How often do you shower?

[Naira]

Inspired by some comments in this Misc thread, I was wondering about showering. I noticed that many people commented about showering everyday. I know many people in real-life who do that as well. I also know many people who do not.

I usually shower around 3-4 times per week. And yes, I consider myself a very clean person. Showering daily is neither convenient nor practical for me for a variety of reasons. For example, I do not want to spent half an hour daily drying my hair. Also, making sure there is hot water every day considerably raises my electricity bill (which is already high).

So, how often do you shower and what determines this decision? Is it practical ("I get dirty in my work")? Is it psychological ("I am clean but I feel dirty if I don't shower")? Is it a habit ("Everyone in my family used to shower x times per week")?

Bonus related fact: My grandmother thinks I shower too often and I will ruin my hair and skin. "In her generation" people showered "every Saturday night" so they would be all ready for church the next morning.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Your grandma might have been German It's generally recommended by doctors over here to not shower daily. It's also not encouraged from the environmental point of view. Almost everyone I know wash daily (and very thoroughly) but usually shower once a week; in summer more often.
In Winter most of my acquaintances tend to prefer taking a bath instead (in spite of the higher water use compared to a shower) since a bath helps you getting warm if you are chilled to the bones. The average winter in my region is like what the East Coast had this year.

People who do a lot of sports or have physically very straining professions shower more often, but I think that goes for people everywhere.

 

[JarodRussell]

People who do a lot of sports or have physically very straining professions shower more often, but I think that goes for people everywhere.

Splitting hairs. Taking a shower, taking a bath or washing yourself, same thing.

I expect people to wash themselves every fucking day. Everything else is just disgusting.

What's next? How often do you brush your teeth?

 

[Starbreaker]

Every morning. Sometimes Twice a day. I don't like feeling gross and I especially don't like having dirty hair.

 

[Pingfah]

Twice a day. When I get up, and after working out when I get home. When I get up because it wakes me up, after working out because to do otherwise is gross.

Anyone showering 3 times a week is not getting enough exercise

 

[Naira]

Your grandma might have been German

Greek actually.
I hadn't thought about warm baths to fight freezing weather, it seems practical.

Anyone showering 3 times a week is not getting enough exercise

True. I don't regularly go to a gym these days, but when I used to I did have a shower afterwards. Gym was great for my body but terrible for my hair, since washing it everyday made it much more greasy.

I expect people to wash themselves every fucking day. Everything else is just disgusting.

What's next? How often do you brush your teeth?

I think it's only disgusting if you are not clean. If your way of life does not get you dirty or sweaty, why is it wrong? Brushing your teeth is different, since you use them every day.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Every day. Even if I just sit around my apartment all day I still feel icky in the morning, The shower makes me feel better and awake. If I don't shower in the morning I feel partially asleep all day.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Gym was great for my body but terrible for my hair, since washing it everyday made it much more greasy.

Same here. I always try to keep my hair dry if at all possible. I so envy an African American friend of mine - his hair looks always good. My straight baby-fine hair is a nightmare

I expect people to wash themselves every fucking day. Everything else is just disgusting.

I agree. But the method (wash, shower, bath) depends on the grade of dirtiness. It's like with the laundry: you don't boil all of it every day but wash it at an appropriate temperature, depending on material and dirtiness. You'd boil underwear and sports wear but wash a blouse at a much lower temperature and have a fine and rarely worn silk suit cleaned only once in a while.


LOL I love the example of teeth being used daily An ingenious and perfect reply :thumbsup:
(and to answer Jarod's rhetorical question: I clean my teeth twice daily, floss after every meal and brush my teeth once a month with a kind of chalk [my dictionary claims it's called 'Paris white' in English but I am not certain if that's GB- or US-English] to keep them shiny)

 

[RoJoHen]

Usually twice a day. I feel absolutely disgusting if I go a whole day without bathing.

 

[auntiehill]

Every day. I can't understand not bathing in some form every day; gross!

I love showers. I find them very relaxing. Plus, I never feel truly clean without a shower.

Naira, why do you thinking showering every day means you have to wash your hair every day? There's this fabulous invention called a SHOWER CAP. You wear it so you don't get your hair wet. I have a very dry scalp, so I don't wash my hair every day---usually only every other day.

 

[thestrangequark]

Every day. I can't understand not bathing in some form every day; gross!

I love showers. I find them very relaxing. Plus, I never feel truly clean without a shower.

Naira, why do you thinking showering every day means you have to wash your hair every day? There's this fabulous invention called a SHOWER CAP. You wear it so you don't get your hair wet. I have a very dry scalp, so I don't wash my hair every day---usually only every other day.

Exactly! I shower daily, twice if it's summer or if I work out in the evening (as opposed to before the morning shower), but I wash my hair only once or twice a week.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Good point, auntie. If only shower caps wouldn't look so undignified or plain ludicrous.... Like the wolf disguising as grandmother in "Little Red Riding Hood":

See what I mean?

 

[auntiehill]

Well, as I generally don't have an audience while in the SHOWER, I don't give a crap what I look like.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

you should try showering with a significant other (male or female as your preferences may be). It's a lot of fun. And it saves water. Highly recommendable, from both the ecological and economical point of view


Btw, just out of curiousity: do you all shower hot or cold? (I prefer 20-25°C while most of my ex-BFs prefered temps up to scalding 45°C)

 

[thestrangequark]

Ugh. I loathe showering with other people.

 

[Kelthaz]

I shower if I plan to go out that day, but if my day plans consists of lying around playing video games I'm not going to waste time showering.

 

[RoJoHen]

I shower if I plan to go out that day, but if my day plans consists of lying around playing video games I'm not going to waste time showering.

I just feel so grimy when I wake up in the morning. I need to bathe at some point, even if I'm having a lazy day at home.

 

[scotpens]

Personally, I feel icky if I don't shower daily. It doesn't matter whether or not I actually stink.

Of course, there's plenty of room for other opinions.

You don't always need a shower every day, did you know that? It's overkill. Unless you work out or work outdoors or for some reason come in intimate contact with huge amounts of filth and garbage every day, you don't always need a shower. All you really need to do is to wash the four key areas: armpits, asshole, crotch and teeth. Got that? Armpits, asshole, crotch and teeth. In fact, you can save yourself a whole lot of time if you simply use the same brush on all four areas!

 

[Naira]

Naira, why do you thinking showering every day means you have to wash your hair every day? There's this fabulous invention called a SHOWER CAP. You wear it so you don't get your hair wet. I have a very dry scalp, so I don't wash my hair every day---usually only every other day.

It doesn't make a difference for me. I have used shower caps from time to time but it seems that some of the steam finds its way in there and my hair gets a bit damp, resulting in the same geasy-ness.

you should try showering with a significant other (male or female as your preferences may be). It's a lot of fun. And it saves water. Highly recommendable, from both the ecological and economical point of view

Btw, just out of curiousity: do you all shower hot or cold? (I prefer 20-25°C while most of my ex-BFs prefered temps up to scalding 45°C)

This is fun! It's the reverse for me. I like very warm water but my BF prefers almost cold - so we both have to compromise when we do that.

 

[LOKAI of CHERON]

EVERYDAY. At least once.

I just couldn't even comtemplate going without. Beyond being essential as I do at least 60 minutes of hard cardio most days, the feeling of "grottiness" would just play on my mind.