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AIBU?

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Original poster

to ask if you run water while brushing teeth?

103 replies

Mxyzptlk · 15/07/2018 09:44

A suggestion from our Water Board is to save water by not running the tap while brushing teeth.

Does anyone actually do that? The running water thing?

OP posts:
bsbabas · 15/07/2018 10:52

What's the point you aren't using it? Pointless

Ollivander84 · 15/07/2018 11:03

guilty - yes! That's the whole point of it, to leave the fluoride on your teeth. Otherwise you just rinse the lot away

MrsSteptoe · 15/07/2018 11:05

I also rub liquid soap all over my hands, then switch the tap on, wet them, turn the tap off again, lather, rub nails of both hands into palms, then put tap on again to rinse. Habit, but I like to think that it balances out the fact that I let the shower run for a couple of minutes before getting into it so I've got a nice warm steamy shower rather than leaping around trying to avoid being either scalded or frozen while I try to get the temp regulated.

Lou222 · 15/07/2018 20:27

Sorry terfsup I read it wrong and thought you meant you couldn’t think of a reason to turn the tap off Blush

Whobloodyknows · 15/07/2018 20:46

No, waste of water

TerfsUp · 15/07/2018 21:06

That's ok, Lou22! These things happen. Good to know we're on the same side.

DryHeave · 15/07/2018 21:08

No. And I also don’t wet my brush before I start brushing. I don’t need the water till it’s time to rinse.

Charm23 · 15/07/2018 21:12

I try not to waste water but sometimes slip up. I always think of people who have to walk miles for their water, feel guilty and turn it off as soon as I notice.

SellFridges · 15/07/2018 21:13

No. Jason Orange said not to on the Take That and Party video in 1992 so I haven’t since 😂

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 15/07/2018 21:21

I’m nearly 50 and I’ve never let the tap run while brushing my teeth! I really can’t see why anyone would TBH.

IllHaveALargeGlassOfRed · 15/07/2018 21:23

I run the water but only because I slaver an incredible amount when brushing! The sink is covered in blue saliva by the time I'm finished.

IllHaveALargeGlassOfRed · 15/07/2018 21:23

Well it would be if I didn't run the tap!!

PookieDo · 15/07/2018 21:24

No because I have an electric toothbrush and it would go all over me in spray if I kept taking it out and sticking it in water

Also which helps is my en suite sink floods really easily so you can’t leave the tap running really long anyway!

It annoys me if I see the kids leaving the tap running

Pimmsypimms · 15/07/2018 21:27

I too spent a few years living in Australia and haven’t run the tap whilst brushing my teeth since then. It’s huge waste of water!

Rayna37 · 15/07/2018 21:32

Wouldn't dream of it. Similarly wasteful and mind boggling was when I noticed someone using the hair dryer in the gym, leaving it running while resting it on the side and using both hands for styling. Who DOES that? I realised this must be why some hotel dryers require a button to be pressed continually to work Confused

Chinnyreckoning · 15/07/2018 21:37

God. Scotland here. No paying for water. It's a set charge per year.
Those who don't run the tap... do you use hoses or sprinklers? Just asking.

PookieDo · 15/07/2018 21:38

No hose I don’t have a garden

Cuppaand2biscuits · 15/07/2018 21:43

I don't run the tap while brushing but my partner has had the sprinkler on the garden for the last 2 hours.
He will not listen that it's wasteful.

starday · 15/07/2018 21:45

Yes , & really try to stop doing it but just feels wrong. I am trying to conserve water so actually wash my teeth while I shower in the morning !

Almondio · 15/07/2018 21:46

We don't, DCs don't, but when we lived in USA, everybody else did. And they used to run the tap for ages to rinse dishes.

Until we address the useage of nations who have never had to worry about water shortage, we'll not win the water conservation battle.

PickAChew · 15/07/2018 21:50

We have a hose in the garage. It's been used once, this year and that was with the pressure washer to clean the very slippery decking that had to be negotiated to get out into the garden. Watering can to water the plants that need it and bucket to wash the car.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 15/07/2018 21:56

No, a running tap drives me bonkers if it’s not needed.

I’m currently training DH to take a bucket in the shower to use in the garden.

ChristmasTablecloth · 15/07/2018 21:58

No! there's no need to. We don't have a meter but I wouldn't dream of it. It would drive me up the pole if I lived with someone who did. I save all the water I run into the kitchen sink (washing fruit and veg, getting cold water or hot water running out of the mixer tap) into a bowl and water my garden with it. Can't stand it when people take running water for granted.

ChristmasTablecloth · 15/07/2018 22:03

"Yes, never thought about it, or been asked about it.

I don't get the how can you waste water when kids are drinking dirty water world wide. It's like that argument of eat your dinner because there are starving kids in Africa your parents used to trot out.

Fine to say it wastes water. I'll switch mine off in future, but not because I think it means some kid in Africa will have clean drinking water if I do. That's bonkers. Just like eating all my dinner didn't make an Ethiopian child less hungry."

Typically twattish reply from Bluntness there. This country could soon be facing a water shortage (have you noticed it hasn't rained much lately?) so if you aren't shamed into wasting a precious resource like clean water because it doesn't help the bubbas in Africa could you maybe have a care for your fellow citizens in good old Blighty?

RoboJesus · 15/07/2018 22:05

I can only brush my teeth in short bursts so it would be pointless to turn it off