# Do you more regularly take baths or showers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 5, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436 "2010-05-05T19:10:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/41 "2010-05-07T23:31:55Z")
My urologist told me that if I stopped taking baths I would stop getting bladder infections. I didn’t completely stop, but mostly. Haven’t had a bath in at least 30 years. Our house has no tubs. We are putting it on the market soon and the realtor doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem. (And reading about shaving one’s legs in the tub gave me the shudders; sitting in a tub full of water with little hairs floating around in it! oh my god) ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/42 "2010-05-08T21:05:16Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > My urologist told me that if I stopped taking baths I would stop getting bladder infections. I didn’t completely stop, but mostly. Haven’t had a bath in at least 30 years. Our house has no tubs. We are putting it on the market soon and the realtor doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem. > > (And reading about shaving one’s legs in the tub gave me the shudders; sitting in a tub full of water with little hairs floating around in it! oh my god) My urologist told me baths were fine, but only use bubble bath _occasionally_, if at all. Since we moved to a home with a good bath tub, I don’t get UTI/kidney infections any more frequently than when we just had a shower (though I seem to get them pretty frequently no matter what). I _don’t_ use bubble bath often, though; usually just some moisturizing bath salts. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/43 "2010-05-09T02:24:26Z")
I would love to take more baths, but can’t fit in the tub. At 6’1" and 170lb, I’m not abnormally tall or heavy, but I have yet to find a tub that is a comfortable fit without feeling like my knees are in my nose, so to speak. The few times I’ve found a long-enough tub, there will be an overflow drain that prevents anything more than 6" or so of water from being in the tub at any given time. A bath should be deep enough to completely submerge yourself in if you want, and 6" just doesn’t cut it. So, no baths for me. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/44 "2010-05-09T06:27:34Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > My urologist told me that if I stopped taking baths I would stop getting bladder infections. Last time I had one, the doctor said that if I take baths just rinse off that area after with clean water. I haven’t had a problem in quite a while. (I personally can’t shave in the shower - I can’t see because my glasses are steamed up and if it’s not warm, I cut myself or get a ton of ingrown hairs because of the chill bumps. But I get cold very easily.) ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/45 "2010-05-10T22:50:36Z")
My boyfriend takes a bath 3-4 times/week. He showers after the gym every day (and a quick rinse-off in the AM) but he takes a bath some nights just to soak his sore muscles because of the gym. Me, I try to squeeze in 1-2 soaks at the gym’s whirlpool; a bath sans jets isn’t really worthwhile to me. IMO, most people taking baths don’t do so to actually clean themselves, but rather to relax/enjoy themselves. > [@Captain\_C](#): > > The few times I’ve found a long-enough tub, there will be an overflow drain that prevents anything more than 6" or so of water from being in the tub at any given time. A bath should be deep enough to completely submerge yourself in if you want, and 6" just doesn’t cut it. My friend, you want [this](http://www.amazon.com/Better-Sleep-Deep-Water-Bath/dp/B0001YJIGW). This little gadget is a godsend. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/46 "2010-05-11T07:05:41Z")
I have a bath every day. It’s very relaxing. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/47 "2010-05-11T13:37:24Z")
I much prefer showers and never take baths. I don’t even like hot tubs. Showers are also better for relaxing and headache mitigation. The large tub in the master bath does seem to be considered a necessity these days, but to me it would just be a dust-collector. Happily my house was built just before a tub became a requirement and we just have a nice shower in there. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/48 "2010-05-11T14:01:24Z")
Up until about 10 years ago I hardly ever showered. I used to love laying in the bath with something to drink, smoking and reading a book. Since I started living alone I have had one bath. Don’t really know why - there is a tub there but I have used it once. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_Johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mrs\_Johnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Johnson)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436/49 "2010-05-11T14:06:13Z")
Showers for me. After a bath I still feel the need to take a quick shower to soap up and rinse off. I don’t really care to relax in the tub. I’d rather relax on the couch with a good book and one of my dogs snuggled up next to me. When we moved into our rent house we were excited to have a jacuzzi tub. We took the time to clean everything thoroughly… and we’ve used it no more than 5 times. Probably all within the first month of living there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-more-regularly-take-baths-or-showers/538436.md?page=2)