How often do you take a bath??
Posted by VeterinarianOk8011@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 930 comments
I'm Japanese and we take a bath everyday because Japan's water is soft water but in usa there is hard water.I heard hard water actually isn't good for hair and skin so how often and long do you take a bath?
AJKafei@reddit
Not all of the US has hard water 😂😂😂. Do you know how big it is? I live in Ohio and take baths when I have time to enjoy it.
Inevitable-Store-837@reddit
I'm turning 40 this year. Haven't taken a bath since I was probably 6-7
No_Cobbler154@reddit
where i live, we have very soft water, so i never think about it. google says it is “often described as some of the best and softest in the nation” 😂 when i go visit my cousin in VA, they have hard water & my hair hates it 😅 so i probably would not shower as often if i lived in VA
heartemish@reddit
My house doesn’t have a tub. If it did, I would soak every day.
threespruces68@reddit
I haven't taken a bath since I was a child.
Anon-John-Silver@reddit
2-3x per week. I have a sedentary job, don’t much exercise other than walking. The water here is very hard, but I got a filtered shower head that takes care of most of it.
Dalton387@reddit
I have hard water. I bathe daily. That doesn’t have anything to do with my water quality. Simply the fact that it’s hot and I need to rinse sweat off.
Also, because I feel grumpy and unclean if I don’t bathe in the morning.
-blundertaker-@reddit
I take baths all the time. The shower is a utilitarian thing for me, if I need a quick wash up. A bath is for relaxing. Throw in a bath bomb, light a candle, set up the phone to play something dumb on YouTube..
pippintook24@reddit
Same. I bathe every night. I light a candle, play some music, read ( I've perfected reading in the bath without getting the book wet), bubble bath, relax for 45 minutes to an hour.
but I shower when I need to wash my hair or shave or just need to waa up real quick. in and out in 15 minutes or less ( depending on how much I need to do).
RedHeadedStepDevil@reddit
45 minutes to an hour?!? Don’t you get cold? Doesn’t your skin wrinkle like a prune?
DartDaimler@reddit
Oh child. You get you a surface that stretches across the tub top, add book, phone, beverage, snacks, and I can go 4-5 hours. If it gets cold a quick shot of hot warms it up. Pruning is temporary if it happens. I don’t often have time for that but it’s a perfect weekend luxury.
RedHeadedStepDevil@reddit
That sounds like torture to me hahahaha
ImmediateAd7069@reddit
I add more hot water when it starts to cool.
-blundertaker-@reddit
My hair is mostly washed in the kitchen sink 😅
mamapapapuppa@reddit
My ritual is ambient lighting, candles, either Epsom soak or oil heavy bath bomb. Plus every mask and exfoliation you can imagine.
Embarrassed_Quail910@reddit
Me too!! Also a long time ago I was listening to Dr Joice Brothers and she said everyone needs to take a bath about once a week and soak their bits for health. Always rinsing with fresh water of course. I've never forgotten this advice.
RedHeadedStepDevil@reddit
I hear “soak their bits” and I imagine sitting in a lukewarm soup of skin cells and body oils. More power to anyone who loves baths, but I just cannot.
wifespissed@reddit
Baths are the perfect time to read.
captainstormy@reddit
I kinda enjoy people who can do that. I'm 6'10" so taking a bath isn't even really an option for me lol.
even when remodeling our house a bath tub big enough for me to comfortably use that was cast iron (my requirement, all the sinks and showers in my house are cast iron) was so expensive and large I gave up on the idea.
Available-Egg-2380@reddit
My kid was so sad when he got to like 5'10 and could no longer enjoy bubble baths. We have a pretty small bathroom so the bathtub is also a bit smaller than standard.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
I'm 5'6😭 pls give me some of you height
captainstormy@reddit
I would if I could for real. It's a curse.
Capital-Meringue-164@reddit
💯- this is my daily practice and it helps my sleep so much. Took me way too long in life to appreciate this self-care strategy.
Always_Reading_1990@reddit
I don’t know if you’re making a distinction between the two, but most Americans shower instead of taking a bath. Also, not all water in the US is hard water. It’s very region dependent. Those that have hard water might avoid washing their hair daily, it probably still shower. Most of us shower daily or every other day.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
The Japanese term for "taking a bath" doesn't actually translate well.
Because Japanese people also take showers every day. They just don't call it that.
You shower to get clean, the bath is recreational - it's actually common for families to share bathwater or even reuse it the next day.
This leads a lot of Japanese people to believe that non-Japanese people don't actually clean themselves because we don't "take a bath," which is actually a shower + recreational soak.
Japanese people don't actually take baths in the way the phrase is used in English.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
Thanks a lot for covering for me.yes I mean how often do you shower and wash up.
Upstairs-Coconut1562@reddit
Every single day no matter what.
blessings-of-rathma@reddit
Shower and wash up every day. I've never found hard water to be damaging to my hair or skin. It makes mineral deposits on the ceramic that are really hard to clean off, though.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
I see!I'm going to study abroad there next year so I'm kinda scared about showering lol
MrsPedecaris@reddit
US is a large country. You can't generalize about the water. Parts of the country have hard water and parts have soft water. Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, we have soft water – naturally soft, without the use of water softeners.
("Seattle is widely known for having very soft water, with an average hardness of only 20-30 PPM (parts per million) or 1.4-2.4 grains per gallon. The city's water supply comes from mountain snowmelt in the protected Cedar River and Tolt River watersheds, which contains very low levels of calcium and magnesium.")
ThatArtNerd@reddit
I love that there were only two people on this thread that were like “Some of us have nice water!!!” and were both in the Seattle area 😂 we’re all so weirdly proud of our good tap water haha
DartDaimler@reddit
San Francisco’s tap water is so good it’s also bottled and sold - Hetch Hetchie.
Regular_Efficiency61@reddit
You cannot be serious.
You’re not scared of showering in the U.S., you just want to insult us based on some wild myth you heard.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
I DO NOT mean that. This is the last thing I want to do.
blessings-of-rathma@reddit
Don't worry about it. American public infrastructure can be really great or really barbaric depending on who's in charge of a local or state government. Depending on where you end up in the US you might have to worry about worse things in the water, like lead. When you get there you'll learn how to live with the water that is in wherever you end up.
meanoldrep@reddit
I think it's just the way you phrased the response that came off as "insulting". I'm assuming you mean it's one of the many things you're worried about adjusting to when you travel/study abroad in the US. That's totally reasonable, but it is very likely you will be fine and just have to make some adjustments.
I grew up in a place with very hard water that is drawn up from an underground well/aquifer via a pump. The house had a water softener but the water is still quite hard compared to other places I've lived in the US.
My family's and I's hair, skin, etc. are all fine from showering and drinking that water. If anything, I miss how the water made my hair look now that I've moved away. My hair was certainly softer then. I especially miss how the water tasted.
If you're worried about it's affects on your body and if that will allow you to upkeep any beauty standards you have, they likely will change (although likely not much); but also remind yourself that the US is much more accepting of those looking much different from one another. If anything, most of the US takes far more pride in being individualistic and unique from one another, especially in more urban areas.
concrete_isnt_cement@reddit
What part of the country? The water isn’t hard in my neck of the woods
ThatArtNerd@reddit
It’s totally region dependent. I live in the Seattle area which has clean, good-tasting, soft tap water that comes from the mountains. When I visit places with harder water I just add a clarifying shampoo every few washes and my hair is usually fine. I have sensitive skin and a high-maintenance hair type (curly) and it is fine regardless of the hardness of the water wherever I go. You’re definitely overthinking this, you’ll be fine :)
freenow4evr@reddit
I have very hard water. It has not affected my skin/hair at all. Not something you need to worry about.
TipsyBaker_@reddit
You can buy a filter for the shower tap anywhere from the local hardware store to Amazon for relatively cheap. It takes 5 minutes to install and they do make a difference. It's not a real problem.
anonymouse278@reddit
The US is around 10 million square kilometers and spans the entire width of a large continent- there is no one thing that is true about all of American geography or geology. Some parts of the US have very hard water. Some have very soft water. Some places in the US get their water from limestone aquifers and some from surface rivers or enormous freshwater lakes.
If you happen to be in an area with hard water and you find it bothers your skin (it doesn't for most people) you can get a filtering shower head. Most people only really have issues over time with hard water causing gradual mineral buildup on their appliances or hard surfaces, and can manage it with regular descaling. You can still wash in it perfectly effectively.
thatsad_guy@reddit
Youre thinking about this too much
EarlyInside45@reddit
Shower/wash body and hair every morning. Bath every now and then when I'm in the mood. I don't know if my water is hard or soft.
jarodcain@reddit
Daily and sometimes in the Summer I take two.
artemisinagayway@reddit
I shower every day. I don’t take baths personally but my partner does about once a week.
kittenpantzen@reddit
In that case, it is really going to come down to climate, activity level, and the individual both in personal preference and physical characteristics.
If you work a sedentary job in a cooler climate and have drier skin, you might only shower once every few days. If you are a sweaty beast in South Florida like I am, you're going to shower every day, and some days you're going to shower multiple times.
ChunkyHabeneroSalsa@reddit
Most Americans take a daily shower. Some take a recreational relaxing soaking bath too but that's far less common.
Water hardness is region dependent. The US is huge, you can fit like 25 Japans in it. Some regions will have very hard water and some have soft water. Water softener systems are also common in places with hard water.
Underground_turtles@reddit
Most adults shower everyday, but most houses also have a bathtub and that's where little children are bathed. If you rent a house or an apartment while you're here, you will likely have a tub you can use, if you're more comfortable with it. However, if you're in a college dormitory, they usually only have showers.
jupitermoonflow@reddit
I have hard water and shower everyday. Does it dry my skin and hair out more? Yes. But I’d rather be clean than not shower. I use special shampoos to remove the hard water build up.
MainstreamScience@reddit
Sharing bath water between people, using bath water for multiple people on multiple days is disgusting, they all need to shower again and stop doing that if cleanliness is the goal
DartDaimler@reddit
In a Japanese soaking bath, you also don’t use products like soap & shampoo, don’t shave, etc. so you aren’t dirty when you get in, and you don’t soil the water. There’s nothing “disgusting” about it.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Yeah, it's a funny thing, because Japanese people always approach the topic of baths begging the question that their way of doing it is inherently superior and more hygienic when it's actually just seen as kinda gross in other cultures.
I have stepsons, and the family bath is something I just opted out of. As the father, I have the right to use the bathwater first, but I'm not going to force my sons to stew in my broth. Sorry, no.
It used to drive me crazy because my wife and younger son would leave the bathwater for the eldest, who got home late from cram school. And he'd just go straight to the bath and pull the plug, because he thought it was still yesterday's water (because he's always first in, so it must be).
Do you know what it does to a midwesterner to see their children fill and drain the bathtub multiple times just so they can sit in the hot water for ten minutes?
I always wanted to shout STOP WASTING WATER at them, but I held my tongue, because it's just a boundary I set. The bath is theirs, I do not interfere.
UglyInThMorning@reddit
Holy shit, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone actually use the phrase begging the question correctly online before.
New_Part91@reddit
The reason i stay out of the community swimming pool.
Stigglesworth@reddit
For a Japanese bath, the soaking part, it is expected that you shower beforehand. It's not a cleanliness thing it's a relaxing thing. Japanese bathrooms are often designed so the shower is not in the bath for that reason. There is also a second drain outside the tub for tub overflow/the shower.
I think the closest western analogue would be a hot tub or a sauna. But it really has no equivalent, Western practice.
jupitermoonflow@reddit
Still gross. I shower after using a hot tub or a pool or any kind of communal water
Splendafarts@reddit
Probably because that water is full of strangers who haven’t showered before getting in it, and also full of chemicals that shouldn’t stay on your skin, and pee. Vs sitting in a bathtub with your wife right after both of you have showered.
oliviamrow@reddit
Obviously speaking in broad strokes, but Japan thinks we're gross for wearing outdoor shoes inside, or going barefoot in a gym locker room instead of wearing designated (non-outside) sandals.
And they're right.
Both of those practices are more likely to get you a fun new bacteria buddy than spending twenty minutes in bathwater that another member of your household spent twenty minutes in after a full shower, and they're both perfectly common in the US. And that's before you even talk about bidets that get butts demonstrably cleaner than toilet paper alone; most Americans think bidets are weird or a joke.
Like no one's saying you should do this bath thing if you don't wanna, but its grossness is a weird thing to bother arguing. It probably says more about how Americans view each other's cleanliness than it does anything about Japanese cleanliness.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Kinda but not really. Here in Tokyo it's common for people to vomit or urinate in public, then everyone has to walk around to get to their train station. In Japan, you sit on the floor, eat on the floor, and often sleep on the floor.
There is a very real risk you'll step in vomit during your commute and then track it onto the floor where you eat dinner.
In the US, we don't puke and piss in public, we aren't stepping in that, we aren't eating on the floor, we aren't sleeping on the floor. There is a zero percent chance you will track vomit onto your dining room chairs in the US.
Even then, the Japanese custom of taking shoes off at the door is as much about ritual cleanliness - if you live here long enough, you'll notice that there are absolutely situations where outdoor shoes are worn inside, e.g. a school garden will be outside but you wear your indoor shoes.
So Japan has pretty much the same standard we do - if you know you won't be stepping in vomit and you won't be sitting on the floor, it's not a big deal to wear indoor shoes outside. If the outside area just counts as inside, it's allowed.
And even then, "Americans wear shoes inside" mostly just means we take our shoes off in the living room, sitting on a chair - not standing in the doorway. It's frankly overblown by people who just want to portray others as dirty and themselves as superior. Oh no, you take your shoes off in a different part of the house.
Like, sorry, but eating dinner on the floor of a restaurant is not magically more hygienic.
The Toto Washlet was invented in America; Toto only bought the patent.
oliviamrow@reddit
I meant they're right about the shoes indoors stuff, certainly not everything. Japan has flaws across many dimensions.
The origin of the washlet is also a non sequitur; I'm talking about where they're used and not used, and a particular bidet being invented in America doesn't negate the fact that they haven't been widely adopted here.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Taking your shoes off at restaurants and eating on the floor in a public space is Japan getting it right?
Have you ever even been here?
MainstreamScience@reddit
The only equivalent would be a public pool without chlorine - this is the fact you are in a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses, and parasites. You can catch serious waterborne illnesses, diarrhea, skin rashes, eye infections, microorganisms like Naegleria fowleri - brain-eating amoeba- that common - That’s common, gets on your skin, goes in the bath, splash splash droplet in the mouth, E. coli, typhoid, and Shigella, Parasites, toe cheese dingleberry and the dreaded discharge
No_Walk_Town@reddit
It's common custom here not to get in the bath at all if you're sick. If someone in your family is sick, it's going to spread in the house long before you even get in the bath.
MarxAndSamsara@reddit
Damn, you should hurry up and alert Japan before they all get sick then. What a stroke of luck that they've been getting away with it for centuries without issue.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
The funniest thing here is that the other guy is pretty much right - it's conventional wisdom in Japan that you shouldn't take a bathe when you're sick, not even necessarily because of the shared bathwater.
It is in fact super gross to share a bath with someone who's sick, and Japanese people do in fact avoid doing it.
MainstreamScience@reddit
lol I responded with basically them know and they can do what they want and I have been issued a warning - hey Reddit ban my account idgaf
MarxAndSamsara@reddit
Haha yeah I have no idea why Reddit removed that comment. Probably shitty AI moderation.
MainstreamScience@reddit
[ Removed by Reddit ]
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Yeah, pretty much this. Our home bathtub has a heating function to keep the bathwater warm or even reheat it for reuse.
It's more comparable to a hot tub, and it has no real equivalent.
OP even acknowledged that he meant washing in general, not baths specifically.
InfluenceTrue4121@reddit
After a trip to Japan, my new main bathroom is getting a makeover. My shower is replaced with a wet room with a stool (so shower while sitting). For soaking I’m getting an ofuro.
urnbabyurn@reddit
Russian/Ukrainian bath houses are close. At least in the ones out by Brighton beach, I found them have many similarities to Korean bath houses. Saunas, spas, massage, food
MVHood@reddit
Yes. I experienced the real thing in a Japantown hotel in San Francisco. Wonderful!
Proud-Delivery-621@reddit
A question not being in good faith means the person asking it knows that what they're asking isn't true. If OP is just misinformed or has a language barrier, the question is still in good faith.
LucidLeviathan@reddit
This is very important. I feel like the internet these days really likes to jump to "bad faith." But, in many cases, it's just a poorly informed person.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
I've lived in Japan for 20 years and I am VERY familiar with the stereotypes people here have of other countries.
I am not "jumping to 'bad faith.'" I'm pointing out that OP is referencing common nationalist myths and stereotypes. Myths and stereotypes I'm willing to bet you know nothing about.
OP has even admitted that he's planning to study abroad in the US and he's scared he won't be able to bathe there.
Which is the exact nationalist myth I'm pointing out - oh, only Japan has clean water, foreigners can't clean themselves.
ArticleGerundNoun@reddit
If OP is planning a move to the US, wouldn’t that make it even more likely that it isn’t being asked in bad faith? “My country has nonsense xenophobic stereotypes about your country, so it can be hard to separate truth from fiction. I’m moving to your country and would like to know if there’s any truth to this one.” That seems like a legitimate thing to be curious about.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
I mean, again, I'm familiar with the stereotyoes and xenophobia he's drawing on, so it's not really a reasonable question in context.
I mean, that's also not what OP said. I'm sorry, but asking if Americans can bathe or not isn't a very reasonable question.
ArticleGerundNoun@reddit
OP also didn’t say that American water is too impure to be able to bathe in it. Weird to insert a twisting of their question, while chastising me for my own summary (in a discussion of saying/asking things in good faith).
Is your position that all stereotypes or misinformation are innately known by others to be incorrect and uninformed? That strikes me as sort of untenable and illogical. If not, why would OP immediately know this one is false, to the point that asking about hard water is “not reasonable”? I know some countries have water that I shouldn’t drink, as an outsider; is it unreasonable, xenophobic, and asking in bad faith if I took to Reddit to ask people from a certain country about the safety of their water?
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Do you understand that I'm explaining to you that the common Japanese stereotype OP is referencing is that foreign countries don't have clean water? That's the cultural context of his question.
It's not, because I actually know common stereotypes about foreign countries in Japan and you don't.
No.
Are you asking based on a xenophobic stereotype?
ArticleGerundNoun@reddit
You seem most concerned with (1) letting us know you live/lived in Japan, and (2) being unhappy/offended about this post. It no longer seems in good taste for me to in any way impede your fun, so have at it.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
My guy, you're the one who came at me.
ArticleGerundNoun@reddit
I replied to a post you made, my guy. You do seem omniscient about customs and beliefs of all members of certain cultures; is that “coming at” someone, to reply to a post? I’m American, if that helps. I assume you know how all American people think and feel, since you know how all Japanese people think and feel. Please respond quickly, it’s urgent.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Oh, are we doing the "anyone who knows more than me is a know-it-all nerd" thing? I haven't seen that since middle school.
ArticleGerundNoun@reddit
No, we’re doing the “why do you keep speaking like an omniscient authority” thing. I don’t know if you’re a nerd or not. Probably, but I don’t know you, so I can’t say. Know-it-all? Can’t say, since I don’t know you, but it seems kinda likely. Smarmy, grating, obnoxious? Again, I don’t know you, so I’d hate to assume. It’s definitely how you have come across in this exchange, but maybe you’re having a bad two days and don’t always act like this. Do you know more than me? On some things, definitely, and on some things definitely not. I guess that last part is exactly the point.
You have repeatedly represented yourself as having knowledge that you can’t possibly have. You don’t know me. You don’t know OP. You don’t know every Japanese person. You know so, so, so much less than you pretend to know. It’s not the classic mold for a “know-it-all nerd,” since a know-it-all is usually bragging about what they know, or at least things they could plausibly know (and in fairness, you’ve actually done quite a bit of this, so maybe the shoe fits).
But you’ve also done a lot of the almost-opposite of that, with the repeated claims to know things it’s impossible for you to know. Like I don’t really care what facts or experiences you have, and seriously we’re all super proud of your genius, but that’s been beside the point for a long time now. Just stop acting like a fucking mind-reader. It’s an embarrassing and aggressively arrogant form of ignorance.
