'I don't shower every day'

[WhiteRosesAndThistles]

When someone states they don't shower every day would you assume they are washing the important bits on the days they are not showering or would you think they are completely unwashed on those days?
Going off the BO wafting around in the shops yesterday I would assume most people are not washing inbetween showering!

That sounds like a really immature way to deal with things. Has it occurred to you that there are people who shower frequently and use deodorant but who still suffer from BO? I used to be one such person. No matter how often I washed my armpits, or how much deo I used, I sweated excessively- especially when I was anxious. I was about to ask my GP for Botox to address the problem when it began to resolve itself naturally (probably because I got my anxiety under control).

Would you also loudly comment in public if you could smell halitosis, piss, or shit on a person? (Because there will very often be medical reasons why a person smells like that).

I have much less issue with people who smell than with people who make loud immature comments because they are incapable of managing their own thoughts and feelings. I also have less issue with a bit of BO than I do with strong perfumes and body sprays which make me feel really nauseous.

For what it’s worth, I shower twice most days as I exercise in the morning and evening most days. But what other people do or don’t do to keep clean is none of my business, even if they smell (although obviously if it is the people I share my home with, it’s different).

You don't need either if you have a shower though

I am remembering the thong thread and cannot help but wonder do these people who don't even shower every day also wear thongs?

If you don't shower every day when do you change your underwear?

I shower most days, not all. Most days I sweat a bit, but if it's been a cold day and I've been relatively sedentary I won't bother. I don't do any special cleaning on a non-shower day. I don't smell.

Edit to add: I change my underwear before I go to bed and in the morning, so every 12hrs on average. Not that I need to especially, but because I think it's healthy to be fresh. On the other hand, showers everyday are really drying for my eczema-prone, sensitive skin.

But what if you don’t mind.

If I’m not doing anything other than walking the dog or doing stuff around the house by myself does it really matter?

When you remove your pyjamas bottoms and put clean pants and trousers on.

That's not very logical though is it? Unless I'm missing something, we only have so many reservoirs. We can't just save endless amounts of water for the future can we? And if all our reservoirs are full before future water shortages, that's only going to buy a small amount of time before they're empty.

I don't shower often enough. My executive functioning is piss poor and I hate the sensory experiences around washing. It's not too bad because I'm not massively sweaty and wear clean, properly dried clothing every day. Still, I know I can get a little smelly sometimes but I'll wash if I know I'm going to be around people.

@EmmaWoodhouseOfHighburyMy point is just that I think we should start getting our heads around wasting less water before shortages come about. As in, habit-forming rather than trying to save water now to use in twenty years’ time. Because if we can start thinking about it now and adjusting our behaviour gradually, it’ll come as less of a shock when things start to get tricky.

How is giving the flannel a good wash (not just a rinse) in clean, very hot, soapy water any different to what you’d do if the washing machine broke down and you had to wash your flannels by hand? It’s not exactly like the flannel would be smeared in shit (with apologies to anyone who’s eating atm), I mean I think most of have a pretty good wipe, sometimes with moist as well as dry paper… there’s not exactly much left to come off on the flannel. I mean, come on.

I dont even have a shower....or a boiler!
I still manage to wash my face and 'pits and bits' everyday and change my undies everyday. TBH I think thats the minimum you should expect of a functioning adult.
I wont say I never stink because I challenge anybody to work a 12 hr shift in a polyester uniform, sweating like a pig in the summer, and not become a little bit 'fragrant'! But on an average day I just smell like deoderent and fabric conditioner.

I havent noticed alot of people smelling of BO round my way. We have a big alcohol problem here though so I more often smell somebody stinking of stale wee!😬

I’m a bit worried now! I shower daily as a minimum- more if I’ve exercised. However I have coarse, 3b curly hair. If I washed it daily it would be very dry and frizzy. It doesn’t get greasy ever. I wash twice a week usually because anymore is bad for the condition. I use coconut based curl creams and spray water to revive it. I don’t think it smells?! I really don’t think I should wash it daily as it’s not fine straight European hair and it would really damage it.

I would add that those moist version of bog rolls are great. I find that they leave one feeling ‘fresher’ than the dry paper, especially when on ones period or experiencing a dicky tummy! I always have both available in the bathroom.

These threads are always ridiculous

I don’t work 12 hour shifts in a polyester uniform.

My hair isn’t terribly greasy and doesn’t need washing every day.

maybe you would smell if you didn’t wash everyday but other people don’t.

You say you can smell people but you have no idea what their habits are.

So it maybe good standards to ensure you don’t smell but it’s none of anyone’s business how you achieve that.

Same but fine hair. Mine doesn’t smell, I’ve asked a honest family member!

>Would you also loudly comment in public if you could smell halitosis, piss, or shit on a person? (Because there will very often be medical reasons why a person smells like that).

Yeah, I would, actually. I don't want to smell shit or piss when I'm trying to get milk! And halitosis is a result of poor hygiene.

I too have horrid BO but I always deodorise it thoroughly and wash my clothes so no one else has to suffer it.

@Runnersandtoms

basic hygiene showering everyday
no one can
convince me otherwise

Same era. There was always a stink of BO in school changing rooms, but that was probably down to those who didn’t use deodorant, not so much lack of washing.

At home there were six of us with one bathroom (separate loo) bath, no shower. So for everyone to have a bath every day just wasn’t possible - there’d never have been enough hot water.
Having what we called a ‘proper’ wash every day - pits and bits - was the norm. Being young and agile I’d put my feet in the washbasin, and do those, too.

You sound clueless and obnoxious in equal measure. Let's hope you're never unfortunate enough to contract a condition that means you can't help but cause a smell when you're out and about if something goes wrong. And halitosis can have other causes besides 'poor hygiene'.

One would think with your 'horrid' BO you'd have a bit more empathy, sadly it doesn't sound like it.

A healthy bowel movement still contains bacteria, bacteria left starts to smell. The healthy bowel movement you have still touches your anus so that not being washed for a day or two healthy bowel movement or not will smell

You sound like a really unpleasant person.

You’re obviously not a medical professional or even very good at basic biology, if you can’t think of a single medical reason for halitosis (see below for some examples). And surely you must be aware that there are numerous medical conditions and disabilities which may cause a person to experience bowel or bladder leakage, or incontinence?

I shower every day after work, I hate getting into bed feeling dirty. I also change my pyjamas every 2 nights & my bedsheets once a week. I just can’t stand the thought of feeling unclean. A bit OTT I know, habits I’ve developed after being with my now ex partner. He started not showering, or wearing deodorant, didn’t clean his teeth. It made me feel sick, so now I can’t be dirty. Ever.

I shower every day. I get sweaty otherwise and feel yuck.

I May have a wash before bed as well but would rather shower in the morning

I feel like people are conflating two separate things here.

There are definitely people who smell. It tends to be people who also clearly have other mental/physical health problems- and they often smell of stale unwashed clothes, maybe urine, or BO (of the under-arm kind).

Occasioanlly I’ve noticed the smell of under-arm BO on someone who is otherwise presentable.

NEVER have I walked past a woman and thought, ‘oh I detect you’ve not flannel-washed your vagina this morning!’.

I also think that probably what we are smelling most of the time is a combination of unwashed bodies AND unwashed clothes. If someone forgoes a shower one morning and throws on nice-smelling freshly laundered clothes, no one is going to realise they’re not completely shower fresh unless they literally bury their nose in the offending armpit or groin.

Do you not wipe properly when you open your bowels? Do you not clean yourself properly after sex? Sounds like there’s bigger issues with your hygiene that could easily be solved without obsessively showering every day.