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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How long do you take in the shower?

143 replies

HmmOk · 14/08/2023 06:58

Wondering now with awareness of how much energy costs/ the planet etc if it has impacted on how long you spend showering?

If I'm washing my hair (not every day) it takes me maybe 10 mins or just under. Non hair wash days take just a few minutes. Sometimes I'll shower twice on very hot days or days I'm more physically active or heavy period etc.

So say I take 12 mins in the shower every day on average across the week. Is that reasonable from a climate resources perspective, do you think?

How long do you spend showering?

OP posts:
Planesmistakenforstars · 14/08/2023 14:15

Shower without washing hair - 2 minutes.
Wash/condition hair (I have long, thick hair) - 5 minutes max, every other day.
Shave - 10 minutes maybe, and about once a fortnight. I don't have the water running the whole time though.

andymary · 14/08/2023 14:23

About 10-12 minutes for every shower.

littlepeas · 14/08/2023 14:23

I am very quick - far too impatient to spend much time doing something as boring as showering (although I do go in daily). I've never timed myself, but I reckon it is 1-2 mins if I don't wash my hair and maximum of 4 mins if I do.

GenieGenealogy · 14/08/2023 14:24

Have just ordered a 5 minute shower timer online, less than £3.

roarrfeckingroar · 14/08/2023 14:24

5 for a quick morning shower or a second shower on a hot day.

10-15 min to wash my hair.

floribunda18 · 14/08/2023 14:25

5 - 10 minutes. 10 minutes if washing hair and shaving legs, 5 minutes if it's a quick shower after the gym without washing my hair.

Cardboardcup · 14/08/2023 14:27

If I’m washing my hair about 15/20 mins. If not about 5 minutes.

KeepSmiling89 · 14/08/2023 14:29

I have curly hair so my hair wash days take about 15-20 minutes in total (twice a week...maybe 3 times if I've been swimming or got REALLY sweaty on a run and need to wash again)
Bog standard wash - about 5 minutes...5-10 minutes if I'm shaving my legs.

Never actually timed myself though so will time myself on tonight's bog standard wash (shaving legs included) then again tomorrow as it's hair washing day.

coreas · 14/08/2023 14:41

I take longer than most but I have quite bad balance so move slowly, it's never occurred to me to time it but I listen to a few songs whilst in there so I would say roughly 15-20 mins

NoTouch · 14/08/2023 14:54

Probably 7-8 mins because my purple shampoo says to leave in for 4-5 mins, then I need to condition it quickly so it doesn't tangle, but before I was using it I would be in and out well within 5 mins.

I put in the shampoo first, wash body which takes <2mins then I am in there just waiting for 2-3 mins to give the shampoo time. I sometimes multitask and take a cloth in and wipe down the glass or tiles (no cleaning products)! 🤣

LittleLegsKeepGoing · 14/08/2023 14:54

Badbudgeter · 14/08/2023 11:35

Or give up hair conditioner; it takes me a good 10 minutes to wash the conditioner out. I do multitask and give myself a good scrub whilst doing it though.

Show quote history

I don't condition my hair routinely. That would be another 5 minutes at least.

My hair is incredibly thick and heavy, it's only to my shoulders, even so washing it is a nightmare.

cakecoffeecakecoffee · 14/08/2023 15:28

About 10 mins including hair wash…. I’ve never timed myself so that’s a guess.

DD 8 takes forever!! I have to chivvy her along constantly.

FlamingYam · 14/08/2023 15:29

NoTouch · 14/08/2023 14:54

Probably 7-8 mins because my purple shampoo says to leave in for 4-5 mins, then I need to condition it quickly so it doesn't tangle, but before I was using it I would be in and out well within 5 mins.

I put in the shampoo first, wash body which takes <2mins then I am in there just waiting for 2-3 mins to give the shampoo time. I sometimes multitask and take a cloth in and wipe down the glass or tiles (no cleaning products)! 🤣

Try the purple mask instead. Feels softer and kills two birds. Equally bright.

If I'm doing everything I'm 15 mins. If I'm just washing 2 mins. If I'm washing and shaving but hair not washed about 4-5. I leave my conditioner in as long as possible.

NoTouch · 14/08/2023 16:38

FlamingYam · 14/08/2023 15:29

Try the purple mask instead. Feels softer and kills two birds. Equally bright.

If I'm doing everything I'm 15 mins. If I'm just washing 2 mins. If I'm washing and shaving but hair not washed about 4-5. I leave my conditioner in as long as possible.

Show quote history

Sounds good, what brand do you use?

