Gransnet forums

Health

Bath or shower - how often ?

(225 Posts)
NanKate Thu 26-Feb-15 20:17:00

I shower every day but I suspect it is not too good for my dry skin.

thatbags Sun 01-Mar-15 08:18:34

Posted that previous post because, to me, offence is a much more serious thing that dislike. I like to keep my offence-taking for things that I regard as personally insulting to me by someone who knows me better than that. By that I mean that I would find it hard to feel insulted by someone who doesn't really know me. I might be surprised by something they said or did and I might recognise it as something meant to be insulting but in most cases I'd dismiss it at based on ignorance (and, possibly, their own preconceptions) on their part.

loopylou Sun 01-Mar-15 08:15:05

Perhaps 'cause offense' is too strong a phrase thatbags, and not liking is a better term to use?
'Offense' IMO leads to a reaction but 'not liking' something might just be ignored or you put up with it. Interesting point you've made, and some people will react robustly whilst others don't and cannot understand why. I'm quite an impulsive person so really need to think more before jumping in hmm!

thatbags Sun 01-Mar-15 08:05:57

Loopy, your use of the phrase "causing offence" there has given me a lightbulb moment. I've been puzzled for a while about what I saw as the overuse of phrases about offence being caused. Now I think I understand what has happened. I think people say they are offended or that something or someone has offended them where I would simply say that I don't like something. For instance, in the case of someone seeming unpleasantly smelly, I would not say I was offended by the smell they or their clothes appeared to be emitting, nor would I say that they were "causing offence"; I would say I didn't like the smell and I might wonder at its root cause.

I conclude that my perception was correct. It seems that things that people don't like, quite often with good reason, have morphed into things that "cause offence". I find that weird.

Maggiemaybe Sun 01-Mar-15 07:54:46

Agus, have you been to China? Lots of hole in the floor affairs there still, and enhanced by the Chinese love of spitting everywhere (yuck), so you have to stand on horrible globs of phlegm while squatting. The memory is making me gag even now!

I was once availing myself of a hole in the floor effort in Mostar when my best friend suddenly flung open a panel in the wall above my head shouting "Is that you in there, Maggie?". I staggered back in shock and promptly weed all over my sandals and shorts.

Sorry to have lowered the tone this fine Sunday morning! grin

loopylou Sun 01-Mar-15 07:33:12

I think the ' old lady smell' previously mentioned is more due to their clothes needing washing rather than personal hygiene. For some older people the sense of smell is less acute so they become unaware of perhaps causing offence to others.

Galen Sat 28-Feb-15 22:50:14

Agreed!

ginny Sat 28-Feb-15 22:49:58

I really love to have a long hot soak but cannot these days. I shower every day but as quickly as I can as I hate it. I wash my hair alternate days in general but over the basin as I hate the water going all over my face and I can't seem to avoid it.

I don't see how anyone would be able to tell if others have showered each day as long as they have washed the 'bits and pits' and used deodorant. Unless they wear clothes that have not been washed regularly.

Personally I don't like wet rooms but I can see how they would be an advantage for some.

Agus Sat 28-Feb-15 22:35:10

The worst toilets I have ever come across are the hole in the floor affairs which still exist in many areas of France. Absolutely disgusting!

tanith Sat 28-Feb-15 21:16:07

soontobe gringrin

Stansgran Sat 28-Feb-15 20:52:28

I have a daily bath,run for me by DH as sitting waiting for a bath to fill is possibly one of the most boring things I can think of. One day I will have the bathroom of my dreams but I'm still planning it. Yes to a tall bidet and yes to a useful loo that does the works, but not as bad as some japanese loos I've suffered where a degree in astrophysics helps to work out which programme to use. I have a permanent fear of showers as we stayed in the Bellevue Stratfield hotel in Philadelphia just after the deaths of the Legionnaires there and after whom Legionnaires disease is named. I also am a bit apprehensive about wet rooms as we had an extremely weird luxury one in Thailand with an uneven floor a shoulder high stone vat and very unexpected jets on the shower. The best walk in shower I've seenwas in a new Novotel in Malaga but then the hotel flooded. Can't win them all

Ana Sat 28-Feb-15 20:49:35

Not that far on the ferry, Jud! wink

My shower is set at a height/angle which means I can choose whether to get my head wet or not - usually not!

I prefer to use the hand-held shower attachment to wash my hair.

Agus Sat 28-Feb-15 20:46:30

What a lovely gesture from your GDs merlot. Something you will always remember.

Judthepud2 Sat 28-Feb-15 20:30:43

Although I shower every day, I only wash hair every 3rd day otherwise it gets like straw. Now, I am going to boast about my shower cubicle again wink The water source comes from a choice of 5 areas! The one I use to avoid wet hair comes from 6 sprays in the wall! There is also a 'waterfall' which you can sit under that doesn't have to wet your hair either! Very comforting.

