Body hygiene- Which is healthier and cleaner: shower or bath?
71And the victor is.....SHOWERS!
If we're talking purely about cleanliness, I have to believe that showers would be better than baths, as a general rule. After reading this request, I decided to do a quick google search and found opinions on both sides of the debate. On one hand, when you take a bath, you can completely immerse yourself in the water, which inevitably makes it easier to get filth out of places where, well, the sun doesn't shine. Those spots may not be so easy to reach when you're trying to get yourself clean in the shower. So in that regard, a bath could be superior. But here's the rub. Where does all the filth go? That's right, into the very water that your hairy butt is sitting. So how clean are you getting? That's why I would presume that a shower would be more hygienic than a bath, because a nice warm bath can quickly become a cesspool, depending upon how dirty the body is and how long the body remains in the bath.
I have a recollection of watching a television show back in the early 80's titled "That's Incredible." They had an enormously funny sketch one time about little bugs that literally cover your body, and there's nothing you can do about them. In fact, when you bathe, THEY MULTIPLY! BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS!
Then we have to consider other forms of wellness. Let's face it, our mental health needs a good cleaning from time to time, and when those times call, there is nothing as therapeutic as a nice long soaking bath. Why, just earlier today, when my kids were going absolutely bonkers, I turned to my wife with a smile and said, "Calgon! Take me away!" (Do they even sell Calgon any more?)
Then there's this little matter known as negative ions. Ever hear of those? Basically, wherever there are bodies of water, there are negative ions. Negative ions are good, and therapeutic, which is why sitting by the ocean and just soaking in the rays can be incredibly relaxing.
To be sure, there are negative ions floating around showers and baths, but my mother used to tell me to take a shower instead of a bath because it would save water. So in that regard, I would say the shower would win the battle of the ions.
One last point that I think should seal the debate. My four year-old daughter, ever since she was a baby, as soon as she gets into the bathtub just can't help but to relieve herself right into the water....the very same water that she'll be spitting out of her mouth in a matter of minutes. Yes, I know, it's gross, but I've learned after many a battle that it is a battle I will not win.
By the way, did you know that the average human being will eat about 15 pounds of dirt during their lifetime? Of course, what they don't tell you is that about 10 pounds of it come in the first 10 years of life!
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Thanks for the note, I enjoy writing pages like this that other hubbers have requested, because it forces me out of my routine of writing the same types of topics over and over and over....you get the picture. Thanks for stopping by!
Jim
Brilliant response! I laughed out loud when you mentioned your 4-year-old. My two boys (aged 2 and 4) do the exact same thing! And I don't fight it anymore either. For me, relaxation-wise it has to be a bath. But, having said that, our bathtub here in the U.S. is so pathetically short it's more of an exercise in contortionism than a calming soak. And with two little boys, I normally have a 30-second window to squeeze in a quick shower before I hear the sounds of blood-curdling screams.
me and my brother michael havebeen having a debate on this i sed that shower are more hygenic and he said that baths are.
After reading som information as the info above we have come to the conclusion that both are good for the body in different ways. In the end you are still going to have dirt on your skin and in your body.
So as long as your are cleaning your skin and looking after it, you will get rid of as much dirt as possible.
(by the way another litle fact is, 1 in every 6 keyboards has twice as much germs on it that a public toilet seat. So you might wana clean your keyboard and this also applies to your mouse!!!)
I think both are hygienic. Whether you shower or bathe, as long as you clean yourself. lol. I hope you're right about negative ions. I never understood chemistry.
I'm voting for a shower !
Hi Jim, when our house was built, I remembering opting to have a shower than a bath tub. LOL I think soaking in the tub with bubbles and all is more for relaxation than anything else. And for kids, haha to play and have fun. But I love showers and I guess it is more hygienic too. :)
Thanks for the comment ripplemaker!
I agree having a bath is more about relaxing than cleaning. However, a good soak in the bath is very good for removing a build-up of dead, hardened skin for those who have that problem.
Did you know, the French used to think the British were terribly dirty people because it was unusual for the British to even have a shower in their houses until the 1970's or 80's - they only had baths. The French thought that sitting in dirty water was terribly unhygienic!
do you think, if i suffer from cvi (Chronic venous insufficiency), is it better for me to stand and shower or sit and bath?
