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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Soaking in the bath

159 replies

Divorcedalongtime · 24/01/2023 16:04

I read on a thread here someone who said that maybe instead of having people in her home she sometimes wanted to soak in the bath for a couple of hours and it got me wondering…
I assume most people wouldn’t be able to stay in a bath for that amount of time but even half an hour to me in a bath is unthinkably long. maybe 10 minutes tops for me (yes I know that’s probably considered a waste of water but I’m curious)

AIBU or do people actually soak in the bath for ages?

OP posts:
BlueBlueBlueWinter · 24/01/2023 17:06

Baths far into the same category as picnics for me: love the idea, reality not so much. Give me a long hot shower any day.

Benjispruce4 · 24/01/2023 17:06

I’ve never understood drinking alcohol in the bath. I only ever have a bath because I can’t get warm or I’ve hurt my back or have aches after a run. Much prefer a hot shower and to read my book on my bed afterwards.

Season0fTheWitch · 24/01/2023 17:06

The last time I had a hangover I stayed in the bath for most of the morning. Had mellow birds coffee brought in to me and munched on some hash browns. It was bliss. Now I have 4 kids under 5 so the longest i manage is a half hour on a Saturday evening

BlueBlueBlueWinter · 24/01/2023 17:06

*fall into even!

MugginsOverEre · 24/01/2023 17:06

I can be in the bath for hours. I can read, top up with hot water, read a bit more, drink a coffee DH delivers, top up more hot water, read a bit more and then if I'm feeling like the effort, wash my hair, shave my legs and pits then I may read a bit more.

FourTeaFallOut · 24/01/2023 17:07

I have a bath bar and go in with a drink, my phone and a tablet and have watched whole movies, so 90 minutes easily. I don't do it very often - apart from when I was stuck in the covid homeschooling hellscape, then it was nightly.

GoAGoGo · 24/01/2023 17:08

2-3 hours for me because I always fall asleep.
My personal record is 4.5 hours.
I have an old school very deep bath. Perfect.

NamelessTemptress01 · 24/01/2023 17:09

Nearly posted about this recently, I had a bath for the first time in years and realised why I don’t bother, it’s uncomfortable and I think I need the temperature to stay too high, I could sit in a hot tub for longer where the temp is maintained but a bath cools too quickly and topping up doesn’t last long enough for me.

nopenotplaying · 24/01/2023 17:10

I can't bear it when your fingers and toes go wrinkled. So half an hour max for me

Phos · 24/01/2023 17:11

I personally find baths really uncomfortable but for those who don't yeah I can see this being a thing.

Anonymous48 · 24/01/2023 17:12

I'm another one who thinks the idea is often better than the reality. I'll probably have a bath every couple of weeks or so, more often if it's cold out or I'm not feeling great. But I don't think I've ever lasted more than 30 minutes.

I'm confused by the hot water top ups. Does the water in your tap get hot immediately? It takes at least 30 seconds for the hot water to reach my bathroom taps, so if I wanted to top up my bath with hot water I'd have to fill it with 30 seconds of cold water first.😨

Oblomov22 · 24/01/2023 17:12

I'm mn'ing in the bath now.

Iwantabloodypizza · 24/01/2023 17:13

I don’t think I’ve had a bath in about 20 years. The idea of sitting in my own dirt and getting sweaty doesn’t appeal to me.

I can spend ages in a lovely hot shower though.

anomaly23 · 24/01/2023 17:13

I can be in for about an hour. Absolutely love having a bath.

Motelschmotel · 24/01/2023 17:14

This thread is a revelation for me! I never knew people could sit in a tub of water for so long. Doing stuff. Can’t you just go to bed?

AnotherNameChangeYes · 24/01/2023 17:14

I get bored after 10 minutes. They take ages to run, I get too hot then get out. Much rather have a shower.

Sitting in your wee is disgusting.

Ilovetocrochet · 24/01/2023 17:15

Curiosity101 · 24/01/2023 16:18

I can't last more than about 20 minutes. I love the idea of a long soak in the bath but no matter what entertainment I take in with me it's just not an enjoyable past time. None of my hobbies are compatible with being in the bath so it just feels like a massive waste of time for me and that's just stressful.

As a result I almost exclusively have showers. 5 minutes and I'm done. Suits me much better.

Agree about the hobbies, I don’t think I could crochet in the bath!

Anyway, my arthritic knees won’t bend enough to get in and out of a baths so luckily I have a shower in my main bathroom. I had the bath taken out when I moved in - there is a bath in the en-suite upstairs if anyone really wants a bath!

Moanycowbag · 24/01/2023 17:15

Hate baths, I only sit in the bath usually full of salt because my dry peri-menopausal undercarriage has rubbed itself sore and the Nurse-Practioner told me to dunk it in a 'sitz bath' but a hot shower that feels like it's stripping your skin off, I can. stand under that forever and a day.

DappledThings · 24/01/2023 17:16

whomoon · 24/01/2023 16:35

Are you saying you have a wee whilst in the bath?

Show quote history

Yep. Usually. I don't even think about it really. It's a tiny amount diluted by litres of bathwater.

I'm definitely not the only one.

I couldn't get out after less than an hour. The effort of running it wouldn't seem worth it unless I was in for at least that long.

Charlize43 · 24/01/2023 17:16

I don't have the patience to sit in the bath for a couple of hours. Also it's not the best place to read, drink wine, relax etc...

Tessisme · 24/01/2023 17:18

I find being in the bath really boring and uncomfortable. I could stand in the shower from now until Doomsday though😅😅

diddl · 24/01/2023 17:19

When it came to it though, I was usually bored shitless after about ten minutes and had to get out and do something more interesting.

Yup!

We took the bath out & have a fabulous walk in shower instead.

WetBandits · 24/01/2023 17:21

I can easily sit in there for a couple of hours, topping up the hot water. My cats sit around the edge, occasionally dipping a toe in to splash me/each other with it 😅

In fact, I’m just about to head up there now!

sanityisamyth · 24/01/2023 17:21

I easily do an hour in the bath. I don't have a shower. I set the iPad up at the end of the bath and watch a good program. I love it!

TellMeWhere · 24/01/2023 17:21

No, I'm a ten minute soaker. 20 minutes max. Couldn't tell you the last time I had a bath. Over a year ago for sure. I want to like it but I get bored instantly.