MIL bathing habits

[Bitesize89]

My in laws come to stay with us pretty frequently and I've noticed over time that mil never bathes when she comes. She can be here 3-4 days without a shower or bath. It recently was revealed that she only ever uses baths and no soap in her bath. This came up after she bagged my DD and didn't use any soap on her and she said well there was bubble bath in the water, I was shocked as I don't think that's a proper way to bathe and she said when she bathes she doesn't use soap and only bubble bath. So not only does she not bathe for days on and but when she bathes she just has a bubble bath and no soap.im really grossed out.

That's a separate issue, but I agree to some extent.

Bubble bath is soap isn’t it?

I prefer not to waste resources, my point is simply that entire world is made of chemicals and that chemicals doesn't necessarily mean bad.

It's bubbly soap. The OP puts little marks on the bottle to see if MIL has used any.

Then stands outside the door breathing heavily.

Much harder with a bar of Pears or something.

Ok but they can mean bad. They can cause infection, lower immunity etc. Not great for the elderly. Something to consider for varying bathing habits we might not understand.

It's a known fact that bathing doesn't make one cleaner per se, but each to their own in terms of how they chose to bathe/shower. ✌️

So. Can we agree that somethings are good for us and other things less so?

I have a bathroom door to stand outside of in a stalky fashion and don't have all day.

Chemicals can mean anything, especially if we don't specify which chemicals or the concentration/dosage. I agree that over washing isn't a great idea, but just saying 'chemicals' is meaningless.

No, all chemicals are bad. Reduction is key. Hope your door is ok!

Bubble bath is a detergent specially formulated to bubble/lather more, it's probably more of an irritant than most soaps or even showergels.

Are the daily showerers also a ‘one wear then in the wash’ camp too.

(not pants obviously).

Clean pyjamas everyday? Clean towels e everyday? Clean sheets every day?

Hygienic mania has taken over the western world! You don't have to take a bath every day to be clean (under normal conditions) and you can go very easy on the soap. In fact excess washing isn't very good for the skin at all. But it's always a pleasure to hear from the eeeew-sayers!

YABU. MIL is the reasonable one in this instance.

the difference is minimal unless you are rank in the first place which most people aren’t

It depends tbh - I actually wash some items more often than I'd like, but as a sweaty perimenopausal woman who has always had a sensitive nose, I err on the side of caution. I honestly wish more folk would err on the side of caution too. I do line dry where possible, so at least not wasting energy drying clothes.
Clean nightwear each night.
Clean towels every second day (aired in between).
Clean sheets once a week in summer, bit longer in winter as pain to dry.

Hygienic mania sounds amazing.

Bubble bath has detergent in it which produces the bubbles and is a de- greaser so lifts the grease and dirt off the skin , cleaning it.

Nope. Clean sheets once a week, ditto towels. Most clothes including pyjamas, two or three wears. Because, you see, clean bodies mean those things need less washing.

I don’t get how a standing wash at a sink is easier/quicker than taking a 2 min shower?

Fill basin with water.
Put face wash on cloth and wash face
Rinse.
Empty sink.
Fill basin again,
Put soap on different cloth and wash hands and pits.
Rinse cloth.
Put soap on cloth wash vulva, crevices and arse.
Rinse flannel.
Dry self.
Empty and wash basin.
Flannel in washing machine?

All the while you’re standing there presumably naked with water running down legs onto the floor.

or

Turn shower on, adjust temp.
Stand under shower.
Use soap product to wash self, rinse and dry self.

It's not, but it's seen as cheaper.
I suppose if you don't have a warm house then it doesn't involve taking everything off at once

Trousers - 2 to 3 wears max

Tops, one wear

pyjamas - 2 to 3 days depending on temp

sheets once a week

pants once

bras max 4 times

I bet there’s little price difference if you have a shower head you can turn on and off to rinse- rather than allowing it to constantly run. I was conscious of saving water on holiday recently- drought conditions- so did just that.

Just bubble bath is fine. I don't use soap (on medical advice) because it's too drying, but for a while my GP told me to use water (and a flannel) only. Nobody needs soap AND bubble bath. I don't think your MIL's washing routine is any of your business anyway.

It's horrifying, the number of posters here who apparently have no idea how to effectively keep themselves clean using regular strip washes at a sink, or with a bucket of water, or seated/lying down if necessary. You presumably haven't taught your children this fundamental life skill either. Grim.

I prefer the life skill of showering and making sure I’m actually clean!