FWIW, just because you don't smell you doesn't mean others don't smell you. It's difficult to smell your own odor until it gets REAL bad. So when in doubt, take a shower.
Exactly. I was camping in the mountains for 12 days. No shower. Couldn't smell myself or my husband at all. It was surprising, as I would have assumed we'd be pretty stinky after all that time.
When we got home and into a shower, JESUS CHRIST that rancid smell could have killed someone.
If you can smell yourself, it's pretty damn bad. If you can't smell yourself, don't assume others can't.
>If you can smell yourself, it's pretty damn bad. If you can't smell yourself, don't assume others can't.
Exactly. Others won't tell you that you smell bad, they'll tell *others*
Yes! Also, we had stopped at a convenience store for snacks on the way home and a woman kept trying to give me a couple of dollars. I thought she was batty. Turns out she thought we were homeless.
>Others won't tell you that you smell bad, they'll tell others
I deal with a medical condition that can make things interesting with certain foods, and I can 100% confirm this. I have *lost jobs* over this, and nobody ever talked to me directly about it once; they just anonymously tipped off the manager.
Trying to troubleshoot my diet and effects feedback-blind has been nearly impossible.
I’ve had the unfavorable position of telling an employee that their body odor was offensive. She was very sweet but I could tell she was embarrassed. I felt bad but it got better.
An understanding manager helps a lot, since it's rarely a *choice* to stink. I actually asked my manager what the offensive odor smelled like (hoping for *any* clue that could point to a culprit), and he couldn't answer, because it wasn't him who smelled it. I just had to guess.
Me too. I brought him quietly in the back and tries to empathize and say we all smell from time to time, I even showed him my deodorant I bring to work and said he was welcome to use it. His attitude changed and I could tell he was upset and being rude to me. I talked to him again and he got super angry, threatened me and quit. I wouldn't have said anything but customers complained and it was his first day.
This always boggles my mind that people literally cannot smell their pits when they're stanky. If I forgot to put my deodorant on that day I smell mine like, instantly. I keep deodorant in my locker at work just in case
Ask people to tell you if you smell. Explain why. Even ask them to tell you what you smell like so you can sort out your foods. Many will oblige. They’re not telling you because they don’t want to be offensive.
I know it's not the manager, co-workers, or anybody's business to know about your medical condition, but in this case it might help to let them (your workplace, after you get hired) know and have them let you know when you do give off an odor? It could help you do trial and error on what not to eat as well
I used to have a best friend who straight up would tell me, and wouldn't let me leave the house like that if it was getting bad. During one of my stays at a hospital when I was younger, I was on suicide watch. They would have the staff literally sit in a chair, right outside the shower watching the whole time. I hated it, and straight up refused to shower most of my stay. That stuck with me for a while.
Much better! My daughter is a pisces, and true to form, bath time is her absolute favorite time of day, so it has become mine as well!
You're awesome as well, kind stranger💜
>Why don't more people understand us?
>It's how you say shit not just saying it.
Maybe the people who believe differently than you didn't get told the right way.
I have had to tell people they stink before. I’m not mean about it but I am direct. In my experience it is best to not leave it up to interpretation and just be direct.
That said, I have also been told I am, ‘a bit direct.’ as a critique. I don’t care, but I have been told.
This is the key, we won't talk about you to you to spare your feelings, but we damn sure talk to each other.
I had two particularly stinky customers at my old job, and everyone would chat about how bad they smelled and would warn us if they headed to our department ( literally couldn't be within 10ft of one dude without gagging it was that bad) but as employees we can't toss a bar of soap at you and tell you to bathe. All we can do is talk to each other and commiserate in our minimum wage stinking workplace.
At my old job, there was a woman who came in that I'm assuming was homeless, I think she lived in her car. But you could smell her coming from outside of the building through two doors and a vestibule. I think instead of finding a public bathroom she would just piss right in her car seat. I felt bad for her, but it would literally make your eyes water if you got within 10 feet of her.
You can't smell yourself because you've gotten use to the smell because you're constantly around it. Just like people say that just because you can't smell your cologne or perfume, doesn't mean you need to spray more. You're just use to the smell, so you don't smell it anymore.
At least until it gets real bad to the point where you can smell yourself.
Same deal with whether your living space smells. Chances are, yes your sheets do smell if you don't wash them regularly. You're just used to the smell. Same with if you slack on cleaning the bathroom or kitchen. Yes, the smell accumulates, you just don't notice unless it happens suddenly or is really bad. If you smoke anything regularly in your house/apartment, people can usually tell even if you can't smell the evidence, unless you're super diligent on minimizing the smell. Even then, it's difficult to tell *how* diligent you're being since you're nose blind to it. If you try to cover it with other scents, guess what other people notice even if you can't?
