Author Topic: Bathing  (Read 28627 times)

tipster350

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Bathing
« on: March 07, 2014, 07:42:05 AM »
I've noticed a few mentioning they are taking fewer showers to reduce water usage/save on laundering towels. How often do you shower or bathe? Are you actively reducing your bathing frequency to save resources?

I'm a daily showerer but make an effort to keep them short. I use two bath towels a week.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2014, 08:04:42 AM »
Every other day. Not to save water, but because my skin was so dry, I felt like a reptile.

Two bath towels a week seems like a lot for one person! I used to change them every week like clockwork, but now I wait until I notice that they NEED changing. Which is a lot less often than weekly, at least in the winter.

simonsez

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2014, 08:18:07 AM »
I use two bath towels a week.

Wow!  Do you shower like Vincent Vega washes his hands or something?

soccerluvof4

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2014, 08:19:57 AM »
Once a day but I am in and out. I use a towel a week.

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2014, 08:23:58 AM »
Tuesdays and Thursdays I bike to work (40 km round trip each day).  MWF I lift weights for a little over an hour.  Have to shower each week day (twice on bike days) because otherwise I am noticeably stinky.  As far as washing towels . . . meh change 'em up every couple weeks or so when they start to smell.  I have oily skin/hair and don't get that dry complainy thing that many talk about in the winter.

simonsez

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2014, 08:31:36 AM »
I very well may be in the minority here but I consider underwear dirty after it has been in contact with my skin for ~24 hours.  Why would a towel be any different? 

Those that are changing out your towels weekly or more frequently, do you bathe and then leave your towel on for multiple hours?  My bath towel is used on clean skin for about 40 seconds every morning and then hung in a dry place.  Due to pressure from my wife, I probably change it out every month and a half or so (never stiff or mildew-ey and still smells like my body wash) and even then that is only about an hour of contact with my skin.  In fact, I think I get more utility from the possibility of a new towel color (oooOOOooo, might it be pastel green or light blue or white this time???!!!!) than a new towel itself.

Am I doing something wrong?  Should I change my underwear every hour to be consistent with the towel ratio?  I change my bed sheets way more than I change my towels as I'm in them for way many more person-hours in a short amount of time.

wtjbatman

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2014, 08:46:06 AM »
I shower once a day. Between work, working out, and my gf being the girly type... there's no way I could or would want to shower less. MMM kind of grossed me out when he mentioned recently that (if I remember correctly) he only showers once a week. Or was it once every few days? Either way, gross. But he's the hippy type, and obviously his wife doesn't care, so it's all good.

MrCash

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2014, 09:24:04 AM »
Every other day. Not to save water, but because my skin was so dry, I felt like a reptile.

Two bath towels a week seems like a lot for one person! I used to change them every week like clockwork, but now I wait until I notice that they NEED changing. Which is a lot less often than weekly, at least in the winter.

You should try using less or no soap when showering.  I shower every day, but I have cut back on the soap use a lot.  My skin feels much better than it used to and it has helped with acne as well.

windawake

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2014, 09:29:05 AM »
I usually shower every day, but I skip some. I only wash my hair once every three days. In between I use a homemade dry shampoo made from ground up oatmeal, a little cornstarch, and essential oils. When I'm in the shower, I only wash the important parts and don't even wet my face. I get really dry skin.

I actually just bought a handheld bidet. I figure if the bidet works well, I can only shower as often as I have to wash my hair. I haven't set it up yet, though.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2014, 09:32:26 AM by windawake »

Eric

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2014, 10:00:21 AM »
I very well may be in the minority here but I consider underwear dirty after it has been in contact with my skin for ~24 hours.  Why would a towel be any different? 

Those that are changing out your towels weekly or more frequently, do you bathe and then leave your towel on for multiple hours?  My bath towel is used on clean skin for about 40 seconds every morning and then hung in a dry place.  Due to pressure from my wife, I probably change it out every month and a half or so (never stiff or mildew-ey and still smells like my body wash) and even then that is only about an hour of contact with my skin.  In fact, I think I get more utility from the possibility of a new towel color (oooOOOooo, might it be pastel green or light blue or white this time???!!!!) than a new towel itself.