Can you see why that’s irritating, or how frequently you’re guilty of it? Use this as an opportunity to work on yourself.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
So, yes, we are definitely doing the "anyone who knows more than me is a know-it-all nerd" thing.
Proud-Delivery-621@reddit
That's still not a bad faith question. OP doesn't know whether the stereotype is true, so he's asking here to find out. A bad faith question would be "My nonsense xenophobic stereotype about your country is true. Why do you do it?"
In the bad faith example, you're not trying to learn. You're trying to anger/insult the person answering the question. OP is genuinely trying to learn and correct their misconceptions.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
I mean, this is why I'm pointing out my familiarity with Japanese stereotypes about foreign countries.
This is in fact basically what OP is asking. "I heard the water is hard [which is why Americans can't bathe]. Can you bathe in America?"
OP has confirmed that, like I pointed outC, he is not actually talking about baths, he's talking about cleaning yourself in general.
Look, if an American went to an Australian subreddit and asked, "Do you guys have electricity and running water?" people would rightfully mock him for being stupid.
Sorry, but "Can you clean yourself with American water?" is not a reasonable question.
Proud-Delivery-621@reddit
You don't seem to get the meaning of "bad faith". Bad faith is when the person asking the question knows that their premise is untrue but continues the argument/question. OP has an incorrect belief about Americans, but unless OP knows that that belief is untrue, they're not asking the question in bad faith. They're just misinformed.
>This is in fact basically what OP is asking. "I heard the water is hard [as in impure, which is why Americans can't bathe]. Can you bathe in America?"
That's not actually what I said. "I heard [xenophobic nonsensical stereotype]. Is it true?" is not the same thing as "I know that [xenophic nonsensical stereotype] is true. Why do you do it?". The former is trying to learn, the latter is trying to insult.
OP is asking whether that stereotype is true and is open in the comments to people correcting them. They are doing exactly what everyone should do when they are raised in a culture of xenophia - talk to people and learn the truth to correct themselves and become a better person.
You may think the question isn't reasonable (I think it actually is reasonable) but it isn't bad faith.
Proud-Delivery-621@reddit
I agree. That kind of mentality shuts down learning, because people are scared to ask a question if they might be criticized for asking it.
Trimyr@reddit
I agree. It's the difference between
"Why do Americans do stupid things like (x) "
vs
"I'm curious. My friend said 'bluarghablarg... ablarg (there was a little left in his throat, but he's ok)', but I've read and seen different things. I know it's a big country, but I'm curious what to expect about (x)".
jigokubi@reddit
My wife certainly doesn't call it anything else. She would say, シャワー浴びる.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
I think you misunderstood my point - typically お風呂に入る includes taking a shower. It's not a bath, it's a shower + recreational soak.
Or does wife actually say シャワー浴びてお風呂に入る as two concurrent actions?
jigokubi@reddit
Ah, you're right; I did misunderstand.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
No, no, I'd be genuinely interested to learn someone out there separates the shower and the bath.
RegretLow5735@reddit
That’s not hard to believe when china is your neighbor and was largely a third world country until the late 70s early 80s when they started to modernize.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Japanese people: [doing something very Japanese]
You: Why would China do this???
Regular_Efficiency61@reddit
How did you misunderstand that comment so completely?
RegretLow5735@reddit
It’s the thinking process. When a society progresses faster than another, especially when they are your neighbor, you start to think things like only Japan has potable tap water because the 1 billion people living next to you did not.
The Japanese are quite literally the most racist people on earth so it doesn’t matter where you are from they think they are better than you.
benkatejackwin@reddit
That's.... not what they're saying at all. They're saying Japan's nearest and very populous neighbor (China) is who Japan tends to, or used to tend to, compare itself to. They're not saying Japan = China. In fact, the opposite.
Dazzling-Low8570@reddit
To Japan, not Japan ≈ China
No_Walk_Town@reddit
No, that's complete nonsense.
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Well that's also completely wrong and a weird thing to say.
gabrielleduvent@reddit
It's not. If you go to Asian beauty subreddit, a lot of us don't shower everyday because of the hard water. It dries our hair and skin out so badly that it becomes an issue. And actual water softeners for the entire house are pretty darn expensive, and the one where you jerry-rig onto the shower is extremely cumbersome.
The only time I could wash my hair everyday without it turning brittle and dry was when I was a teenager.
Traditional_Trust418@reddit
Yes, I have very hard water where I live. I cannot do an everything shower every day or my hair and skin get extremely dry. I get the important bits daily and shower 1-3 times a week
Udontknowme2625@reddit
I live in WY and pretty much do the same for the same reasons. I do shower more often when I do long hikes and when I’m in humid places like the south I have to shower daily.
Available-Boat4055@reddit
and water softeners are common where it is hard
FineWashables@reddit
Every home I know has a water softener
PolishDill@reddit
Might be regional. The water where I live is hard but softeners are uncommon.
GlitterPapillon@reddit
Same for me.
pgm123@reddit
It's definitely regional. I'm on the East Coast and we have hard water, but not nearly as hard as the west. I don't know anyone who has a water softener, but it's not something that comes up in conversation.
jetecoeur12@reddit
The PNW has soft water. I think the Midwest has it worst, along with Florida
pgm123@reddit
The Pacific Northwest is soft. This map shows the hardness: https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/HardnessMap.gif?itok=rDw43Xh6
Where I live is in the 70-120 range. Seattle is around 20.
AKlutraa@reddit
Water that comes from lakes and rivers is soft. Well water is generally hard. There can be a lot of variation in a small area depending on where your water comes from.
E.g., I live in a city of about 170,00 people, most of whom get their water from a public utility that gets the water from a glacier fed lake. It is fairly soft. I live outside the utility service area - too high for the gravity fed public water supply - so have a private well and hard water. But at least the water tastes good and doesn't have chlorine in it.
I do not have a water softener.
Classic_Breadfruit18@reddit
Even still it entirely depends on what kind of rock is above that well. If it's limestone your water is hard. I have well water in Hawaii but it's in lava rock and the water is very soft.
bulmier@reddit
This graph is confusing af. I don’t see a single area that has the blue of the 61-120 range and many states that are a light purple that isn’t on the legend.
IwannaAskSomeStuff@reddit
Yeah, that map is lousy hahaha
Cleo2012@reddit
I knew what you meant. 👍
lefindecheri@reddit
I live in Florida and my city has soft water. I wonder if the water treatment facilities play a role in determining what type of water we get.
jetecoeur12@reddit
My husband used to live in Southern Florida and it’s really hard there. It must be how it’s treated in some places.
IwannaAskSomeStuff@reddit
PNW here, my water isn't soft, lol! It's a thing in our whole city that our water is not soft
jetecoeur12@reddit
You might be in a weird area? you can check hard water maps. Oregon is better than Washington but we have some of the softest water in the country
IwannaAskSomeStuff@reddit
Yeah, a quick Google confirms that my area is considered to have hard water, which tracks my experience living here! I didn't realize that other parts of the PNW were known for having soft water, I'd bet that's why I always hear people talk about it, though!
Halofauna@reddit
I live in Michigan and if my water was any harder it’d be ice.
shelwood46@reddit
My grandma in WI was in a very hard water area and always had a water softener. We lived in a slightly softer water area and never had a water softener. It was weird visiting her, the tap water was so salty and the soap didn't suds correctly.
NoSpaghettiForYouu@reddit
Yep. Grew up east coast with hard well water. I live in AZ now…much harder. If you don’t have a water softener, it’s gonna be stalactites galore. Tap water tastes awful—man I really took CO water for granted when I lived there!
PolishDill@reddit
I am a plant person, so it does come up in conversation for me. Also eastern.
pgm123@reddit
Good point. I bet aquarium people would bring it up too.
BananaCat43@reddit
Memphis may be shitty to some people (I happen to love this city) but we have America's best water and I'll die on this hill. It's nice and soft too.
CalmStrongTornadoes@reddit
Yes! I miss Memphis tap water! Born in and grew up there, had no idea what hard water was till we moved north.
BananaCat43@reddit
When ever I travel I forget and take a sip of tap water and I'm like BLECH EW ACK GAG and run around yelling that someone has poisoned the well and then I remember oh yeah. Memphis water has spoiled me.
Traditional_Trust418@reddit
I don't. 😢 I live with my sister and brother-in-law and we rent a house together that his parents own. They don't want to pay for a water softener so we don't have one. But my rent is hella cheap because I'm practically family so I feel like I can't say anything about it
zepboundbabe@reddit
Filters too! I have a shower head with a filter inside of it I can change every so often
QuietObserver75@reddit
Right, we had one growing up.
Gloomy_Researcher769@reddit
Also, it’s an age/gender can be a factor as well. I used to shower and was my hair daily when I was working. But as a post menopausal female who is retired my skin and hair is very dry and can’t really take daily washing and since I’m retired, I’m not as picky on always looking at my best. So I shower every other day now.
EarlyInside45@reddit
How can you tell if you have hard water?
Adorable-Growth-6551@reddit
I do only wash my hair once a week, but it has more to do with oil or product build up then the water.
DifficultyNo1026@reddit
same, maybe twice
ThisIsDogePleaseHodl@reddit
Just wondering where you get the idea that most Americans take a shower?
Straight_Mind_5192@reddit
Iirc the Japanese don't take baths to bathe, they wash up first and then soak in a bath. I don't think OP thinks we ain't washing up lmao
artemisinagayway@reddit
That’s definitely a thing in America too though. I don’t know anyone who takes a bath to clean themselves. It’s for relaxation.
Straight_Mind_5192@reddit
That definitely makes sense, as an American I only took baths as a child, for the purpose of washing up. As soon as I could tolerate the shower I was made to switch to showers, haven't had a bath since. The idea is kinda gross/not relaxing to me.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
yeah😂I don't think you guys don't wash up.I mean how often do you shower but my English isn't good
sorry for my mistake
Dazzling-Low8570@reddit
Some terminology clarification:
Wash up (US): washing the hands and maybe the face in preparation for a meal or just to feel refreshed (maybe in the morning when you're in a hurry and don't have time to bathe) or after some activity that soils the hands but doesn't get you so sweaty you need to bathe immediately (first example that comes to mind is changing the oil in a car).
Wash up (UK): cleaning the dishes after eating.
Bathe: cleaning the entire body with soap and water.
Shower: bathe under a shower.
Take a bath: bathe in a bathtub full of water.
Have a soak: relax in bathtub full of water.
These are how these words/phrases are generally used in English. However, since Japanese bathing practices (shower+"have a soak") are common knowledge in the West, and terminology I defined above is not expected to be common knowledge in Japan, the people in this thread have been trying to interpret your question with that in mind and may have used some of these terms differently.
Sweet_Race_6829@reddit
I shower and wash my hair daily. There’s probably more variety in hair types in the US. A lot of people shower daily but wash their hair every couple of days because it gets dried out if they wash it daily (regardless of the water soft/hardness). I have very fine straight hair that gets oily if I don’t wash it daily.
Proud-Delivery-621@reddit
Showering is when we wash up. Do you mean how often do we take relaxation baths?
Stigglesworth@reddit
For me, showering would be every 1 to 2 days, depending on activity level. Usually every day.
Japanese style baths, with the soaking part, outside of the time I was in Japan, never. I'd probably want to have a Japanese-style bathroom to even consider the practice (of shower then bathe).
No_Walk_Town@reddit
Yes, you are 100% correct. It's also customary in Japan to share bathwater, specifically because it's not used to wash up.
futurearmysolider@reddit
And people in the same city can have a huge difference in water softeness too
MundaneHuckleberry58@reddit
Yes. Where I grew up, very soft water. Going back to visit family & take a shower or bath there is heavenly. Where I live now has hard water & it sucks. But yes shower daily regardless.
salbrown@reddit
I showered daily growing up and we have very hard water. I didn’t even know some people found it to be bad for their hair, mine was always healthy. Around me people don’t consider the hard water when bathing at all. I’ve never heard anyone talk about it.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
Thanks for info.My English still not good so I don't clearly understand what "take a bath" means.I understood take a bath like shower
superkt3@reddit
For that you could use the word "bathe" which covers all if it. Most Americans bathe every day, really depends on climate, activity level, etc. For areas that have hard water many people use a filtering system known as a water softener.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
Thank you for letting me know!my English gets better because of you🫶
MissFabulina@reddit
Go on over to r/hygiene if you want to read about people who are taking multiple showers per day.
Retb14@reddit
For Americans taking a bath means to clean yourself in the bath
Ussally we just get straight into the bath without washing anything off first then do all of the washing in there. Like you said it's the same as taking a shower
Some people do take baths to relax where they clean themselves beforehand and often use scented candles or bath bombs too
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
Thanks for info and also teaching word mean!
I actually take a bath only 20 times in a year too
Rhuarc33@reddit
Grew up in Portland OR. Water is really soft there. I remember my Aunt and Uncle complaining that when they showered at our house they felt like they never got the soap off
newEnglander17@reddit
For us the hard water doesn’t bother us when showering. But we don’t have a softener so we have to worry about buildup in the pipes. It also definitely affects laundry even with special detergent
Connortbh@reddit
In the places in the US with hard water, it’s very typical for homes to have a water softener.
I take baths a lot - just took one 20 minutes ago actually - but it’s very rare from what I’ve gathered speaking with friends and family. Many apartments don’t even have a bath at all. Those who renovate old homes to be more “modern” will often get rid of the tubs in at least one bathroom.
-blundertaker-@reddit
I hate that so much. When I'm looking for a place to live I would be hard pressed to choose a home without a bath tub. It's one of my needs. I need a tub and I need washer and dryer hookups.
RedHeadedStepDevil@reddit
I’m the opposite. I’d rip out my tub in a heartbeat if I could afford a nice walk in shower. The older one gets, the more dangerous it is to step over the edge of a tub. And forget about trying to get out of a slippery tub when wet and naked as anyone over the age of 60-ish.
-blundertaker-@reddit
Have you seen the tubs with a little watertight door on the side? Best of both worlds!
DartDaimler@reddit
My mother has one - easy to get in & out of, takes much less water than a traditional tub, a showerhead on a hose for rinsing hair etc, and hers has jets with a couple settings. I can’t believe they aren’t marketed more as luxury tubs rather than accessibility accommodations.
Reasonable_Mood_5260@reddit
A lot of places have water shortages and a big tub is a guilty, expensive luxury.
AnswerMyThrowAways@reddit
Nah. I have chronic all over joint pain, it's not a luxury for me, but a medical necessity
Doesn't stop my friends and family (who do not live with me or pay my water bills) from complaining about the "waste" though.
Mundane-Bonus-3688@reddit
Ah, yes, the waste one makes by accomodating their medical needs 🤦🏻♀️ So sorry you have to deal with that.
AnswerMyThrowAways@reddit
Yeah and I still limit it to one or two a month, but still catch flack. Meanwhile I have clocked them taking 40minute showers every time...
CarbonInTheWind@reddit
We have droughts that can last for months but many people in my neighborhood still have pools and hot tubs. We've had drought conditions since September and everyone runs sprinklers on their lawn twice a week like it doesn't matter.
Mirabeaux1789@reddit
I agree that people should responsible but harang your a local or State government about it
YardSardonyx@reddit
I’m looking currently and this drives me nuts! Especially since so many of the homes clearly used to have one and got rid of it. I want to take bubble baths, give my kid a bath, give my dog a bath, soak my feet, hand-wash large items, etc, they’re so useful!
papa-hare@reddit
Yep basically my #1 checkbox item when looking for a new place has always been the existence of a bathtub. I know lots of designers advise sellers or landlords to remove them too, such a waste!
GotMeAMuleToRide@reddit
First thing my wife looks for in a hotel is a bathtub.
I can't take baths. I'm too tall to soak comfortably.
bf202@reddit
I spend about 100 days a year in hotels. The thought of taking a bath at a hotel… let’s just say it’s not something I could do. Grosses me out.
Then again, I’m not a fan of public hot tubs, or public pools in general.
GotMeAMuleToRide@reddit
I hate pools and hot tubs (and lakes and beaches) because all the changing in and out of clothes, rounding up towels, etc. feels like a chore. I'm not a "water" person. I'll hike six hours to see a sunset from a mountain ridge, but 10 minutes getting ready for a swim is too much.
Connortbh@reddit
Apartment hunting was always such a pain when I consider a bathtub a must-have. Unless it’s a 2 bedroom apartment and you’re paying more than a roommate for the en-suite bath, it’s just not an option.
DartDaimler@reddit
I love a bath and won’t live in a place without a tub. I bathe daily, shower if I’m short on time, bath is I can, shower before bath if I’m heavily dirty or sweaty.
I wash my hair about once a week; if I’ve worked out and am very sweaty I’ll rinse it with just water. I have dry skin/hair and shampooing too often strips out the oils.
Both-Alternative-952@reddit
I'm in my late 40's, I shower daily and haven't taken a bath in several decades.
wjodendor@reddit
Yeah haha the last actual I had was like 30 years ago. Hell, I haven't even been in a hot tub in like 20 probably.
theresuscitator@reddit
Stay out of those cesspools
shelwood46@reddit
I am 61, I tried taking a bath about 10 years ago, and discovered I could not get out easily until I drained all the water and now I was sitting naked on the floor, and that is not relaxing at all. Never again.
Revolutionary_Bee700@reddit
My house doesn’t even have a bathtub.
I shower every day or every other day, depending on the temperature, season and my activity level.
Nemoudeis@reddit
I am practically the opposite. My main bathroom only has a bathtub in it. There is also a shower, but it is squirreled away in a corner of the basement, and bears a rather striking resemblance to a decontamination booth.
Prairie_Crab@reddit
Ha! I used to have a basement shower like that, too!
UncomfortableBike975@reddit
I haven't had a "bath" since my honeymoon. Shower daily though.
isittimefordinner@reddit
My grandpa has been using that shower for over 60 years. Not sure why they never remodeled the upstairs bathroom.
NotRobinKelleyNope@reddit
People shame baths too much! If you do it right, face first, then shampoo, then conditioner and wash body and shave then, start draining and rinse hair. No dirtiness left behind. Also, soap/detergents encapsulates the oils and dirt and washes them away. People who say baths are dirty are just doing it wrong!
castlenutjob@reddit
Yup, not a single tub in my house either.
elderly_millenial@reddit
I think this response is a little pedantic given that OP is really asking about bathing habits rather than literally taking a bath.
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
Ya I also feel this is a gender thing too. Most men don’t take baths. My wife and the other women do take baths regularly
IthurielSpear@reddit
Woman here. Haven’t had a bath for probably 30 years or more. Baths are gross.
creatyvechaos@reddit
Wash first and then bathe.
ParryLimeade@reddit
What’s the point of a bath if you’re already showered and cleaned yourself?
creatyvechaos@reddit
Why are you getting in the bath to wash yourself? You think stagnate dirty water is good for your skin?
ParryLimeade@reddit
I don’t bathe at all. I use the shower. I’ve bathed like once with some epsom salt and showered afterwards
creatyvechaos@reddit
Well, I can basically promise you nobody (on a large enough scale to be considered) is hopping in the bath to wash their dirty body. Another commenter somewhere explained why this misconception exists particularly with Japanese folks, but baths are the "after shower care". You don't wash in them. You wash before you get anywhere near the edge of the full bathtub.
Dartagnan1083@reddit
Japanese method. Makes the bath itself far more pleasant.
Murdy2020@reddit
And then shower again.
Haluszki@reddit
The important life lesson taught to Americans in the movie Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck. First you wash, then you bathe.
vanbrima@reddit
Its different in Japan, or at least that was my experience when i was there. Several folks i stayed with there had seperat showers and bathtubs. The bathtub was always full with hot water with a lid on it. You shower and exfoliate first, then get in to the tub for a nice relaxing soak..
bonlow87@reddit
Woman here too, haven't taken a bath since I had a choice lol
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
Oh I agree. But my wife and family don’t. Find them relaxing, all the stereotypes of after a stressful day lightning the candles, getting some wine, maybe a book and taking a bath
kludge6730@reddit
Human soup
ParryLimeade@reddit
You keep saying sexist stuff then try to excuse yourself for it. Most women do not bathe.
Rob_LeMatic@reddit
30 protestations against an innocent comment, some of them angry and accusatory.
That will teach you to say anything ever.