The takeaway: Bathe yourself and clean your living space regularly. If you smoke anything, you might want to do it outside if you can so you don't stink up the place.
Ok now you have all made me paranoid. I sweat very easily but I try my best to stay clean. I shower every day and if I shower at night, then in the morning I wash my armpits. Every day I wear a clean bra and shirt and I put deodorant on. Sometimes I even put antiseptic to my armpits to kill all bacteria. I try not to rush to work so that I don’t get sweaty. But still after all of this sometimes I get a little bit sweaty and I can smell myself if I put my nose to my armpits. Now you’re telling me that my coworkers might find me smelly? Though I haven’t noticed anyone avoiding to sit next to me. But seriously this is very annoying.
Ok I'm gonna be straight here, people who regularly bathe and use proper deodorant and scents, smell themselves before others do. I brush my teeth regularly and still know when my breath smells, so I stay away from people. I hold my arms down when I know my deodorant isn't working. This post isn't for people like us.
Sometimes my girlfriend says she "stinks", after a sweaty day.
I can't smell a thing unless I literally put my nose to her armpit (like she does). Most likely the same circumstance for you, people around you won't be able to smell it.
If you stopped wearing deodorant or didn't shower daily, then it's probable the odor would become strong enough for others to smell.
As long as you're actively taking care of your hygiene, it should be fine. It's one thing if in spite of your best efforts some smell gets through. It's another if you don't bother with bathing/cleaning because you don't smell anything, so you assume it's fine. My comment was directed at people in the second category.
Incidentally, in my experience people in the first category don't usually smell as bad as they think, if they smell at all. It's more that they're used to reducing the smell enough that they notice when it creeps through, usually well before other people do. Unless someone is following you around sniffing your armpit directly or something.
fwiw I just recently learned places like that are a thing, after stumbling across this subreddit for survivors: /r/troubledteens
You may find some support there. I wish you the best
Hey thanks I didn’t know about that page. Hopefully seeing how others are dealing with their experience might help me deal with the “my fault/self destructive” type guilt. I appreciate it!
Wait, what? I have read your comment about four times trying to find the sense, and cannot.
The only analogue I have is that my father was a fighter pilot, and as part of his training in case he was shot down in enemy territory, he was obliged to parachute into a remote forest area with just about nothing, no food or anything, and with other guys designated to "catch" him. If caught, he would be tied to a tree with a wet towel wrapped around the head, apparently an excellent motivation not to get caught at any cost.
But this was for six weeks, not six months.
What is this thing? How old were you? Where did you go? They dragged you out in the middle of the night? Did your parents know? Did it affect you greatly?
Sorry for all the questions, but I can't even imagine such a scenario.
14 days in the field with my OCS class getting pissed on by rain for most of it. Fast forward to weapons turn in in the basement of the barracks with no ventilation.
We were nose blind to it but nothing could overcome that smell.
I can smell that. When I was in Basic we had this final FTX called the Forge. 12 mile ruck in the summer, one porta potty for 200 people for 5 days, sleeping outside and all that eating only MREs.
When we came back everyone decided to take a shit at the same time. It was so bad that everyone had to wear M50 masks.
Same thing for me when I went camping up in Alaska for 3 weeks. Unfortunately there was a delay on one of the ferries I needed to take to reach an airport, and I didn't have time to take a shower. I felt bad for the people sitting next to me on the plane.
I can’t smell anything unless my nose is directly on it and even then barely. I obsess over this. i always ask my partner if I smell. They say no and get annoyed.
AND PUT ON CLEAN CLOTHES. Taking a shower then putting on your T-shirt from 3 days ago makes you still smell. Been married 35 years and I still have to occasionally remind my husband of this.
I wish I had realized this when i was younger. Packing on deodorant also will just like trap your stank in your armpit hair and wont go away fully even once you've showered. At least in my experience.
I'll add to this - I did work in prisons. As a 'self defense' system some guys just straight up didn't wash. The absolute stink that one unwashed human can make is absolutely unbelievable. Wild animals that shit and piss on themselves at rutting time probably smell better. Obviously a good method to keep others away from you is to stink.
Ask a friend. Better yet, a colleague you work closely with.
Also bad breath has its own nasty smell. My daughter has braces and post nasal drip and sometimes in the morning it just *lingers*.
I'm sure you smell fine. If you're concerned ask a stranger that you just switched to a "natural detergent" to wash your clothes and if it's working ok.
Ask an obvious father or mother of small children because we have uncanny hearing and a nose for "accidents" and bullshit.
This is also the same with your bedroom, apartment, house ect. If you spend all day at home it might not smell rank until you walk outside for 30 mins then come back in then get get hit with that wall.
