Showers - how long?

chillipenguin · 2022-08-29T07:32:41+00:00

I can't believe it's come to this but I'm buying a kitchen timer for the shower. I have two DSD, a teen and nearly teen with long hair. They spend ages in the shower. Then there's me and DH and our shared LO. Basically what I'm after is how long do you think is a realistic time to limit showers too. A basic shower and a washing your long hair shower.

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 08:33

Oh and shaving legs in the shower is going to be banned.

OP posts:

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 08:36

Electric shower or run from a combi or condensing boiler? It makes a big difference to the price.

An electric shower can easily be responsible for a huge proportion of electricity bills - and also something it’s easy to cut down on.

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 08:37

Well we went from 7 mins to 3 mins with a sand timer from ebay.

In that time I can shower, wash my hair with purple shampoo ( an absolute mess which needs thorough rinsing! ), shave my legs etc and rinse and relax.

I was caught out 2 days ago when I started conditioning my hair as it felt dry and had to leave it on for a little bit.

But deffo had time to shave and shampoo :)

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 08:38

Someone put this very useful chart on the “how much does it cost to run?” thread. As you can see, it’s eye-opening how much an electric shower can cost. I’d be restricting teens without a doubt.

IvebeenUpAllNightNoSleep · 29/08/2022 08:38

A time saver for me is to throughly remove makeup at the wash basin before getting in the shower. For some reasons currently have mascara that takes ages to come off! (Primark)

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 08:39

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 08:36

Electric shower or run from a combi or condensing boiler? It makes a big difference to the price.

An electric shower can easily be responsible for a huge proportion of electricity bills - and also something it’s easy to cut down on.

From a combi thank goodness

OP posts:

Cyw2018 · 29/08/2022 08:39

BBC news were quoting £38 a year saving by cutting a families shower times to 4 minutes, this was before the price cap went up, so you can increase that to £68 a year now. So £1.30 a week.

A hot shower is my destressing, thinking space. At £1.30 a week I can think of a lot of other things that I will cut back on before I cut my hot shower (we are on a private water supply before I get criticised for my water usage), so I guess it depends what it means to you and your familiy, and whether they would prefer to cut that £1.30 a week somewhere else first.

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 08:40

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 08:37

Well we went from 7 mins to 3 mins with a sand timer from ebay.

In that time I can shower, wash my hair with purple shampoo ( an absolute mess which needs thorough rinsing! ), shave my legs etc and rinse and relax.

I was caught out 2 days ago when I started conditioning my hair as it felt dry and had to leave it on for a little bit.

But deffo had time to shave and shampoo :)

Thank you. The DSC take ages when shaving and I wouldn't want to rush them so we might suggest a bath for that instead. I imagine it will use less water.

OP posts:

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 08:41

@chillipenguin check your local water company and see if they are giving out water saving shower heads. Ours are! It works by adding air to the droplets. Very very good

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 08:41

Cyw2018 · 29/08/2022 08:39

BBC news were quoting £38 a year saving by cutting a families shower times to 4 minutes, this was before the price cap went up, so you can increase that to £68 a year now. So £1.30 a week.

A hot shower is my destressing, thinking space. At £1.30 a week I can think of a lot of other things that I will cut back on before I cut my hot shower (we are on a private water supply before I get criticised for my water usage), so I guess it depends what it means to you and your familiy, and whether they would prefer to cut that £1.30 a week somewhere else first.

Yes I understand the thinking time, I think we've all been guilty of that here. I'm thinking 5 mins max. Then anything else has to be done in a shallow bath.

OP posts:

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 08:41

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 08:41

@chillipenguin check your local water company and see if they are giving out water saving shower heads. Ours are! It works by adding air to the droplets. Very very good

Ooh great thank you!

OP posts:

Mariokartedoff · 29/08/2022 08:42

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 08:36

Electric shower or run from a combi or condensing boiler? It makes a big difference to the price.

An electric shower can easily be responsible for a huge proportion of electricity bills - and also something it’s easy to cut down on.

My hot water is electric. So I'm fucked either way.

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 08:42

@chillipenguin www.savewatersavemoney.co.uk/southeast/free-water-saving-products as an example

We are in the SW and our water company are doing them too

MissTrip82 · 29/08/2022 08:45

We’ve had a timer for years (live somewhere with recurrent drought).

4 minutes to wash my long hair, two minutes if not washing hair.

If you live in reality where water is a scare resource across the planet, you find another avenue for thinking time.

