
I don't sweat that much, but has noticed i blow up like a balloon in hot weather so not sure thats a good thing,!
DC have eczema and soap is a no no and can be very drying, so sensitive shower oils etc are better.

I only use soap on my body, I don’t soap my legs/arms/face. I used to just do soap on my ‘pits and bits’ but I’ve currently got some medication-induced acne on my back so I’m soaping that too now.

15 minutes in the shower is completely excessive though. I try to limit the time the water is running to 4 minutes (navy shower). I get in, get wet, turn it off to shampoo hair, rinse hair, turn it off to put in conditioner and soap body, then rinse all that off.

@Othering- If you actually read my post , I actually said change the flannels / loofahs regularly ( meaning get new ones). I didn’t say wash often
Flannels that go up your bum crack should be washed daily.

OP I have a shower daily every morning- I never scrub myself.
I use my shower gel under my armpits, my privates especially my bum.
I wash my hair twice per week every 4 days apprx.
I never wash my face with water.
I used to use water when I was younger only to have eczema rash all over it in a minutes.
I have extremely sensitive skin on my face - normally full of atopic eczema since I was a baby also now I have bad eczema lately so depending on my cortisteroids cream literally daily.
I use wipes on my faces, especially baby wipes.

Flannels should only be used once IMO they are small enough to just shove in the wash

My sponge gets washed in hot water and soap when I get out of the shower then left to dry

I wash my hair with shampoo and my face and arm pits with shower gel. I then use the shower head to clean "down below" but without soap. I do not wash anything else directly with shower gel unless I've been for a run and there is visible dirt as it all gets soap from my hair running off. I do not smell and consider that fine.

Some of the replies to OP have been quite bitchy, like "how could you possibly be a grown woman and not know how to wash?" It is what it is, she came and asked for advice when she realised the issue. There's no need for nastiness.

However, the posters telling her she's just fine and to carry on as she is are equally unhelpful. And no, something as basic as using soap in the shower does not make someone a competitive washer.

There is a happy medium. OP the basic areas that need soap/gel every time you shower are face, pits and bum. It's also a good idea to wash the rest of your body a couple of times a week, you could use a shower puff/flannel/gloves with soap to ensure you're exfoliating away dead skin. You should try it for a week or two and I'm sure you'll feel the benefit.

Only got up to page 5.

I really don’t understand the problem. OP showers daily. If she doesn’t sweat then she doesn’t need shower gel to wash off all the sweat (there is none), I don’t think ‘down there’ should be scrubbed with stuff like that.
And feet… do people actually scrub feet.

I do use shower gel but if someone doesn’t, I don’t have a problem with that.

Do you use deodorant OP???
If you don’t, then I would use shower gel to keep you smelling fresh. If you do use deodorant then you won’t smell.

Best of luck!

I really don’t understand the screaming need for some to not use soap. If you’ve sensitive skin use an appropriate product. If not. Use some bloody soap and give yourself a wash for goodness sake. It’s hardly a big deal or hard work.

Strangest thread I’ve seen on here in a long time.

@Howzaboutye

Revolting. I'm glad I don't have to sit beside you at work or on public transport. There is no way your family will tell you that you smell!

Get a pair of scrubby gloves. Scrub with shower gel every inch.
Then soak in a bath of bath salts for minimum 1 hour.
Then wash all your clothes at 40 in daz.
All bedding and towels at 60 in Daz.
Yuk.

Do you work for Daz?

How do you remove all the dead skin and sweat if you don’t scrub 🤢🤢🤢

But doesn't your vulva get itchy and gross if you're only rinsing it with water?

No. You can wash with water without just rinsing. Using soap on anything down there makes me itch, squat and thorough wash with hot water is fine.

In my opinion, your not clean if you don't wash yourself with some kind of shower mitt and soap. I also go to a hammam once a week where the women scrubs me down with an exfoliating scrubber - it's amazing how much dead skin comes off - even in just a week! Skin feels so soft afterwards - and they say exfoliating is so good for anti aging.

Agree with PP about going into a toilet cubicle after someone who clearly hasn’t washed their nether regions properly 🤢. It’s a strong musty smell. I can’t imagine the posters who wash with only water get much in the way of oral sex

OP, there are some harsh responses here, but you might be one of those people who doesn't really get dirty or smell! My DH is like this. He usually just washes with water, but he doesn't smell. I, on the other hand, always use a washcloth and soap because I dont feel clean otherwise, and I definitely would smell (perimenopausal, so get hot and sweaty).

Op i shower the same as you, it's fine. I have sensitive skin and it goes crazy if i put any soap on it and if soap even glances at my ladygarden i start getting thrushy; no amount of mn peer pressure is going to convince me to walk around itching with a thrushy smelly fanny.

Also, anyone who thinks family wont tell you you stink never met mine

I'd say soap for under your arms is a must. The rest is pretty much up to you.

I shower daily and use soap for smelly bits them a moisturising shower gel on the test. I don't judge other people's shower techniques though

Lol pattypan no I do not work for Daz! I just happen to think it works really well.

And I had a friend who was similar to the op. And no I couldn't tell her she smelt. And it was everything, clothes, jacket the lot.

There are many non SLS shower gel products on the market now, so getting a non harsh one is easy.
The faith dragonfruit shower gel is lovely

Do people not actually scrub their feet? Poor poor beauticians having to do pedicures on them then. Yuk

I think the Japanese style of washing is super- soapy scrub all over in shower and rinse.

Then get into the bath, with just bath salts. You are totally clean in clean water, it's the best way to have a bath!

God some of these responses. You’d think being told to wash your arse using soap and water was like being told to scale Mount Everest naked. 😂

For those without such apparant significant skin issues that a good wash would see them hospitalised, go on. Get some shower gel. Give it a shot. You’re in the water anyway.

Wet body
Lather up and rub on body parts
Rinse off thoroughly,

Honestly, do it for a week. Then stop doing it. See how you think you smell when you stop again and loose the nose blindness.

Our skin excretes oil. Under each pore is a sebaceous gland. If you don’t wash that oil off your body it becomes stale. And smells bad. As dirt, dead skin, sweat all clings to it. Water is not enough to wash it off.

Anyone who has ever cooked something with oil knows that water isn’t enough to clean the pan. You need detergent. Your body is the same.

In addition if you use detergent to wash your clothes, why would that be, why would you think your clothes need more than your body does? Clue they don’t.

The bottom line is, no matter how much uou don’t know it or no one has told you if you don’t wash your bum or external genitalia, you will have an unpleasant odour down there.

So just humour all us washers. Get yourself some shower gel. Some sensitive skin if you’re worrried and give yourself a good wash.

@Howzaboutye

Do people not actually scrub their feet? Poor poor beauticians having to do pedicures on them then. Yuk

I wash my feet if they’re dirty (usually actual dirt rather than sweat - I go about barefoot as much as possible) but a pedicure is my idea of hell! I’ve never been to a beautician in any context, I don’t think that’s uncommon

It takes thirty seconds to wash your feet. Why would you not?