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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you share bath water?

196 replies

FUSoftPlay · 09/03/2023 19:29

Lighthearted - do you share bathwater?

I tend to run a bath for the kids (1 & 3 so young) then often top it up and get in myself or my DH will. Occasionally me or DH will then get in after each other so the bath water will have bathed the whole family. DH joked with DS3 not to tell anyone as they’d think it was disgusting.

So thought I’d find out if we really are totally grim.

YABU - we don’t share bathwater that’s disgusting, you vermin.
YANBU - we do this too.

OP posts:
footstoop · 09/03/2023 20:53

I do, but not to get myself clean.

I don't really have baths to get clean, they are for relaxing & soothing muscles etc.

MurderSheSpoke · 09/03/2023 20:57

I don't share bath water but I happily share my sex pond with whoever wants to join me.
DSIS was once offered her MIL's used bathwater, she graciously declined!

Iris1976 · 09/03/2023 20:57

My DC is about to get in after me.

Starlightstarbright1 · 09/03/2023 20:58

I used to when D’s was toddler he had a shallow bath and topped it up once he was asleep . We did share till it just started to feel wrong to me and him.

DrMeredithGrey2023 · 09/03/2023 21:00

I don't think someone not wanting to share bath water makes them a 'wet wipe'

Everyone has different standards.

gamerchick · 09/03/2023 21:03

Some proper strange ways on this thread. Sitting in someone elses skin soup is gross. Letting your kids get into your skin soup is worse.

Amazing what people grow up with and think is ok.

Must bring it up in a group situation if there's an uncomfortable silence afoot. See if there's ructions on. Grin

willstarttomorrow · 09/03/2023 21:06

How dirty are those family members of the posters who find it disgusting to get in their bath water? I am getting on (50ish) but sharing bath water has always been a thing until pretty recently. I am assuming as we have no coal/fishing/other real industry no one is having to bathe in actual left over filth.

TooOldToBeDitzy · 09/03/2023 21:07

Level7wannabee · 09/03/2023 20:00

Let's just remind of ourselves on MN ick factor

Toilet seat IN the dishwasher = Level 10
Penis beaker = Level 9
Wearing same pyjamas / bra for 2 weeks = Level 8
Washing bedding once a month = Level 7
Sharing bath water = Level 5
Reusing bath towels = Level 4
Leaving washing out on the line at night = 3

Etc etc

I was quietly enjoying this thread till I read this. Toilet seat in the dishwasher? IN the DISHWASHER? Is that a reference to a crazy thread or am I misunderstanding something? Please tell me no body actually does this. I'll never be able to eat in anybody's house again. 😬

Not that I'm super clean as I seem to score top marks regarding bra and bedding grossness.

More to the point, I never have a bath. I don't even like to stew in my own dirt let alone anybody else's. I also quickly hold the toddler under the shower after his bath to wash the dirty bath water off.

Orders76 · 09/03/2023 21:08

We (partners ) would get in after each other but fresh baths for kids otherwise I do think it's a bit grim.

Level7wannabee · 09/03/2023 21:11

@TooOldToBeDitzy sorry! Yes someone once posted that they put the toilet seat in their dishwasher 😬 shudder!

I think it was last year on a "cleaning tips" thread 🤣

Level7wannabee · 09/03/2023 21:13

@TooOldToBeDitzy or it could be a toilet brush?

TooOldToBeDitzy · 09/03/2023 21:16

Jolie12345 · 09/03/2023 20:45

I can only assume those people who “can’t g think of anything more disgusting” have never been in a swimming pool. What absolute wet wipes

The water in swimming pools is full of chlorine, which is supposed to kill everything. It's the changing rooms you have to wary off. Having said that I always shower after going swimming.

I assume nobody adds chlorine to their bath water. I wouldn't recommend it either. I don't think it's great for your skin.

Omg I still can't get over the possibility that there might exist a human on this earth who washes their toilet seat in the dish washer. I guess, if they just put the toilet seat in the dishwasher with no other dishes it probably kind of makes sense as the heat and soap will leave the dishwasher sterilised anyway. But still...

DustyLee123 · 09/03/2023 21:18

When the kids were young I’d put the plug in while they showered, then get in for a bath after.

Murraydeservedit · 09/03/2023 21:18

Christ, no.

You’d have to hose me down in dettol if I shared my two year olds water. I’ve never known a child to get so filthy. And she farts in it non stop.

ploopypleepy · 09/03/2023 21:19

We always share bath water, husband goes first as he likes it hotter, then I get it. It's not even a money saying thing as we could afford to run another. I don't think it's gross at all? Surely you share worse things than bath water 😂

xogossipgirlxo · 09/03/2023 21:21

No, we don't do it. Actually, it was a thing when I was a child. I was having a bath, then my sister, then my dad. Mum had nice fresh water 😂My husband is from similar family money wise and this is one thing we promised ourselves we won't do. If one of us wants to take a bath, we won't deprive ourselves. I can go without expensive holidays and new cars, but won't be taking a bath in someone else's dirt. I don't know if you do if for savings or convenience though, so it's just my point of view obviously.

1sttimemummy2022 · 09/03/2023 21:21

No way!

lanthanum · 09/03/2023 21:21

As a kid, we used to go in one after the other, with more hot water added for each. When I (as the eldest) got a bit older, I made my mum look at the colour of the water I had inherited, and she did give in at that point. I think our tank wouldn't have coped with multiple baths in quick succession; two of us switched to having baths in the morning, which meant we weren't drawing on the same tankful.

shelbyger · 09/03/2023 21:23

My kids get bathed every night. I tried topping up their water so I cld have one after but it was far too cold by then it just didn't get hot enough. I love a very hot bath. I've started going first though and having my roasting bath then getting out drying my hair etc and it's cooled down for them. If I was shaving I would empty and run them a clean one but it's prob about twice a week we will share water.

Growing up we had an immersion heater so it cld only fill one bath so we often had to share in the house if someone else wanted a bath. We used to argue about who was getting a bath each night 😆

Caiti19 · 09/03/2023 21:23

Timing of this is hilarious. I literally just finished my request to husband to please not fill a giant bath at noon just for himself, and to please run it in evening so kids can get into it first before him. We ploughed through oil this Winter (old and draughty house) and I'm trying to conserve. Always kids first though, and multiple times a week with showers in between. Nobody is minging going into it. We all just love a scalding bath and running more than one a day seems silly.

Wallywobbles · 09/03/2023 21:24

DH & I hâve a bath together every evening. It's a long bath and I need him in it to stop me going under.

Emmamoo89 · 09/03/2023 21:25

OhmygodDont · 09/03/2023 20:02

Sharing drinks needs adding. I will not share a sip from my cup. You want some of my cola ok cool now it’s all yours 😅

That doesn't bother me either 😊

Briallen · 09/03/2023 21:25

Ugh no. I would hate to get in someone else’s used water so wouldn’t expect the kids to get in mine. It’s only really dd and me who like a bath but I’d always run her her own.

Squidger45 · 09/03/2023 21:26

I don't think it's as gross as people are making out.

I mean, by some of this logic, you'd change the dish water each time you washed a dish.

Are the plates from the end of the washing up less clean / germ-ridden / whatever than those at the start? Should we run a fresh sink? We are eating off them, after all...

I share with DP, not bothered in the slightest.

laloue · 09/03/2023 21:28

I get very cold very easily so a bath is a lovely occasional treat to warm up (with a book and a glass of wine) DH merrily jumps in after me for a soak of his bones…why wouldn’t he? We’ve shared pretty much everything else for 20+ years.

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