Are we over showering/bathing?

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Things change I've changed

Things change I've changed

Things change I've changed

Soldato
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I've wondered this for a while, when we were young we all shared the bath water on a Sunday (not all at the same time :-P), and we was never really accused of bad hygiene or smelling etc, noawadyas I hear people can't even leave the house without a shower or have to shower twice a day!?

I can't help but feel it's often a waste of time, energy, money on shower/bathing products etc, and as it turns out from a bit of research it's not particularly good for you,

http://www.lifehack.org/355349/science-suggests-you-should-abandon-the-habit-showering-every-day

If you change your underwear/socks every day and your clothes regularly is a daily bath or shower really required? or has it just become the social norm perpetuated by advertising?
 
I shower twice a week for 2 minutes at the most and I don't use soap but I clean my armpits and crack every day.
This is not new, I've known for decades that you shouldn't use soap or shower every day unless you have a hard job.
 
hornetstinger said:
Back then for poor families though, pretty sure I remember people in housing estate sharing bath water, even taking bucket from sink to upstairs (no plumbing upstairs)
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Absolutely, late 50s/early 60s we got the tin bath out on a Sunday evening and it was filled with water from the kettle.
I went in it first and ordered not to wee in it, my Mum went second and my Dad finished off.
 
yes and no. especially summer couldn;t think of not showering every day.

but there was also an interesting new scientist article i saw today about microbe body sprays that are currently going through human trials, and just like gut bacteria. seems to have wide ranging benefits. and these microbes are what we used to get from soil. Although we'll ned to wit for the peer reviewed results. but people are allready buying it as thy can be sold as cosmetics.

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...id=SOC|NSNS|2017-Echobox#link_time=1488392357
 
MooMoo444 said:
Sharing bathwater is grim. I understand why it was done but it really is grim.
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I had no choice when I was young but I think lying down in a bath and soaking in your own bodily fluids is grim.
When we had a proper bathroom but no shower I used to fill a bowl and pour that over me, there was no way I was going to lie in dirty water after I'd just come from Lads & Dads etc.
 
lowrider007 said:
If you change your underwear/socks every day and your clothes regularly is a daily bath or shower really required? or has it just become the social norm perpetuated by advertising?
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Required? Depends on one's definition of a requirement.

Nice / pleasant / enjoyable / invigorating? Yes.

Last I heard society does a lot of things because they feel like it, rather than because they necessarily need to. A nice hot soapy shower every morning is one of those things.
 
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I proper shower as often as I need, but typically 2 times a week, anything else I just jump in for a minute for a rinse. I change my socks and undies every day.
 
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