Am I doing something wrong?  Should I change my underwear every hour to be consistent with the towel ratio?  I change my bed sheets way more than I change my towels as I'm in them for way many more person-hours in a short amount of time.

Yep.  Pretty hard to get a towel dirty by drying off right after getting out of the shower.  I know I shower every other day-ish, but I actually have no idea how often I change my towel.  I'm guessing every couple of months or so.

Apocalyptica602

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2014, 10:17:02 AM »
I very well may be in the minority here but I consider underwear dirty after it has been in contact with my skin for ~24 hours.  Why would a towel be any different? 

Those that are changing out your towels weekly or more frequently, do you bathe and then leave your towel on for multiple hours?  My bath towel is used on clean skin for about 40 seconds every morning and then hung in a dry place.  Due to pressure from my wife, I probably change it out every month and a half or so (never stiff or mildew-ey and still smells like my body wash) and even then that is only about an hour of contact with my skin.  In fact, I think I get more utility from the possibility of a new towel color (oooOOOooo, might it be pastel green or light blue or white this time???!!!!) than a new towel itself.

Am I doing something wrong?  Should I change my underwear every hour to be consistent with the towel ratio?  I change my bed sheets way more than I change my towels as I'm in them for way many more person-hours in a short amount of time.

Yep.  Pretty hard to get a towel dirty by drying off right after getting out of the shower.  I know I shower every other day-ish, but I actually have no idea how often I change my towel.  I'm guessing every couple of months or so.

I used to change my towel after every shower when I was woefully oblivious and wasteful. I live in an apartment where water is included and it's a communal laundry room so dryer electricity doesnt weigh in, but just because I'm more conscious of what I'm doing I'll change my towel whenever I do a load of laundry (roughly once every 2 weeks for someone like me who lives by themself)

ketchup

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2014, 10:26:12 AM »
I shower every day; I aspire to shorter showers, and I feel I'm slowly progressing that way.  I don't wash the towels.  My girlfriend does.  I have no idea how often, probably about once a month.  If I lived alone I'd probably go months without thinking about it.

Cwadda

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2014, 10:27:20 AM »
Once a day. However I am okay with just washing my hair rather than a full shower if I haven't been doing physical activity. My hair gets oily fast so that's a must.

pipercat

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2014, 10:50:51 AM »
I shower three days a week.  DH probably showers 3 or 4 days per week also.  We don't often shower on the same day (isn't that romantic).  I don't really do it to save money, though.  I just don't see a reason to shower more often, unless I've been doing yard work or something really grimy. 

As for the towel, we change it out every 1-2 weeks.  Now that you mention it, though, we could likely wait even longer.

tipster350

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2014, 11:04:52 AM »
I think the 2 towels a week probably is excessive and I'm looking to optimize this area. I used to use a towel a day. I am a princess when it comes to personal hygiene, but most of what I do is habit and not necessarily the optimal point at which I can  feel clean and pretty but not wasteful. I'm looking at my laundry in general and think I throw some items in before their time. If I can cut out a load of laundry here and there I can use that 10-15 minutes more productively. I could tackle some of the changes that I "don't have time for" but they would give me a lot more bang than laundering a slightly used set of washables.

I don't see myself cutting my showers down from daily, but have implemented changes in duration and the amount of soap etc used.

jdoolin

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #15 on: March 07, 2014, 11:35:12 AM »
About 2-3 times per week for me, and I'm NEVER noticeably stinky whatsoever.  I've asked my wife (and a few others I trust) if I just don't notice it, but they've all said they'd never know I didn't shower daily.  I use the same towel for two weeks or more unless it gets tossed in the hamper.  I also use barely any soap.  I use it for one particular... uhh... area.  But the rest is just a wipe down with a washcloth.  I'll only use soap if there's some kind of grease, dirt or grime that needs some assistance.

