To ask if DH's shower routine is as mad as I think?

[Everyoneafter3]

My dh is slightly obsessive about being 'green'. We recycle, compost, walk short journeys etc.

However, his greatest obsession concerns the wasting of water. To that end, when he showers, he will turn off the water while he's lathering up. He says it saves water. I say any savings are negated by the fact the shower will have to warm up again and the boiler will have to do this twice.

WIBU to suggest this is bonkers?

Nope never ever done that, the water would be freezing when I put the shower back on. I also have the tap running constantly for washing up I can not put my hands in water that has debris in it no way I end up scrubbing my hands for half an hour after if I have too. My hot tub gets emptied and refilled every other week too when in use.

My friend turns the tap off when she brushes her teeth, then she had to get a plumber out when her sink stopped draining he said it's quite a common issue now since it gives the toothpaste chance to harden in the pipes as there is no constant flow.

Does anyone still use hot water tanks? Pretty much everyone I know has a boiler which heats on demand.

All the advice I've come across on the web says a hot water tank is better than a combi for "larger" properties. I think "larger" in this context means two or more bathrooms.

I can hear my cold water tank filling up for quite a long time after a shower, so I have some reason to doubt that the mains can supply water at the same rate my shower consumes it, even if no-one else in the house turns on a tap while I'm showering.

Water here will not come back at the same temp, and shower is over bath so you would be doubly freezing.

I do this. But then I was raised in California (constant drought conditions) and now live in Texas (constant drought conditions).

I also have a bucket in the tub that is used to collect the water that is run while it's warming up. I water houseplants with it.

It gives me the rage when I see my neighbors watering their lawns, especially in the heat of the afternoon. A lot of people here have no concept of conservation, of water or anything else.

Sorry to say I think YABU...your DH is following pretty standard conservation measures!

I grew up showering like this (water on, get wet, water off, lather up, water on, rinse, end).

But I grew up in Spain, where water was scarcer, bathrooms less likely to be arctic, and crucially hot water didn't take ages to come through!

I've since got used to what I think of as 'English style' showering, with the water running all the time, but in my mind it's still very wasteful of water and energy.
My mum agrees and is horrified at my new wasteful habits!

Its standard practice in situations where you want to save water (usually drought stricken countries, onboard ships etc).

It's what submariners do, I have a couple in my family.

Man10 I refuse to have a combi boiler. I hate getting frozen then scalded in the shower when the loo gets flushed, or someone turns a tap on elsewhere in the house. Very large hot water tank in my UK house, and that won't be changing any time soon.

I do this.

Germans do it all the time. They turn the car engine off at red lights too.

I have a friend who measures the kettle water as if he is doing a chemistry experiment!

Be grateful he doesn't spit in the shower as my ex did.

If you or someone in your family have a medical condition that requires extra water use, eg eczema requiring more washing of sheets, then you may find your local water company would be sympathetic and reduce your water bill. If you have a large house and you are currently paying based on rateable value you might find a meter is cheaper anyway. Do ask the water company upfront and highlight you have disabled family members if you are concerned about having problems with payments as they can offer all sorts of advice.

I'm on a water metre since moving house. I now see how much water I used to waste. We don't have long showers anymore and none of us has died from it. If it reassures him let him go for it.

Not bonkers. When I was on ships in the Royal Navy, the Engineering Officer would often stand shouting outside the showers in the morning to make sure we were using minimal water (Slightly off-putting as I was only female on board, but nothing sinister! Don't think so anyway...). Obviously this wasn't for good of environment, but to do with the fact that we had to 'make' our own water when at sea for extended periods, and water had to be used carefully (off to 'lather'). I still do this sometimes, but moreso in warmer weather, or else shower a bit of an ordeal!

I have never heard of anyone doing this.

I also fully rinse all recycling.

First I've heard of showering that way. When washing my hair I get in, wet hair and put the shampoo on. Once that is on I wash the rest of my body and rinse off. Next I rinse off the shampoo and then shower is finished. When not washing my hair I just get in, get wet, shower gel, rinse and get out. I don't find that the water washes the shower gel away as I'm putting it on because I don't put that particular part of my body under the water until I'm ready to rinse it off.

As for leaving water running while brushing teeth, I only use water to clean the brush once I'm finished. Are people wetting their toothbrush before putting it in their mouth? Toothpaste lathers just fine without that and you shouldn't rinse it out of your mouth at the end anyway.

My mum does that and saves the shower water by putting the bath plug in.

My son switches off to shampoo- he was told to at school to save water - lol we thought he had got it a bit wrong but now you've posted this it would seem he has in fact been told this lol x

I couldn't do this because when we turn the shower on it goes hot then immediately cold so you'd have to wait again for it to heat up!

I do this. Lather up and shampoo with tap off. Have a combi boiler and no problem with temperature of water.

I do it too. Saves on shower gel and water (we have a power shower).

I do this it saves masses of water

I have always done that. I never imagined everybody did the same, but I am amazed that it's seen as "weird" by some people.

I do this. I don't get cold. The water when I turn the shower back on is perfectly warm. I save a load of water. With normal shower controls, as opposed to two taps, why would you not do it?

I like to do that, but am fed up with DH nagging about my turning it on & off as he can hear it through the bedroom wall as he gets up later he is the one who turns it on & off while Running It Through, consequently I no longer bother once I have my own place I'll do whatever the fuck I like with my own personal hot water

Its a submarine shower, get wet, lather up and then rinse off. Saves water and is used in submarines.

That's the standard advice for showering