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AIBU?

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Original poster

Not to shower every day?

283 replies

Sausagedog27 · 28/03/2012 23:17

Just looking at threads about drought and how long it takes people to get ready and it got me thinking. I shower every other day (unless of course I've been particularly active or done something requiring need to shower ie gardening). I don't smell (as far as I know- dh says I don't!) all my other friends shower daily. Is this something we need to do daily or is it a society thing? I remember parents saying it was a weakly bath for them etc. with the drought situ I'm just wondering if this is contributing. Would you daily showerers consider reducing? Hmmmmm!

OP posts:
SebastionTheCrab · 29/03/2012 22:52

shinecrazydiamond Wed 28-Mar-12 23:49:49
Well, LOADS of time for life! Shower takes five mins and that is when i whip over my legs/underarms etc with a razor, wash and condition my hair, face scrub, shower gel, body brush... all that in five mins. Then teeth, floss, mouth wash, serum, moisturiser. body lotion, deoderant. make up. hair. get dressed. Im done in 25 mins maximum.

----------------

Honestly, truthfully? I am in awe of your speediness!

I'm an ''every-other-dayer'' but when the weather gets hot I tend to shower daily as I feel sweaty.

joanofarchitrave · 29/03/2012 22:53

I certainly find that when I am on my bicycle I need to wash more.

toofattorun · 29/03/2012 23:03

I shower every day and sometimes twice a day if it is hot. I think it is basic cleanliness to wash every day. You lot are bloody disgusting!
Runs off to wash hands after being on such a manky thread

LST · 29/03/2012 23:07

I shower everyday without fail! And I am moving into a house with an actual bath soon! So I can have a bath too!! SmileGrin

blubberyboo · 29/03/2012 23:31

when i'm at work i usually would shower most evenings ( no time in morning) but i wouldn't wash my hair every day cos it would dry out and takes too long to dry...so every other day i just tie it up in a bun so that it doesn't get wet.

however when i'm off on leave (or maternity leave) i sometimes would just shower every other day and tbh i don't feel or smell any worse unless i have been exercising - its better for my skin if i don't shower daily as its very sensitive

during hayfever season though i would shower more often and wash hair daily to get rid of pollen

londonchick · 29/03/2012 23:59

If we end up in a serious drought, are all those on here who wash twice a day (or more) willing to sacrifice some of their showers?

[Dons hard-hat for that one]

I love washing once a day but I don't think we particularly need to (unless there is a real sweating issue).

Campari · 30/03/2012 00:50

I absolutely love a hot shower at the end of the day, its part of my nightly wind-down....even better, if I have the house to myself I love a bath and a glass of wine!!

theodorakis · 30/03/2012 06:53

Doesn't anyone have baths anymore? I hate showers, I have a bath morning and evening but never shower. My book would get wet.

SoupDragon · 30/03/2012 06:58

I think what this head shows is that there are some people who prefer the smell of chemicals than that of clean human.

Original poster
Sausagedog27 · 30/03/2012 07:08

Agreed soupdragon! And good question londonchick, we are potentially looking at a bad drought and I just can't believe that people 'need' to shower so often.....

OP posts:
shinecrazydiamond · 30/03/2012 09:14

londonchick - no.

< borrows hard hat >

Grin
theodorakis · 30/03/2012 09:24

Me either. I don't appreciate being pressured or guilt tripped into not using things I pay for. I don't live in the UK but if I did I wouldn't really care to be honest.

shinecrazydiamond · 30/03/2012 09:59

If and when water stops coming out of my tap, I'll reconsider. Couldn't agree more with theo... I'll leave twice weekly showers to other people.

thestringcheesemassacre · 30/03/2012 10:13

I must say I agree with LeQ, the idea of wiping yourself with a flannel and a bowl of hot water is ridiculous. Hope in the shower FGS. 2 minutes.

NoMoreInsomnia12 · 30/03/2012 10:23

I don't appreciate being pressured or guilt tripped into not using things I pay for.

But neither will I be pressured and guilt tripped into having more showers than I feel is strictly necessary to be clean.

worzelswife · 30/03/2012 10:27

"I don't appreciate being pressured or guilt tripped into not using things I pay for"

I just don't understand this attitude. Do you not feel selfish? Using resources like water when there is drought isn't about what you can pay for, it's about not being wasteful so that society as a whole doesn't suffer further. I simply can't imagine saying 'I pay for xyz therefore screw everyone else I'll take as much as I wish'. No wonder the planet is in such a complete state.

On another note, I have a bastard housemate who showers daily for 15-20 mins and still manages to stink. He was saying to me just the other day that he's desperately worried about the lack of rainfall Hmm

theodorakis · 30/03/2012 10:31

No I honestly do not feel selfish. Companies make a PROFIT out of water and one middle aged woman is not going to make a difference.

shinecrazydiamond · 30/03/2012 10:33

I couldn't feel less selfish about keeping myself clean, no. And there seems to be rather a lot of people on this thread redressing the balance for me by having a quick wipe down with a flannel

theodorakis · 30/03/2012 10:33

Insomnia, I agree, I am not interested how often other people shower, some people smell, some people don't. Believe me, it is 50c here for half the year, I am used to the smell of warm people, I actually quite like it.

Methe · 30/03/2012 10:36

The thing I don't get about water is....... When you have a shower or bath the water isn't disappearing is it, it's just being used and going back in to the system to be reused. I don't absorb water when I wash so their should be almost as much water going back in to the system than I am taking out.. Of course processing this water isn't free but theoretically the amount of water we have in circulation should be almost the same.

I can appreciate that hosing water on your garden for an hour in the evening isn't the same as the water has to go though the whole evaporation/convection/precipitation thing again before we can access it . When people say "if you turn the water off while brushing you teeth you save x amount of water" what do they actually mean? What am I saving the water from? The water must still exist..

Sorry for off topic-ing but does anyone know?

Methe · 30/03/2012 11:10

Have I killed the thread because you're all pm-ing each other about what an utter thicko I am or because you're all in awe of my amazing question?

theodorakis · 30/03/2012 12:46

I don't think it's a stupid question, where does it go? Here in Qatar we desalinate, then use for domestic, then clean and use for flushing out gas on the onshore rigs, then it is cleaned and used for irrigation (it is 40-50c most of the year). At least we know that our lush grass and playing fields are sustainable. I wonder can the UK say the same?

NarkedPuffin · 30/03/2012 12:49

Carbon Footprint

NarkedPuffin · 30/03/2012 12:58

In the UK we don't desalinate water as we have adequate rainfall. We also don't reuse water as much as countries that have long term shortages do.

Reservoirs collect water which is then cleaned for us and transported into our homes through pipes. The water in these reservoirs is a finite amount that is topped up by nature (rainfall) not us. When rainfall is low, the amount of water held in those reservoirs drops, so there's less waiting to be cleaned.

Most of the water that goes down our drains isn't fed back into the system. It's cleaned and then fed back into the water table as a whole. Which doesn't help the next time you turn on a tap.

NarkedPuffin · 30/03/2012 12:59

In short, you're saving the water from the reservoir.