I'm trying to figure out a shampoo solution that I like.  Regular shampoo dries it out too much, but the home made ones have all left it feeling very oily or waxy and quite nasty.  Any suggestions there?

And I'll say this:  my skin is never dry and it's very soft even though I'm constantly getting into some kind of plumbing, wiring, fixing brakes or some other kind of work.  My wife comments on how soft my hands are for someone who is always using them for some kind of project or task.

I think that in general, we over-bathe or at least over-soap.  I don't think we were meant to rinse away all of our bodies natural oils every day and I think we screw with our systems when we do so and have to compensate with products.

James

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #16 on: March 07, 2014, 11:51:47 AM »
I shower every morning, not because it cleans me, but because I feel better after a shower and ready to start the day. I don't use soap or shampoo, a daily shower is plenty to keep me clean without soap. I throw my towel in the laundry every month or two for some reason, but I have even gone 3 months without it smelling or seeming dirty.


Unless you are truly in a really special situation, I don't see any of this as a financial issue. If you want to save money just cut down the length of showers, you can take a 1 minute shower if hot water is expensive for you. The towels aren't an issue, just don't wash them. :)

CommonCents

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #17 on: March 07, 2014, 11:54:28 AM »
I wash my towels whenever I don't have a full load for the dryer.  That probably works itself out to once every 5-6 weeks.  (Used to be ~8-12 weeks because we had to go to the basement in our condo for laundry and we'd always delay and have full loads.)

I take showers roughly every other day.

ritchie70

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #18 on: March 07, 2014, 12:37:16 PM »
I shower almost every day - definitely every day I'm going to work, and most work-from-home and weekend days. If I'm having a lazy Saturday I might not.

I guess I'm hopelessly towel-prissy, though. I actually use a clean towel each day. Am I really the only person who uses a clean towel every time, or are the others just "embarrassed" to say it?

goodlife

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2014, 12:42:09 PM »
I think this also depends on what climate you are in. I have lived in very cold places and there I would shower 2 or 3 times a week. I have lived in the desert and in the tropics...of course there I would shower every day...sometimes twice a day and it's necessary. Ditto for the towels, in the cold place I had no problem using the same bath towel for 2 weeks, sometimes more. In the tropics, not so much, after 2 or 3 days it doesn't smell nice anymore due to the high humidity and it never really drying properly. So there you go, my habits have changed a lot over the years depending on the climate that I have lived in.

simonsez

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #20 on: March 07, 2014, 12:47:55 PM »
Poll added for towel frequency (didn't want to suggest here since this thread started about shower frequency).

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/how-often-do-you-change-the-towel-you-use-to-bathe/

tipster350

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #21 on: March 07, 2014, 12:50:06 PM »
Here is some info on best frequency to wash towels. The advice I found seems to range between 3-4 uses and once per week.

"Whenever you use a washcloth, hand towel, or bath towel, skin cells slough off your body and stick to the fabric. Those cells serve as food for bacteria, Tierno says. Plus, bacteria thrive in the damp, densely woven material, which has lots of nooks and crannies for them to hide in."

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/fight_household_germs/printer.php

MrCash

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #22 on: March 07, 2014, 12:56:21 PM »
Here is some info on best frequency to wash towels. The advice I found seems to range between 3-4 uses and once per week.

"Whenever you use a washcloth, hand towel, or bath towel, skin cells slough off your body and stick to the fabric. Those cells serve as food for bacteria, Tierno says. Plus, bacteria thrive in the damp, densely woven material, which has lots of nooks and crannies for them to hide in."

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/fight_household_germs/printer.php

This is good to know.

simonsez

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #23 on: March 07, 2014, 01:02:27 PM »
Here is some info on best frequency to wash towels. The advice I found seems to range between 3-4 uses and once per week.

"Whenever you use a washcloth, hand towel, or bath towel, skin cells slough off your body and stick to the fabric. Those cells serve as food for bacteria, Tierno says. Plus, bacteria thrive in the damp, densely woven material, which has lots of nooks and crannies for them to hide in."