I swear they've trained us to engage confrontationally. Reddit was not like this 18 years ago and it's just gotten worse and worse over the last ten years especially
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
Preaching to the choir
djzrbz@reddit
I would love to take a bath, but tubs are apparently made for children and I can't fully submerge myself.
noviceartificer@reddit
I love the idea of a bath and having a good soak. Then I get in remember I don’t actually like to hold still and get out
shelwood46@reddit
My mom had trouble with her ears, so we only had bathtubs no showers when I was a kid, and it was awful. I much prefer showers.
Razrgrrl@reddit
Hahahhaa saaaame! I do like a hot springs though because you can kinda swim around a bit.
Bawstahn123@reddit
Hell, Im on the shorter side and I can't even get in the water all the way. If I submerge my top-half, my legs are out of the water and if I do the reverse, I'm basically sitting in the tub
1313GreenGreen1313@reddit
Same here. My legs are either 90% out of the water or everything above my waist is dry. It's just not a good experience in a normal size tub.
If I ever build a new home or have a good reason for a large bathroom remodel, I'll be finding some kind of tub made for an adult over 6 feet tall to put in.
BlueSkyMourning@reddit
When my youngest sister was pregnant, she lived in an older house that had a huge claw foot bathtub. I stayed with her often and it was glorious using the extra long tub that was deep enough to actually be submerged. Then it was back to showering at home which is normally my preference. I'll never forget that bathtub though.
1313GreenGreen1313@reddit
That sounds wonderful. Many of the larger tubs I see are more triangle shaped (from the top down view), so I feel like much of the water in the tub is unnecessary and wasteful. A big tub like you describe sounds much more water efficient.
PieTricky9997@reddit
I was going to note I haven't fit in a bathtub in a half-century.
Drew707@reddit
I'm 6'2". It is rare to find a bathtub that actually lets me enjoy a bath.
Leucotheasveils@reddit
I got a deep soaking tub with higher overflow thingie and it’s the best thing ever. The default tubs are very shallow these days.
belisle34@reddit
I don’t have that problem. LOL! I am 4’11” and fit perfectly in my tub. I love it because no one else in the house can use it because they are to tall.
WindyMint443@reddit
The place I moved into last year has a "soaking tub" in the owner's suite that is actually deep enough to mostly cover me. It's amazing. A little deeper would be even better (because for true depth you have to measure from the overflow drain, not the edge of the tub), but it's light years away from those pathetic shallow tubs that are standard and I love it.
Hard/soft water has nothing to do with Americans bathing, in my opinion. It's depth/coverage/comfort.
1313GreenGreen1313@reddit
That sounds awesome. I'm a little envious.
WindyMint443@reddit
It wasn't why I bought the house, but it's definitely a nice perk! I think the particular setup -- with shower and tub being separate in the same bathroom (probably trying to make the owner's suite fancier/better) -- is how it's most likely to be found.
Eogh21@reddit
I am a woman. I hate the thought of sitting in my own dirt. It is showers all the way.
GreenBeanTM@reddit
Yea so your edit makes things worse 😂
pizzaanarchy@reddit
Women bathe because of their hair. That is what my wife told me-I wash hair daily she doesn’t.
lky830@reddit
I have hair down to my butt and I’ve never heard this rationale. I just, yknow, put on a shower cap?
pizzaanarchy@reddit
I do not question, I accept, prima facie.
LopsidedGrapefruit11@reddit
My brother in law, who is a straight boomer and 6’6” tall loves taking baths lol.
larryjrich@reddit
I'm an exception as well. I started using my bathtub more often for the first time in probably decades. Usually its just a day on the weekend after I've been doing yard work or house projects all day, and I soak in the tub because I'm getting older and my muscles are sore and stiff all the time. Every other day I just shower.
Specialist_Stop8572@reddit
Yeah, men don't take baths as much as they used to - men in know say that tubs are too small to relax in. They need those deep clawfoot mfrs
panicnarwhal@reddit
lol i just commented that my husband takes more baths than i do - he’s the only reason we have “grown up” bubble bath in the house (he loves dr teal’s bubble bath and epsom salt)
in our old place, he used to take a bubble bath at least 3 times a week. our tub is smaller in our current house, even though we just remodeled the bathroom. when we do our other bathroom, we’ll have a bigger tub, and he will probably go back to a few baths a week. he just really loves baths, he says they relax him and soothe his sore muscles!
PlatinumElement@reddit
I seriously thought I had found my wife’s account up until the moment you said you just remodeled the bathroom.
Fun_Floor_9742@reddit
does he smoke a lot of weed?
panicnarwhal@reddit
actually no! he’s only smoked a few times as a teenager, and he hated it. he’s a lot older than me (he’s 59, i’m 40) and he’s a lot different than most other older guys i know - takes bubble baths, doesn’t care when his friends call something he likes “girly” (ugh) etc - like he used my hot pink stanley cup for months before i bought him his own 😂 he thinks gender stereotypes are dumb, and thinks it’s crazy when one of his coworkers gets fired up because their wife bought pink bedsheets or a floral shower curtain or something like that.
he just gives zero fucks, and is the chillest guy i’ve ever met. i really lucked out with him. we’ve been together for 10 years, and i’m definitely keeping him lol
Madreese@reddit
That is a man who is comfortable in his own skin. You both lucked out.
kbivs@reddit
I'm a woman. Haven't taken a bath in decades. I honestly don't see the appeal at all. IMO, a fully grown adult cannot comfortably fit in a standard sized tub, either your knees or upper body have to be out of the water. I also think it's gross to sit in your own dirty water. Especially when it just keeps getting colder the longer you sit there.
CalmRip@reddit
Exactly my senitments. Funny thing is, I can laze around in a pool, lake, river, or the ocean for hours, but for some reason that feels clean and wallowing my own sheddings doesn't.
she-dont-use-jellyyy@reddit
"The other women?" Which other women lol? I'm a woman and I never take baths.
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
Sigh.. I meant other women in her family. Maybe voice to text missed it
ijozypheen@reddit
I don’t know that it’s a gender thing as much as cultural thing. My husband grew up with baths being normal, and still enjoys baths as relaxation.
I grew up in a state with water restrictions and thrifty parents, so baths were very uncommon for me.
CaryWhit@reddit
I have a bad back and I take a long hot soak every Saturday night. It definitely helps to just relax.
Yes I shower daily
inbigtreble30@reddit
My husband does the same 2-3x/wk for back pain.
Gregthepigeon@reddit
I somehow thought this said “ I have bad luck and I take a long soak every Saturday night” and I was wondering how taking a bath would help with that
CaryWhit@reddit
Cleanses the karma too? lol
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
Ya of course there’s always exceptions to any rule
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
Ya they asked us to limit showers to 10 min, no baths
Fun-Dragonfly-4166@reddit
I think you are wrong. The most important thing is tub size. My house has two bath tubs. The master bath is extra big. The other bath is normal size. I just can not fit comfortably into that.
If women are more likely than men to take a bath it is because they are smaller.
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
Cool someone below already provided a graph and source on this as a reply. Maybe read it
diaymujer@reddit
Actually women are slightly more likely than men to take baths, but only by a few percentage points. Most women (and men) do not take baths frequently.
https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/16310-its-bath-time-new-yougov-survey-examines-nations-b
Throwawaydontgoaway8@reddit
No someone deleted a comment where they clearly were offended is what I’m referring to those graphs imply I’m correct. If you add them up, 67% of women take baths in general - I never broke it up into frequency like they did. Whereas I was wrong about men as they say 36% don’t, implying the other majority of 64% do
ButterscotchOdd8257@reddit
I don't take baths, unless you count my hot tub!
HelgaTwerpknot@reddit
Why you have to bring gender into it? Seriously? Just cuz your wife likes to get away from you by taking hours long baths doesn’t mean all women do. We aren’t a hive mind. Fuxk off with your bull shit and do more then take out the garbage
Basic_Visual6221@reddit
I'm a woman who loathes baths. Shower every day.
RRR-Mimi-3611@reddit
In my 60’s and same!
1DietCokedUpChick@reddit
Same exactly.
NotRobinKelleyNope@reddit
I love your Reddit name.
kc_cyclone@reddit
33 year old dude here who also showers daily (like every sane adult), I take baths whenever I'm sick. Well "shaths" where I have the shower running and turn the bathroom into a hillbilly sauna.
CynicalEyeRoll@reddit
Doing this right now as I read and type lol
Known_Psychology1581@reddit
Early 40s here and same. No baths, daily showers.
I also have a water softener, and not all US water is hard.
Saltpork545@reddit
In my early 40s and the same. I don't mind a good hot tub or soak but where I'm living has a bathtub-footprint walk in shower and I'm going to install one/have one put in once I buy a home. It's just so much easier and more useful than a typical bathtub.
Nippon-Gakki@reddit
Same. I wouldn’t mind taking a bath now that I think about it.
AthousandLittlePies@reddit
I'm a man in my mid 50's. I think I take a bath maybe 4 or 5 times a year, but it's specifically to soak to care for sore muscles, and I'll take a quick shower afterwards to get clean.
Roach27@reddit
Bath is reserved for when I’m in pain, as a fellow old person.
Efficient-Ball4360@reddit
I'll soak the sore leg muscles on occasion, particularly after my son goads me into an extra long mtb ride.
Glassfern@reddit
It depends on my activity. Summer I will shower daily. Winter it's every other day if my activity is low. But on days I don't I will wash my face and feet before bed.
Sharp_Ad_9431@reddit
I haven't taken a bath since I was a teenager. I'm too tall for an average bathtub. There's no point to it. Can't soak my body unless my legs are dangling out.
A lot of shower heads in rentals are lower than my head. I have to duck to be under the water.
Replacing the showers head is a move in task. Handheld with a wall attachment so I can have a real shower.
frogEcho@reddit
There is also the difference between Japanese and american bath tubs. Japenese baths can accomdate adults. American baths are not really suited for that.
Subterranean44@reddit
We don’t even have a bath tub in our house.
UnicornHandstands@reddit
I think most Americans shower daily or twice a day especially if they go to the gym or work a manual labor job. Baths are less common that showers I think. Many people rarely take baths once they’re not children. Especially men for some reason. Women take baths to relax and have some pampering time more often than simply to get clean but still less often than they shower. I don’t have a shower in my house so I take baths every day but that’s not common.
anon1111ymous@reddit
Hardly takes baths but I shower twice a day. Always.
sunbleahced@reddit
Twice daily.
The US doesn't "have hard water" you either have a private soft water system or you don't.
I have soft water.
Persis-@reddit
Not in a good 10 years. I miss baths. I love them. But the only bathtub in my house is in my kids’ bathroom. So, it got to the point where it was just annoying to take up their bathroom.
Also, we remodeled many years ago. We replaced the cast iron tub with an acrylic one, and I hate it. I miss my cast iron tub.
BreakfastFinancial73@reddit
Daily showers and baths every so often. More often in the winter or if my muscles are sore from working out. I love my baths. I light candles, get a drink or sometimes eat a snack like a brownie 😄
liquidnight247@reddit
I shower daily, bathe maybe once or twice a year
Wicket2024@reddit
I shower everyday, but I haven't taken a bath since childhood.
Possible_Shoulder_50@reddit
Daily. I work in healthcare in a hospital. First thing I do is take a steaming hot shower when I get home. I won’t even sit on the couch until after that.
rcranin018@reddit
It’s probably been 5 decades since I last took a bath. I take showers daily.
AccomplishedPool9050@reddit
Live in a hard water area, San Antonio TX. Still bath 2 times a day, sec get home form work, then right again before bed. Honestly feels fine to me used to it. It's more harder on your equipment. Hot water heaters last only 10ish years and faucet parts break. Toilet parts break often, like towers in the tanks often every 5 plus years. All stuff a home owner can deal with besides hot water heater.
_S1syphus@reddit
I shower every day after work but i only wash my hair every couple days. Also, we're a big country that could fit more than 9 japans in our borders, not everywhere has the same water quality
MdnightRmblr@reddit
I just got a new bathroom built, maybe once a month or so because it’s nice and new. I have another place in Thailand where I don’t think the tubs’ ever been used in 25 years.
pastrymom@reddit
I live in an area with very soft water. I shower daily
RepresentativeAir149@reddit
Never
Rancor_Keeper@reddit
Well, not anymore do I take baths, but when I used to, I was praying
There was enough hot water
To fill up the tub.
TheKiddIncident@reddit
Most Americans shower daily before going to work or school.
OG-BigMilky@reddit
Personally I despise baths and bathtubs, they feel like a colossal waste of water and in a bathroom a tremendous waste of space for something that is hardly ever used. I’d rather have a shower and more storage in the same relative space a bath would take up.
madame_de_la_luna@reddit
I shower and wash my hair every morning. The water where I live in extremely hard, but using good quality hair conditioner helps keep my hair nice and soft despite the hard water. I haven't taken a bath in years, but I know people (mostly women) who love baths and take them frequently.
Lexie_Acquara@reddit
I’m assuming by ”bath” OP is just referring to cleaning oneself by whatever means since they are asking about water. Since the U.S. is so large, a lot of places have different types of water. If your water is particularly hard, you can get a water softener that filters your water. So I’d say most people take a shower daily. I do. As for baths, mostly only babies and small children take baths in the U.S. for cleanliness. Some people like to soak in a tube for relaxation or sore muscles, but I don’t think I really know of anyone who takes a bath often for the purpose of daily hygiene. Showers are quicker, more hygienic, and use less water.
greenleo33@reddit
I shower everyday and have a bath about once a month or so. Depends on my mood and how my body feels. I’ll have more baths the worse I feel.
ExternalTelevision75@reddit
Most Americans shower daily, at least once, sometimes twice a day. Bathing isn’t as common. Bathing is seen more as a relaxing treat than as daily hygiene care
penguinwasteland1414@reddit
53, shower every morning, bubble bath at night
takatine@reddit
Baths differ significantly between Japan and American. In Japan, you have deep tubs that, once you set the controls, automatically fill at the press of a button to your preferred depth and warmth. You shower outside the tub to get clean, then get in the tub to relax. In America, most tubs are only waist deep, with no automatic controls, and you either have to shower first, then fill the tub, because the showervis in the tub, or you wash yourself in the bathwater, drain the tub, and shower off the soap residue. Most people can't be bothered, and just shower. While it's true some places in America have hard water, most of those also have water softners. The bigger issue is the waste of water, especially in places that are desert like or experience seasonal droughts. A quick shower is preferable. Of course, some people have deeper, more luxurious tubs, with automated controls, or jacuzzi jets, but the regular waist deep shower/tub combo is the most common.
I'm American, my husband is Japanese, we live between both countries.
jitenshasw@reddit
I take a bath a few times a week, but I'm an American who's been living a few years in Japan lol.
I liked the idea of baths growing up, but they always grossed me out. It had nothing to do with the water being hard, but more so that I was showering in the same place as the bathtub. The gross buildup in caulk was also off-putting. And the curtain accidentally rubbing up on me? Ew!! Japan has the best system for bathing (and using the toilet lol).
Natural_Field9920@reddit
Shower daily. Hard water is regional not universal and water softeners are common.
Senior_Performer_387@reddit
The water quality varries depending on where you live. The water where i am isn't that bad. Some people will get a water softener for their homes.
I remember and aunt and uncle who had one and i didn't like it because it felt like my body was still soapy because i wasn't used to how soft the water was.
But mostly i think we just deal with it by moisturizing our skin with lotions or oils.
jillieboobean@reddit
I rarely take baths. I shower every day, sometimes twice. I wash my hair about once a week.
shakeitsugaree2019@reddit
Never
Communal-Lipstick@reddit
I dont feel like I get clean laying in the same water so I take a shower. The hard water has nothing to do with it though.
grandpa2390@reddit
I shower daily
EpsilonAmber@reddit
I think in my adult age I've taken like 2 baths. I have a bathtub but like..... it's kind of annoying to fill the tub up with water.
Those two times I had a bath were in my worst days of college when I was hella depressed and just wanted to relax without caring about whatever.
vovinvritra@reddit
I have a water softener so my water is also very nice. I shower or bathe daily!
Odd-Ad-8369@reddit
47 year old man. I take a super hot bath everyday and I get carded literally any time it’s applicable.
buried_lede@reddit
There is all kinds of water in the US. It can vary from town to town. My childhood home had very soft water
breezybbh@reddit
We have a water softener. I bathe every day, sometimes twice. Wash my hair every 3rd day. I would still do this if we didn’t have a water softener. Body oil is a beautiful thing.
Aggravating_Isopod19@reddit
Never. I find the idea of soaking in your human filth absolutely disgusting and unhygienic. Showers only for me.
endofthefkingworld@reddit
i hate taking baths. i haven’t had one in probably 10 years now
Sumobob99@reddit
I bathe (or shower) every day. And your statement about water is pure 日本人論, I'm afraid. The entire world's water has varying degrees between 'hard' (mineral-rich) and 'soft'.
Japan has lots of hard water. You know those tablets they sell everywhere to clean out electric hot water pots of the calcium build-up? That's because of hard water.
Lilylake_55@reddit
Shower everyday. But hair only 2-3 times a week, otherwise it because dry and straw-like.
gimmeyourbadinage@reddit
At least once a week
Ok_Preference6999@reddit
I try to shower everyday but sometimes it just doesn't happen. Keep in mind im not an overly sweaty person and never really exert myself. Max is 3 days. I mostly shower for my hair. I also live in an RV and have to heat up the water with propane before I can shower. Its a whole thing and I try to use it relatively sparingly. I mostly use an electric kettle to heat water for dishes 😅
DoturdGrump@reddit
Last bath was 2012, was at a hotel that had a super fancy jetted tub ... just shower daily with a nice castile soap and a coarse cloth
OO_Ben@reddit
Twice a day. Once to wake me up and once to relax to fall asleep. If I workout I'll do a 3rd quick rinse.
Cold-Channel-5341@reddit
What is soft vs hard water??
ektalabie@reddit
Im American, I take a bath probably twice a month. It’s almost always an epsom salt bath to help my muscles feel more relaxed. The bathtub in my apartment (and at almost all the apartments I have had) isn’t really best for comfort—it’s too shallow and hard to keep water at the right level to feel submerged. I LOVE taking baths though, I hope someday I can afford a more comfortable tub. I shower everyday, and most days I lay or sit down in bath and let shower pour over me so it’s kinda like a shower-bath.
ReindeerFl0tilla@reddit
I shower daily and take a bath maybe twice a year.
I’ll also go to the local Korean bath house (King Spa) a couple of times a year.
EarthEmbodied@reddit
I take a couple baths a month
Aggressive_Pop9479@reddit
I shower. When working outside home, it was every day. Since retired, either every day or every other day. My hair is long, so takes about 30 - 40 minutes to wash, condition and do the rest.
MiddlePop4953@reddit
Every once in a while, when it's been really cold. Especially if I just did snowblowing or shoveling, it's a good way to warm up.
Artios-Claw@reddit
Everyday and we have very hard water but have a water softener installed in the house.
HistoryGirl23@reddit
I love baths and take one daily, or close to it. 8 work outside in a hot climate and I like washing on the salt.
SillyDonut7@reddit
I've always had water softeners except in some random hotels. I do not enjoy that.
I have showered/bathed since 2023 due to disability. Sponge baths and if I'm up for it, sink hair washings in my wheelchair. I'm at about 3 weeks right now. It keeps getting harder.
I generally used to bathe daily or every other day, depending on migraine and chronic fatigue level.
veroniqueweronika@reddit
I am 40, and I take a shower every day. I have a whole house water softener and filter to help with the water quality.
GrimSpirit42@reddit
The water America is hard, and soft, a delicious, and nasty, and stinky. All depends on where you’re at.
Shower every day. Twice if needed.
Been years since I was in a bath.
Top_Leg2189@reddit
I take a bath a day. I have arthritis and I love it.
Spare_Flamingo8605@reddit
Every day. When it's hot, twice a day
Signal_Potential7032@reddit
I am too tall to enjoy a bath; half of my body is in water and half is out
I would need a claw foot bath tub to thoroughly enjoy a bath
dobbydisneyfan@reddit
We shower more than take a bath. Taking a bath is mostly for young children or done as an occasional recreational activity.
Mindless-Editor-4809@reddit
I take a nice bath once in a while but then I let the water out, stand up and take a shower. I shower daily. In the summer I shower in the morning and evening
oldladylikesflowers@reddit
I shower daily. Rarely take a bath. We have hard water, so I do have to slather on the lotion!
Last_Still_3709@reddit
I never take a bath. Shower every other day or daily depending on activity. Hardness of water varies significantly around the US. Not all places have hard water.