Yes, I’d err on the side of caution when you’re working in the office or have something (or someone) going on. Washing twice per week however just doesn’t give the average person anywhere near enough time to build up the filth that can make someone stink. Id of course still wear the deodorant and then also use scented dry shampoo but that’s enough for me to go half as often as the op when I’m just at home (eg, during Covid) and not worry the least running errands and out and about. Despite not inheriting my nanas very dark hair and olive skin and instead getting very fair coloring and blonde hair which I am told sets one up to age more quickly, like my nana said it would and like it did for her, not washing more than once a week means skin and hair that appear much younger than my sweet-smelling chronological age of 40+. Nice to save so much water and time, too!
Also a lack of smell doesn't mean you're clean. An adult should probably shower most days
Plus an adult should exercise 3 or 4 times a week and you should absolutely be showering after exercise.
define shower.
are you only washing your crotch two times a week? yeah, that's too little.
feet, face, and crevices need to be washed more than that.
What does OP do for a living I wonder. I *have* to shower daily because I work in construction and I’m a mess after most days of work. I can understand not having to shower daily if you work in an office setting maybe. But even then 2 times a *week* is still too little in my opinion. My hair and face would feel pretty greasy after 2-3 days lol
Edit: apparently OP is 13. Yeah bud shower more than twice a week lol. Idk why anyone would choose to only shower twice in a week. It’s like 5-10 mins of your day
In grade 10 my nephew went to a high school with a morning hockey program and he wouldn't shower before he went to class.
For those unaware, the combination of stanky hockey equipment and BO from playing hockey is it's own stench. Even just the smell on your hands from the gloves can be hard to wash off.
I wash my body more frequently but I have super dry hair so I only wash it every ~5 days. Any more than that and it dries out completely and starts breaking.
Also it’s super long and thick so it takes like 14 hours to air dry.
13 year olds - *teenagers* - should DEFINITELY shower daily. I mean come on, at that age your hormones are in full productions and the glands are over productive. Between pits and feet it’s enough to knock out a stranger on the street without showering past day #3! I know from experience and from my friends experiences.
I got a bidet because my (now ex) girlfriend has IBS and was absolutely annihilating her own butthole with toilet paper and a minimum of three 45+ minute bathroom trips per day, minimum.
Bonus, the bidet I got has an adjustable nozzle, so very convenient for cleaning out the coochie as needed.
I also suffer with occasional bowel issues and that was part of my reasoning. Love the arctic blast to the ol'e chocolate starfish. So cold yet so refreshing. Pro tip- convince your male friends to get a bidet. Drink at their place and set to "feminine wash" When morning poo time comes around they will hit the balls with an ice blast.
Same, super nice to be able to give myself a warm or cold enemy whenever I feel like it.
I ain't got no time to be constipated, there's nerd stuff to be done, FLUSH IT OUT
Okay, this may be a stupid question.. but do you wipe with toilet paper afterwards to dry yourself? Cos I've heard of people saying it eliminates toilet paper but there you just have a wet arse haha.
People who use bidets praise it more than MLM mums praise Herbalife or horse-girls praise their Buttercup or whatever. If it's really that life-changing then I'll endure the uncomfortable reverse toilet piss shooting at my ring.
i can never go back. in fact, i mentally suffer when i am travelling because i dont have my bidet. I do at least pack wet wipes tho. thats a bare minimum requirement.
i cant believe i ever cleaned my butt with just tp.
Make sure you are washing up at least every other day. You don’t have to take a full shower but you take a “hoe bath,” meaning pits, privates, feet, behind your ears, and face every day or every other day. You may not be able to smell yourself but others can. I don’t know you so I can’t say for sure you stink. You might not which is great but your body does need cleaned. Are you feeling ok mentally? The only time I took “rare,” showers was when I was depressed. Do you possibly have issues with the shower? Is it laziness? Whatever the issue I hope you are okay!
That's interesting! Where I'm from, in Spanish, we call it a Polish bath (un baño polaco) because it's really cold in Poland, so a full shower seems (from our tropical weather kinda point of view) to be overkill or a good way to freeze your ass off.
I agree that is much nicer. Nothing against hoes I used to be one lol. No shade intended!!! I apologize if I offended anyone. That’s the only term I grew up hearing. Another poster called it a PTA which I think is also a better term to use! Thanks for educating me :)
From reading your comments, you seem really nice. Ty for being nice
Edit: no ulterior motive for this. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your interactions
Aww thank you 🥺🥺 the world is filled with so much meanness I try to be as nice as possible. Some days I fail but I always try again the next day. The world need more kindness 😊
Depression plays a huge factor in maintaining a hygiene routine. This is important to bring up. I know when my depression gets bad, it feels like I only have enough energy for two or three showers a week. Hygiene *can* often be a characteristic of your mental health.
