To shower every day or not?

[Greenballoons]

Do you shower every day or not?

I am not showering every day and I come from a country that very few people shower every day!

I dislike being wet and as a kid I didn’t shower everyday too. Maybe I don’t do it because I was not taught to do it as kid.

Those who shower every day do you also shower your kids everyday?

And those you shower every day do you get your hair wet or shampoo them everyday?

I wouldn’t be able to do this everyday!!!! Many British people I know shower every day (either morning or night) and I find it so hard mentally and physically to invest time on that on a daily basis given everything is in such a fast pace.

I would never sacrifice time from my sleep to shower in the morning!

Oh, I've lived in countries where people don't bathe every day, usually because there's no piped water or no hot water. China, for instance, used to be like this 30 years ago and still is outside big cities. It really focuses the mind when you have to carry the water in buckets and heat it on a small charcoal fire! But then people in China did smell, especially in summer. I found that after a while I got used to it and stopped noticing, just as in the old days we didn't really notice the cigarette smoke all around us (I'm 57) but now I can immediately tell when a smoker gets on the bus even though they're not smoking on the bus.

Mostly people cannot smell themselves, by the way. Just as you don't notice your own bad breath... But you sweat, whether or not you realise it. It's not a matter of being covered in coal dust. Children under the age of puberty don't sweat so don't need to wash as often, especially once out of nappies.

OP, if you live in the UK it's normal to have a quick shower every day, morning or night as you prefer, just as it's normal to wash your face every day. You don't have to wash your hair if it's not oily. And if you have dry skin, keep the soap to underarms and bits. It's really only a few minutes, not a matter of shaving and all the rest every day. (In fact, if you're being eco, don't shave in the shower. Wet your legs, shave, then rinse as you shower anyway...)

Most days, yes. I usually wear a shower cap though so only do my hair once every few days. I don't overly smell after one day (unless I've been to the gym etc) but I just feel much more comfortable. As long as you don't stink if you're going to be around other people then whatever you prefer.

My husband who is so clean (he polishes his pubes, family joke) would call you a 'soap dodger' OP.
I was told by the leading UK tricologist to wash hair daily (the company I worked for made his product).

@Lockheart I love your fact checking. Mumsnet should hire you.

I struggle with overheating in bed, I get quite sweaty. Therefore I shower every morning, unless I'm critically late for work.

Unless I am too sick, drunk or exhausted, I shower every day before bed, I like the thought of washing off any sweat/dirt/pollen/germs collected during the day rather than sleeping in it. Plus it's nicer for sex.

Unless there is lack of water , yes it is ! And I have family living all over the world from USA to Middle East to Africa .

I shower every morning. I couldn't function if I didn't. It's as important to my waking routine up as tea/coffee is to others.

I only wash my hair weekly, so it's tied up for the 5 minutes I'm showering.
Dh showers twice a day, which I find excessive, but he works in a very dirty industry, so comes home filthy and smelly. DS baths twice a week (more of he's dirty), and is washed daily, but he's only 3, so doesn't sweat like an adult.

I was only a child in the 70s and as kid's we shared bath water. Always a fight on who would go 1st.

I shower every other day and wash my hair once a week.

However, this is MN, where people bang on about how much they fear climate change yet will shower three times a day and wash their clothes once they've had them on for 10 minutes.

Shower as often or as little as you want OP.

I suspect the types who say 'I shower at least three times a day anything else is griiiiiiiiiiim!!!' types are the same ones who also change their bed linen every two days, use a fresh towel every shower, boil wash 'outdoor clothes' and 'deep clean' the bathroom everyday because anything else is 'griiiiiiim!!' How the fuck do these people have time to do anything else bar washing non existent, supposedly deadly germage off stuff?

Anyone who thinks that level of cleanliness is normal either has severe clinical anxieties and/or is compensating for some kind of inadequacy in their life.

I used to obsessively bleach the skirting boards in my student house... I had clinical depression at the time.

Some people can't afford to shower every day, especially if they have an electric shower.

I shower at least every other day, depends what I am doing.

You said you didn't get sweaty.....

just google what’s in a soap ring. I don’t know what to tell you about your baths. Maybe there just is no dirt. Highly unlikely unless you live in a bubble. Although I hear water is nature’s best cleaners so also possible. I have to yield to your experience of your body and your bathtime experience. You must save a fortune on Cif.

It’s not 3 minutes though, is it. Maybe, maybe 3 minutes in the actual shower… if you’re reasonably quick… but there’s the time waiting for the shower to warm up, drying and dressing afterwards, potentially drying your hair etc. It’s 15 minutes at least.

Shower and wash hair every day and have done for the last 50+ years.
No intention of stopping.

Never watered a garden, hosed a patio or used a hose to wash a car though.

If you have time to post on mumsnet you have time to shower!

I used to shower and wash my hair every day without fail. I wouldn’t leave the house without doing so and also full make up.

Then… I had kids. A combination of lack of sleep and just not being able to get my act together in the morning* means I now shower every other day and I genuinely haven’t noticed a difference at all. I also save money on products as they last longer and save on water/ energy bills. Bonus - it’s also a little better for the environment. I don’t think I smell and neither my husband or my friends have told me I do either. And believe me, my friends would let me know 😂

*other people with children manage to get their shit together to have enough time to sort the kids out and shower every morning, I know. I just don’t. It’s not a generalisation of parents, I’m just talking about myself.

Work from home , so no.

What an absurd thing to say. In what way is showering twice a day ‘selfish’. 🤔

Your showers take longer because you do shaving and exfoliation at the same time plus your hair takes a long time. Most people having a daily shower just use soap on the important bits, quick shampoo and rinse down. People with thick hair also usually don't need to wash it every day, plus the exfoliation and shaving is not done every day. My daily shower takes 5 minutes, another 5 mins to dry my hair as it dries quickly. Once a week I shave legs and every couple of weeks I exfoliate. I rarely use body lotion as my skin isn't dry, so that saves time too.

I go in the bath every night and don't sweat much at night. I don't often shower in the morning.

If you wash daily, use deodorant and are wearing clean/fresh clothes, you really are not going to smell bad!

Yes I do. I have a limited sense of smell so even more important as I don't want others to notice.

I was only a child in the 70s and as kid's we shared bath water. Always a fight on who would go 1st.

My kids share bath water now and i often go in after them.

People waste far, far too much of everything, water included.

If you aren’t having a quick shower every day YOU WILL SMELL you lazy sod.

You must be naturally smelly. Not everyone is!