RTIQL8@reddit
Not everywhere in US has hard water. This varies widely. I do not consider soaking in my own filth getting clean. I shower every other day. I do enjoy soaking in a bath tub and do so about 1x a week but I do that for relaxation, not to get clean and always do a quick shower after to “hose off”.
Cathode335@reddit
A) the water is different everywhere you go. B) I live in a town with very hard water, and we shower every day. Most homes have water softeners.
Cold_Mission101@reddit
I shower every day. Sometime I shower twice per day.
iyam3ut@reddit
Shower daily - bath never because we mostly do not have big enough tubs here
Famous-Flan-5617@reddit
I shower 3 times a day due to my activity and job
forogtten_taco@reddit
Once a month ?
MissingGrayMatter@reddit
US citizen living in Japan. I shower daily, never take a bath.
Interestingly, a lot of foreigners report having hair trouble when they move to Japan because of the difference in water quality.
Most of my family in the US showers every other day.
Lukin76254r@reddit
Same bro lol
YardSardonyx@reddit
Interesting, I have friends who just visited for a few weeks and they had such good hair days there that they immediately installed a water softener in their home when they got back
MissingGrayMatter@reddit
It doesn’t affect everyone, and tourists likely aren’t here long enough to notice a difference. Many people report hair loss, and typically the solution people come to is installing a special shower head with a filter. You can Google and find countless Reddit conversations and articles about the problem and possible solutions to try.
Ok_Kick_5090@reddit
Most Americans shower daily (or at least they should)
MissingGrayMatter@reddit
Dermatologist recommend 2-3 times a week and that obsessive bathing can cause skin and hair issues. How often you need to bathe completely depends on your body, your activity level, the weather where you live, etc. If you live in a cold place, there’s usually not a need to shower daily. If you live in a hot place, showering daily might be normal because you sweat more.
ListenToRush@reddit
I’m an American living in Taiwan (previously Korea) with super long hair. My hair quality is so much worse and much harder to manage here than it ever was back in the US. Super interesting
Sample-quantity@reddit
I love baths so I take a bath almost every day and shower only when I need to wash my hair.
citygirl_M@reddit
America is a big country, and different places have different water qualities depending on the geology and water systems.
People’s bathing and showering habits differ, but many bathrooms in newer buildings don’t routinely have tubs. If there are 2 bathrooms one will usually have a bathtub, especially for bathing children. I personally have taken daily showers for decades even though my bathroom has an enormous tub. I don’t like sitting in dirty water, and hair washing is infinitely easier in a shower.
thats-gold-jerry@reddit
I only have a shower…
caseygwenstacy@reddit
I don’t go outside much and I don’t sweat a lot, so I just take a shower twice a week. I also have a patch that gets replaced every 3-4 days, so it works out well.
Smooth_Sea_7403@reddit
I shower and wash my hair daily. It probably dries out my hair a bit, but I can’t stand not feeling clean.
sneeds_feednseed@reddit
I shower daily. Sometimes I’ll take a bath before a shower if I’m feeling unusually grimy.
Sealbeater@reddit
I don’t even have a bathtub. Standing shower with a nice bench area if I feel like sitting down and letting the water fall on me
Damnit_Bird@reddit
I take showers every other day, actual baths never, unless I'm staying somewhere else. I love a bath, but it's fairly expensive to pay for the water to take them regularly. Like, taking 2 a week would easily raise my water bill at least $50 each month
12468097531@reddit
Shower daily. Bath... in a bath tub? Never
NinjaCatWV@reddit
I am so adverse to baths that I didn’t take a bath when I went to Japan! But I did enjoy the onsen
dontpolluteplz@reddit
lol nah people just shower here more than they take a bath. The water is fine - I shower 5-7 times a week & wash my hair 2-4 times.
Lopsided-Broccoli571@reddit
I take a bath every day. I'm not a fan of showers, but did take them more frequently when I worked full time and had kids at home who needed to shower around the same time. My skin is a little dry, but I'm 65, so I don't think baths are drying my skin.
EveryNameIWantIsGone@reddit
Every day.
NoAioli5894@reddit
I wash my hair only once a week because I don't need to. When I work out..I shower. On days I don't workout, I don't shower. I lived in the former Soviet Union where folks bathe once a week. I guess I got into the habit of not showering as much
Lowlife_4evr@reddit
I'm a daily shower guy but when I stay in hotels I'll absolutely take a bath and relax, that usually works out to two or three separate occasions a year.
lfxlPassionz@reddit
Wether soft or hard, water dries out skin and hair. It washes away necessary oils.
It's better to wait until you feel greasy to wash up.
I personally only need a shower once a week to clean up but I bathe as my muscles need it.
DK7795@reddit
I shower daily. Hard water is not great, but there are filters and softeners that can be used. I also use gentle cleansers and moisturize daily.
Derwin0@reddit
A bath, never.
A shower, almost every day.
NotRobinKelleyNope@reddit
I shower maybe 2x times a month and bathe 8-10 times. I’m not a stinky person and my skin and hair are very dry. I could go two weeks without a hair wash and hardly even then get the “oily hair smell”. I keep the smelly parts clean as a whistle though!
Suspicious-Sorbet-32@reddit
In my county most water hardness ranges from a 4 - 6 so it's not really terrible. The biggest issue is the chlorine levels are 3ppm - 5ppm. Some people have filters, some people have softeners but the majority don't. I'm on a well and my hardness is a 66, I got a water filtration system and a softener.
To answer your question the last time I took a bath was when I was too young to remember, baths gross me out. I shower daily.
WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs@reddit
I shower every day. The last time I took a bath was when I was a child, many decades ago. Showering is the norm for American adults.
SadExercises420@reddit
I’ve had hard water my whole life. Whenever I travel to somewhere with soft water, it feels weird to me.
Charitymw1@reddit
I soak in a bathtub only a few times a year when on holiday/visiting relatives with deep tubs. Once I remodel my bathroom, I'll have a deep tub and likely soak atleast 1x a week.
I shower regularly.
lily_fairy@reddit
i've taken maybe 3 baths past the age of 8. i'd love to take more but i haven't lived in a house/apartment with a bath since then, i've only had standing showers.
Wonderful-Run-1408@reddit
Usually twice a day. Male here
SincerelyCynical@reddit
I shower every other day unless I workout, in which case I shower everyday.
I haven’t taken a bath in many years, but it’s not a cultural thing. It’s just me. My husband showers at least once a day and takes a bath maybe four times a week.
Admirable-Media-9339@reddit
It definitely is a cultural thing. Your husband is the outlier. Most Americans don't take baths past a certain age.
artemisinagayway@reddit
Are you serious? Taking baths as an adult is extremely common. Why do you think bath bombs exist?
Admirable-Media-9339@reddit
Sorry but it isn't. Most adults also don't buy those. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it just certainly is not common.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/bathing-habits-by-country
artemisinagayway@reddit
Are you sure maybe you aren’t applying your own bathing habits to other people? Maybe it’s an age thing or a culture thing but almost everyone I know takes baths to relax, the exception being a few guys that think they’re too manly for it.
Extension-Clock608@reddit
Daily, we have water softeners.
Not all water is hard here, it depends where you live.
HeresW0nderwall@reddit
I only take baths when I’m sick (the hot water helps with the chills associated with fevers) or after a day of skiing when I’m chilled to the bone and sore. Otherwise I take showers daily.
parity_account@reddit
I take showers not baths. But growing up i was always instructed to wash daily but not to wash my hair daily, so I still pretty much follow that guidance. My hair only gets soaked and washed about twice a week.
DawaLhamo@reddit
The hardness of water varies across the country. In my location, I have hard water, but it's not hard enough to require a softener nor leaves significant mineral deposits. Most of the people I know who really struggle with water hardness have well water rather than city or county water. My water comes from the Missouri River. Those whose water sources are ground water rather than surface water will have different qualities.
I generally bathe every other day. Unless I do something particularly dirtying, like work in the garden or work up a sweat. A lot of people bathe daily or every other day. I prefer baths, but I find showering convenient. I've not timed it, but about 10-15 minutes when I shower, 20-30 minutes when I take a bath.
StarWars_Girl_@reddit
I take one probably once a week. It's strictly for relaxing though, not for getting clean.
lexicon951@reddit
We have soft water filters in many houses. Most people shower once a day and wash their hair 3 times a week or so
sapient_pearwood_@reddit
I don't have a bathtub in my apartment, just a tiny shower stall. My last apartment had a much larger shower stall, but still no bathtub. If I want a bath, I have to go to my dad's house and borrow his.
Unhappy-Fox1017@reddit
I rarely take baths. But I moved into my house 3 years ago and I just took a bath for the first time last week! It was actually quite nice and I fell asleep. Lol! I’m a shower person for sure.
No_Owl_8576@reddit
Some places do have hard water but it's far from everywhere in the US. I think a lot of dudes in America just grow up taking showers and it feels right. I certainly feel cleaner after a hot shower 🚿. But last time I was working as a waiter, in my younger years, my balls were so chafed I had to sit in a tub for like an hour before waddling to the couch
mdlbaker@reddit
I shower 5-6 times a week. My bathtub is too small for comfort.
mothlady1959@reddit
I have a 2 person jacuzzi. Once a week; a book, a mask, and a full, very hot tub. Hours and hours.
castlenutjob@reddit
Shower everyday, but bath? Who has that kind of time?
darw1nf1sh@reddit
I haven't taken a bath since I was a child. I take a shower every day. If I am working hard, I might take a second one. IE, working in the yard, or working out.
Wtfisthis66@reddit
A couple times a month, it’s so nice to get into a tub of hot scented water and let the stress of life go.
fitnessCTanesthesia@reddit
Never. Only shower, once sometimes twice a day.
Knitspin@reddit
I love my baths! I only shower when I can’t take one for some reason.
Prairie_Crab@reddit
I never “bathe”; I shower. It was daily until I reached my 60s, but now it’s every other day.
STLGALINBLACK@reddit
Every single day
Frenchitwist@reddit
I hate baths. Sitting in the hot water for too long makes me feel slightly queazy and icky. I take showers just about every day though
numberthirteenbb@reddit
I take a bath every single day! I love them.
Ineffable7980x@reddit
61m. I shower every day without exception, but I cannot tell you the last time I took a bath. It's at least 15-20 years.
FloristsDaughter@reddit
My apartment only has a shower. :( Before I moved here I took a bath every night. I miss baths. sigh
itz_mr_billy@reddit
The US is about 25x the size of Japan. The whole country doesn’t have hard water. In fact the water can change within states too. Most people have water softeners if it’s needed. Majority bathes daily
Avelsajo@reddit
My sister takes a bath at least 3x a week. I literally don't understand it at all. A bath feels like an epic waste of time to me. Like.... Why? It's so uncomfortable...
elainegeorge@reddit
I shower daily.
Water hardness or softness depends on location. Some people put water softeners in their homes if the city or well water is hard.
liv_free_or_die@reddit
I shower daily. Virtually every single time I finish washing up I will run a bath so I can relax. I wash my hair once a week.
Hard water is definitely bad for your hair, but there are clarifying shampoos and treatments to deal with that. Plus many people use water softeners to combat it.
BrandonLynx@reddit
Shower daily, bath not since I was a child.
Minute-Of-Angle@reddit
This is a terminology thing. To take a bath means to sit in a tub. To shower or take a shower means to wash off in a shower. “To bathe” originally meant to take a bath, because that was the only common option, but now it basically means to clean one’s self, either in a bath or a shower.
Americans generally bathe pretty regularly, though it usually means taking a shower. Showers are much more common than baths if the goal is cleaning.
eilatanz@reddit
The US is a huge country, and the water can be soft or hard depending on where you are, even town to town within one state. The country is half the continent size wise.
lunammoon@reddit
I don't think I've actually taken a bath in years. I don't have the time. I shower.
TheBrownCouchOfJoy@reddit
I used to have a jacuzzi tub and in winter I would take a bath like twice a week. Or rather, I would sit in a hot tub with the jets on and watch an episode of a show.
Now I have a shower stall.
tomcat_tweaker@reddit
The water hardness/softness varies a lot, it's inaccurate to make a blanket statement that the US has hard water. And in places where the water is particularly hard, a lot of people will have water softeners in their homes. Either way, I don't think most people factor in the hardness of water when it comes to hygiene.
UnderCoverDoughnuts@reddit
Explain to me like I'm five what they mean by hard and soft water please
tomcat_tweaker@reddit
Hard water means the water has a higher amount of minerals in it. Usually iron and sulphur. It doesn't create as much lather and can be somewhat harsh on some skin. There's a big range as well. My water is mildly hard, no smell, no iron staining, I get an ok lather. It's treated municipal water. I know people with wells whose water smells like sulphur and have problems with iron staining in their sinks/tub/washer. Most people who have it that bad will have a softener to help with that.
Soft water either has much lower amounts of minerals naturally, or it has been ran through a water softener to remove the minerals. It creates much more lather. If you've ever taken a shower somewhere and it was difficult to get or feel fully rinsed off, that's really soft water. It's very noticeable when you're used to harder water.
LongInfinite1837@reddit
Unless you have a really nice tub, most apartment bathtubs are not big enough to have a proper soak. The only people I know who take baths everyday are children.
titianwasp@reddit
Bathe usually 3-5 times a week to soak at the end of the day. We are house hunting right now and a deep tub is one of the key things we are looking for.
Only some parts of the country have hard water, and water filtration systems to improve the taste and softness are standard.
Mamapalooza@reddit
I despise baths. I shower every day.
StrongAsMeat@reddit
Once a month, every time my wife asks if I’m a girl. I like bubbles, what can I say?
nc45y445@reddit
Not all water is hard in the US. Every municipality has a different source of water
amoryblainev@reddit
Many Americans take baths as children, and as teens or adults baths are usually seen more as a time to relax. Some homes and apartments don’t have a bathtub (they only have a shower).
I’ve only taken a bath a few times in the past decade. I see baths as a waste of time. I shower every day, though.
Decent_Historian6169@reddit
I shower instead daily and wash my hair about 3x peer week. I don’t remember the last time I took a bath. My son who is 7 takes baths but I just prefer showers.
Terradactyl87@reddit
I'm surprised how few people take baths. I take minimum two baths a week, often more. I shower separately as I get oil in my hair from a bath. Baths are seriously one of my absolute favorite things in the world. There's nothing better. On my day off I'll often have a glass or two of wine in the bath.
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
That's dream taking a bath👍
Terradactyl87@reddit
Well multiple times a week I do it. Add Epsom salts, essential oils, coconut oil, sometimes honey and dried herbs and I listen to music or read for a couple hours while having wine. It's the best thing to do to relax!
Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit
NEVER, but take a shower almost every day
FarFarAway7337@reddit
Though I take a shower most of the time, I take a bath at least twice per week. When I do, I briefly shower first before getting into the bath. I have a long jet bathtub. I use it more for relaxation and muscle pain relief than cleaning myself. I usually put bath salts in it.
slump_lord@reddit
Last time I took a bath was when I was in Japan 😂
guildedpasserby@reddit
Most people don’t take baths. Most of us shower, usually daily, though some people don’t wash their hair every day
aquay@reddit
i shower everyday, but almost never sit in a tub in my own filth lol. showering is much faster, and some places i've lived do not even have tubs.
Ms-Metal@reddit
I don't know where you heard that the USA has hard water but couple of things, first of all most Americans don't take baths, they take showers. Secondly some regions have hard water, some regions have soft water, and everything in between. There's no such thing as the USA has hard water lol. Sometimes it varies just from one area in the same city to another. But more importantly, even if an area does have hard water, people have water softeners so it's not an issue. I did once live in a hard water area and everybody had water softeners. They pretty much just do their own thing, you just have to feed them with salt.
Personally I was born in Europe although I grew up in the united states, so my parents took baths growing up and enjoy baths a lot more than the average american. When I was younger I used to take them once or twice a week, but usually for hours at a time, because they were really for relaxation, not so much for getting clean. Nowadays I don't take one very often because I'm getting older and I have a lot of body issues and it's hard to get in and out of the huge deep jacuzzi tub I have. If I could though I would still be doing it once a week.
These-Ad5332@reddit
Maybe once every few months. Showers are faster and most people prefer them for efficiency.
False-Decision630@reddit
I bathe to relax or ease pain. I shower daily to be clean. Worst apartment I ever lived in had no shower, but an antique cast iron tub with lion's paws. Couldn't even get a faucet adapter to put in a hand held shower. Had to bathe then drain the water and use a small bucket to rinse properly. Never felt truly clean.
MediocreClementine@reddit
I shower twice a day, baths are a "special occasion." Maybe once every couple of months and mostly I just do it as an indulgence rather than as a way to get clean. Uses way too much water.
Admirable_Current_90@reddit
22M here, I shower every other day. Don’t do them daily because if I do it irritates the shit out of my skin. Only time it’s ever different is if my depression gets really bad, then I’ll go longer without one, but that’s not because I want to.
I never take baths because I’m too tall to comfortably fit in them.
White0ut@reddit
Never, I'm too big.
spaypets@reddit
Every day but more than once if I get sweaty
ToastetteEgg@reddit
I never take a bath but I shower daily. Yes, the water is hard.
Ok-Firefighter9037@reddit
I love my tub. So, daily. Traveling is hard when I don’t have a tub.
WinstonWilmerBee@reddit
I visited Japan last year and I miss the baths so much ;_;
In the US “baths” are used for cleaning the body. You will dunk your hair in the water to rinse out the shampoo, you apply the soap your body, and the tub is completely drained and cleaned. We do not have the phenomenon of cleaning ourselves in the shower and THEN sitting our clean bodies in the tub. Often our shower head is in the tub, so the tub would have soap scum that needed washing out even if he wanted to take a relaxing bath.
peoriagrace@reddit
My water isn't hard, it's really good water. Not everywhere in the US is the same.
msbshow@reddit
Not all of USA has hard water. Not all of Japan has soft water
SmilingHappyLaughing@reddit
We treat our water in the US so it isn’t too hard or too soft.
DefendTheStar88x@reddit
Hard vs soft water varies dramatically depending on where you live and the geography surrounding the water source. In the US showers are the primary method for cleaning oneself in adulthood. Plenty of people enjoy a hot bath but oftentimes see it as a treat more than a daily occurrence.
Parking_Champion_740@reddit
Every municipality has different water, some hard some soft. No way to generalize. I don’t often take baths because it uses a lot of water and we have a water shortage where I am. I think of baths as more for children
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
I clearly forgot how large usa is😓Thanks for info!
_Smedette_@reddit
Daily shower. When my daughter was a baby/toddler I would put her in the bath. Cannot remember the last time I took a bath.
Do you wash your hair in the bath? And then do another rinse after the water drains?
VeterinarianOk8011@reddit (OP)
I don't wash my hair in the bath.I think most of Japanese sit chair to wash up
Bright_Ices@reddit
I have very sensitive skin, very hard water, very exhausting disabilities, and I live in a very dry climate. I prefer washcloth baths (washing “pits, tits, and bits” plus my feet), over showering or taking a bath daily. I do shower when I need to.
Hooligan8403@reddit
Shower daily. Bath maybe once a year if that. We have notoriously hard water where I live and while it doesn't affect me my wife and kids are not as lucky and need lots of lotion. Going to get water softener system this year or next year so that should help.
mechele99@reddit
I take a bath daily.
CrankyCrabbyCrunchy@reddit
Never. Am 67F and my house has a tub but we use it for storage. We have two other bathrooms that are showers.
Looking back in time the last tub I used was probably 40 years ago. The water never stays hot and I end up having to shower anyway to wash my hair. I’m not into sitting in dirty water.
Embarrassed_Fig1801@reddit
Shower daily, sometimes twice if I get sweaty or dirty at work. Bath never. I used to take a bath once in a while if I was sore from work or doing stuff around the house but I have a hot tub now so I use that.
weedtrek@reddit
I miss baths, but don't have a tub. i shower almost daily. When I had a tub probably mostly daily baths.
LibrarianofBabel1127@reddit
My bathing schedule is extremely inconsistent due to depression. I mostly take showers, especially since I'm too tall to comfortably stretch out in a bathtub, but I'll take baths when I'm in a really bad mood. Not for self-care reasons, though; I'll just sit in silence, soaking in the feeling of warmth.
Gilded-Mongoose@reddit
Used to do it more but my tub plug needs to get replaced.
I do it even more when I'm in soccer or running season - with Epsom salt.