You would all be welcome to use it but I live in N. Ireland! Hah!

Despite this luxury, I also love a bath after a stressful day. Candles, soft music on my iPad and scented bubbles, accompanied by a glass of wine and a good book. Bliss!!

merlotgran Sat 28-Feb-15 18:38:39

Two years ago I was suffering a lot of back pain (sciatica) whilst looking after two GDs (early teens) while their mum and dad were at a wedding. They knew I was finding it painful to get about so as well as helping with the cooking they ran me a hot bath with lots of lovely bubbles, candles lit and warm towels.

I then had to spend twenty minutes in the bathroom pretending to splash about in the bath while having a stand up wash!

Agus Sat 28-Feb-15 18:17:23

Since discovering Batiste years ago, I have always kept a supply in the bathroom cupboard for emergencies. Great invention. I notice different types on the shelves now but I stick to the original.

GDs use my bidet for whenever dollies need a bath. They genuinely thought it was a dolly bath until I explained how it was used....cue, fits of giggles.

Couldn't resist looking at the height of it this morning and it is actually the same height as the wc, so, not as low as some of you are describing.

Nelliemoser Sat 28-Feb-15 17:46:44

How often I shower in the mornings can depend on how long my hair is getting.
(Too long, is over two inches. That is when it starts to stand up in unmanageble tufts.) I then shower wash it every morning.

I shower about every other day and wash bits and pits daily.
It does help that I can still reach most of my bits with a hand wash.

I shower more in hot weather or when I have done lots of exercise, or put sun tan lotion on. It also depends on how warm my bathroom is.

A morning shower is a very good "wake up and feel better" routine.

Mishap Sat 28-Feb-15 17:22:33

My DGD loves our bidet - she puts on her waterproof apron and plays with cups and jugs and watering cans for ages. I am sure she thinks it is there as a toy for her alone!

Galen Sat 28-Feb-15 17:07:15

It's not the getting in that's tricky, it's getting out. I used to do a sort off whale like roll over on to my front, then on to my hands and knees and get up from there!
Not very elegant!blush

Ariadne Sat 28-Feb-15 16:37:51

I bath or shower every day, but I do love a bath! Haven't had one for a while, because of the recent hip operation, and I am so looking forward to it. The lovely gleaming cream and white bathroom that is "mine" has a corner bath, which is quite low, so I should be able to get into it now. And reclaim the room. smile

The ensuite bathroom has not yet been redesigned, and I really don't like it at all, though use it for a night time wee, obviously, and have had to use the shower in there. But it is the original suite, in here when we moved, and it is something called "misty pink" which is sort of beige with a blush and is truly horrible. There is a bidet, though, but I agree with what others have said - it would need to be considerable higher before I could use it!

janerowena Sat 28-Feb-15 15:37:04

Galen I love the idea of the self-cleaning and drying loo, too! I would like to think that the lack of having to buy loo roll would influence me in my decision to have such a room, but really it's all down to plain laziness. The thought of it sort of takes you back to when you were a baby - a lovely warm bathe or shower, something/someone else dries you, no effort required. judthepud 's room sounds wonderful too.

Tanith mine is fine for a whole week, it always has been, but it is very coarse and thick. I pin it up while having a bath or shower, because it is quite long and takes ages to dry.

However, on the rare occasions when I haven't quite managed to get it to last through and have to go out and socialise, I use dry shampoo. Batiste.

rosequartz Sat 28-Feb-15 15:31:17

We had cold showers at school after games or PE - no soap or shower gel either. There was a pervading odour of sweaty girls in the changing rooms!

I could have a bath whenever I wanted to at home, but when I left and lived in 'digs' we were allowed a bath once a week - and had to pay for any extra ones.

Anya Sat 28-Feb-15 15:19:17

50+ years ago I used to swim at county level. Every weekday before school there was an hours practise at the local baths, before they were open to the public.

So I had to shower afterwards and wash my hair every day otherwise I'd stink of chlorine all day.

That's the habit that has stuck I expect.

soontobe Sat 28-Feb-15 13:44:35

Post to tanith!

soontobe Sat 28-Feb-15 13:43:47

grin Go fo it! grin

Mishap Sat 28-Feb-15 13:43:03

The first school I went to was run by nuns and they told me that they bathed in a robe to stop them seeing their bodies and thinking "worldly thoughts" - what twisted thinking! Even at the age of 5 I asked them why if god had made their body they should be ashamed of it - they shut me up pretty quickly! I did not stay at that school very long!