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.

How old is she? My grandpa is in his 80s and only has a bath once a week, a habit from childhood I suppose. My Grandma showers every morning but she says it still feels like a luxury to her. Grandpa never smells though.

Being really personal, so you wash you 'bits and bum'?

Given women have lots of nooks and crannies down there, surely they need a shower/bath daily?

So did we when we were children, but we were washed every night at the sink, because the immersion heater was only used quite sparingly, so there was enough hot water to
fill the sink only…!

When I was a kid, in the 70s|80s, we got a bath once a week …and if my Dad ran it, you got 2 inches of water, as that’s what they had “in the war”

I never understand posts like this.

I was an adult in the 70 & 80s, finished uni and working.

The way people describe bathing habits in the 70s and 80s really was not the case. Maybe the 40s and 50s.

I was living in shared houses or with my boyfriend. Everyone had a daily bath or shower.

Eww smelly minge for you then

Are your bathrooms cleaned to her standard? Maybe she considers them dirty and doesn't want to spend time in there if she doesn't have to.

That’s not normal. Unless they only go for no2 once every several days, they should be washing every day. Revolting.

My grandfather, who was born in 1906, grew up in a house without a bathroom and never had a bath in his life. If questioned on why, he said 'I have a thorough wash' and he must have done because he didn't smell at all.

Crazy, isn’t it? I was born in 1953 and have had a shower or bath every day without fail all my life. My mum did too.

OP your post has brought all the scruffs out to play. Claiming that bubble bath is soap and that they don't smell.

Sickening but entertaining. Thanks! 🤢😂

Yes bubble bath is a cleanser and she probably prefers bathing at home

The thing with a thorough wash is that you need numerous face cloths or sponges to do it properly.

You can't use the same facecloth for for arm pits and your arse, to be blunt.

Men maybe are less of an issue as the have a different anatomy to women.

Plenty of older people wash at the sink because that's what they were used to doing growing up.

Most people probably do but it's preferable to going days without washing your pits, bits and arsehole. Grim.

They're self cleaning and soap should not be put down there. If you bathe you soak in clean water.

Exactly, she said her habits are gross not that she dislikes her

I'm like your mil! Growing up in the 70s it was a weekly bath and db and I took turns who got first dip. Dd1 is always going on about my lack of showers/baths when I stay at hers - she often has 2 showers a day! I prefer baths, her bath is very deep, no handles and takes a lot of water. I'm claustrophobic and I don't like showers with glass doors. I don't smell, if I think I do I have a strip wash.
I recently stayed at dd2's. I did have 2 baths but never again. One bath was too short so I couldn't stretch, the other was too long and deep and I struggled to get out. She has 3 showers, one without glass doors but it has a few steps going up to it and no handle on the wall so I think I'd kill myself!
It's a minefield! At home I have a bath almost daily with bubble bath and soap to my pits.

Then that is a give away lol although I obviously haven’t read that

You're meant to use soap on your vulva. That needs cleaning as much as any other body part. Use a gentle soap if you must, just don't put anything inside your vagina.

I think this is all just an excuse to grumble about your MIL.

My guess is that she washes the "pits and bits" and that is entirely sufficient.

All this wasted water and plastic is not good.

I'm 44 and have always bathed a few times a week and let the bubble bath do its thing down there. I shower down at the very end with soap though. Not once had a vaginal infection of any kind.

Your vagina is self cleaning. Your vulva and arse crack/hole are not.

Go wash them now. Seriously.

You don't judge a routine on the actions, but on the outcome. If your MiL doesn't smell, then her routine works for her. Human bodies are all different and the amount and type of washing required to be clean and smell clean depends on all sorts of things. Age, hormones, lifestyle, activities, skin type, alcohol consumption, pollutants exposed to and diet. If you eat cleanly, have stable hormones, and don't get exposed to dirty environments there's usually no need for all over washing every day.

Genitals are not self cleaning!

And it's perfectly reasonable to use soap if you have no allergies or particular skins conditions.

Sounds like its the people that are zealous about when people shower that are the smelly ones 🙃

It does sound childish doesn't it? That's you.