What is a reasonable length of time for a shower?

[Sundae]

Do you have a hard water issue in the States at all?
My parents and my landlady have electric (power!) showers. Half the holes don't work, and those that do squirt in unexpected directions.

In defence of my country, the best showers I've ever been in have been in the UK. Sadly, the worst have been too.

[Aliantha]

I can't believe you all take such long showers. As Zen said, we are all expected to take short showers over here which we do in our household. Even washing my hair I only take a few minutes in the shower. My dad always made us take short showers when we were kids though, so I've pretty much always been in the habit of taking quick showers. Probably because Australia is the driest country on earth and some of us are actually conscious of that (ZEN!!!) it makes it easier to do it.

That being said, I do like to have a bath on Saturday arvos and relax. With this in mind, I try and take super quick showers during the week to 'save up' my own personal water allowance. Also, now that we've moved, we're on tank water anyway, so if we run out, we have to buy it. I'd rather not run out of water, so being frugal is just part of our lifestyle.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

In defence of my country, the best showers I've ever been in have been in the UK. Sadly, the worst have been too.

If I didn't know better, I'd think you'd never left there....

Some places have hard water, some soft. it's a BIG place

And many people don't have mains water. That surprised me when I first moved here.

[Crimson Ghost]

Originally Posted by Cloud

at least when they're in the shower you know where they are and what they are doing.

It's my soap and my dick.

I'll wash it as fast as I want.

[jinx]

I only ever shower at the gym, for up to 20 minutes. I take baths at home.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

My parents and my landlady have electric (power!) showers. Half the holes don't work, and those that do squirt in unexpected directions.

Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and tie it up so the shower head is submerged. It shouldn't take more than a half hour to unclog the holes, then take it off and turn the shower on to clear the holes. Repeat as necessary.

[penslinger]

wash, lather, rinse, repeat...wash, lather, rinse, repeat...wash, lather, rinse, repeat...wash, lather, rinse, repeat...
I can't stop~~It doesn't say when to stop!!
wash, lather, rinse, repeat...wash, lather, rinse, repeat...wash, lather, rinse, repeat...

[Cloud]

Pico--not sure what is bothering you about this. Are you worried about conserving water? Using up all the hot water? Having the bathroom available for other people?

Your remedy or course of action may be dictated by your reasoning.

E.g., if other people need the bathroom in the morning, you can ask them to shower in the evening; if it's water conservation you're concerned about, teach them to soap and rinse a la japonese.

If it just bugs you they're in there that long and it's not inconveniencing any one else--let it go.

[Griff]

About 3 minutes at a low temp, my skin can't take any more than that.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by monster

If I didn't know better, I'd think you'd never left there....

:p Actually the best shower I ever had, ever was in a millionaire best selling author's house in London and it was a Jacuzzi (which like Portaloo and Terrapin is a brand name). Glorious.

Some places have hard water, some soft. it's a BIG place

I know that you plum. I was asking about whether it was a problem, but I take it from Bruce having the solution that it is. Although I suppose it was obvious that hard water is the same worldwide

And many people don't have mains water. That surprised me when I first moved here.

Now that's something I wasn't aware of. I once stayed in a cottage in Scotland that only used the mains in the kitchen sink - the water in the toilet & bathroom ran brown til you'd left it a while. It was gorgeous to bath in though.

[Ibby]

anywhere from five minutes (alarm didnt go off and i need to get to school!) to half an hour (tired and really just wanna rest and chill in the soothing hot water).

[penslinger]

Thanx Bruce~I keep looking for them and I don't see them and I ask myself, WTF??

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by Griff

About 3 minutes at a low temp, my skin can't take any more than that.

Griff, you must be like the princess and the pee.

[Pie]

I introduced my husband to the "indian" shower method back when we were camping last year.

Put ~3 gallons of whatever-temp water you get from the pump in a bucket. Add one smallish pot of boiling water, heated on your camp stove. Using a plastic measuring cup (or your tin coffee cup, or whatever is handy) pour enough tepid water over your person to get wet enough to lather. Soap and shampoo (biosoap, please!) then rinse with tepid water. If you have long hair, condition and rinse again.

All in a 3'x3' tarp enclosure hung up in the woods back behind your tent.. Oh yeah, and do this wearing flip-flops standing on a plastic milk crate or suchlike so you don't end up standing in the mud. Fun!

[Pico and ME]

Originally Posted by Cloud

Pico--not sure what is bothering you about this. Are you worried about conserving water? Using up all the hot water? Having the bathroom available for other people?

Your remedy or course of action may be dictated by your reasoning.

E.g., if other people need the bathroom in the morning, you can ask them to shower in the evening; if it's water conservation you're concerned about, teach them to soap and rinse a la japonese.

If it just bugs you they're in there that long and it's not inconveniencing any one else--let it go.

Its about conserving...on the gas and water and sewer bill. For the last year I have been cutting back on everything I can. In March I got rid of the expensive cable bill ($110 a month!) by eliminating cable internet and going to basic tv cable...I now have DSL for only $10 a month and basic tv for only $26). I put timer switches on some of the downstairs lights that the boys can't remember to turn off. I kept the thermostat on 82 this summer. We've cut back on eating out and going to the movies.

We take at least 4 showers everyday but often (sometimes 4 times a week) that number goes up to six because D and my husband often take two showers a day. When those showers are long it just adds up. Maybe not a whole lot...but I'm pinching wherever I can.