Tinktravels · 14/08/2023 16:42

Atleast 20 mins, double that for a bath 😂

Ibetthatyoulookgoodon · 14/08/2023 16:46

HmmOk · 14/08/2023 07:18

I run the shower for a minute or so before getting in otherwise it is cold Blush Is that so bad? In fairness I'm including that in my overall shower times.

If you are stopping and starting the water, are you just sucking up the cold water for the first minute when you put it on?

The shower runs cold initially because there is cold water in the pipes between your tank (or boiler) and your shower. Also, the pipes themselves (being cold) actually cool down the first ‘bit’ of hot water which runs through them.

If you turn the shower off (once it’s hot) for a couple of minutes and then turn it back on again, the water will be immediately hot as the hot water that was previously drawn into the pipe is still there waiting to cone out. It should be almost the same temperature as it was when you switched it off, allowing for a couple of minutes of cooling in the pipes; it shouldn’t noticeably colder though.

FlamingYam · 14/08/2023 16:52

@NoTouch I actually just use the provoke brand from Tesco/b&m. I know a few people use fancier but I've tried most brands and this is the best for me regardless of cost - that's just an additional benefit.

How long do you take in the shower?
cardibach · 14/08/2023 16:55

cruffinsmuffin · 14/08/2023 07:30

About ten minutes in the morning, 5 minutes at night most days. Probably about 20 minutes a few times a week as pamper showers 😂 I'm feeling like I must be the slowest of slow pokes reading this thread!

Even if pampering what do you do for 20 mins? That’s ages! Seriously, what are you doing in there?

DerekFaker · 14/08/2023 17:06

I'm.the same as you, OP. I don't understand what takes some people so long, but it's up to them I suppose.

Cakesandbabes · 14/08/2023 17:24

It takes me longer than two minutes to just scrub during my relax shower😂
It's easy, get in, slowly turn around under hot water with "oh yeahhh mate, yeah"
Wash armpits
2x shampoo (maybe 3 because once a week I put oil on before)
Put hair mask on
Shave legs and armpits
Scrub every inch with nice hammam glove and natural soap bar(it made my strawberry skin on arms go away!)
Imagine you won lottery while having face under hot water and heating up back after
Wash of hair mask
Clean face
Clean back a bit again (my skin is not happy if I don't properly wash off hair mask🙄)
Ponder about life and how many more years do you REALLY have to work and where will you fuck off to. Also think about getting that parrot you saw being friendly with people in petshop.
Cold rinse for hair and body
Out and baby oil like you would be entering oil wrestling.

2x a week, makes not only difference to my skin but also to my stress levels. Bliss

NoTouch · 14/08/2023 17:25

FlamingYam · 14/08/2023 16:52

@NoTouch I actually just use the provoke brand from Tesco/b&m. I know a few people use fancier but I've tried most brands and this is the best for me regardless of cost - that's just an additional benefit.

Right on my price point 👍

I had grey highlights done for the first time a couple of months ago to try to balance out my own grey but it is going a bit brassy so only recently started trying out the purple products and was using the Aussie purple shampoo which was helping but it is annoying having to wait for it in the shower.

Never heard of purple masks before, my Tesco app doesn't have Evoke masks locally, but does have Elvive which looks similar and reduced from £6 to £3.50 so will give that one a go! If it doesn't work will try to get the Evoke one off Amazon. Thanks!

thatsn0tmyname · 14/08/2023 17:29

4-5 minutes, short hair. I do switch the water off after the first minute to lather up, then water on to rinse. I'm more aware of the water we use as we collected buckets of grey water for the garden in the dry spell. One shower = one bucket.

cruffinsmuffin · 14/08/2023 17:31

@cardibach

Oh god 😂 so double shampoo, conditioner on + a mask on too. Sometimes I'll have used a pre treatment as well which adds an extra step in. I then exfoliate everywhere with a brush, then exfoliate everywhere with a scrub. Then I use a shower oil, then a body wash. After that it's shave city (doing zappy hair removal so requires a fresh shave) for everything between my toes to my tits. Post shave (which does take a while to be thorough!) I'll then rinse out the hair a few times and voila. Like a seal rising from the sea, I emerge smooth, fat a glossy.

It's an amazing feeling tbh. I might take a bit longer with singing along to the music too! Luckily no complaints from anyone in a 5 mile radius about my singing. It's a zone of peace and steam when I have a long shower.

Normal showers just involve the hair wash without treatments, body wash no oil and no exfoliation / shaving!

Cakesandbabes · 14/08/2023 17:32

Sometimes on Friday I have beer in there and sing "oldies". Which are early 2000s but some club already called them oldies😔

cruffinsmuffin · 14/08/2023 17:32

@Cakesandbabes you sound like my kind of shower person 😂 it's like therapy isn't it?!