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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Re people wearing clothes in swimming pools?

63 replies

GrumpyCee · 17/07/2019 15:49

I am going on holiday next week and the Facebook page for the hotel is very active with people posting their pictures from their holidays.

I’ve noticed that a lot of the photos have people wearing ‘street clothes’ such as t shirts and shorts whilst swimming. I’ve always thought that for hygiene reasons you should wear swim suits to avoid contamination of the water.

I’m all for protecting myself from the sun and understand that some people may wish to not wear swimsuits for modesty reasons.

I should add that I have OCD and related anxiety but AIBU to be worried about there being an increased risk of contamination? Am I out of touch or is this just a bit odd?

OP posts:
msmith501 · 17/07/2019 16:22

Not sure what the issue is. On holiday, people like to relax maybe at the bar and then maybe take a dip and then maybe walk along the beach etc. Couldn't personally be doing with changing clothes all the time. The chlorine in the pool will kill the same germs as are on swimming costumes.

Original poster
GrumpyCee · 17/07/2019 16:23

Fair enough! IABU.

Thanks very much everyone. I’m now much more worried about the sweaty bottoms in the pool....

OP posts:
Vesperia · 17/07/2019 16:24

really wouldn't worry - it's all the people urinating that causes the germs

probstimeforanewname · 17/07/2019 16:25

OP - you can't think about it.

If you do, you will never go in a pool.

Put it from your mind and pretend the water is clean and amazingly hygienic. You will drive yourself mad otherwise!

Smile
TroubleWithNargles · 17/07/2019 16:29

A t-shirt and shorts that people use specifically for swimming are not going to be any dirtier or more unhygienic than a swimsuit.

PrtScn · 17/07/2019 16:32

My DH wears swim shorts and a swim T-shirt as he’s fat and hairy and would scare the children otherwise 😂

Talith · 17/07/2019 16:34

YABU - I don't have a problem with it to be honest swimming costumes are horribly revealing for either sex imho #prude I hate being in a public pool in little more than a "bra and knickers" so I get those boyshort swimming suits.

My son''s worn a t shirt with his shorts as he's conscious of the fact that he's bigger than other kids. I got him a sport t shirt that's a thin fabric that won't cling and drag too much. It's also safer not to have acres of flesh on show if you're somewhere sunny.

If it makes people feel comfortable and so swim more that's a good thing.

flamingjune123 · 17/07/2019 16:35

In the French resorts I used to go to it was a strict rule that males couldn't even wear swim shorts, it had to be Speedo type trunks. The reason given was the fibres that are on ordinary clothing can have an effect on something or rather. Maybe it was the pumps, not sure

drowningincustard · 17/07/2019 16:35

In a perfectly hygienic world everyone will have a shower and then put on clean clothes for swimming. But this is the real world - even if they put on a swimsuit they are putting it on hot, sweaty, sun creme covered bodies, and almost everyone ignores signs to shower before going in - or if they do its a quick splash that does nothing. So really you are not being more hygienic in a swimming costume - it makes no difference from a hygiene perspective what people are wearing because the majority are grubby anyway!.
This is definitely related to your ocd/anxiety. Remember the human animal in its natural state is a grubby filthy thing. This is why we have skin to stop external dirt/bacteria, acidic stomachs to kill off problems in the food we consume and various other clever bits that the body does.
Not sure public pools anywhere are a great idea for someone suffering from OCD and related anxiety. Maybe somewhere like a villa with exclusive pool use in the future if you need that level of control.

flamingjune123 · 17/07/2019 16:36

Oh and absolutely no T shirts were allowed

LegionOfDoom · 17/07/2019 16:42

flamingjune123 Also true for Portugal. We recently came back from Algarve and the public pools we went to had these rules. Everyone had to wear a swim cap and only speedos for men/boys and swimming costume or bikini for women/girls. We weren’t even allowed to wear a swim skirt (which I like to wear because I have a huge bum)

RottnestFerry · 17/07/2019 16:43

Bit off topic but a white cotton t shirt when wet is the equivalent of about SPF8 so don't wear one thinking it'll protect you from the sun because it won't really

That's still 87% UVB protection, so a lot better than nothing for short periods of exposure. It won't wash off either.

I switched from wearing a tee shirt to a 50 SPF rashie for that reason.

Jebuschristchocolatebar · 17/07/2019 16:44

Just back from France. Speedos only for men and no rash vests or shorts allowed in the camp site. Poor dh not impressed with enforced budgie smugglers

notjustanexpat · 17/07/2019 16:45

That does sound like a bunch of drunks acting on a whim. I relate, OP. The thought of walking around in soaking wet cloth already makes me shiver, that cannot possibly be comfortable.

Then again, I always take the trip to the beach over any resort pool.

Also, in Germany everybody showers before going into a pool. France seemed 50/50 but, yeah, swim clothes please!

stucknoue · 17/07/2019 16:50

Next year go to France, they are super strict on swimwear

eurochick · 17/07/2019 16:50

The french pool thing is supposed to be to do with STIs I think.

Rachelover40 · 17/07/2019 16:57

Most people's clothes aren't any more unhygienic than their bodies. It's not uncommon for people to swim in shorts and T-shirt on holiday, to protect their skin from sun. I don't suppose they do it all the time but no one wants to have sun burn - or worse - so they limit their exposure which is actually quite sensible.

I hope you enjoy your holiday.

WhenOneFacePalmDoesntCutIt · 17/07/2019 16:58

we should be more French!

It's very very unlikely people would wear swimwear out of the pool, whilst they might be wearing filthy clothes.
Sorry, but it's disgusting and not needed.

I wish we could ban street clothes in the pool, sun vests are a better protection than tshirts anyway, so that's not a valid reason.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 17/07/2019 17:03

French swimming pools, even natural outdoor ones, can be very strict about what you wear. Dh wasn't allowed to wear his perfectly normal swim shorts at a natural outdoor pool, and had to buy a pair of horrible budgie smugglers before he was allowed in the water.

MirandaGoshawk · 17/07/2019 17:11

GETTINGLIKE - I was just thinking about French pools! Same here with the budgie smugglers, except that the only ones they had for DH to borrow were huge and baggy on him, and he had to hold them up! Was it near Cherbourg? The water was crystal clear, though.

MirandaGoshawk · 17/07/2019 17:14

Also - the bathing caps! We all had to wear these awful rubber caps too, or they wouldn't let us in!

flamingjune123 · 17/07/2019 17:16

Eurochick. Really? What on earth have STIs got to do with swimming? I'm pretty sure it's do do with clothing fibres blocking pumps or drains or something. Right that's it I'm going to google!

marvellousnightforamooncup · 17/07/2019 17:18

Last time I went to a UK outdoor pool there were teenage girls in t-shirts and cut off jeans. I must say I'm not a fan. I'd be fine with a rash vest and board shorts for either sex. Burkini, no problem.

bellinisurge · 17/07/2019 17:19

My dh is self conscious about his upper body and wears a football shirt and swim shorts - not in an indoor pool. He's done this when in US or Mediterranean countries. Or on UK beaches. It's hard enough to get him near the water - if I told him some people were being sniffy about it, he'd retreat in embarrassment. I'd rather he swam, larked about in the water and was comfortable about doing it.

flamingjune123 · 17/07/2019 17:19

Ok it seems to say that it's a French govt ruling because of hygiene reasons as shorts could be worn all over the campsite and therefore be dirty / dusty

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