To reduce the number of showers I have each week

[Lov]

Let's be honest here. During lockdown probably most of us that worked from home rolled out of bed to their laptop and started the work day (in pjs)

I believe my need for showers daily took a nose dive. Don't get me wrong I went old school and did a daily clean with a flannel and yes still brush my teeth twice a day. I was showering twice a week.

Now back into the swing of things, working face to face (twice a week) I find my routine has stayed the same and the need for daily showers has gone. Obviously if I go work out I will do but I'm talking daily no.

What's other people's experience? Has everyone resumed normal life or are there people out there like me who are now content doing a flannel wash instead of a daily shower????

I am waiting for the gross comments but honestly I don't feel worse for it and my water bill has dropped!

Exactly the same as for people who can't shower or bath and have to be washed in bed
You get hot water, soap (dr bronners is good as it's liquid and concentrated and a flannel
Soak the flannel and wring it out well, add some soap and lather it up over the parts of your body that you want to wash, scrub well
Rinse flannel well in hot water, wring it out, wash the soap off. Do it again if soap still remains

Do people really have to be taught this? I worked as a carer and they expect you to know how to wash someone without being told

I'm just pointing out that people claim they KNOW how often others shower. When actually they're assuming that they know.

I literally have no idea if my colleagues shower daily, despite it being the norm.

Because it never ever comes up in conversation.

I assume that most are showering daily. But I don't categorically know. Just like you don't know.

Ok, I first of all, I responded to someone dragging black people into this stupid debate. Black peoples hair gets drier over time, not greasier, not the same.

It is a cultural norm to shower at least daily for black pepper in Europe, Africa, America, all over. Why you find that so unbelievable, I do not know.

If you don't shower everyday, you definitely won't be bragging about it because it's perceived as dirty where I'm from, rightly or wrongly. Someone earlier spoke about British people being perceived as spatters with hygiene- not saying I fully agree, but it's true, that is a not uncommon perception.

I really don't care. It is the Norm to shower amongst black people, I am telling you. No need to nitpick in the word every. Fact is, nobody who did would admit to it anyway. Had plenty of these convos at school, College, friends and family, read insta post comments from popular blogs. It's the norm, the end.

A quick daily shower is surely more hygienic than a flannel rub?

I shower every other day at present, as have a newborn and family staying so have to be mindful of hot water use and timings etc.

But on non-shower days I wash with soap and water and a jug between legs, wash my feet with soap and running water and use a no-rinse skin foam cleanser that you towel off. Then antiperspirant and deodorant foot powder as normal.

It actually takes longer than hopping in the shower for 5 mins! Running water washes all the sweat, grime and dead skin cells off.

@Sosiej is completely right. I'd even go so far as to say it's only white people who need to constantly compete for how filthy they can get before a shower is deemed worthy. They actively love it. The rest of us shower in the same manner we drink water and eat veg - no debate. It just is.

I have never had a conversation where adults compete regarding how dirty they are. What odd people you know. Are they all 8 year old boys?
The only time I've ever known this discussed is the odd conversation about skin health and these threads. Oh, and I saw on a feature about the cost of living crisis the other night a young woman saying she would need to cut back on baths due to rising costs. Hardly competitive filthiness.

I shower every day but my hair needs the water. It's more effort to scrunch water in with my hands from the tap than just stand under the shower. I only use shampoo 3* a week max.

If I didn't have a curly mop on top of my head, I imagine I would shower every other day max.

I shower daily.

If I don't, it's because my mental health has taken a downturn... I actually struggle to do anything when I'm unwell.

This. No matter what I have to have a shower every day. Can’t sleep without being clean.

Ok, I first of all, I responded to someone dragging black people into this stupid debate

I didn't 'drag Black people into this stupid debate.'

I responded to the comment about how hair isn't clean/doesn't seem clean/whatever if it's not washed every day.

I pointed out that Black people rarely wash their hair this often.

I've seen this subject countless times over the years on MN. I think it's worth pointing out that people who don't wash their hair every day are not unclean. There can be a range of reasons for not doing so, and being Black is one of them.

These threads are almost always seen through a certain lens, with posters 'forgetting' about people who are Black, disabled etc.

If it's raised, it's often met with a degree of mild irritation and 'oh well, of COURSE I didn't mean it like that...'

So far, this thread has stuck fairly closely to the script.

I’m not bothered how often others take a shower. Each to their own. I shower twice a day and wash my hair daily because I want to. I don’t need to be told it’s not necessary, it’s bad for your skin, it strips the oil from your hair etc etc. Just as the people who choose not to shower daily don’t want to be told it’s grim, flannel washes take longer than showers etc. We are all different.

Some people already can’t afford to eat properly….

Yes well £1.40 per week isn’t going to stave off starvation is it? And while you can go to a food bank for free food, there are no free showers.

I don't shower every day.
I have washes some days instead.

I don't work, don't run or exercise other than walk the dog. I potter in the garden but slob in front of the telly most days.

I don't smell... my husband would have said something.
My adult children would certainly have said something.

Do your bits and pits.

Your shins don't need a daily wash , nor do your shoulders, ankles, thighs , back or forearms.

I feel pretty sure that so many MNetters who claim that it's rank to not shower every day are the ones who put towels on a boil wash after just one use.

You are absolutely hilarious. You have some sort of weird fascination with other peoples washing habits

I do believe you.

All I'm saying was you don't categorically absolutely know that everyone you know has a shower every single day.

You're assuming.bevause of the the cultural knowledge and presumptions you hold.

And other people on this thread what are saying that "the person on the bus skipped one shower, because they stink". They have no idea how many showers that person skipped.

My need for showers will probably go up somewhat this week, OP in a heatwave. But other than that, I used to be a daily shower person but am now every other day/after sweaty exercise. My skin, the environment and my wallet thank me for it.

My teenage DDs would have no qualms in telling me if I smell.

@00100001 that would be a waste of time and money you’d think in this situ.

^All I'm saying was you don't categorically absolutely know that everyone you know has a shower every single day.

You're assuming.bevause of the the cultural knowledge and presumptions you hold.

And other people on this thread what are saying that "the person on the bus skipped one shower, because they stink". They have no idea how many showers that person skipped^

Exactly. I'm surprised how many people think that they and everyone else 'stinks' if they've gone more than a day without a shower. Really? Most people probably don't until they've gone several days without a shower.

And we do have to be sensitive to the costs of daily showering. Come October, utilities will have more than tripled in cost in a year or two and more and more people will be having to think carefully about how much they use and it could easily be costing £50-100 pm for all these daily/twice daily showers for a family of 4, which is a lot of money on something that, for a lot of people, isn't really necessary so a waste of money, as well as resources.