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/fight_household_germs/printer.php

Hey, to each their own.  I definitely don't judge another person negatively if they feel more comfortable laundering their towels more frequently (or less so) than I and the associated utility cost and time, it is interesting though.  I also try to do the majority of my exfoliating while IN the shower.  Also when toweling off, it isn't some rigorous grinding process, more of a gentle pat-down, especially with the scalp.

Silverwood

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #24 on: March 07, 2014, 03:46:39 PM »
When Im working I shower every morning. Work is usually 25C+ and every two weeks I switch off using a heat forming oven. Im also working with fiberglass. So work t-shirts get worn once and jeans I try to go every 3-4 days.  I use two towels. A large one for me and a small one for my hair. They get washed usually on Sunday when I do laundry. I have 3 dogs in here (2 are mine and one is a foster) and I find things get hairy before they get dirty.

ashley

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #25 on: March 07, 2014, 06:23:57 PM »
I shower twice a day and use 2-3 towels per week. Maybe that's excessive, but I cut back in enough other areas that I don't feel bad about it.

RMD

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #26 on: March 07, 2014, 06:41:04 PM »
I shower daily.  I use a towel only for my hair...I air dry the rest. Usually dry enough after fifteen minutes to dress.

Emilyngh

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #27 on: March 07, 2014, 06:58:04 PM »
I have switched from showering daily to every 2 or 3.

It's really not to save water as much as time and having to deal with wet hair as often.   I also am finding it less drying to my skin and hair.

Koala0924

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #28 on: March 07, 2014, 07:13:05 PM »

I'm trying to figure out a shampoo solution that I like.  Regular shampoo dries it out too much, but the home made ones have all left it feeling very oily or waxy and quite nasty.  Any suggestions there?

Have you tried a shampoo bar?  I love the shampoo bars and soaps from Chagrin Valley. They offer samples for purchase. My husband, myself and the dog all use them.

www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com

windawake

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #29 on: March 07, 2014, 08:00:12 PM »

I'm trying to figure out a shampoo solution that I like.  Regular shampoo dries it out too much, but the home made ones have all left it feeling very oily or waxy and quite nasty.  Any suggestions there?

Have you tried a shampoo bar?  I love the shampoo bars and soaps from Chagrin Valley. They offer samples for purchase. My husband, myself and the dog all use them.

www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com

Aren't shampoo bars usually made with castile soap? I use Alaffia's African Black Soap or their shampoo which is made with African Black Soap. Super effective, mild, smells good, and I can buy it in bulk at the co-op so I reduce packaging and get it on the cheap.

Koala0924

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #30 on: March 07, 2014, 08:12:46 PM »

I'm trying to figure out a shampoo solution that I like.  Regular shampoo dries it out too much, but the home made ones have all left it feeling very oily or waxy and quite nasty.  Any suggestions there?

Have you tried a shampoo bar?  I love the shampoo bars and soaps from Chagrin Valley. They offer samples for purchase. My husband, myself and the dog all use them.

www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com

Aren't shampoo bars usually made with castile soap? I use Alaffia's African Black Soap or their shampoo which is made with African Black Soap. Super effective, mild, smells good, and I can buy it in bulk at the co-op so I reduce packaging and get it on the cheap.

Shampoo bars can be made from castile soap or other oils /fats. I like the lack of harsh detergents, the lack of drying out skin / hair. I also like how easy a shampoo bar makes travel since you don't have a liquid. I've seen the African soap before but just never bought any, mainly because we love what we are already using. I've just fallen in love with the difference in how our skin / puppy's fur feels when I use soap vs harsh detergents.

windawake

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #31 on: March 07, 2014, 09:02:42 PM »

I'm trying to figure out a shampoo solution that I like.  Regular shampoo dries it out too much, but the home made ones have all left it feeling very oily or waxy and quite nasty.  Any suggestions there?