Need to hit the hot tub more often.
NotenStein@reddit
My community has very hard water. We have a water softener that treats it so it is soft water.
I bathe or shower daily. I mostly shower, but do take hot baths for back pain from time to time.
Interesting-Phase947@reddit
It has become less common in the U.S. to take baths, but we tend to shower daily. It's not because of hard water. Not everyone here has hard water. It's because our lives are very busy. My sister likes to take long baths and read in the bath. No one else I know takes baths but we bathe our small children in the tub.
304libco@reddit
I honestly can’t remember the last time I was someplace that had hard water. It is literally been 20 or 30 years. That’s also probably how long it’s been since I’ve taken an actual bath. My mother was one of those people who insisted you clean the bathtub before you took a bath then took a shower after you took a bath (she always claimed that you were laying in your own filth, so you needed to take a shower to clean off afterward ) and then cleaned the bathtub. It’s since that is way too much work. I just take a shower.
Indig012@reddit
Maybe 5 times a year
AbilityAdventurous22@reddit
I don’t have a tub but if I did I’d take baths more regularly but more for relaxing than in replacement of a shower. Usually I feel like we would shower to clean ourselves then take a bath for the enjoyment of it
Formal-Telephone5146@reddit
I’m 46 nothing but showers i probably haven’t took a actually bath since my 20s
Utterlybored@reddit
Less than once a year. Showers feel cleaner.
Individual-Aide-3036@reddit
The US is huge and has every variation possible of well and municipal water.
Even different wells in the same neighborhood may have different water depending if they tap a different acquifer.
ohfrackthis@reddit
I take a bath most days - my preference is baths over showers. So I will take a bath person day or a shower + bath. Showers feel like a concession to me lol
Alycion@reddit
I have a filter and water softener on my home. I shower or take a bath every day. Sometimes twice.
Lowcord@reddit
We have very hard water where I live in California. I shower daily and it hasn't caused any issues. I actually prefer the feel of hard water, soft water feels soapy to me, I don't know how else to explain it. I don't like the corrosion hard water causes on cars, faucets, etc however.
Accomplished_Fox5662@reddit
I have curly hair so I only shower 1-2x a week. Sometimes I’ll rinse my body in between, if it’s summer or I’ve worked out.
BananaCat43@reddit
I take a bath most days unless I'm in a hurry. It's my space to unwind and relax. Got the bubbles the candles the whole bit. I only wash my hair every 3 days or so.
Traditional_Air6177@reddit
It is best to bathe or shower once a day. Our water in Ohio is hard so I have a water softener or you can buy shower head filters. My parent’s house in Tennessee has soft water softener no need to filter. Hard water is harder on your hair.
RedSolez@reddit
I shower at least once a day but will occasionally take a bath in addition to that if my muscles are sore and I want to soak them.
I've had hard water my entire life and it doesn't affect your ability to get clean. I only notice it's hard when I see the lime buildup in the shower, but my husband scrubs that with lime away cleaner.
dangleicious13@reddit
I take a shower at least twice a day.
RedHeadedStepDevil@reddit
I somehow read that as a bath after you *performed* surgery and I was really confused.
I think it might be past my bedtime.
eviljim113ftw@reddit
Asian here. Moved to the US and told my friend I’m going to take a bath and the first thing they told me that I’m probably fancy because they only take showers. I didn’t know there was a difference between shower and bath. I meant I take a shower everyday to wash myself.
mankaimo@reddit
I shower everyday, usually twice if i work out.
roses_sunflowers@reddit
I haven’t taken a bath in years, but I shower daily. And America does have soft water. It’s dependent on location, though. But lots of places with hard water use a softener.
gmanose@reddit
Shower daily, take a bath when I want to shave my legs
sv36@reddit
I’ve (30f) lived in places in America with hard water and soft water and I take a bath about twice a week when I can but at least twice a month, otherwise I shower daily. Not every home has a bath or if they do not every home has a bath big enough for an adult, it seems most homes have a small bath for pets baths and young kids baths. It’s considered an adult thing to shower and a kid thing to have a bath. I hated showers as a kid but was forced to stitch to showers around 7-8 years old.
Nate_and_Bake@reddit
Water softeners are very common in the US
EldWorlder@reddit
I take a bath daily but may occasionally skip a day. I never shower.. it’s last resort unless I’m tired and lost want to rinse off
MarionberryPlus8474@reddit
IMO showering is much more common in the US than baths, though some, women in particular, like to sometimes do a long bath as a sort of treat.
I don’t know how common hard water is, but I’ve visited places with it, and it is a PITA. I don’t think the minerals are bad for you but it makes it’s o the soap doesn’t lather, or rinse off well. I always felt oily afterwards.
All_Wasted_Potential@reddit
Bath? Never. Shower at least once a day, usually twice.
Back when I was an athlete I would shower 3-5 times a day depending on number of workouts.
SPWM_Anon@reddit
Every other day, occasionally every 3 days. But like I have depression so maybe I'm an outlier. I heard showering/bathing every day tends to strip away your natural oils that you DO need for good health, especially with her. I do my hair every time I shower, its too much effort to not. Im also not a super active person so its not like im sweating a bunch every day
totallyradman@reddit
I've been too tall to fit in a bath tub since I was 13
jckipps@reddit
Shower every 1.5 days on average. More often in the summer, a little less often in the winter.
Water 'hardness' (dissolved minerals) varies widely, even on wells just a few miles apart. Entire regions are known for hard water, but there's enough variation that almost nowhere is guaranteed to be soft water.
Vast-Combination4046@reddit
Human soup? It's been 5 years probably. Shower almost daily
poeticjustice4all@reddit
Rarely :( I do miss the onsen bath I had last year when I went to Japan.
wairua_907@reddit
I haven’t taken a bath in ages if I could get a tub that kept water hot I’d go for it but I prefer showers at present.
Living-Pomegranate37@reddit
I've always felt that when I take a bath, I'm sitting in dirty water. Yuck.
BoldBoimlerIsMyHero@reddit
shower daily. wash hair weekly.
Aquarius_K@reddit
I take a shower every 3 days if I don't sweat. My skin and hair get dry and stuff if I do it every day and honestly there's usually no need. Obviously if I go to the gym or a hike I'm showering anyway.
Hammer_of_Shawn@reddit
Yea still every single day... sometimes up to 3 showers/baths a day.
Alternative_Salt_424@reddit
I have a bath every morning and a shower each night
Bright_Eyes83@reddit
never, and it's pretty normal to never take a bath. but i take a shower every morning before work
No-Handle-66@reddit
My last bath was 2 years ago. I shower daily.
Not_An_Isopod@reddit
A bath? Once a year maybe
A shower Pretty much every day
Impossible_Memory_65@reddit
I don't remember the last time I took a bath. And not all of the US has hard water. My area has soft water.
JointAccount24601@reddit
I do a bath to wake up then shower off after waking up a bit
JointAccount24601@reddit
Every day. My skin and hair are typical American man-healthy
roumonada@reddit
Every day
m1ch43lr0m4nc3@reddit
I'd say that the majority of americans take showers instead of baths. In terms of frequency, I shower daily, and most people i know shower once every one or two days.
Halofauna@reddit
Every so often when I want to soak my legs. The water where I live is extremely hard, we actually use a shampoo made to remove mineral buildup because of it.
Big_Bang_Amy@reddit
I haven't taken a bath in decades because my knees have severe arthritis and I can't get down and up from inside a tub. I miss taking baths
Pernicious_Possum@reddit
I may take a bath once or twice a year. I shower three to four times a week depending on activity levels. I don’t buy the American obsession with showering all the time. People working in an office showering twice a day. It’s ridiculous
Wooden_Airport6331@reddit
Tap water composition varies a lot based on the part of the U.S. you’re in. Some places do have hard water and some have soft water. Most Americans, regardless of their water chemistry, shower daily.
KuraGl00m@reddit
Japan also has hard water. It depends on the area.
calicoskiies@reddit
The last time I took a bath was 6 years ago when I was pregnant bc my body hurt after work. I probably soaked for like 30 minutes. I’m a shower girlie.
zac3244@reddit
Is it common for American households to have a bathtub? I don’t have one at home; I only have a shower.
braidedrosebuds@reddit
I mean i have never seen a house or apartment without atleast one bath. I’m sure they exist but it’s typical to have a tub with shower attached.
PeppyQuotient57@reddit
I’ve lived in 3 different apartment buildings and moving to my 4th later this year. None have had a bathtub or bath/shower combo
Maiace124@reddit
My current house doesn't have a bath and I lived in dorms without one. But every other place I've lived has had a bath
captainstormy@reddit
Used to be a shower without a bath was uncommon. Now it's very common the have just a shower.
People say tubs are great for bathing little kids but I never had a problem using a shower sprayer. Just get a long one that goes all the way to the bottom and has a button to press to let the water flow or stop.
My house does have bath tubs but I still used the shower sprayer when bathing kids. Though I will add it wasn't something we did a lot. We don't have kids but babysit for family and friends a lot that sometimes included multiple days.
calicoskiies@reddit
Yes. Usually it’s a bathtub/shower combo. My house happens to have them separate tho.
frappuccinio@reddit
it’s becoming more common in apartments for there to be just a shower bc that’s cheaper to put in than a tub
momeep4444@reddit
I shower every other day (unless I get sweaty or dirty), and I wash my hair twice a week. I am located in the Midwest, and live in a rural area. We use a well for our water. Our water is incredibly hard, but we have an appliance that makes our water softer before it enters our home. Even with this appliance, our water is still somewhat hard, which is why I minimize washes.
Angel89411@reddit
I take showers daily, wash my hair as needed (more in the summer, less in the winter), and I haven't taken a bath since I broke my wrist 4 years ago and I can't remember when before that.
HooksNHaunts@reddit
My water is hard now but it’s been soft in the past as well it just depends on where you get the water from. I shower though, no bath.
Creepy-Selection2423@reddit
Bath? Rarely. Every once in a while.
Shower? Every single day.
fearain@reddit
I took a bath two years ago when I had a kidney stone and wanted to soak in hot water. That was my first bath in over a decade.
My wife takes baths (shower first, bath, then rinse after) for relaxation sometimes
Friendly_Artist4459@reddit
In Texas. I take a bath about 4 times a week but I don’t get my hair wet. I mainly do it for detoxing/relaxing, not to clean myself.
irishpunk62@reddit
Generally take a shower everyday, but if I don't have plans to go out, especially on the weekends, I get lazy and might skip a few days.
tmorse85@reddit
I'm disabled, and because of some of my issues, I can't take showers. However, getting into and out of the bathtub is also difficult for me. So, I only take a bath about once a week. On other days, I clean myself in other ways, including a sponge bath if necessary.
MoultingRoach@reddit
Never. I only shower
Ok-Parfait2413@reddit
Bath twice a week and shower once a week.
94grampaw@reddit
Im an adult man, I haven't taken a bath since I was like 4.
Shower everyday.
ThisIsDogePleaseHodl@reddit
A lot of adults take baths even every day
94grampaw@reddit
Alot sure, but 90% of people dont.
ThisIsDogePleaseHodl@reddit
Do you mind sharing where you got 90%?
94grampaw@reddit
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/bathing-habits-by-country
Its the second chart that shows what percentage of different countries take baths one per week or more
USA Americans clearly prefer showering, with a reported 90% choosing showers over baths. The 13% of Americans who do prefer bathing, however, still makes the US one of the most bathed countries in the world.
5oco@reddit
I don't have a bathtub. But I probably wouldn't take a bath even if I did.
Prestigious-Craft251@reddit
I take a shower twice a day
4Q69freak@reddit
I’m 55 (almost 56) and haven’t taken a bath in probabaly 15 years. I do shower every day though. I don’t worry about hard water as I’m almost completely bald.
sheppy_5150@reddit
I couldn't even fathom my water bill if my family took a bath daily.
Prestigious_Pack4680@reddit
Daily.
Chemical-Mix-6206@reddit
I can soak either my legs or my torso but never both. I take showers instead.
One of my biggest regrets about my house is the small bathrooms. No space to add a soaking tub!
Final_Resident_6296@reddit
Daily, because I passed out and smashed the diverter valve off the wall. Otherwise, it would be fairly uncommon 😆.
Due-Introduction-760@reddit
Never.
ancientastronaut2@reddit
I take a long bath every Saturday but shower the rest of the week.
I'm saving up for a whole house water softener.
melodyangel113@reddit
I haven’t taken a bath since I was a kid but I shower every day :) I have hard water but we have a softener so it’s fine
BrieBelle00@reddit
I only know I of adults taking baths as a movie trope. I have never met an adult American in real life who takes baths.
hornbuckle56@reddit
Shower everyday, sometimes twice per day. Live in Deep South, it’s very hot and you need to shower.
anonymous_00745@reddit
I'm 6'5", I haven't fit inside a bathtub since kindergarten.
thorleywinston@reddit
I'm Generation X and we've been socialized since we were young to take showers instead of baths both to conserve water and energy. As I've gotten older, it's also a time-saver as well. Most people I know shower at least daily (sometimes more often if we've done something strenous that caused us to sweat a lot).
rethinkingat59@reddit
I shower/bath once a day after working out plus after each crap how ever many times that may be. I have wondered control of so I can do that at home or hotel 99 out of 100 days.
RealAssociation5281@reddit
I don’t enjoy baths, but I shower every other day (unless I’m particularly sweaty)
MarieDarcy97@reddit
I haven't taken a bath since I was like a toddler. But I shower daily
travelingtraveling_@reddit
Many homes with hard water have a water softening system in them. So, soft water in the home.
Many, if not most, people bathe or shower every day
Ornery-Bit-8169@reddit
Our current home does not have a functioning bathtub, so I shower daily instead of taking baths. When we had a bathtub I took a bath one or two days a week and showered the other days. I try to shower most of the time because it uses less water.
I usually spend about 10-15 minutes in the shower. I think how often people shower depends on their lifestyle/how active they are, but most people likely shower daily or every other day.
Adults here usually take showers more often than baths, and women usually take more baths than men (some people feel that showering is more masculine than taking a bath). Baths are more of a common thing for young children.
When I take a bath it usually lasts 30-40 minutes.
People with hard water usually use water softeners. It's also really common to apply lotion immediately after showering to protect the skin. Depending on their hair texture, some people wash their hair more or less often (anywhere from daily to once a week) and it's common to use products like conditioner to help keep the hair hydrated.
nikkinj@reddit
Not everyone has hard water. You can an also get a water softener if you have excessively hard water. Most areas around me aren’t hard or soft.
That being said- shower 100% of the time.
Odd-Tell-5702@reddit
I shower daily but I haven’t taken a bath in years.
upnytonc@reddit
I think most Americans prefer a shower over a bath. I shower daily. Most of us shower daily or every other day.
ThisIsDogePleaseHodl@reddit
I don’t know about most as far as shower is over bath or Daley or every other day - this is a lot of people!
RespectableBloke69@reddit
America is 26 times larger than Japan. I guarantee you it's not as simple as "in Japan there is soft water and in America there is hard water."
ThisIsDogePleaseHodl@reddit
Right?
I see so many questions here that almost always go ‘Do most Americans….’ as if there is anything at all that most of us do.
MasterPalpitation8@reddit
It’s not a question of soft/hard water for me, it’s that showering is more hygienic. If I’m truly dirty, I don’t want to simmer in that nasty broth. Wash it away, down the drain, soap, repeat. There’s no way you’re getting as clean in a bath unless you shower rinse after.
PainterEarly86@reddit
I haven't taken a bath in years. I shower.
A bath is for relaxation, basically spa time. I don't take a bath to get clean.
I light candles, incents, put on some music, and I relax and think about life.
Not something you do everyday.
ThisIsDogePleaseHodl@reddit
Some of us do it every Day
stargazertony@reddit
Never but shower daily.
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
I don’t take one every day but if I’m lucky every other day. And I’ll be there for literally hours. I read in the tub and have zipper bags that fit my iPad. try not to go in with more than 50% battery because I will read until it goes. Once read to nearly 7 am since it had a full charge. I want a Japanese tub with the lid.
Range-Shoddy@reddit
I live in the USA, have soft water, and find baths repulsive. I cannot just sit there in filth. Even if I shower before it still seems gross. If you’re referring to bathing not specifically a bath, that’s daily. Sometimes more than one per day. In summer I’ve hit 3 depending on what’s going on.
ThisIsDogePleaseHodl@reddit
I would assume that most everyone would take a bath here
Every
Day
I always have
HPLydcraft@reddit
I take a bath almost everyday without shame because so does Willam Dafoe
morgaine_silver_hair@reddit
I have a water softener, and take a bath every night.
Premium333@reddit
Many Americans do not take a bath in a tub, but do bath daily using a standup shower.
Moat showers are America is done while standing and not while sitting on a stool, which is common is Japan correct?
Bullmoninachinashop@reddit
I don't remember my last bath but I do shower once every two days if I live normally but I shower after the gym every time.
Traditional_Trust418@reddit
I never take a bath. I do an everything shower 1-3 times a week and do a quick rinse every other day
Anxious_Leadership25@reddit
Most America's shower, don't want to sit in dirty soap water, has nothing to do with water hardness
Critical-Annual-4201@reddit
Baths are gross to me.
Shower crew.
thomsenite256@reddit
Generally we all shower daily though there will be variation. 5-30 minutes seems to be the range although for the life of me I cant figure out what people are doing in the shower for 30 minutes. Water quality is regional so I dont think hard or soft water is particularly pervasive. I'd be more worried about pollution in the water in some places though water treatment is generally very good around the country.
Upper-Wave3638@reddit
Very rarely. Prefer showers. Not because of the water hardness but because it’s quicker.
ScrubWearingScrub@reddit
Most days
Aromatic_Buddy_9931@reddit
Everyday,
tetrasodium@reddit
It's somewhat regional.
Warm bath on a cold day is really nice in cold regions. Any bath in somewhere like south Florida with the AC going lacks the "oh that's nice" to the degree that it's not at all unusual to see houses an apartments that have a walk in shower but no bath.
peter303_@reddit
Every other day in the gym hot tub (after a shower).
Spare-Anxiety-547@reddit
I think the last time I took a bath was in January of 2020. I was rehearsing for a ballet (as an amatuer dancer) and we were rehearsing 6 days a week. I was pretty sore so my ballet instructor told me to soak in a bath with Epsom salt that was as hot as I could handle for 10-15 minutes every night after rehearsal. It helped but I had a timer going because I just don't like sitting in a bath. Outside of that 6 week period, I don't think I have taken a bath since I was a child.
Also, some people have water softeners so not all water in the US is hard water.
Goodlife1988@reddit
A bath? Haven’t had one in decades. I shower every day.
meghan509@reddit
I shower every day. Been a good fifteen years or longer since I have taken a bath. Not really my thing and don't currently live in a house that has a bath tub. 🙂
lady_abbica@reddit
The water in my Japanese house is way harder than any house I lived in in the US. But to answer your question, about twice a week.
Irish980@reddit
I have a water softener so I have soft water. I take a bath a couple times a month to relax but shower daily.
Exact-Truck-5248@reddit
I take baths during the winter after I've been out doing things in the freezing cold. It's very comforting
27803@reddit
I shower daily
HardLobster@reddit
Not everywhere in the U.S. has hard water. The U.S. is the size of Europe, we are not a monolith.
HeatwaveInProgress@reddit
Never. I find taking bath an extra boring time waster. I shower daily.
I am a woman, for what it's worth, and have never been a fan of taking a bath.
wagowop@reddit
I shower daily
mattattack007@reddit
Most people in the west shower daily and take a bath (sitting in the water) as a self care thing. The tubs here are not like Japan which are spacious and made to be filled up every day, most people have tubs that are barely large enough to fit them because the expectation is that they stand and shower. And due to the smaller tub bathrooms are smaller in terms of square footage and the space is instead used in other rooms.
Sufficient_Cod1948@reddit
I shower, but it has nothing to do with water quality and everything to do with the fact that I haven't been able to comfortably fit in an average sized bathtub since the Clinton administration.
Cecowen@reddit
Every day, just to relax and read a book or something after work
littlewing2733@reddit
I shower every day, but I only take a bath on special occasions.
realvctmsdntdrnkmlk@reddit
I lived in Japan for a couple of years. Far and away, the best hygiene culture of any country I’ve ever been to.
LoooongFurb@reddit
I don't have a bathtub - only a shower. I shower every day or every other day.
