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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sharing bath water

242 replies

WiganNorthWest · 23/03/2021 20:37

I remember we all used to use the same bath water one after another (parents too) when I was a kid but the thought of doing that now makes me cringe. Does anyone go in the same bath water after another family member?

OP posts:
YouAintKingDingALing · 23/03/2021 20:43

Yes. I used to with an ex. I would bathe first and then he might jump in once the water had cooled down. To be fair, neither or us were exactly dirty and it seemed such a huge waste of water otherwise (he had a v deep bath).

Also, my bath water was so damn hot that any germs would have been killed off!

Sprig1 · 23/03/2021 20:47

Yes, my husband gets in after me in the evening. My son (10) will sometimes come in with me.

ZackaryQuack · 23/03/2021 20:49

Not quite the same but weekend mornings we put the plug in and ds sits in the bath while dh and I have our showers then stays in the tub for a while longer.

Dh and I have been known to get in the bath together, but never one after the other, I like to lounge until the water is cold.

Sally2791 · 23/03/2021 20:51

Yes, all my children used to share. My exH would use my water ( I would never have used his)

Everyday21 · 23/03/2021 20:53

My dh will often have a bath after our dds just topping up the hot water. When he was young his family of 5 would all use the same bath water

ChristinaYang10 · 23/03/2021 20:53

DH goes in after toddler DD some evenings. She obviously doesn’t have a very full bath so he will fill it up while we get her pyjamas on and then he’ll go in once she’s in bed.

YerAWizardHarry · 23/03/2021 20:54

I jumped in the bath after 8 year old DS earlier. He was in, hair and body washed and out within 5mins though. Don’t think I’d do it after a long soak

ForeverBubblegum · 23/03/2021 20:54

I sometimes get in the kids bath water after I get them out, especially over lockdown when they were having bath's most days just to splash about and kill time, so weren't overly dirty. It was also the quickest way for me to keep clean as their to little to leave alone for long, but when the waters already there I can be in and out in a few minutes (usually with an audience trying to put dinosaurs in the bath water, so not overly tempting to have a long soke anyway)

Sparklingbrook · 23/03/2021 20:55

No, new bath water for each person here, and everyone has their own towel too.

That said, we hardly ever have baths, just showers morning and evening.

Mum2jenny · 23/03/2021 20:55

Happy to share with DH, sometimes I go in first, sometimes he goes after me. The dog just choses when she’s interested!

nursejekyll · 23/03/2021 20:56

Dh gets in after me sometimes depending on how pushed for time we are.

Kanaloa · 23/03/2021 21:01

No, we always have clean bath water each. When the kids were preschool aged we would let them share a bath together though, at the same time.

CombatBarbie · 23/03/2021 21:02

DH will get in after me if he fancies a bath, but I wouldn't get in after him as he is usually sweaty n grimey with having a physically demanding job.

bellsbuss · 23/03/2021 21:03

OH will get in after me but I would never use his.

SprogletsMum · 23/03/2021 21:04

I've been at my sister's house this evening. My ds and my nephew got into the bath together, they got out and my dd and my niece got in together. 4 kids bathed in one lot of water, they're all clean.

Original poster
WiganNorthWest · 23/03/2021 21:04

It does seem like a waste of water to only use once, but I do remember being very small and weeing in the bath and someone else going in after, and it would often have some hair floating in there! So not sure I could bring myself to do it now even if water was basically clean

OP posts:
AgnesNaismith · 23/03/2021 21:07

No. So gross.

Same here as a pp with separate towels and I clean the bath to within and inch of its ceramic coated life after each person.

to avoid the threadworms

ProcrastinationIsMySuperPower · 23/03/2021 21:11

Always had to have my brother's luke-warm dirty bath water as a kid. Now I really hate baths with a passion, so I only ever shower.

ThatsNotTheTeaHunty · 23/03/2021 21:12

No way. We all have separate towels too.

Butterflyfox · 23/03/2021 21:19

Yes. One or both children (8 and 9) get in with me whenever they catch me having a bath. I don’t mind sharing the water but soon I will need to invest in a bigger bathtub

justanotherneighinparadise · 23/03/2021 21:20

Yep, we do it regularly. At the weekend I go in after DP or vice versa, kids might go in too! Week days I go in first, kids go in after.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/03/2021 21:23

Yup do it all the time. Theres plenty of water to get clean enough (we are not targeting unhealthily sterile in our house) and leave everyone smelling good and we don't like to waste resources.

When we've had family visit 4 kids have been through the same water, 2 at a time. It's a big bath.

Childrenofthestones · 23/03/2021 21:28

Yes I get in after my missus. Mind you, we're working class and the whippets get in after me.

jessstan2 · 23/03/2021 21:29

I used to bathe with my son quite a lot when he was small. Nobody else. I cannot imagine sharing water with my parents or they with me even when I was little.

Skysblue · 23/03/2021 21:30

Nope. No sharing here. Depends on your attitude to germs really.