NerdyBird · 29/08/2022 08:50

Get a good leave-in conditioner, that will save rinsing time. My youngest we often wash her hair over the bath (less mucking around) then do a flannel bath with very shallow bath. I'm going to get cistern bricks for two of the loos.

inappropriateraspberry · 29/08/2022 08:53

We have a timer. I think it's 4 mins. Check your water board's website, they often have water saving stuff they'll send you for free like timers, valves for the shower head etc.
In that time I can was my face and body, wash and condition my hair (admittedly, it's not that long) and shave my armpits! I never shave legs in the shower, it's awkward and pointless. I fill up the sink with water and use that to wet my legs and rinse my razor.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 29/08/2022 08:54

I had an electric shower put in last summer because I wanted an alternative to if my boiler went as it had done in February when we were left with no hot water for 2 weeks, almost regretting it now.

We have a 'Navy' shower. Water on to get wet. Turn it off to shampoo, soap up, shave legs etc and then water back on to rinse off. We've always done this for environmental reasons and its fine in the summer, chilly in the winter if the bathroom air isn't warm. DD prefers wash and go shampoo so this saves time and I use it if not going anywhere otherwise I will condition as well.

You could choose a song that the DDs like and they have to finish their shower before the end of the song. They could cut their hair, it'll be quicker to dry then too. Or have their showers at a lower temperature.

My dad would have just flicked the switch and turned the hot water off from the outside but that doesnt lead to a happy family home.

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 08:55

We used to have a shower running from the mixer tap fed by a hot water tank. It broke and got replaced (rented house) with a really crap one that we never use. Either I use a rubber shower attachment from the sink taps - put the plug in the bath, shower myself down and then turn the taps off and use what’s in the bath to rinse off. Or I just fill the sink and have a stand up wash in the bath with a flannel. Or a shallow bath. Of course I still have nice deep baths sometimes but 90% of the time I get nice and clean using basically one sink full of water. It makes me realise how much water/gas we were wasting before. If you think about it, using resources like gas and drinking-quality water just to stand about and think in is perhaps not the best use of those things.

BodenCardiganNot · 29/08/2022 08:58

A hot shower is my destressing, thinking space. At £1.30 a week I can think of a lot of other things that I will cut back on before I cut my hot shower (we are on a private water supply before I get criticised for my water usage)

That doesn't mean you are not depleting the water table. Which is probably of far greater importance than the cost of a long shower.

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 09:01

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 08:42

@chillipenguin www.savewatersavemoney.co.uk/southeast/free-water-saving-products as an example

We are in the SW and our water company are doing them too

I'm southwest and have just ordered lots of goodies! Including a SHOWER TIMER! which is a 4 minute sandtimer. So I guess that answers my question!

OP posts:

Cyw2018 · 29/08/2022 09:03

BodenCardiganNot · 29/08/2022 08:58

A hot shower is my destressing, thinking space. At £1.30 a week I can think of a lot of other things that I will cut back on before I cut my hot shower (we are on a private water supply before I get criticised for my water usage)

That doesn't mean you are not depleting the water table. Which is probably of far greater importance than the cost of a long shower.

The water table is not an issue where we are, not even this summer (it is lush and green with my plants growing taller than ever this year), we have a private borehole and my hot showers are not going to make an impact on the water levels in one of the wetter parts of the UK. Also we have private sewerage so no impact on that either before you start.

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 09:03

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 29/08/2022 08:54

I had an electric shower put in last summer because I wanted an alternative to if my boiler went as it had done in February when we were left with no hot water for 2 weeks, almost regretting it now.

We have a 'Navy' shower. Water on to get wet. Turn it off to shampoo, soap up, shave legs etc and then water back on to rinse off. We've always done this for environmental reasons and its fine in the summer, chilly in the winter if the bathroom air isn't warm. DD prefers wash and go shampoo so this saves time and I use it if not going anywhere otherwise I will condition as well.

You could choose a song that the DDs like and they have to finish their shower before the end of the song. They could cut their hair, it'll be quicker to dry then too. Or have their showers at a lower temperature.

My dad would have just flicked the switch and turned the hot water off from the outside but that doesnt lead to a happy family home.

I've already cut my hair but I don't think the DSD will want to cut theirs. Ahh I've been doing a Navy shower this summer as I tried to save water. I didn't realise it had a name.

OP posts:

MinervaTerrathorn · 29/08/2022 09:03

Basic shower I do two minutes myself, four minutes with hair wash twice a week but that is short hair. DS broke his timer..

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 09:04

Cyw2018 · 29/08/2022 09:03

The water table is not an issue where we are, not even this summer (it is lush and green with my plants growing taller than ever this year), we have a private borehole and my hot showers are not going to make an impact on the water levels in one of the wetter parts of the UK. Also we have private sewerage so no impact on that either before you start.

Show quote history

Ah you are lucky and don't have to worry then.

OP posts:

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 09:04

@chillipenguin really chuffed you got all those goodies. I did too a few weeks ago. Takes about 2 weeks to arrive! High five!

Incidentally just received £100 rebate from South West Water from Feb - August so I'm doing something right. (I reduced baths to once a week. A nice hot deep one!)

Quickly adds up :)