Have you tried a shampoo bar?  I love the shampoo bars and soaps from Chagrin Valley. They offer samples for purchase. My husband, myself and the dog all use them.

www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com

Aren't shampoo bars usually made with castile soap? I use Alaffia's African Black Soap or their shampoo which is made with African Black Soap. Super effective, mild, smells good, and I can buy it in bulk at the co-op so I reduce packaging and get it on the cheap.

Shampoo bars can be made from castile soap or other oils /fats. I like the lack of harsh detergents, the lack of drying out skin / hair. I also like how easy a shampoo bar makes travel since you don't have a liquid. I've seen the African soap before but just never bought any, mainly because we love what we are already using. I've just fallen in love with the difference in how our skin / puppy's fur feels when I use soap vs harsh detergents.

Ah, I find castile soap to be really drying. I do use it in diluted form as hand soap though (1:2, soap to water). I have a bar of some local castile soap that smells incredible but I have to use it sparingly.

greaper007

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #32 on: March 07, 2014, 09:16:29 PM »
I was showering every few days, but now I'm back to just about every day.   I make a compromise though, and now I try to shower at the gym for half my showers.     Beyond the hot water, I get to see lots of old dudes naked.   Win win.

Silverwood

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #33 on: March 07, 2014, 09:38:20 PM »
omg lol

"Beyond the hot water, I get to see lots of old dudes naked.   Win win"

I'm not that open and have always liked changing in private so when I got a gym membership I was shocked at all the naked ladies. Shocked!

hybrid

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #34 on: March 08, 2014, 06:03:07 AM »
I shower daily but turn the water off when I am lathering, so while I am in the shower for perhaps six minutes the hot water is on less than two. Water is damn near free where I live, hot water is what actually costs some money.

In the dead of summer I'll often soak under cool water in the shower (as water at its coldest setting in the dead of summer isn't cold) to cool down after I have been exercising. Well worth the 3c or so I am spending, else I am soon sweating again after exiting the shower.   

greaper007

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #35 on: March 08, 2014, 06:15:21 AM »
omg lol

"Beyond the hot water, I get to see lots of old dudes naked.   Win win"

I'm not that open and have always liked changing in private so when I got a gym membership I was shocked at all the naked ladies. Shocked!

I used to be like that too.    Then I had a short stint in the military where I had to run through the showers naked with a bunch of other dudes while we were getting screamed at by a large african american man.    My wiener was bumping into the dudes ass in front of me and the dudes wang donger behind me was bumping into my ass.    At that moment I realized that not letting gay people into the military was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard of.   As that one activity was probably way more gay than any activity any of the gay men I know have participated in or fantasized about during their entire lifetime.

At any rate, I didn't really care about getting naked in front of people after that incident.    You look around and realize that except for the one dude with a donkey dick, everyone pretty much looks like you.

Southern Stashian

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #36 on: March 08, 2014, 06:35:32 AM »
One shower per day and one to two towels per week. Definitely couldn't get by with less than that as I work outside in Florida year round and it gets pretty sticky during the summer.
« Last Edit: March 08, 2014, 09:36:22 AM by Southern Stashian »

boy_bye

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #37 on: March 08, 2014, 09:27:30 AM »
omg lol

"Beyond the hot water, I get to see lots of old dudes naked.   Win win"

I'm not that open and have always liked changing in private so when I got a gym membership I was shocked at all the naked ladies. Shocked!

I used to be like that too.    Then I had a short stint in the military where I had to run through the showers naked with a bunch of other dudes while we were getting screamed at by a large african american man.    My wiener was bumping into the dudes ass in front of me and the dudes wang donger behind me was bumping into my ass.    At that moment I realized that not letting gay people into the military was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard of.   As that one activity was probably way more gay than any activity any of the gay men I know have participated in or fantasized about during their entire lifetime.

At any rate, I didn't really care about getting naked in front of people after that incident.    You look around and realize that except for the one dude with a donkey dick, everyone pretty much looks like you.

LOL. you win the internet today, pal. love it.

ender

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #38 on: March 08, 2014, 09:33:01 AM »
How often you shower is pretty much pointless in comparing "how energy efficient am I?" relative to other people without how long your showers are.