JustAnotherDay1977@reddit
Bath? Every 30 years or so.
But I shower daily.
ThePickleConnoisseur@reddit
I haven’t taken one in years. Was never really a bath person
Quirky_Commission_56@reddit
I’m 50 and shower daily and while we live in area with hard water, we have a water softener attachment and a filtration system.
Hezekiah_the_Judean@reddit
I shower every day, and take a bath every two days. I like the feel of warm water against my skin and it helps me relax and decompress.
PuppySnuggleTime@reddit
The US is huge, so water hardness varies. No mattter the hardness, most Americans bathe daily. Specifically, most shower daily.
LopsidedGrapefruit11@reddit
Every night, but I’m weird:)
Super_Appearance_212@reddit
Water hardness in the US varies wildly by area. It's perfectly soft where I live. But I only.shower every other day.
Razrgrrl@reddit
I take showers instead of baths.
iteachag5@reddit
Daily
liptonthrowback@reddit
In regions in the US where hard water is a problem (which isn't everywhere), they do things like a diluted vinegar rinse for the hair or special filtering shower heads to reduce mineral build up. Most Americans shower most days. They may not wash their hair on a daily basis depending on their hair type (curls get dry and angry if you shampoo them too often).
Chee-shep@reddit
I wash my hair every other night (sometimes there’s a three day period) and braid my hair before going to bed. I leave it the braids in the next day, and the day after I undo them and my hair is wavy and styled for the day.
I do take a quick (5 minutes maybe) shower before dressing in the mornings though regardless.
Remote_Pick_1952@reddit
I don't take baths, I shower. I shower and wash my hair daily if I'll be leaving my house. If I have no plans to leave, I may skip the shower completely.
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
Most people don't own a tub that is comfortable for an adult to sit in. I saw some realtor videos for single-occupancy apartments in Tokyo. Even the cheapest ones had a tub that one adult could relax in, if they had a tub at all. The equivalent of a unit bath in the States has a tub that is not big enough for most adults to relax in. If you want to sit with legs straight out, you have to sit upright, and you can't sit crosslegged, so you can't lean back that way either.
So basically, baths are for children and showers are for adults. If the local water is hard, there's a water softener unit that can be attached to the household water supply.
jigokubi@reddit
I haven't noticed a difference, and I don't think any of us take that in account when deciding to take showers or baths.
But one thing that does make a difference is that our typical tubs suck for bathing compared to Japanese tubs, which you can better immerse yourself in completely.
Specialist_Stop8572@reddit
I take a bath 3x a week or so, and shower on the days thst I don't
Darkdragoon324@reddit
Hardly ever, I only have a stand up shower and public/communal baths aren’t really much of a thing here.
LabInner262@reddit
Daily. Bath or shower. My hair tends to be oily so I wash it daily while in the shower. My wife showers daily but every two or three days for shampoo. The standard is to bathe or shower daily. It’s called a daily task of living for a reason😋
Leucotheasveils@reddit
I shower daily and take a tub bath maybe once a month? A bath is indulgent, but the heat and salts are really good for sore muscles or when I feel icky or tense.
yamahowzer@reddit
I shower 3 times per week, and take a bath if I'm in a hotel or something that had a Jacuzzi tub
icedragon42@reddit
The US is huge. Some parts have hard water. But a lot of the country is soft. The ones that do have hard water usually use purification systems to soften it anyway.
So effectively the whole country has soft water, excepting people with private well water and certain municipalities.
Derplord4000@reddit
Never
doozle@reddit
I shower daily and don't remember the last bath I took.
dopefiendeddie@reddit
I take a shower every day.
_gooder@reddit
I miss the Japanese bathroom I had when I lived in Okinawa! Shower and soaking tub, with access to the back garden. It was heavenly.
We have very hard water where I live, but I use a filter on the showerhead. I can tell when it needs replacement!
therealsanchopanza@reddit
Hard water is easily fixed. Nearly everyone showers or bathes daily, and personally I often share 2x a day.
Chicken_Wing@reddit
I'm pretty tall and finding a bath that I fit in comfortably is difficult. When I do have a bath like that, it's 1-2 a week. Otherwise, it's just not worth it.
Hard-4-Jesus@reddit
I don't like to waste time bathing, so I take showers instead. Every damn day before my bedtime prayer. Also, I'm old school, so I don't use body wash, only soap. And I like to apply lotion under every nook and cranny of my beautiful olive skin.
helen790@reddit
Water hardness varies by where us live in the US. I have soft water but I don’t take baths, I shower.
avicia@reddit
I bathe often but every day in winter is hard on the skin of my lower legs so it often is more like every other day. The chlorine of municipal water is harder on my skin than hardness (how hard of soft the water is varies a lot by region.) I find baths relaxing and soothing so if I'm not feeling well, I might take more than one in a day at those times.
silence_infidel@reddit
Never. It’s not a hard vs soft water thing (that’s very region-dependent, my city has soft water), it’s just that a shower is much more convenient to run and clean. A lot of modern full bathrooms prioritize the shower over the bathtub - which is often uncomfortable to sit in, too small for tall people, and is basically just there to tick the box so they can call it a full - so even a combined shower/tub is often easier to use as just a shower.
anythingaustin@reddit
I soak in my tub daily unless I’m traveling then I shower.
ratherbclever@reddit
I guess never. The previous owners replaced it with a shower.
toot_it_n_boot_it@reddit
I live in NW Oregon and we have great water, it’s glacial melt. In fact, we have a pretty well-known Japanese ramen restaurant here that chose a location in Portland because the water here is similar. It’s called “Afuri”.
lithomangcc@reddit
Plenty of places have soft water; odds are if there is a surface reservoir it's soft water. Baths taking too long is probably the reason we don't take baths. It takes longer to fill the bath than to take a shower. Ironically people who bathe usually add minerals to the water. Bath salts are quite common.
I looked on Amazon for my bath salt I use to soak my feet. (90,000 sold last month)
Potential-Drawing745@reddit
I usually take a bath before bed to soak for comfort, and a shower in the morning for cleanliness.
Rockglen@reddit
Every day or two to shower. More often if I work out or have to do physical labor.
I rarely actually fill the tub and have a bath. A big part of that is some apartments don't have a bathtub, just a shower.
There are water softeners are available to put on the water intake for the house. It's necessary for some situations as the hard water mineral deposits can affect pipes and other plumbing.
Trolldad_IRL@reddit
Not since I was a child. I'm too tall to comfortably fit in a standard bathtub.
Walksuphills@reddit
Not since I was a small child.
TALieutenant@reddit
I shower every other day. Can't remember the last time I took a bath....our tub isn't big enough length wise for me to get comfortable...I'm on the taller side.
Actually, I think last bath I took was like two years ago. I was in Las Vegas and the room had a huge "soaking" tub.
FataMorganaForReal@reddit
Never ever. I don't like sitting in bath water, it's gross. I shower regularly, more in the summer and a little less in the winter.
Great_Value_Trucker@reddit
Ive always had water softeners uuntil my current home (i hate hard water, it's destroying my hair) but no i never took baths. Not because of water quality but simply because I prefer showers. I do not feel relaxed in a bath at all. I shower simply for hygiene. That's it.
Lost_in_spreadsheets@reddit
The hardness of the water varies significantly throughout the US, and in places with very hard water (like Phoenix, Arizona) it’s very common for houses to have water softeners installed.
Regardless of water quality, most Americans shower daily, but baths (filling a tub with water and sitting in it) being significantly less popular. Personally, I haven’t taken a bath in years.
Donald_J_Duck65@reddit
I haven't taken one in over 30 years.
Water in the US is only hard if it comes from a well. When it does 99% of people have filtration to make it soft.
GorgeousBog@reddit
Most homes that have hard water have water softeners, I think it’s uncommon for people to not shower daily.
ThePolishSpy@reddit
Almost never. I'm over 6 feet tall so bathtubs do not fit me and it's just an uncomfortable experience with half my body hanging out of the water. That being said when I visited Japan I loved onsening cause I could actually soak my whole body. I also try to go to hot springs once a month or so.
Federal_Pickles@reddit
I take a bath whenever I can. My current house only has showers, no tubs. So, currently, I don’t take s as lot of baths. But not do I love a bath
Direct_Researcher901@reddit
Shower 1-2x daily but rarely baths, ain’t nobody got time for that
pianodude01@reddit
I take a bath about once a month and its just cuz I enjoy soaking in hot water and I dont have space for a hot tub.
I work very physically demanding job so I just enjoy soaking in hot water
Ok_Two_2604@reddit
PushThePig28@reddit
I use hot tubs like every winter after skiing, but can’t tell you the last time I took a bath. 25-20 years ago maybe? Idk I was probably a kid
Akem0417@reddit
I only shower. I haven't had a bath since I was a kid
MajorPaper4169@reddit
Once in the morning and once at night. Also not everybody has hard water.
I don’t have any skin issues.
Never needed a dermatologist.
And no I’m not “stripping oils from my skin”.
IJustWorkHere000c@reddit
We do not have hard water in my area, but, just the same, I shower every single day...sometimes twice depending on how nasty i get at work.
Express-Fennel-3564@reddit
Shower everyday. That’s how we roll in our house regardless of the water type.
andmewithoutmytowel@reddit
I shower almost every day - maybe not if I'm sick in bed. My showers are usually about 10 minutes.
I haven't taken a real bath since I had to have foot surgery and I couldn't get the bandage wet, so I bathed with a heavy-duty plastic sleeve around my leg. We actually got rid of the bath in the master bathroom to make a giant walk-in shower.
squirrelyoakley@reddit
Eh, depends on the part of the country. I live in Seattle, which has some of the highest quality water in the US (i.e. we have soft water).
I do try to shower everyday, but depression can be a bitch
castaneom@reddit
I live in the Chicago area and we he have hard water. It’s drinkable, but it tastes awful. Sorry you feel down sometimes, I had a rough week (my life story).. keep your head up high though!
I love Seattle and really wanted to visit this year but I don’t think it’ll be possible. Sadly. I have a good friend up there.. there’s always next year. <3!
Maiace124@reddit
It's great for African cichlids though! Chicago has a great cichlid club if you ever want to get into fish 😂
meenadu@reddit
Depression is terrible. I suffered for years. Have you had all your vitamin and mineral levels checked? I was very low on magnesium and 500mgs a day has cured me. I swear for 50 years I thought about offing myself everyday after two weeks on magnesium I was cured! It was like magic. I suffered needlessly.
squirrelyoakley@reddit
I get my blood drawn every 6ish months to test my testosterone levels. I would think they'd also test me for the basic stuff, but maybe not
I'll definitely check in with my doctor about getting other stuff tested though. Poor vitamin / mineral levels would explain why antidepressants don't really work for me. Might also explain my low blood pressure, fatigue and brain fog
meenadu@reddit
You would think they check but they don’t. You have to ask specifically. I am not a doctor but someone told me about magnesium and I just started taking it and I got better. Vitamin D deficiency can also really mess you up.
squirrelyoakley@reddit
Wow that's kind of ridiculous lmao. I'm paying for bi-yearly blood draws and they can't even check the basic stuff? 😂
I do live in Seattle (I swear we see the sun once every three months or something), so a vitamin D deficiency wouldn't be too surprising
meenadu@reddit
And some people can’t absorb vitamin D from the sun and need to take a supplement.
squirrelyoakley@reddit
Wait really? I had no idea!
meenadu@reddit
Really. my daughter has to take a supplement because she can’t get enough from the sun.
meenadu@reddit
How do you get the flare with your state on it?
squirrelyoakley@reddit
If you go to the main page of this subreddit and click the 3 dots in the top right corner, there should be an option that says "change user flair". If you're not on mobile, the dots might be in the upper-right-ish corner
Maiace124@reddit
I'm not sure if you're differentiating between shower and bath or if you are simply using bath to mean "wash up". It's not uncommon to not have a bath available so I personally haven't had a bath in 2 years now. However I shower daily, as do most Americans.
The US is huge. There are places with very soft water and water that's basically liquid rock. Water softeners are pretty common where it's hard, but that doesn't actually change the Gh or Kh (what actually determines hard vs soft water). Ro systems do, but whole home ro systems aren't common due to water waste and expense. I moved from where the water was hard to where it's softer and honestly haven't changed my showering habits.
shammy_dammy@reddit
Daily.
jacowab@reddit
I wish I could, l have really bad joints and soaking in hot water every day woul greatly improve my life but my bath is just too small. It's only like 35 cm deep and about 1m long.
Extension_Draw8316@reddit
"You're sitting in ya' ass water"
BlueFeathered1@reddit
I take a shower early in the day, and a bath before bed. Every day.
SinfullySinatra@reddit
I think most of us just shower instead. I like baths but showers are faster.
Environmental_Run881@reddit
I think the hardness and softness of water in American varies a great deal depending on your source (well, or what your municipality or water company does to treat the water). I shower daily.
Stonegrinder27@reddit
I am 2.0 meters tall. I haven't seen a bath tub large enough for me to bathe in in a decade.
ViewtifulGene@reddit
I shower when I wake up and after a workout. I don't take a bath unless I have really sore muscles and time to kill.
cottoncandymandy@reddit
I clean myself everyday... doesn't matter the softness or hardness of the water- dirt still exists and I need to get rid of it before I get into my clean bed every night.
Maybe-Away@reddit
Hard water does exist, but it's not everywhere. I think most Americans shower once a day; I do. My son may take an extra shower at night if he's hot and sweaty from his job.
SDF3_SkullLeader@reddit
I take a shower 1-2 times a day. In the summer I do ofuro maybe once a month. In the winter ofuro 1-2 times a week.
My wife is Japanese and she takes a shower every 2 days because of the hard water. Ofuro maybe twice a week in the summer. Much more regular in the winter.
We would ofuro everyday if we had a Japanese style ofuro here in the US.
moonmoonboog@reddit
Never. I *had to have a tub* when we bought our home because I Hadn’t had a tub in over 10 years…I used it once now in 9 years for all of 10 minutes😆 I’m honestly contemplating getting the Lego titanic to put in my tub.
bizoticallyyours83@reddit
Once in a while, generally when I'm really hurting. I prefer showers.
yozaner1324@reddit
I shower every day or every other day, but I haven't taken a bath regularly since I was a kid. The last bath I took was actually in Japan.
The hard ess or softness of water in the US varies a lot by state and city. I live in Portland and our water is very soft.
ELMUNECODETACOMA@reddit
I technically have a bathtub in my current apartment but I've never used it for bathing and I'm pretty sure the drain stop doesn't work. I shower 4-5 times a week.
I haven't had an actual bath since moving out of my parents' house where they had the opposite situation - there was a shower head above the bathtub but the ceiling was multi-level, which precluded installing a shower curtain (oops) so baths were the only option. That house was torn down before the year 2000.
OwnVermicelli8193@reddit
I don’t remember the last time I took a bath. I always take showers.
RichardCleveland@reddit
I think the last time I took a bath was in the early 2000s. And I am 46.
Gutcheck21@reddit
Hard & Soft water? What does this even mean?
WhatsYourTale@reddit
Shower daily, bathe in a tub once a week. I used to shower in the morning and shower + bathe at night before bed every day, but I started working nights more often and lost the time to do that.
Worth noting: I picked up the habit from spending a lot of time in Japan, so I'm probably not representative of most Americans.
millenz@reddit
I take a shower every 2 days but sometimes twice a day in the summer (sunscreen sweat etc)
felixcleojoey@reddit
I take a bath daily. I prefer it to showering. I’ll wash my hair every 2nd or 3rd day and even do that in the bath tub. I’ll randomly shower instead maybe once every few weeks. I find soaking in a hot bath to be relaxing
Just_curious4567@reddit
My dad takes a bath everyday. The rest of my family takes showers. I take a bath a few times a year. Little kids take baths until they are old enough to work the shower by themselves
DeathToTheFalseGods@reddit
Probably half of my body would fit into a bath tub at any given time. So, never, it’s just wildly uncomfortable. I believe bathrooms without a bathtub and just have the shower are becoming more commonplace as well
littlescreechyowl@reddit
I take a scalding hot bath almost every night. I’ve got RA and my joints ache. If I can take my bath and get straight into bed I can usually fall asleep before I hurt again.
I only shower if I can’t physically pull myself out of the tub. Which sadly happens more often than I like.
MeowMeowCollyer@reddit
Not all US locations have hard (mineral-heavy) water. Cities whose water source comes from mountain snow-pack have soft water. People in rural locations get their water from wells. Well water tends to be hard. Some is so stinky from sulpher, it just awful.
And, yes, the minerals in hard water can build up in hair and make it brittle. It will stain white hair.
Ok_Impression_8720@reddit
I shower every day, but I wash my hair every other day. Husband showers and washes hair daily.
21stCenturyJanes@reddit
Maybe once or twice a year
N64Andysaurus92@reddit
Never. I shower every night before bed.
Fuzzzer777@reddit
I'm older and I have delicate skin that dries out. In the winter I shower every 2-3 days (I clean my underpinning daily). In the summer its 1-2 days depending on my activities. I don't even sweat anymore since I turned 60 except doing yardwork.
Serious-Mongoose-387@reddit
i took a bath in 2020. before that i don’t remember when my last bath was.
Friendly_Side3258@reddit
I shower twice a day, but only wash my hair every 2-3 days depending. Not a bath person yet!
Docnevyn@reddit
Baths (especially for someone my size) require a lot of water. They also require a level of tub cleanliness that is more than what is needed for a shower. These two things plus having more downtime while traveling, means the only time I take baths is in hotels.
Shower daily, of course.
esaule@reddit
Never, I hate bathing.
Unable_Pumpkin987@reddit
The land area of the US is 24x that of Japan, do you think all of the US shares one water source?
sgtapone87@reddit
Parts of the US have hard water. Parts have soft water. I live in an area with soft water and we don’t even have a tub, just a shower.
So I’d say it’s been several years since I’ve taken a bath.
ddp67@reddit
Usually Twice a week, unless I did some exercise, in that case, I have to shower that day as well.
Paperwife2@reddit
The USA has both hard and soft water, it depends on where you live.
cryptoengineer@reddit
The US is huge, and areas with both soft and hard water are large.
My self, I hardly ever take baths, but shower daily.
Alternative-Quit-161@reddit
Water conservation really negates baths where i live but I shower every day.
Luvsseattle@reddit
Coming from an area of the US with some of the best water, I shower or take a bath whenever I feel like it. Maybe 50/50. I don't even think about soft water (which is what we have where I live), until I travel somewhere with much harder water. We also do not currently live with water restrictions and provide water to other places in the US West. Still, conservation is at least a thought.
Danibear285@reddit
Did japan ban the shower?
anotherdamnscorpio@reddit
Shower at least every other day. Summer its more like every day, sometimes an extra quick rinse off if needed.
Baths are occasionally, typically when I have more time and my body is sore.
Stepjam@reddit
I don't think had vs soft water is really a consideration. Most people just taking showers because they are fast and convenient. Also, not everyone even has a bathtub (and the tubs people do have are often pretty small).
2pnt0@reddit
I've taken one bath in the past 20-25 years.
I shower on average more than once a day. Some days I'll skip if I've just done light activity at home, but on days that I'm out and active I'll take more than one. One in the morning, and one when I return home.
Traditional_wolf_007@reddit
what is hard water versus soft? I shower when I smell bad, usually once a day, or when I'm cold in the winter.
CinquecentoX@reddit
I am a weirdo who showers twice a day. In the morning to wake me up and in the evening to thoroughly wash my face because I can’t stand the feeling of water running down my arms and neck when I wash my face in the sink.
I take a bath in the tub about 15 times a year, mostly in the cold winter months.
whatintheactualfeth@reddit
I'm quite tall and don't generally fit into bathtubs, so it's been quite a few years since I've had a bath.
Showers, on the other hand, are taken pretty much daily.
psychologicallyblue@reddit
I don't often take baths in the bathtub but we do have a hot tub outside and I typically use it 3-4 times a week.
Water is not hard all over the US, it depends on where you live. In places with hard water, people may install water softeners.
she-dont-use-jellyyy@reddit
The US is huge and many places don't have hard water.
I shower daily. I rarely take a bath.
Better-Strategy8798@reddit
Shower every day, bath probably weekly. I like relaxing because im too poor to own a hot tub haha. If I had a hot tub? omg.
cmcglinchy@reddit
I never take baths, only showers.
1MrE@reddit
Shower? Daily.
