to be shocked that SIL and her kids only bath / shower once a week?

[emilytankengine]

I have a shower every day, before work, sometimes twice if I've been to the gym or if we're on holiday / going out. I probably make sure the younger kids get a bath about 5 times a week and my teenage daughter has a shower every day.

SIL was outraged at this and says that she only typically has a bath or a shower once a week! She says that she has a wash every day with a face cloth (including her bottom :O - with a face cloth!!).

Maybe it's me who's odd but I was staggered at this

My fiends DP said to her 'when your in the shower do you wash you Fantoosh with the soap'. She said yes and he said 'ive been washing my face with the soap in the shower for years and only realised the other day'. Works in reverse as well. She had been washing her face with the soap he had been using on his fat hairy arse

I shower/ bath twice a day, my husband 3 times a day (gym) and my children bath 6 nights a week.

I cannot bear them getting into their nice clean beds with dirty little feet and paint up their arms and flannels washes would just irritate them. They love a bath and they look lovely with their flushed cheeks and clean pyjamas on.

My psoriasis is appalling if I shower every day. I hate showering. I love the clean feel but it hurts so I only do it because it is necessary.

What do you do afterwards?
If you use flannel, hot water and soap how do you rinse?

yabu only dirty people wash

you filthy skank
you even think bums are dirty

Did you notice, or suspect she was an infrequent showerer/bather prior to her telling you? I doubt it.

I think she sounds great. My DC's have a bath every other night, same with me and I don't smell.

I think its become the norm to shower every day, even if you dont have a bath. When i was growing up in the 60s no one i knew had a shower and bathtime was Sunday nights. We shared the water (tiny immersion heater) and being the youngest of 4, the water i had was disgusting ! I dont remember anyone actually stinking, but its lovely now to shower everyday. It just feels so much nicer.

Thanks LeQueen for the ...detailed describtion I should stick your post on my fridge door, that will make me to lose a stone for the beach!

So, the soap (that its not rinsed) must mask the... erm smell then. So you get a mix of soap and stale smell.

I honestly didnt think women got smelly(I mean in general, obv if you go for a run or havent bathed or changed clothes in weeks you'd smell). According to dp some women smell.

If I ruled the world, rancid-smelling people would get ASBOs.

Sweat normally evaporates. It only smells when it's in enclosed spaces when it reacts with bacteria [eg in the armpits].
I can't believe some people are actually asking how people wash with flannels, FFS use some common sense. Surely everyone has a wash at times even if they do shower every day.

Damm, wrote a long post about my bathroom habits but it got lost. Now you will never know....:)

Thank you to the posters who explained 'dickie comb' to me.

I was thinking about the article that WyrdMother (I think it was) linked to. Interesting that the lady in the article (for those of you who didn't read it - she spent 6 weeks without washing, etc.) felt that she emerged from the experiment with a more radiant complexion. And I have heard that if you don't wash your hair for weeks on end, it will eventually start secreting its own oils that make it look thick and glossy. (Have never tried this myself, though!) But I can't imagine not brushing my teeth for 6 weeks. Apart from the fear of teeth falling out - how could you speak to or even breathe near to anyone else without the fear of really stinky breath? Even if you don't smoke, or drink, or eat anything apart from roses?

candytuft - we 3 siblings didn't share bath water, but otherwise I agree with you: in the 60s, weekly baths were the norm; no one we knew had a shower in their home; I don't remember anyone stinking (or maybe we all stank and we just didn't realise it? ); but I love a daily shower now.

LeQueen - it does sound as if you know some people with, errm, hygiene ishoos. Have you considered as a birthday present a year's supply of flannels (colour coordinated for different parts of the body) and Chanel soap?

Why on Earth shouldn't women get smelly???

Im not saying they shouldn't, I've just never come across it in people I know. Guess I live in a smell free bubble :) Im sorry your MIL smells!

here's my flanel technique then:

I fill the basin with hot water.

I lather soap in my hands, I rub the soapy lather in pits and bits,

then I dip the flanel in hot water and wipe away soap, then rinse flanel, then wipe again.

t feels very fresh, really, can be done quickly.

Not everyone has a shower?

Maybe you dont like/need to wash your hair everyday?

*not everyone has a shower
*showering/bathing can irritate skin complaints
*if you are on a water meter, washing is cheaper
*not everyone LIKES the feeling of showering

And it's perfectly possible to have a strip wash without drenching the whole bathroom! Goodness me, some people are acting like it's something difficult

I never realised how popular showers are before reading this thread, starting to think im missing out.

Can there be a feeling attached to showering/or sitting in the bath? And, if so how can this be a negative feeling?

I LOATHE the feeling of water running down my neck, and shampoo running down my back

I shower most days because I force myself to, to keep clean, I'm not sure I 'enjoy' it.

I used to like baths but can't have them now as due to an accident it's hard to get in and out of the bath.

On the occasions where there isn't a shower if I'm staying with family that haven't got one then I strip wash, or just fill the bath up with a few inches of water and soap myself up then rinse off.

my mum never washes her hair, or like, hardly ever - she never has done, i mean months, she has great hair! personally i cant get past two days without looking like ive spilt the chip pan on my head but she has great hair.