Someone showering 2x a day and spending 3 min in the shower is still using way less water than someone showering every other day for 20 min.

I shower at least once a day. Generally pretty short showers. I've actually been working to get my shower time down since reading this thread. Not to mention colder water is cheaper!

Theadyn

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #39 on: March 08, 2014, 09:40:22 AM »
Lol, this thread reminded me of a George Carlin joke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgxDdsiXf8U


Dry climate here, too often dries my skin out.  So it's less often and less soaps for me.  The important parts get them daily though :p    Also, towels, change them when they get a smell, which is a few weeks or so.

Koala0924

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #40 on: March 08, 2014, 10:55:24 AM »

I'm trying to figure out a shampoo solution that I like.  Regular shampoo dries it out too much, but the home made ones have all left it feeling very oily or waxy and quite nasty.  Any suggestions there?

Have you tried a shampoo bar?  I love the shampoo bars and soaps from Chagrin Valley. They offer samples for purchase. My husband, myself and the dog all use them.

www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com

Aren't shampoo bars usually made with castile soap? I use Alaffia's African Black Soap or their shampoo which is made with African Black Soap. Super effective, mild, smells good, and I can buy it in bulk at the co-op so I reduce packaging and get it on the cheap.

Shampoo bars can be made from castile soap or other oils /fats. I like the lack of harsh detergents, the lack of drying out skin / hair. I also like how easy a shampoo bar makes travel since you don't have a liquid. I've seen the African soap before but just never bought any, mainly because we love what we are already using. I've just fallen in love with the difference in how our skin / puppy's fur feels when I use soap vs harsh detergents.

Ah, I find castile soap to be really drying. I do use it in diluted form as hand soap though (1:2, soap to water). I have a bar of some local castile soap that smells incredible but I have to use it sparingly.

Some of my favorite soaps use Shea butter and /or avocado for the fat, so definitely less drying than Castile soap using olive oil. Castile is fine for me in summer, but I prefer others in winter due to the drying factor of the climate.

Letj

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #41 on: March 08, 2014, 05:54:53 PM »
I shower three days a week.  DH probably showers 3 or 4 days per week also.  We don't often shower on the same day (isn't that romantic).  I don't really do it to save money, though.  I just don't see a reason to shower more often, unless I've been doing yard work or something really grimy. 

As for the towel, we change it out every 1-2 weeks.  Now that you mention it, though, we could likely wait even longer.

I shower daily but I can understand if someone doesn't want to shower everyday.  For the women who don't shower daily, I am assuming that the at least use a bidet or bottle to wash certain parts and use a wash cloth under the armpits.  Is my assumption correct?

Letj

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #42 on: March 08, 2014, 05:58:42 PM »
omg lol

"Beyond the hot water, I get to see lots of old dudes naked.   Win win"

I'm not that open and have always liked changing in private so when I got a gym membership I was shocked at all the naked ladies. Shocked!

I used to be like that too.    Then I had a short stint in the military where I had to run through the showers naked with a bunch of other dudes while we were getting screamed at by a large african american man.    My wiener was bumping into the dudes ass in front of me and the dudes wang donger behind me was bumping into my ass.    At that moment I realized that not letting gay people into the military was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard of.   As that one activity was probably way more gay than any activity any of the gay men I know have participated in or fantasized about during their entire lifetime.

At any rate, I didn't really care about getting naked in front of people after that incident.    You look around and realize that except for the one dude with a donkey dick, everyone pretty much looks like you.

ROTFLMAO. 

MayDay

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #43 on: March 08, 2014, 07:28:35 PM »
The towel washing issue is disconnected to the shower frequency for us, it is connected to the weather.  In the summer with windows open and no a/c I have to wash twice a week because they get a mildew smell that fast.  That is with experimenting with bleach, oxyclean, and the sanitize cycle in our washer. 

In the winter towels can go a week.  Maybe two for me since I shower less.  Kids can go a long time as they mostly shower after swim lessons and for some reason those don't get stinky.  Maybe all the chlorine? 