Bath? Pass. I don’t remember the last time. I don’t want to sit in a soup of yuck.
Shower before a bath just seems like a waste of water.
Next_Sun_2002@reddit
I haven’t taken a bath since I was about nine or ten years old. I’m 31 and shower daily
Original-Locksmith58@reddit
When I’ve lived somewhere that has a nice bath I would take one everyday. Most American homes don’t have bathtubs or if they do they’re very small and uncomfortable for adults. I actually used bath salts I bought on m my trip to Japan!
Antique-League6300@reddit
Depends on my living situation I rarely do baths, mostly showers
BoopleSnoot921@reddit
I haven’t taken a bath since I was a kid. Only showers.
UniCorn_CandyHorn@reddit
I shower daily and wash my hair every other day.
stuck_behind_a_truck@reddit
As always, enormous country, different water all over. Our local water is hard, but we installed a soft water system. Regardless, I’ve always showered every day.
garster25@reddit
Most folks have water softeners if they have hard water.
We don't have a bathtub, removed for a regular tiled shower in our last two houses.
Shower every morning. Some days 2 or 3 showers if I am doing a bunch of dirty/sweaty housework.
El_Culero_Magnifico@reddit
In the usa, the relative ‘softness' or ‘hardness' of water varies considerably. When we say water is hard, it means that it contains a lot of minerals. Soft water does not. I imagine there is quite a bit of variability in Japan as well. Perhaps you mean something else?
AssistanceDry7123@reddit
I used to shower daily. Then I spent a month traveling in countries where bathing often meant boiling water and adding it to a bucket of cooler water and then washing myself with a rag. It wasn't convenient and I only did that every few days. I noticed that my skin got a lot healthier.
Since then (about ten years ago) I only shower two or three times a week, or more if I work up a sweat. I still wash my face twice a day, and sometimes if my body still feels clean but my hair is getting oily (I have very fine hair and it gets weighed down with oil fast) I'll wash my hair in the sink.
MonkeyVine7@reddit
My house doesn't have a bathtub, just a shower, sadly. I shower daily and if I had a bathtub would probably take a bath every 1 - 2 days. I love baths.
Ovenproofcorgi@reddit
I bathe every other day, mostly via showering. I have a water conditioning system for my home which gives me soft water. The soft water helps with my psoriasis. But I don't shower because I have soft water. I shower because I get gross and sweaty and want to be clean. If I'm inside all day doing nothing I don't feel the need to shower (typically). I am showering more frequently simply to wash my hair with a medicated shampoo.
SmoovCatto@reddit
In the US if you don't bathe (or shower) daily and wear clean clothes, you risk losing your job or getting expelled from school, or getting ejected from a train or a theater or other public place, and losing friends and prevented from making new friends.
"Hard water" merely means the water is rich in minerals, which is actually a beneficial feature for the skin, though may not leave the hair as silky as some prefer (water hardness or softness varies to great extremes across the thousands of localities in the US).
I am guessing any myth among Japanese of Americans not bathing may have to do with Asians tending toward less body hair and smaller average stature, thus subtler noticeable body odor -- thus their ultra sensitivity as tourists to the diversity of the US population including big hairy people with stronger natural body scent -- as accruing during the day after bathing.
Also, for millions of foreign tourists, New York City is their only experience of the US -- thus foul-smelling unwashed homeless people everywhere inform their generalization of what an American is.
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
I shower every day. I never, ever take a bath. Last soak in a tub was probably 15 years ago when we got a new house with a large tub. And I thought “I’m not comfortable in here, why did I do this?” because before that I hadn’t taken a bath in 20 years.
ExtremePotatoFanatic@reddit
Every day. I wash my hair every other day or so but I take a shower and wash the rest of me every day.
periwinklepip@reddit
I would take a bath daily but it would dry out my skin too much/give me rashes. Not sure if it’s the hard water or what. I shower every other day, and as soon as we get a deeper tub installed in the house I’ll be in the bath for a soak once a week at least!
Some_Rando2@reddit
How hard the water is varies greatly, the US is a very large country. Also, it's more common for Americans to prefer showers over baths because it's more convenient. The typical American probably cleans themselves daily or close to it, but not often in a bath.
BigDamBeavers@reddit
I really like baths but I don't have time for the preparation or cleaning every day. I take a shower just about every day most are 10 minutes or less.
Fun-Dragonfly-4166@reddit
I take several baths a week. It just feels good.
No_Salad_8766@reddit
We can have hard water, but houses have things called water softeners to counteract that.
LucidLeviathan@reddit
I grew up with hard water in rural West Virginia. I've not experienced hard water in at least 15 years.
Lornesto@reddit
I don't have a bathtub in my house, only a shower, so I never take baths.
Paratwa@reddit
3 or 4 times a week. Showers daily.
Baths are for relaxing for me. An hour or longer depending on the book I’m reading at the time.
FruityLegume@reddit
Im a 47 year old female. I take a shower daily in the morning, but wash my hair every 3rd day. We definitely have hard water.
rosietherosebud@reddit
My mom takes a bath every day, and I take a shower every day (we live in the same house). I just live with the hair thing :) But I do have a shampoo that combats hard water.
LeastInsurance8578@reddit
Gotta be 15 years since I had a bath
mdf7g@reddit
Like most Americans, I shower every day (or almost every day -- sometimes I'll skip it if it's a Saturday and I don't plan on leaving the house). A bath-bath, though, like soaking in the tub, I only do maybe once or twice a year. Heating up that much water is expensive.
My husband used to take baths a lot. He suffered from a lot of back pain and he said it helped him. I suppose that's another reason I don't take baths very often; it reminds me of him.
audreydiplo@reddit
You guys are so lucky for having soft water, when I visited Japan and Korea my hair was always so shiny, soft and didn't fall a lot during showers. In Europe, we have hard water, it dries my skin, and my hair sheds in much bigger quantity :/
Tinkerfan57912@reddit
I havn’t take a bath in years. I shower every day.
Julianalexidor@reddit
I shower every other morning, and bathe every night.
wifespissed@reddit
I shower or take a bath every day. I'm 46 and have never even thought about the water being hard or soft.
DahjNotSoji@reddit
I shower daily (sometimes twice daily - in the summer, since it’s hot and humid where I live). As for a bath 🛁— I typically only take these when I’m trying to relax/unwind, maybe once a month.
bazilbt@reddit
I don't bath, I shower. Also our water varies dramatically in hardness. In areas where we do have hard water many people have water softeners.
Available-Egg-2380@reddit
I take a bath most days, like 340/365. The house I grew up in didn't have a shower so that was something I only did when we were at a motel. When I am actually dirty I shower but I have a desk job, I work from home, yardwork is maybe once a week for 3 or 4 months a year, we have a nice bidet. The only time I skip daily bathing or showering is if I'm too sick to manage which is thankfully incredibly rare.
AcanthisittaWhole216@reddit
Mostly never, bath is waste of time and water. I find shower much more relaxing as well, it has nothing to do with hard or soft water
Ifyougivearagamuffin@reddit
It's much more common to shower here, I haven't taken a bath in years. I'm sure that's a pretty variable thing, but baths are mostly for children and pets where I live
WorkerAmbitious2072@reddit
The water may be hard where you are but it’s not like there is a universal nationwide type of water lol
CinemaSideBySides@reddit
I don't care how hard or soft the water is, I care about the fact that 1) I hate how long it takes to fill and then empty the tub for baths, and 2) I am way too tall for the standard American bath tub. Baths stop being relaxing when you can't even fit your whole body in the water.
Nawoitsol@reddit
In college I lived in an apartment that only had a tub. No shower. That was almost 50 years ago. As far as I can recall I haven’t had a bath since, even though I’ve had tubs everywhere I’ve lived. Showers all the way.
I just realized I soaked in a tub at our hotel at Hot Springs National Park, but that was just soaking, no soap or shampoo.
sebastiand1@reddit
Last time I took a bath was 15 years ago. I have zero desire to sit in a bathtub for an extended period of time honestly.
genxer@reddit
I take a shower every morning before work. Weekends it is very rare for me to skip as well, so probably 362+/365 days a year.
Ten2none@reddit
The Western US has most of the hard water. I didn't have that issue back east. It rained much more than I've seen in my life time. (Tennessee) Everyday showers are quicker and use less water. Water bills where I lived get expensive. (California, Arizona)
Packagedpackage@reddit
Rarely take bath. Maybe if I’m really sick and want to feel warm. Shower daily if needed. Most Americans are not showering before a bath.
MamaMidgePidge@reddit
Not very often. Showers are faster and I feel cleaner after one.
I did just take one for 2 hours yesterday because it was Mother's Day and it felt luxurious. I read a book while I soaked. But I took a quick shower afterwards because, again, it feels cleaner. I don't sit in my own stew in a shower.
AdEastern9303@reddit
I took one in 2020.
WhichWitch9402@reddit
Last time I had a bath was probably when I was 5-6 years old. Not everywhere in US has hard water and those that do often have water conditioners installed to make it “soft”.
Baths for anyone over ten is rare here.
jafnharri@reddit
I used to at least once a week. Usually a soak for 30-45 min. My current place only has a standing shower though. I missed baths so much I bought one of those folding bath tubs, but it's such a pain to set up and then drain afterwards so I rarely do it. Where I live the water isn't very hard.
MrSal7@reddit
Baths? Never.
Showers? Usually everyday.
Shoddy-Secretary-712@reddit
We have a water softener.
I shower daily.
Torkin@reddit
I take a bath maybe once a year (I just prefer showers).
My wife takes a bath probably every other day.
z44212@reddit
Different areas of America have different water qualities. I live near the Great Lakes, so our water is hard. We shower every day but rarely take the time for a bath.
When I do take a bath, it's in the evening and is more for relaxation than cleaning.
qu33nof5pad35@reddit
I don’t take baths. I was a little girl the last time I took a bath.
gangleskhan@reddit
Lots of us have soft water. I have had both, and I shower just as much regardless of what type of water. Every day in the summer, every couple of days in the winter.
Jaymac720@reddit
Well I don’t have a tub deep enough for a proper bath. Sunday is always a full shower day: hair, face, beard, torso, groin, butt, legs, and feet. Monday will probably be a short shower day: armpits, groin, butt, and feet. Ya know, the smelly areas. If I went to the gym, I’ll scrub everything from the next down. I don’t want to strip the oils from my face and hair too frequently, so I try to limit that to every other day
Resident_Bitch@reddit
I shower daily. The bathrooms in my house were remodeled a few years ago and now we don't even own a bathtub.
sean8877@reddit
Showers only here. Haven't had a bath in probably 25+ years.
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
Most of us shower daily and it’s fine, the hard water does nothing.
I haven’t taken a bath since I was like 6 or 7 years old though. Solidly team shower.
Swimming-Book-1296@reddit
Every day. Twice a day on days where I do jujitsu. If I didn't, I'd stink really badly.
Zama202@reddit
Once a day at the minimum. Twice a day if exercise or sweaty chores are involved.
SKULLDIVERGURL@reddit
I took a bath this morning. I love soaking in my beautiful tub. But 6/7 days, I take a shower.
ColoradoCattleCo@reddit
The wife and I built our custom home 7 years ago and have an oversized tub in the master. I’ve never been in the thing. But the kids like it.
panicnarwhal@reddit
a bath? once or twice a month at most, i don’t have time for baths. a shower? every single night. my water is quite soft, so it doesn’t hurt my skin to shower daily. my 3yo and baby take daily baths, but my big kids shower (daily). my husband showers every day after he gets home from work (he lays flooring for a living, so he gets sweaty and dirty), and he sometimes takes a bath with dr teals bubble bath. he takes baths more than i do, because they relax his sore muscles
but yeah, everyone i know showers every 1-2 days, but rarely takes a bath
urnbabyurn@reddit
Water varies in the US depending on the municipal source from hard to soft.
Phallis_McNasty@reddit
Last time I ever took a bath was a year and a half ago when I was in Tokyo. It's the first time in my adult life I found a bathtub large enough for me. I'm pretty tall and haven't fit in a standard American tub since middle school, which was well over 30 years ago.
bayala43@reddit
I’ve been over 6’ tall since I was like 11 or 12 years old, I haven’t fit in a bath in long time. If I had to guess the last time I took a bath, I was probably like 7 years old. Showering is the norm here. I feel like baths are more of a relaxation thing. My wife does a bath a few times a month and it’s always a bubbles, tea, scented candle, and bath bombs type of thing, more so than a way to actually get clean.
Soundwave-1976@reddit
Daily after work
tickyul@reddit
Never take a bath, shower twice a day.
kettyma8215@reddit
My bathtub is too small for an adult to take a bath comfortably in it. I haven't taken an actual bath since I lived in an apartment that had a garden tub, over a decade ago.
manicpixidreamgirl04@reddit
I shower every day.
CloudedLeopardDaemon@reddit
Never. Just seems gross. But if I had a proper bathtub that my 6'2 (187 cm) frame could comfortably fit in, I probably would every now and then.
Crab-_-Objective@reddit
I live in an area with hard water but we have a water softener that uses salt and a filter. I shower at least once per day, twice depending on my activity level for the day.
K_N0RRIS@reddit
Rarely if ever. I prefer to shower.
Patient_Character730@reddit
I take a bath every day. It's how I relax. Without my daily baths I get grouchy.
My2026GV70@reddit
Last time I traded in a car.
TrainingLittle4117@reddit
December of 2019. 😂 I'm very tall and can't fit in a bathtub without my knees being bent and out of the water. I was going on a cruise and stayed at a hotel the night before. The hotel room had a huge bathtub, so I took advantage of it.
Betorah@reddit
I’m 71. I haven’t taken a bath since I was in my early 20s. I shower daily. I don’t see the attraction of sitting around on water with skin cells and soap. (I know that in Japan, you wash before getting into the bath.) Also, I’ve had knee issues for decades. If O got foen into an American bathtub, I wouldn’t be getting out. When we redid our bathrooms in 2024, I replaced the downstairs bathtub with a shower, so both our bathrooms have walk-in showers.
PuzzleheadedLemon353@reddit
I'm American and take showers with my soft water. My hair and skin are soft, too. If someone has hard watet they can easily fix that with a water softner. No big deal. I will take a soak bath if I want, but not that often. I tend to 'soak' in the ocean or in the pool. I prefer the ocean, salt water seems to cure all.
Zestyclose_Space7134@reddit
If I break a sweat that day, I clean my body.
If I have a day where I laze about the house and don't do anything, I might skip that day, but hands get washed as needed: before & after handling food, for instance.
AMP_the_AXE@reddit
I'm too tall for most bathtubs to relax comfortably , I shower to clean.
Sea-Significance8047@reddit
The last time I took a bath I was 4 years old. I shower every day though.
BookLuvr7@reddit
I shower several times a week. I bathe in Epsom salts/magnesium maybe once or twice every 3 months or so.
Where I'm currently living has very hard water. Before our pipes were changed, the water was high in calcium, iron, and sulfur, so it smelled like bathing in chalky, eggy-smelling blood. I really miss having soft water. I'd bathe more often if I had soft water.
MVHood@reddit
I never take a bath BUT I once stayed in Japantown in San Francisco and it had a traditional soaking tub with a handheld sprayer to wash beforehand. It was a deep tub sunk into the floor. It was utterly delightful and if I had the money I would install one!!
bryku@reddit
Water softeners exist, so it depends...
MomRaccoon@reddit
Hardness of water varies with location. My well water is hard and I have a softener to treat it. I love a nice long soak, probably once a week. I take a book with me and keep adding hot water.
SenseNo635@reddit
I haven’t taken a bath in at least 40 years. Probably longer. Also, we’re a huge country and not every region has hard water. People who do have hard water often have a water softener.
Bluemonogi@reddit
I take a bath every other day usually.
BionicGimpster@reddit
I shower 2x a day most days-, in the morning and again after I work out. I understand that “taking a bath” and showering generally means the same thing in Japan. As for a soak in the tub- I only occasionally do that with my wife, and we definitely both need a shower afterwards. We have very hard water, and have a whole home water softener and filter system.
I lived in Tokyo for 2 years (in the early 1990’s), and my biggest cultural shock was how insulated my Japanese employees were about life and lifestyle of Americans. They were shocked that I lifted weights almost every day. I’d have employees, particularly young women, just walk up and touch my biceps. I’m a pretty muscular guy, but only 5’8” so general about the same height as Japanese men. I had a full beard at the time and once stepped into an elevator and had every Japanese person in the elevator crush against the walls and each other, leaving a huge space bubble around me. I wasn’t fluent in Japanese, and asked the local Japanese general manager what they had said when I got into the elevator. He refused to tell me- thinking I’d be offended. So I asked the only employee that went to a US university to translate - and she explained that the people on the elevator all agreed I was the devil man. I thought it was hilarious.
Fun_Machine7346@reddit
I shave off all my hair and take dirt baths like many animals. Beyond that I sometimes take showers when I am not too depressed or overwhelmed..
phx33__@reddit
Several times a week. I live in an area of the USA with notoriously hard water, but I use epsom salt that softens the water significantly.
IDunnoWhatToPutHereI@reddit
Baths are my preferred method of bathing. I currently only have a shower. I bathe every day and wash my hair every few days.
cranberry_spike@reddit
I don't actually remember when the last bath I took was, maybe when I was a kid? But I shower daily.
gabrielleduvent@reddit
東洋人の髪は毎日硬水で洗うとパリッパリになるので風呂は2日に1回とかが多い。白人は髪が細い上に毛量が少ないので毎日洗わないとベタつくけど。
肌もそうで、海外に住んでる日本人とかの肌が少し粉吹いたみたいに見えるのは硬水だから。
日本のシャンプーをアメリカで買って使ったらなんかぬるって感触が髪に残ったけど日本ではきれいに落ちたんだがそのくらい水の質が違う。アメリカのシャンプーはアメリカの水できれいに落ちたけど、今度髪がぱさつく。
皆さん苦しんでるようで、アジアンビューティのフォーラム行くと結構髪の毛の相談が多いよ。そのくらい水が髪の質に合ってない。
Old-Vermicelli7116@reddit
I have a bad back and take a bath every night. I don't wash my hair but 1-2 time's a week (I'm old enough it just doesn't get greasy like it used to)
Some American water is very hard, but in those areas they usually have a water softener unit.
monkiepox@reddit
Everyday
Connect_Office8072@reddit
I shower daily but I normally don’t take baths. Quite a few American homes have water softeners that add sodium based chemicals to the water, especially if the water is well water. Most women that I know do not take baths because it is way easier to wash their hair in the shower.
More-Sock-67@reddit
Shower daily, sometimes twice but I couldn’t tell you the last time I’ve taken a bath
Free_Divide195@reddit
Where I live the water is extremely soft. We bathe weekly, but shower daily.
Fun_Inspector_8633@reddit
I haven’t in probably 15 years. I do shower pretty much daily.
murmur70@reddit
I shower daily. I don't take baths. I have hard water. I prefer hard water. I hate the slick feeling of soft water. It feels like you cannot rinse the soap and shampoo. Soft water is not great for you as it has sodium in it.
Munchkin531@reddit
I'm 42F and I take a bath at least 2 times a month, more if I can. I love to soak in the hot water and relax with my bubbles or Epsom salt. As a kid I loved baths and preferred them over showers. But showers are quicker and more convenient for getting clean. Baths are wonderful after a long day. Plus it makes shaving much easier.
CriticalSuit1336@reddit
I take a shower daily, but love a bath, too. Funny enough, I got into baths when I lived in Japan many, many years ago, and our house has a nice bathtub. I probably take one every week or two as a way to relax, usually with a glass of whiskey or wine and some chill music.
They-Call-Me-Taylor@reddit
It's been probably 20 years or more since I've taken a bath. I shower.
ABelleWriter@reddit
Not everywhere in the US has hard water. And it isn't like hard water is detrimental, it's just drying.
Patrizio_Argento@reddit
US is pretty huge, some places have hard water, there is a device called a "water softener" which oddly enough softens the water. Where I live, we get water from Lake Michigan, it is soft and very good.
Most adults don't bath tho, we shower daily regardless of water chemistry.
Judgy-Introvert@reddit
I take showers daily. I am not a fan of baths and haven’t taken one in decades.
BreakfastBeerz@reddit
Baths use like 5 times as much water and you just sit in your own dirty water. I can't remember the last time I took a bath.
Horizontal_Bob@reddit
I’d take one daily if I had a comfortable tub. My back would appreciate it
But my tub is not made for baths.
