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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think one bath/shower a day is perfectly adequate in the UK?

267 replies

AfraidOfMyShadow · 03/07/2017 20:15

I can even understand twice a day especially when it is hot or after exercising.
I did think DH was a bit odd for bathing at least two times a day without fail (even in winter) but DSS showers three times a day! I think it's insanity.

So a personal question to you all - how often do you bathe/shower and AIBU?

OP posts:
AnnieAnoniMouse · 03/07/2017 23:48

Ollivander my hair is long & straight, very 'wash & go'. I might well go to my box with it that way because I simply could not be arsed with messing about styling it.

slim. 😊

MJD. I have the same 24 hours a day as you. If you have time to post on MN, you have time to shower. I'd hope you didn't actually intend to be so insulting, but no, my skin is lovely & soft and my hair isn't at all greasy (it's long & healthy, my hairdresser hates even trimming it because she says it's too healthy & lovely to cut).

diodati · 03/07/2017 23:55

Every second day when it's cold & up to three times a day when very hot. Not hair wash, though. Just a quick soaping of underarms, bottom & feet, rinse and then out. Feels wonderful when you're hot & sticky.

diodati · 04/07/2017 00:03

And I don't use a towel, except on my hair. I use an after-shower oil - a few squirts on wet skin keeps it soft.

Slimthistime · 04/07/2017 00:09

I've got long curly hair and actually the dryness improved enormously when I began washing it daily as a teenager (my mum wouldn't let me do that as a child because she said it would get more dry - which it totally doesn't). Even now mum says incredulously "you REALLY wash your hair every day?" she thinks it should be like straw!

I have seen articles saying that daily hair washing can help dry curly hair so it's not just me. I am not much of a one for faffing with hair so it's quick blast dry with dryer and no product except when I have to brave some kind of dressing up event in which case I sometimes use hair spray.

I appreciate that people who have supermodel hair probably spend a lot more time on it.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 04/07/2017 00:27

I think most people on this thread are insane. Showering before the gym and then after? I think once a day should be plenty. I even try to time my shower so that I do it after exercise so I don't have to do it twice a day. Think of the environment!

DotForShort · 04/07/2017 00:39

I really wouldn't say that. One bath or shower per day certainly may be enough, but I don't think one can make the categorical statement that a single shower is necessarily adequate. I take at least one shower a day but I often take two, depending on weather/exercise/travel.

DixieFlatline · 04/07/2017 00:48

2-3 times a week, wash my hair then too. It's long and dry and a pain in the arse. I work from home and don't exercise atm, so I don't get sweaty. I'm firmly on the no more than twice a week routing right now and could probably do with showering a tiny bit more often. When it's very hot and/or I exercise and/or I'm likely to be up close to people who aren't my eternally forgiving/oblivious husband, I will wash a little more often.

EnidButton · 04/07/2017 00:53

ShakingandShocked That's one of the most thoughtful and kind posts I've ever seen on AIBU. Flowers

Bubblesbubbles · 04/07/2017 01:00

I bath normally twice a day, but only wash hair about twice a week.

whattodowiththepoo · 04/07/2017 01:02

Two sometimes 3 times a day but I work out twice a day.

Justaboy · 04/07/2017 01:12

Once a day sometimes twice if its hot and muggy.

KoalaDownUnder · 04/07/2017 01:57

All those who wash twice a day sound like religious nuts.

Ha ha ha. So, half the world, then?

I live in a hot climate. I exercise to sweat, twice a day. I shower twice a day. If you don't shower after exercise, the sweat breeds bacteria and stinks.

You must have very little imagination if you can't see how that's normal for millions of people who a) aren't you and b) don't live a relatively sedentary life in a cold climate. Hmm

madmomma · 04/07/2017 02:59

Use soap bars and shampoo bars to cut down on plastic consumption. You can get solid deodorants too.

TinyRick · 04/07/2017 03:11

2/3 times a week on average.

And I live in Aus.

KoalaDownUnder · 04/07/2017 03:14

Tiny, you shower twice a week in Aus?! Even in summer?

I hope you either swim a lot, or live in a cold part of Tasmania. Wink

Rhubarbginisnotasin · 04/07/2017 03:42

No wonder the world's about to explode from pollution. All that water, all those chemicals. All those plastic bottles. 3 baths a day is madness

I dont use a shower gel so therefore no plastic bottles to throw away. I used an olive oil based soap made by a family member in Beirut from the olives growing on her farm and when my supply of that is finished I use the same kind of thing thats sourced by a Jordanian friend.

anchor9 · 04/07/2017 03:43

in my house my heating and water is included in my rent so i do have free, the best kind showers a lot, happy to go twice!. not as often as i would like though as my baby is 10 weeks old and I'm on my own 6/7 of the week which makes it nigh on impossible sometimes Sad

Rhubarbginisnotasin · 04/07/2017 03:46

*I used to shower daily, sometimes twice, but I have now got a dodgy knee, for which I have had surgery. Nearly falling in the shower frightened me so much, I have taken to daily strip washes more, and fewer, rather careful showers. I am waiting for my oh to put a rail in for me. It's shit getting older sometimes8

I agree. I had a bad fall about two years ago on holiday and its left me a bit wary its going to happen again so just this week I bought rubber mats to put in the bottom of my shower.

Fruitypebbles · 04/07/2017 04:16

I shower like...once every few days? If I'm depressed I can go a week o more without showering but I don't care about being clean when I feel like death.

JustDontGetItAtAll · 04/07/2017 04:50

ShakingandShocked Thankyou so much for saying that...... x

Every other day for me. Unless hot & sweaty.

coconuttella · 04/07/2017 05:07

Shock at all those who exercise twice each day!

JustDontGetItAtAll · 04/07/2017 05:50

Totally agree EnidButton

AceholeRimmer · 04/07/2017 05:59

Ideally every day as I love feeling fresh, but it's gone down to 2/3 times a week due to having a baby and toddler.. Usually in summer my hair gets really greasy but it's not this time so that's helping. I'm a SAHM so stay in most of the time so not offending anyone! Can't wait to get back to daily though, can't beat the clean feeling.

AceholeRimmer · 04/07/2017 06:04

My inlaws are shocking, I have never seen my FIL go for a shower and we lived with them once. We've been on weeks away and MIL will only have one at the end of the week. No mobility issues. They stink.. stale smoke and BO Envy

NetworkGuy · 04/07/2017 06:34

As can be seen from some responses, showering once a day is far from essential. Nice if you have the funds (or not on a meter) but if there are other things taking priority, it is not that grim (one description).

Our increased attention (not reduced by the TV ads for even more cleansing products) might be the cause of more infections and having fewer natural defences.