As I replace towels I plan to do so with thinner towels that will dry faster and thus hopefully not be as stinky.  I know DH will protest though.  Not coincidentally, he is the daily showerer and takes the long ones.  I tried to sell him on the idea of a bucket in the shower to catch extra water.  You would have thought I had two heads.

We are in OH, so pretty humid all summer.

Spork

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #44 on: March 08, 2014, 10:04:28 PM »
How often you shower is pretty much pointless in comparing "how energy efficient am I?" relative to other people without how long your showers are.

Someone showering 2x a day and spending 3 min in the shower is still using way less water than someone showering every other day for 20 min.

I shower at least once a day. Generally pretty short showers. I've actually been working to get my shower time down since reading this thread. Not to mention colder water is cheaper!

And one person watering their lawn blasts them all at an order of magnitude more water.

I shower every day.  I am damn stinky if I don't.  And when I wake up, my hair points every direction. 

stripey

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #45 on: March 09, 2014, 04:34:00 AM »
I very well may be in the minority here but I consider underwear dirty after it has been in contact with my skin for ~24 hours.  Why would a towel be any different? 

Those that are changing out your towels weekly or more frequently, do you bathe and then leave your towel on for multiple hours?  My bath towel is used on clean skin for about 40 seconds every morning and then hung in a dry place.  Due to pressure from my wife, I probably change it out every month and a half or so (never stiff or mildew-ey and still smells like my body wash) and even then that is only about an hour of contact with my skin.  In fact, I think I get more utility from the possibility of a new towel color (oooOOOooo, might it be pastel green or light blue or white this time???!!!!) than a new towel itself.

Am I doing something wrong?  Should I change my underwear every hour to be consistent with the towel ratio?  I change my bed sheets way more than I change my towels as I'm in them for way many more person-hours in a short amount of time.

I love your witty approach to the question.

For me, all this depends on time of year and level of activity. Summer in this part of the world I can't get away with showering anything less than daily. In winter it'll depend on level of sports activity. With the towels, it also depends on time of year. Summer I will change less often simply because they will have thoroughly dried between showers.

pipercat

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #46 on: March 09, 2014, 05:41:22 AM »
I shower three days a week.  DH probably showers 3 or 4 days per week also.  We don't often shower on the same day (isn't that romantic).  I don't really do it to save money, though.  I just don't see a reason to shower more often, unless I've been doing yard work or something really grimy. 

As for the towel, we change it out every 1-2 weeks.  Now that you mention it, though, we could likely wait even longer.

I shower daily but I can understand if someone doesn't want to shower everyday.  For the women who don't shower daily, I am assuming that the at least use a bidet or bottle to wash certain parts and use a wash cloth under the armpits.  Is my assumption correct?
Not in my case, unless there is some special circumstance.

mikecorayer

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #47 on: March 09, 2014, 07:49:50 AM »
Enderland mentioned the thread on cold showers as a way to cut your shower time if you're looking to save on water and heat: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/cold-showers-rock-in-more-ways-i-can-describe-also-free-and-take-no-extra-time/

I was about to bring up that thread as well, because I wanted to suggest to those of you with dry skin to try cutting the temperature of your showers. You probably don't have to go complete-badass-total-cold-in-the-dead-of-winter with your showers either. I used to get really dry skin in the winter, especially on my hands (probably due to more frequent hot water washing) but once I switched to cold showers (I do start with lukewarm in the winter) it stopped being a problem.

netskyblue

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #48 on: March 15, 2014, 09:52:46 AM »
I think it also depends on your body chemistry whether or not you can get away with it.  My fiance only showers maybe 3x a week, and he does get hot/physical at his job.  And he never smells bad!  Me, I work a desk job, never ever work up a sweat (and I wear deodorant & shave my underarms) and still get smelly within 36 hours. 

MrFancypants

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Re: Bathing
« Reply #49 on: March 15, 2014, 12:16:50 PM »
Every day.  Although some days I skip the soap and shampoo if I haven't worked up a sweat.