It’s so uncomfortable you’d think an alien from another galaxy designed it
One_Violinist_8539@reddit
Everyday, but wash my hair about once a week (I’m a women with longgg hair)
Narrow-Research-5730@reddit
Haven't had a bath in years and years. I do shower every day. My water is not hard. If one's water is hard, you can just install a water softener.
kae0603@reddit
Shower daily, wash my hair 2x a week and take a bath to relax and soak when wanted.
reluctantmugglewrite@reddit
I wash daily but wash my hair every 3 days.
Lyradni@reddit
Shower twice a day.
Traditional-Ad-8737@reddit
Never. I can see how it may be soothing to some but the water cools off too quickly and I’d rather not sit water and soap scum. Yuck. It doesn’t seem like a good use of water as it seems it takes a large amount. I’d rather take a nice hot shower where you can shut off the water to soap up or shampoo your hair . I have a well and NH is still in a mild to moderate drought. I take a short shower once or twice a day, depending if I’m working (medical field) or not.
Apocalyptic0n3@reddit
I shower daily. I haven't taken a bath in probably 20 years.
DifferentTheory2156@reddit
I take a shower everyday, sometimes twice a day in the summertime. I haven’t taken a bath in many years. I can’t even remember the last time I
AnxiousRepeat8292@reddit
A lot of Americans realize that baths are sort of nasty
Amarastargazer@reddit
I take baths somewhat regularly due to chronic pain, but it’s really mostly showers. Baths are a couple times a month.
Outlaw_Josie_Snails@reddit
In the US, it depends on the state or region. Some areas have water that is harder, but water softener tools are available. It depends on the source of the water: a deep aquifer, a limestone-rich reservoir, or a local well, etc.
Are you using the term "bath" generically to mean "clean yourself with soap and water" (bathe) or do you mean bathing in a bathtub?
I do not use a bathtub. I use a shower system. I shower once a day. Sometimes, depending on my activity, I may shower twice a day.
metricnv@reddit
I shower about once a week, with some armpit/groin maintenance washing as necessary. I'll take a shower after exertion like mowing the lawn.
SabresBills69@reddit
most clean their bodies every day. most use showers, some sit in a bathtub.
different parts of the country have different levels of hard water. the hardest water tends to be in the central part of the country. hones have water softeners and city water can also do water adjustments before you get it in your home
10leej@reddit
I bath every day. It's nice and relaxing after a day of hard labor to just lay on my old tub for a bit. I work on recycling and let me tell you, hand tossing 40 pallets of stacked cardboard can wear you out.
That said I'm not the usual. Most Americans shower rather than bathe.
Mysterious-Mango4936@reddit
Shower 2x a day in states and when in Thailand 3x a day
creamalamode@reddit
I don't really take a bath unless I want to soak. It's more common here to shower, but not uncommon to take a bath.
GooseNYC@reddit
Bath? Never. Shower? Every day.
FewRecognition1788@reddit
I shower every day that I'm leaving the house, and if I've been sick or a homebody, then every other day. I wash my hair twice a week now that it's long, but when it was short I washed it every day or every other day.
ladytal@reddit
Not everywhere has hard water, and in some places where they do people (like me) have water softeners in their homes to remove the hard minerals.
Icy-Role2321@reddit
We have soft water
However the bathtub water doesn't even go above My waist so not often. If it was bigger than probably would daily
jonesdb@reddit
Shower every other day in the winter or after I work hard outside and sweat a lot.
When I was younger and oilier it was daily or more.
Littleboypurple@reddit
Genuinely never had a bath in my entire life. All my personal washing has been via a shower
12B88M@reddit
Most people in the US have water softeners in their homes and take baths every day.
Cant-think-of-a-nam@reddit
I shower daily. Never actually sit in a bath
Careless-Internet-63@reddit
We don't have hard water where I live but I take a shower almost every day but very rarely take a bath
Crownhilldigger1@reddit
Daily showers or near daily. Water softener addresses a water conditioning concerns and produces endless soft water.
Haven’t been in the bath tub for a bath for decades.
Char_siu_for_you@reddit
Shower daily, never take a bath.
Luffyhaymaker@reddit
I shower almost daily, most of the time twice a day during spring and summer. It's rare that I don't shower at all, I don't feel right if I'm not clean. I can't even go to sleep if I feel dirty. 🤷🏾
bingbong6977@reddit
What is soft/hard water? Never heard that before. I shower everyday often twice if I went to the gym or exercised that day.
Optimal_Shirt6637@reddit
I have soft water and It’s more about the fact that I don’t want to sit in my own dirty bath water. I feel cleaner from a shower and it’s easier to wash my hair and face.
captainstormy@reddit
Hard water is just water with a higher than normal dissolved mineral content. It exists all over the world.
Also not all water in the US is hard water. Most of it isn't.
Personally I shower at least once per day. Maybe more if I workout or do some yard work and get particularly sweaty.
As for an actual bath? I don't think I've taken an actual bath since I was a young kid. I'm 6'10" so I don't really fit in bath tubs.
r2k398@reddit
I shower everyday.
Ok-Ad8998@reddit
Never. I am very tall and cannot fit very well in standard tubs, and haven't had the luxury of an oversized tub. So it has been showers since I was a teen.
fuzzyizmit@reddit
I rarely ever take a bath, but shower every other day (my skin dries out if I take one everyday). I think maybe once or twice a year... maybe?
metallicafan866@reddit
Same, if I shower daily I look like a raisin.
sneezhousing@reddit
Lotion after your shower
metallicafan866@reddit
I do that, but even the Eucarine wasn't enough for how dry it got if I showered every day. I tried lol
But I found what works for me, and I make sure I don't smell before I leave the house!
7empestSpiralout@reddit
Daily
ToxDocUSA@reddit
Bath, never, not since I was a child. Shower approximately daily, may skip a day on the weekend.
Asparagus9000@reddit
We have water softeners in our house. So that doesn't matter for most people.
Susurrus03@reddit
In the US, I shower nightly. My wife is Japanese and takes a bath nightly.
xscott71x@reddit
Baths are gross dude. You’re marinating in your own filth.
If you have hard water, there are water treatment systems you can buy to soften it. There’s no reason to tolerate that
helikophis@reddit
I shower 2-5 times per week. It depends on the activities I’m doing mostly. I try to avoid it as much as I can because I have skin issues and it really irritates me.
tcrhs@reddit
I take either a bath or a shower daily.
PokemonLadyKismet@reddit
We tend to shower or bathe daily
chrisinator9393@reddit
I don't take baths. Takes too long. Uses too much water. I'd rather be doing something else.
Also hard water has nothing to do with your ability to take a bath.
No-Profession422@reddit
Shower daily. I haven't taken a bath in 45+ years.
Background_Humor5838@reddit
I've never heard of water softness or hardness being the reason Americans take baths or not. The reason is more cultural. Some places in the US have soft water and some have hard. People with hard water often have a water softener installed. Japan has a bath culture because that's what people have preferred and done for generations. Americans in general are about efficiency and showers are faster. Also many Americans don't like to sit in their own bath water but many Americans take a bath every single day. We do not have a monoculture around anything really.
Trinx_@reddit
I don't typically take a bath. I don't like the bath in my home or most homes. Laying in the bath just doesn't feel good and I get bored too quickly for the effort to be worth it. I do love a trip to a bath house - probably go 2-3x/year. There's a Korean one about a 40 min drive from my home. I do dream of having a Japanese sitting bath in my home. I love sitting upright in a bath. I'd probably use one at home if I had one like that.
sneezhousing@reddit
I shower daily
Wash hair once a week
A bath a few times a year
bmbmwmfm@reddit
I have hard water but still bathe daily. It's very drying and has ruined my hair. However, they do make water softeners for the home, I use a lot of lotions and bath salts. It helps slightly. Many municipalities do have excellent water though. Baths last as long as the hot water lol.
skaliton@reddit
It really is more of a cultural thing than 'hard water'. In America most men don't take baths...ever. Once they stop being a child.
Keep in mind you have a culture and an entire tourist industry based on taking baths. Like I spent a night at Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku while on vacation and there is NOTHING to do there besides enjoy the hot spring. There is no shopping there, there aren't even businesses nearby that you could walk to. I absolutely enjoyed myself and it was relaxing but if you were to open a comparable inn/business here you would need to actively point out that it isn't a 'gay resort' and even still your clientele would be mostly gay men
so to answer your question, November of 2023.
TheViolaRules@reddit
Basically only bathe at the Korean spa. Showers otherwise
MrHandsRadDay@reddit
Shower every day. Only bath when I have a fever
ManInACube@reddit
Shower daily unless I’m 100% sure I’m not leaving the house. Baths are only when I’ve hurt my back.
Wolfman1961@reddit
I shower every day for about 5-10 minutes.
Layla5069@reddit
It depends on location. Typically, a daily shower is normal.
I did have a Japanese bathroom/house growing up in Hawaii. I took baths daily. If I did shower, it was quick and cold with the outside shower, just to stay clean in the middle of the day. I spent part of my childhood in Lahaina and part back in the rainforest towards Hana. Things get sticky in the rainforest.
Mainland USA, not so much. The water in my home on the east coast is quite nice, and my bathroom isn't terrible. Lately, it has been 1-3 times a week depending on the weather and my daily activities. More in the winter.
The water I had when I lived in the midwest was terrible. It was full of rust. Showers only.
I do plan on renovating my bathrooms. I miss my Japanese bathroom. It is so much easier and nicer to take a bath.
oswin13@reddit
Pretty much daily., sometimes more than once a day if I sweat a lot.
Water quality varies greatly by region. Hard water can be treated.
Acceptable-Bullfrog1@reddit
I live in an area with hard water. I just use a lot of lotions and moisturizers.
solcityy@reddit
my area has hard water. i wash my hair twice a week and shower every day with an exfoliating brush & lotion after
Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit
I've lived in places with soft water and with hard water, and my bathing habits were the same, regardless of the water.
I shower daily, sometimes 2X/day. I take a bath maybe 2-3X/year.
jessper17@reddit
I shower daily but haven’t taken a bath in many years.
rawbface@reddit
Water quality varies in different areas, it can even be different from house to house. Changing the hardness of water is not American Magic, the Japanese have mastered this too.
I shower every single day, I have not taken a bath in years and years. I find baths gross, I don't like simmering in a tub of filth.
batman_9326@reddit
Shower: Washing your hair and body
Bath: Soaking in a tub to relax
I hope this helps to understand other comments
valkayrja@reddit
I live in Florida and we have a water softener since our normal water has so many deposits in it. I take baths occasionally, but not too often. I am also pretty tall and don’t really fit in “normal” sized tubs here, so most of my body sits outside of the water.
Sharp_Anything_5474@reddit
Not everywhere in the us has hard water. I travel a lot for work and some places are horrid for there water and some places are great. Im. Not sure how long it's been since I've taken a bath. Years. It's so time consuming and so much water just for a bath. Plus I have to take a shower after, some I feel gross sitting in my own filth even after using soap and shampoo. The dirt is so I'm the tub with me. Might as well skip the whole tub thing.
castaneom@reddit
I shower daily. I’ll only shower twice during summer if I did outdoor activities, like go swimming or if it was really hot.. etc.
The_Menu_Guy@reddit
I take showers daily, sometimes twice. I almost never go in the bathtub, unless I need to soak a sore muscle.
suzemagooey@reddit
I bathe every evening after the last meal. It is one of several things I do that is very restorative.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
That has nothing to do with why we don't take baths. The last one I took was probably 3 or 4 years ago.
Lyandar@reddit
Last time I took a bath was when I was lucky enough to visit Japan and there was a public bath in the hotel I was staying in. Here in the U.S. I can't remember the last time I took a bath in my house. Maybe after I did a very long (100 mile) bike ride and needed to soak my legs.
mildchicanery@reddit
I shower about every day. I Don't take baths often because they use much more water and coming from California, I am very water conscious. Probably once a year or so?
Financial_Emphasis25@reddit
I take a bath about every other day. I wash my hair every other day in the shower and then have a nice soak in my large Jacuzzi tub the other days to help my sore muscles.
EatTheir_FacesOff@reddit
I take a bath at least once a week. I love them so much. I bring my little bath pillow, candles, music, my bong, bath bomb or bubbles, and have some me time for like an hour or so. When we were house hunting a nice bathtub was one of my top requirements. But for like actually getting clean I shower every day.
hollowbolding@reddit
it's not about hard water, it's about tiny bathtubs and drought conditions
front_torch@reddit
It's been about 20 years?
I don't see a singular appeal.
ScatterTheReeds@reddit
This is not true. Is this what they teach you in Japan?
PrimaryHighlight5617@reddit
I barge my baby daily and I shower every other day. Our water is very hard.
Semirhage527@reddit
I shower or bathe daily bit I only wash my hair once or twice a week
Young_Bu11@reddit
Hard/soft varies and where it is hard, water softener devices are commonly used. That said either way idk anyone under normal circumstances who doesn't shower daily, plenty of people shower both morning and at night as well.
holymacaroley@reddit
Almost always shower instead. It's faster, for one thing.
Tall_0rder@reddit
Has to have been close to 15 years now if not a little more.
whatdoidonowdamnit@reddit
About every other weekend
HotButteredPoptart@reddit
I haven't taken a bath in almost 30 years, but I shower every day.
Rattlingplates@reddit
Only if the chick I’m with wants to. But I do have a large jet tub. Showers are not how I relax it for getting clean. I relax other ways. But if my girl wants to take a bath I’m in.
user_1969@reddit
We have soft water where I live. So I’m not sure why you make that generalization. And I haven’t taken a bath in probably 5 years or more.
frydawg@reddit
Shower every 36 hours, unless working out on same day. I haven’t taken a bath since I was I think 9
iowanaquarist@reddit
The last bath I had was literally decades ago.
Shiny_personality@reddit
I only take baths when I feel unwell.
No_Brief_9628@reddit
Shower daily, sometimes twice a day. Yes, the water is awful where I live. It destroys my hair and skin.
I have a shower head filter but the hard water clogs it so fast that it’s almost pointless.
Taanistat@reddit
I shower twice a day. A quicker one to freshen up in the morning and a full scrub down after work.
steely_92@reddit
I shower every day.
I sometimes take baths in the winter to relax, but it isn't more than once a week.
On Sundays, I do a longer shower that includes washing my hair and deep exfoliation of my skin and scalp.
iliumada@reddit
We have a water softener, but our local water supply isn't all that hard compared to other places I have lived.
I take a bath very frequently in the winter. At least 4-5 times per week. I do not really take baths in the summer.
Severe_Feedback_2590@reddit
I take a bubble bath daily. I only wash my hair 2-4 times a month.
Balfegor@reddit
About once a week, on average, but it varies. I tend to take them a in winter and summer. Spring and Autumn, I rarely take them. But I remodelled my bathroom specifically to add a large, fairly deep soaking tub, so I'm not really the norm.
Xylophelia@reddit
Water hardness varies tremendously across the region. Most of the populated region has soft water. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/map-water-hardness-united-states Local municipals artificially harden water in regions with lead pipes to prevent lead leaching (something that did not happen but should have as a root cause in the infamous Flint, Michigan water crisis)
That said, as a general cultural rule, Americans highly value scent and frequently shower more than other countries and than we should for skin barrier health. People who regularly workout often shower multiple times per day. The actual amount will vary person to person and skin type / hair type to skin type / hair type.
MrLongWalk@reddit
I shower almost daily, I haven't had a bath in years.
Adorable-Growth-6551@reddit
I shower daily but i only wash my hair once a week.
paintedsaint@reddit
I shower daily (or every other day if I stayed home and hadn't sweated). I bathe almost daily in the winter because I get cold very easily my body has a hard time warming up.
Cheap_Coffee@reddit
A bath? Never. A shower? Daily.
_TheLoneRangers@reddit
I shower daily, we have hard water here but installed a water softener system.
Raving_Lunatic69@reddit
I shower daily at a minimum.
We have water softeners for hard water if it's bad enough to cause problems. I grew up with on in the 70s/80s
meenadu@reddit
I shower everyday, some twice a day. Haven’t taken a bath in 20+ years. I don’t have hard water.
workerscompbarbie@reddit
I shower everyday - and I take a bath maybe 2 times a month to relax, not necessarily to get clean.
aoeuismyhomekeys@reddit
some parts of the US have hard water, while others don't. water quality is unfortunately highly variable depending on where you live. I shower or bathe once a day, I'd guess most Americans bathe once a day. my hair tends to look better when I wash it less frequently so I typically wash it only once a week, sometimes twice if it feels like it needs it.
VeronaMoreau@reddit
I shower every day. When I had a bathtub in my place, I probably took a soak roughly once a week or every two weeks. I wash my hair once a week because of the texture and the fact that my scalp really doesn't get oily
Spiritual_Being5845@reddit
I shower daily. I can’t remember the last time I took a bath but know for certain I have never taken one in our current house so at least 8 years.
My husband takes a bath about once a week.
We do have hard water, our water at our current house comes directly from a well. We had a water softener installed. It has made a huge difference in my skin and hair. The dishwasher and washing machine both work better with the softener.
Beneficial-Band-3074@reddit
The irony is that the places in America that have hard water also frequently have poor water pressure, so even though the hard water is unpleasant in bath form, many people in those areas will prefer filling a tub over standing under a low pressure drizzle. So the answer is: when I had water, I took a bath every night
Naturemations_2025@reddit
Most Americans shower daily or every other day. I personally only shower 1-2 times a week, but that's because I have depression.
Forward_Tank8310@reddit
My family mostly takes showers. A bath is rare, sometimes to soak aching muscles but rarely for cleaning. In places where water is hard, if it bothers them, many have water softeners installed which largely eliminate the issue.
HonorableJudgeTolerr@reddit
I take a bath or shower daily. We have semi hard water in our area but we do use a shower head and faucet with a water softener filter
Sea_Comfortable_5499@reddit
The United States is larger than the E.U and has drastically different water quality from state to state and even city to city. We are not homogenous.
Everyone has different hygiene habits that reflect the needs of their skin and hair types as well as activity level and personal comfort/choices about bathing and hygiene.
I tend to shower daily.
MortynMurphy@reddit
Actually different areas have different water sources. My parents' home has well water, but I'm in the city. Our state doesn't have a terrible hard water problem, but some do. Most Americans will use water filters for hard water if it causes problems.
For your actual question: that answer is going to vary wildly since American is a mix of so many cultures and climates. I personally prefer to do a minimum of once a day, two is ideal. I live in a humid area and exercise most days. Some people who live in a very dry area may not shower as often.
IfTheHouseBurnsDown@reddit
I shower at least twice a day. But my wife and I will take a bath together to relax probably 2-3 times a month.
Wonderful_Shower_793@reddit
I almost never sit in a bath, but I shower 2-5 times a week depending on my mood, available time, and the weather. I wash up in the sink (sometimes called a bird bath) whichever days I don’t shower.
I’m black, though, so I don’t wash my hair as regularly as all that. Usually 2-4 times a month.
Novel_Willingness721@reddit
In my 50s here.
Tried taking a bath about 15 years ago. The prime suite had a huge tub. Problem was the hot water heater in my house couldn’t fill it.
Remodeled the prime bathroom with a stall shower.
Marvel_plant@reddit
I shower every day. If I don’t, I start to look greasy.
MadameLurksALot@reddit
Water supplies in the US vary wildly in whether water is soft or hard. But I shower most days and haven’t taken a bath (not counting visiting onsen and similar outside my home) since childhood.
pm-me-kitten-pix@reddit
I'm too tall to fit properly in bathtubs. I shower daily. If I'm not feeling well I may try to awkwardly take a bath but it's usually not comfy enough for me to stay in long.
Tiny_Fly_7397@reddit
Daily—the water is pretty hard where I live but it also gets very hot and humid for much of the year. I’d rather have dry skin and hair than be stinky.
Repulsive-Parsnip@reddit
I shower daily.
Water hardness in the US varies by location and whole-home water softeners can be purchased if desired.
DragonflyOnFire@reddit
I haven’t taken a bath in about 40 years. Shower? Nearly daily
NateInEC@reddit
Shower daily.
Sumo148@reddit
Our tub isn’t large enough to relax in and lay down. It just gets uncomfortable. I haven’t taken a bath in years. Showers are more common.
GotMeAMuleToRide@reddit
Every day (shower). I don't care about my skin or hair. Water condition varies from place to place.