Bath - without a doubt. My grandmum had cvi for years and soaking in a warm bath did wonders. She had one of those tubs with the water jets and would focus them on her legs but not for too long as over stimulation can worsen your symptoms
I don't know enough about CVI to be able to comment on it at all.
Y'all might be interested to know that even after voting for a shower, my family recently acquired a hot tub. I can imagine soaking in that while the kids are swimming in the pool!
Hi! It doesn't have to be an either/or - you can take a bath and then rinse of with clean water! My personal preference!
Kartika - My daughter now prefers to take "shower baths," where she has me start the shower, then she sits down in the tub, washes, and then plays. Sounds similar to your practice, a bit.
Thanks for the comment!
Jim
Imagine that.. the French thinking themselves superior in hygiene.
I would think that a shower at best removes surface dirt well.
Soaking in a hot bath opens up the pores and helps draw out toxins etc. Anyone who bathes and uses a hand held sprayer to hose off at the end gets the best of both.
I vote for showers. They are okay as long as you clean your whole body well.
OK, we have another vote for showers! Do I hear anyone for a good old fashioned bath? Maybe a bubble bath?
Jim
yess , i believe that a bubble bath is better than showers because it cleanses the private parts of your body
I dunno about that. If the water is filthy from all the dirt that washed off the rest of the body, gee, I think I'll stick with showers. Thanks for the comment, though!
Jim
I myself prefer baths. I don't see how you can clean every inch of your body (including the private parts)standing up and not submerged.
Baths for sure. I don't feel near as clean after getting out of the shower as I do the bathtub.
If I had a nice big hot tub to soak in, I might agree with you. I'm just too big to fit in my tub. Thanks for the comment Richard!
Jim
When your baby comes into the world, you wish to smother it with all the possible care and nurturing you are able to. All your friends, loved ones, and others who live nearby turn up to visit your newborn and desire to share in this happiest of events …
U.H.U. - Not quite sure what this has to do with showers or baths, but we'll go with it. Thanks for the comment!
Jim
I honestly believe that bathing gets you cleaner...unless you are absolutely covered in months worth of dirt and grime, I doubt it sticks back on you. If you've ever experimented with bath colour you'll know what I mean...it doesn't stain your skin it just runs right off! same with going swimming in the ocean. the sand and dirt doesn't stick to you (it does get stuck in bathing suit on the other hand)...
In nursing school they teach that a bath is actually more hygienic. Also, why are you basing your logic of saving water on your mothers opinion? If you actually test it out you'll see that unless your shower takes less than 4-5 minutes, bathing actually saves water.
Shiree - I would be curious to know specific details of why they taught that a bath is more hygienic. And perhaps it has to do with water-saving shower heads, or some such thing, but my experience (not just mom's) is that it takes much longer to fill a bathtub using the shower head instead of the faucet. Thanks for the comments!
I would tend to think that a bath would get you cleaner, in that you get a deep soaking type clean where as a shower 'skims the surface' so to speak.
As a bath person myself, I will always prefer taking one over a shower, but it was particularly validating to read this:
http://www.parade.com/askmarilyn/2010/07/Shower-or
Thanks for the fun topic!
Showers are unquestionably more hygienic, it's not a matter of opinion. One involves wading in your own filth, the other involves constantly rinsing it off (and on a side note, showers are less wasteful because they generally use less water than baths--unless you shower for, say, half an hour at a time). If you "feel" cleaner after a bath that's only because you feel more relaxed in a bath, and when you feel relaxed, you psychologically feel cleaner. Gravity may drain your dirt down the drain, but not while the tub is still filled with water; all your body germs are swirling around in there with you. Still want to dunk your head underwater?
Allison:
Thanks for the comment - sorry I missed it for so long! I must agree with your thoughts, particularly the last one. When my youngest son was little, it was almost a guarantee that before he plopped his posterior into the water, he had to urinate INTO the tub. I was so mortified....
Jim, aka Crash
YOU BATH EITHER WAY
i love baths
Healthier and cleaner? The two, combined.
First you bath. And then you take a quick shower to get rid of what's left.
i see where both people are coming from i do like baths but if im very dirty i shower and i have a back /neck injury so it hurt to wash my hair especailly in the shower a bath is less painful;
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dlhoh 4 years ago
That is a very interesting topic. I enjoyed it a lot.