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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Bath water!!

40 replies

l0stmummy · 06/09/2018 18:02

(Lighthearted)

DS (17) called me last. She's gone to stay with DF, DSM, DB(12) and DS(7) (I'm mostly nc). Said that everyone is expected to have a bath every day (that's fine) but they ALL use the same bath water.

AIBU to think this is disgusting and almost pointless? If you're bathing in another person's grime it's not exactly a bath, is it!

OP posts:
LongSummerDays · 06/09/2018 18:04

Ugh!

ferrier · 06/09/2018 18:04

Often did two to share in the days when hot water was in short supply. Not an issue. Lots of bubble bath. Top up with a bit more hot. Still got clean. Much prefer the cleanliness of a soak in a bath than a shower where the water just runs off and doesn't get in everywhere particularly effectively.

Idontevencareanymore · 06/09/2018 18:12

My husband uses the littles bath water sometimes. Only when it's a play bath and not a you're so dirty you look like you've been down a coal mine bath.
In theory it's not an awful idea, environmentally, but I'd never force anyone to do it.

garethsouthgatesmrs · 06/09/2018 18:14

Thats disgusting but why can't she tell her dad that? Is she scared of him. She is 17 she should be allowed to have a shower or bath when and how she wants.

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 06/09/2018 18:16

Yuk that is gross!
I can understand sharing the bath water with your baby, toddler or small child. Even DH/DW/DP if the mood inclines Wink
Or in time of drought.
But from your post just hell no!

Neshoma · 06/09/2018 18:21

We share bath water if one of us has just had a soak. The dog may get thirds too.

Deffo not if DDs have been shaving and exfoliating.

Creeper8 · 06/09/2018 18:23

I remember having to do this growing up. Was vile. My mum made us, Normally after 1 or 2 siblings. Would never do this now.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 06/09/2018 18:26

When I was a child, dses and I shared bath water, and then mum and dad shared bath water later on. This was because we had a very old immersion heater which took ages to heat the water, and also, I assume, because of expense.

I never liked having to use dsis’s bath water - I was the eldest, so I had to go second - but at least, when we were younger, I got to stay up a bit later than her, so it made sense for me to have the later bath, and I did feel there was an advantage for me.

But when we were both teenagers, and had the same bed time, I started to resent never having the clean bath water, whilst it was hot, and always being the one who had to clean out the bath and tidy the bathroom, so I asked my mum if dsis and I could take turns - we only had baths twice a week, so I suggested dsis go first on Sundays, and I go first on wednesdays.

She refused point blank, and went and dabbled her hand in dsis’s bath water and said it was still warm enough and not that dirty. I had the sense never to ask again.

Looking back, I think it was partly her favouring my sister, and partly that, if she had admitted it wasn’t fair for me to have to go second all the time, she might have had to consider letting my dad go first when they had their baths.

Pinkyyy · 06/09/2018 18:28

I can imagine this was quite normal many years ago but that's honestly quite disgusting, especially with how many of them are using it. Why are they forced to have a bath every day? At 17 I wouldn't expect them to be telling him when to bathe

AhHaaa · 06/09/2018 18:28

Gross

Reminds me of my childhood. We all shared one bath of water. Dad first (Of course! Hard working MAN of the house obviously gets the fresh hot clean water wanker ) then mum, then young DB, then younger DS and then me, the eldest of the siblings. Then I had to clean the bath out of 5 people's soap scum once I'd finished bathing in said 5 people's soap scum.

I thought it was grim back then, and I still do now. As a result I now bath or shower twice a day...and never in anyone else's water!

FlowerMama · 06/09/2018 18:38

Two people using the same bath water I get.
Not keen on it myself but saving the environment and all that.

The whole family tho is just grim.
Who wants to sit in a cold bath that 4 other people have just washed their pits in. You'd probably be cleaner just not having a bath.

Larasshadow · 06/09/2018 18:39

We did this when we were younger, went in in order of cleanest .. mum, us kids, then dad.

EmmaC78 · 06/09/2018 18:43

There are always threads about this topic and a lot of people seem to do this. I personally find it gross.

crispysausagerolls · 06/09/2018 18:46

With little children fine - maybe parent getting into their child’s. Making a 17 year old get into sibling’s and parent’s is disgusting and awful. Yuck.

ems137 · 06/09/2018 18:47

I think it's disgusting and would never ever share bath water with anyone, DH and DC included. My DH will sometimes ask if I'll leave my bath water in for him if he doesn't want a shower but i still think it's gross

Firesuit · 06/09/2018 18:48

I guess bathing has changed as we've got richer.

I shower twice a day, but I think most on here only do once a day.

Sharing bath water every day is an improvement on bathing once a week, in a tin tub in the kitchen.

I recall that Andy Capp used to have a bath every six months, whether he needed it or not.

Brawsome · 06/09/2018 18:57

So grim, poor girl. Assuming she can shut the bathroom door couldn’t she just splash the water around a bit while fully clothed and then pretend she has had a bath?

monkeysox · 06/09/2018 19:07

That's nasty Sad

HeckyPeck · 06/09/2018 19:11

😷🤢🤮

Degustibusnonestdisputandem1 · 06/09/2018 19:19

All the people saying it's nasty, you'd be buggered in rural oz with stage 4 water restrictions 😂. I often share bathwater with my 7 year old daughters, or jump in after husband has been in, why waste water?

Degustibusnonestdisputandem1 · 06/09/2018 19:21

That being said as per the OP's example it's not nice to expect people who aren't immediate family/in immediate household to share...

ferrier · 06/09/2018 19:35

Better than swimming pools full of piss and chemicals.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 06/09/2018 20:05

Not kind to impose Ona teenager

Can she say she has her period (lie!) and have a fast shower instead

Teenagemaw · 06/09/2018 20:15

I go firsr then my ds then dh (he is the stinkiest) me and ds are v clean as we bath each day so tbh the water is barely dirty once we have both bathed. Teen dd showers cos she prefers it... if she does bath then she prefers first bath which we are fine with... i dont care if anyone thinks we are stinkers it works for us.. we are all clean.

Oysterbabe · 06/09/2018 20:18

Fuck that shit.
I chuck the kids in together for now but they're both under 3.