Page 2 | 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.

MinervaTerrathorn · 29/08/2022 09:05

I switched the showerhead to a water saving one, free from water company

1990s · 29/08/2022 09:08

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.

Without wishing to sound stupid I’m genuinely really surprised that this isn’t just how everyone has a shower! This is what I have always done.

bigbluebus · 29/08/2022 09:08

I shave my legs in the shower but I wet them then lather them but turn the shower off whilst I shave. Then turn back on to rinse.

SheWoreYellow · 29/08/2022 09:13

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)

@IvebeenUpAllNightNoSleep don’t most people use makeup remover to remove makeup though? Especially mascara? Unless it’s a tubing one which needs warm water, water won’t be very effective on it.

In the morning though, I put face wash on as I step into the shower, which saves a bit of shower time.

ThisisCollie2022 · 29/08/2022 09:14

Can anyone recommend their leave in conditioner for blonde hair?

I have the purple Aussie stuff but it leaves a weird tinge - every time I use it people ask if I've dyed my hair as its so obvious and nasty.

RancidOldHag · 29/08/2022 09:20

I get nice and clean using basically one sink full of water

I think learning how to do a proper strip wash at the sink is an important life skill.

It's really useful for when you are old and frail, cannot cannot use unadapted baths or showers, but still want to go on holiday or to stay with families. It's a good skill to be able to fall back on, as well as being thrifty

megletthesecond · 29/08/2022 09:28

It depends on how good the shower is. I can have a power shower in 4 mins.
A feeble electric shower takes much longer.

Original poster

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 09:30

RancidOldHag · 29/08/2022 09:20

I get nice and clean using basically one sink full of water

I think learning how to do a proper strip wash at the sink is an important life skill.

It's really useful for when you are old and frail, cannot cannot use unadapted baths or showers, but still want to go on holiday or to stay with families. It's a good skill to be able to fall back on, as well as being thrifty

Do you have any pointers on how to do it properly. I know it sounds silly but I never feel clean when I wash at the sink.

OP posts:

ShesNotTheMessiah · 29/08/2022 09:34

3 mins + 1 min extra for every 30 cm of hair you have.

And your timer can be paused if you turn the water off while you sud up.

ShesNotTheMessiah · 29/08/2022 09:36

Can anyone recommend their leave in conditioner for blonde hair?

Everyone has their prefeences so this might not suit you, but I have blond hair and use Giovanni Direct Leave in Weightless Conditioner

I use a pea-szied amount for hair that is just below my shoulders. It's actually revolutonary how much money I save. I bought my last bottle in May and am maybe 20% through it. Which reminds me - I must go and pop this 'tip' on the frugal threads

ShesNotTheMessiah · 29/08/2022 09:37

I also got the Aveda Botanical Repair one for free some time back. Other than the Aveda smelling a million times nicer, I genuinely cannot tell the difference between them.

BodenCardiganNot · 29/08/2022 09:40

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.
We have our own well and our own private sewerage too. Also solar panels and we sell energy back to the grid. I am still very mindful of increasingly scarce natural resources.

Suzi888 · 29/08/2022 09:42

Set a timer for five mins?

You could if your brave- wet hair and body first (keep a jug in bathroom) then shampoo /shave and then shower three- five mins. Keep a dehumidifier in the bathroom.

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 09:44

If the sink is next to the bath that’s easiest. Or bring a basin or bowl into the bath with you. Fill with warm water (a kettle full topped up with cold makes a whole sink or bowl full of nice warm water in an emergency and will only cost 7p even at new rates!). Strip off and stand in the bath, use a cup or wet flannel to wet yourself. Put soap on the flannel/sponge (but once it’s had soap on don’t put it in the clean water!) and wash yourself all over. Then use a cup or another cloth to rinse off. A cup is nice because it feels more like a shower! The aim is to keep your warm water clean. It’s usually more than enough and you can also shave legs etc the same way, just pour water over your razor instead of dipping it in.

stopitstopitnow · 29/08/2022 09:45

We have an electric shower that automatically stops after 5 minutes.

Cyw2018 · 29/08/2022 09:46

BodenCardiganNot · 29/08/2022 09:40

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.
We have our own well and our own private sewerage too. Also solar panels and we sell energy back to the grid. I am still very mindful of increasingly scarce natural resources.

Good for you, water is not a scarce resource where I am, if it ever does get scarce here many areas of England will be utterly f*cked, and me using water where we are will have little to no influence on anyone elses supply as any run off water rapidly heads into the sea from the side of the mountains where we are, not into rivers destined for England or into Reseviors.

Mumsnet is not exclusively for people from London and the South, my location and circumstances mean that I can use what water I want without impacting on others, and that is nice for me.

inappropriateraspberry · 29/08/2022 09:46

1990s · 29/08/2022 09:08

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.

Without wishing to sound stupid I’m genuinely really surprised that this isn’t just how everyone has a shower! This is what I have always done.

If we did this we'd waste more money waiting for it to warm back up in between!

inappropriateraspberry · 29/08/2022 09:47

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 09:44

If the sink is next to the bath that’s easiest. Or bring a basin or bowl into the bath with you. Fill with warm water (a kettle full topped up with cold makes a whole sink or bowl full of nice warm water in an emergency and will only cost 7p even at new rates!). Strip off and stand in the bath, use a cup or wet flannel to wet yourself. Put soap on the flannel/sponge (but once it’s had soap on don’t put it in the clean water!) and wash yourself all over. Then use a cup or another cloth to rinse off. A cup is nice because it feels more like a shower! The aim is to keep your warm water clean. It’s usually more than enough and you can also shave legs etc the same way, just pour water over your razor instead of dipping it in.

Surely a sink full of water is the same amount you'd use in a short shower anyway?

AtomicBlondeRose · 29/08/2022 09:50

A very short one yes, but most people don’t have very short ones! Try putting the plug in the bath next time you shower and see how much it uses.

GlacindaTheTroll · 29/08/2022 09:52

Sink, depending on size and choice over how full, ranges up 22-30 litres

Average shower uses 10-12 litres per minute (power showers can be considerably more)

So shower is probably more

inappropriateraspberry · 29/08/2022 09:57

By my calculations, my 4 minute shower would use about 36 litres, and I am often finished before 4 minutes! So I'll stick to that rather than a strip wash.

Tigerblue4 · 29/08/2022 10:49

For those that use conditioner and want to let it work a short while, I wash my hair, rinse, switch shower off. Apply conditioner and make sure I've put soap wherever I want it. Switch back on and rinse everything together.

inappropriateraspberry · 29/08/2022 11:15

@Tigerblue4 I wash hair, put on conditioner. Then wash body and face before rinsing out conditioner. Doesn't take long and no need to turn off the shower as I am using the water to wash.

roarfeckingroarr · 29/08/2022 11:29

chillipenguin · 29/08/2022 08:33

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

You can't do this. How would you enforce it?!

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 29/08/2022 11:45

1990s · 29/08/2022 09:08

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.

Without wishing to sound stupid I’m genuinely really surprised that this isn’t just how everyone has a shower! This is what I have always done.

I’ve only recently started doing this but I think it’s going to make a real difference. I struggle to get it under 20 minutes. I don’t know why. My hair’s not particularly long etc… If I kept the plug in I’d have to let water out or it’d overflow So now I keep plug in, wet myself all over, do all the stuff- I usually co-wash so no need for interim rinses and perfect for shaving legs too etc. Then water back on for rinsing. I have a tiny narrow bath but total water used is less than 2 inches. 😇 I have worried if it’ll be too nippy to do in depths of winter but I do plan to have heating on in mornings so fingers crossed 🤞