To not shower everyday?

[Zwills]

Especially if you don't work full time or leave the house everyday. Sometimes I prefer to shower in the evenings so I feel fresh before going to bed, other days if I'm going out I will have a shower in the morning or If I wake up earlier before the kids i have one then. I don't always wash my hair I don't always shower everyday if I am just at home and exhausted. Just wondering how honest everyone will be or do people literally shower everyday/twice a day without fail even if they don't leave their home. Obviously excluding when the weather the hot.

I'm a mental health nurse and work in quite a grubby, germy environment so shower after work but usually most mornings too as I'm a greasy, sweaty person, I hate getting dressed in clean clothes if I haven't showered. I only really use soap on the whiffy bits though, my back and legs I just spray with water to avoid dry skin.

@Zwills

Ok so I'm sure this will get to some people as it seems so popular but why on earth would you strip wash and why haven't I heard of people doing this before? For private parts I use a bidet spray whenever I use the toilet, before that it was a small rinsing jug, I can't imagine just using toilet paper! I know not everyone has a shower but when I was a child we filled up a bucket with water in the bath (instead of filling up the whole bath) and used a plastic bath /rinsing jug to wash the soap off. Surely that's easier than standing next to the sink naked wiping yourself down?!

Not everyone has a shower Elderly people often feel unstable and would rather stand/sit at the sink Bathroom is cold, easier to bare parts of the body and wash rather than strip off Sensory issues Water saving Habit Post op - I couldn't shower after an armpit operation (now that was grim!) and also after spinal surgery

A million and one reasons. I cared for people that haven't been able to have a bath or shower in 20 years and they didn't smell because they were washed properly

No one needs to shower every day

@MyPatronusIsACat

I could never go a day without showering when I wake up/get out of bed. Each to their own. YANBU to not shower every day if you don't want to. YABU if you expect everyone else to agree it's OK. No matter what you think, you will smell.

Rubbish!

@Snugglybuggly my armpits whiff a bit in the mornings after sweating during the night. A strip wash doesn’t seem like it would be thorough enough and it’s less faff to just jump in the shower. So I do need a daily shower.

If I didn't have such naturally oily hair, I'd probably be okay to have a quick strip wash instead of a shower. As it is, I only skip a day if I'm feeling utterly wretched or can't shower for some other reason. With such oily hair, I feel gross and unhappy if I don't wash it, so a daily shower it is!

Besides, I've found that in the time it takes me to do a strip-wash, I could have had a shower in just another minute or two, so it's not saving much time and effort. I'm sure it saves water, but... I care more about not feeling disgusting all day than I do about using a little water.

That's kinda disgusting. Once a day at least IMO - every morning. Most nights too but if I were to choose it would be to ensure the morning I have I don't want to inflict any odours on others!

Those that say it’s unnecessary as you don’t sweat, what about in bed when we are all basically sharing our space with skin flakes, bed bugs etc?

Elderly people often feel unstable and would rather stand/sit at the sink

Especially if they have an over bath type shower rather than a walk in cubicle.

@CounsellorTroi

Elderly people often feel unstable and would rather stand/sit at the sink

Especially if they have an over bath type shower rather than a walk in cubicle.

And I vouch for it not being just the elderly. I'm 31 and when I am in alone or sometimes even if there is someone with me I feel safer having a sponge wash

@LukeEvansWife

Those that say it’s unnecessary as you don’t sweat, what about in bed when we are all basically sharing our space with skin flakes, bed bugs etc?

Most people don't have bed bugs. Do you mean dust mites?

Moisturiser exists. But why would someone deliberately overwash themselves, make their skin dry/sore and then use moisturiser?!

I'll say it again - if you buy cheap as chips £1 shower gel from the supermarket, it will be full of crap in particular SLS which is a known skin irritant. Everyone should avoid SLS where they can, particularly for kids.

But (if you have the funds obviously, I'm aware this isn't for everyone but MN demographic is leaning towards the well paid professional) buy better quality, often handmade or local products or ecological/natural brands that do not contain SLS, and these WONT dry your skin out in daily shower. Your skin's natural balance will be maintained.

I have dry skin, shower every day and don't need to moisturise if I don't want to as my skin is healthy soft and smooth because I use decent products.

On the very rare occasions I have a duvet day at the weekend I don't shower but I feel so manky the next day and I do think I smell. Normally I shower at least once a day. Only wash my hair three times a week though.

Most people don't have bed bugs. Do you mean dust mites?

Yes. Not to mention the general bacteria, skin cells, sweat

I shower every other day, as recommended by my dermatologist. If I showered every day I would look like a lizard person.

Unfortunately my skin and I are continually at war.

I don’t have dry skin but even if I did, I would deem it more important to be clean

Not all bacteria on your skin are harmful - in fact they are needed to keep the bad ones - which could be harmful if they get into a wound - in check.

Pretty damaging to your skin and hair to wash it repeatedly. Anyone with eczema will tell you that.

There’s “dry skin” and then there’s “my skin’s deepest wish is to become sandpaper which has led to me being hospitalised more than once”.

I’ll stick to what my dermatologist says.

And it doesn't matter how fancy your soap.

Every day here. Feel uncomfortable if I don’t, just don’t like it.
It’s probably not necessary, though.

@Shallwegoforawalk

Moisturiser exists. But why would someone deliberately overwash themselves, make their skin dry/sore and then use moisturiser?!

I'll say it again - if you buy cheap as chips £1 shower gel from the supermarket, it will be full of crap in particular SLS which is a known skin irritant. Everyone should avoid SLS where they can, particularly for kids.

But (if you have the funds obviously, I'm aware this isn't for everyone but MN demographic is leaning towards the well paid professional) buy better quality, often handmade or local products or ecological/natural brands that do not contain SLS, and these WONT dry your skin out in daily shower. Your skin's natural balance will be maintained.

I have dry skin, shower every day and don't need to moisturise if I don't want to as my skin is healthy soft and smooth because I use decent products.

I just think it's silly because as much as scrubbing with a sponge/flannel and crappy shower gel will make you dry, a bar of moisturising soap and moisturiser will be fine for most people

I appreciate we're not all the same, but sometimes it's a bit of a cop out. My DP is an anti-soaper, because it's sooo drying, but doesn't moisture? And also is happy to drink and smoke at social events but draws the line at washing with soap thoroughly

I shower every day but I don't have a bidet so I need to to prevent manky poo residue, a problem you won't have

I only wash my hair every 3 or so days though.

Every morning before coffee but it's more routine than a worry about smelling. DH showers every evening before getting into bed.

I think these threads show though that it's not uncommon to not shower every day. But on the 'how often do you bathe your DC' threads, it's very uncommon for parents not to bathe their children every night.

I shower every day (hair every other day) my main reason is the frequency of going into staff or public toilets and being absolutely grossed out by the smell in the air from dirty fanjos and having absolute fear of ever being like that.