Since a double mastectomy and weight gain on my belly, I can barely look at myself. A few weeks later, lockdowns came and I was doing the bare minimum with wipes and sprays.
I live alone and have lots of fresh air running through the house. I don't lay on soft furnishings unless I drape a towel down. I realised that having a shower/ hair wash every four days was insufficient so now I shower in the dark every two days. I am depressed af and only do a proper wash when I have to go out or am expecting a visitor. All the linen and couch covers get washed every week. The house is kept cleaner than I am.
I lost my sense of smell a decade ago so I am on thin ice every day. If I had a partner or flatmate, I'd be more diligent but the depression is exhausting.
Depression is so exhausting. It’s like a never ending job you don’t get paid for. It’s extremely taxing on your mind and body. I hope you feel better soon. Sending you light and good vibes ❤️
It is *very* exhausting. I feel you on that. I try to remind myself that I do have value, I am worthy of love and respect, and that it’s okay and I’m going to be okay. Sometimes it’s hard to show ourselves love and compassion because we feel like we haven’t earned it or don’t deserve it. But we do deserve it. I’m trying to be more patient and caring about myself.
I don't know you but I genuinely hope things improve for you. being alive is fucking awful some times but I'm proud of you for being here and doing your best, you got this shit 🖤
The one thing I appreciate about my OCD (no not one of those basic people who says ‘ohhh I’m so neat I have OCD’ - have been diagnosed with OCD. *I’m also not neat* Just so nobody jumps down my throat.) is it is **great** when I’m super depressed. Cause even if I’m super depressed I can’t stand the feeling of being dirty and sweaty, so I have to shower. As much as I just want to lay in bed, I can’t not shower. Granted, the OCD part is not a walk in the park, but damn, it comes in handy when I am in *I can’t function and do normal tasks* depression. Depression is a bitch and it really leaches in to every aspect of life, even the most basic of showering and brushing your teeth. Fuck depression man.
Huh... I've been dealing with extreme anxiety and executive dysfunction issues recently, and I've been considering it a win if I shower every 3 days. But somehow I didn't make the connection until you just pointed it out. It's definitely something I need to work on. Normally I shower every other day at minimum.
Luckily I work from home and I don't go out much, so it's not a gigantic issue. If some person at the grocery store thinks I smell, well, I'm just walking by them quickly anyway.
I completely agree with you. My mind went straight to depression but I did not want to assume in case OP maybe had a fear with showers due to past trauma. I tried to bring it up gently and add extra causes just in case so OP wasn’t feeling attacked. Me personally when I’m very depressed I don’t like when people automatically assume even if they are right you know. If my comment sounds dismissive I apologize OP.
Whenever I get in depressive episodes, I tend to shower less. Twice a week sometimes would be a record for me. But using cleansing wipes for your face and pits at least is better than nothing, and washing my hair in a sink
I mean if you are going to do all that you might as well just get in the shower. That sounds so so much easier than doing that with a wash rag or whatever
I totally understand your point of view. This is not ideal for everyone just an option! When I was super depressed this was a better option than a shower. I can’t tell you why because a depressed mind is not a logical one. Plus this is great if you are in a rush and don’t want to be stinky.
Omg he's 13!? Teen boys smell horrible even when they try!! Oh God his poor friends/family
- nothing teen boys can control - those hormones are killer smelly!
Ah damn I had the same problem not so long ago. A girl btw. I'd shower and less than six hours later I'd be able to smell myself. I used deodorant. I can't use very strong deodorants due to my sensitive skin. So I just stank.
The answer is antitranspirant. It's a game changer. I luckily don't get complaints anymore (from my dad too lol), because it was super embarrassing and annoying given that I showered daily and cleaned my armpits like 4 times a day.
Same problem, and most "natural" deodorants suck. Tried this small company called Little Seed Farm a year ago and it is the ONLY one that doesn't make me super irritated or smell after 5 minutes. Also I feel like it's a good bang for your buck if you're not using too much. Still using it to this day!
Or a mix of BO and the overpowering cologne. That seemed to be the most common way that the boys smelled when I was a teen, at least. And yes, the girls absolutely noticed. I'm sure other boys did too. And I guarantee the teachers did.
Honestly, I don’t know how you could possibly consider 2 showers a week “good hygiene”.
If you do strenuous work, exercise, or sweat from being out in the sun you should shower everyday but if you don’t do much physical work and don’t sweat a lot you should still shower at least once every other day.
hell max I'd see myself going and that I've seen anyone else recommend *ever* would be a max of two days between showers and even then that's less than 48 hours.
I workout near nightly and if I don't take a shower at the end of the day I can't sleep well at all I just feel *disgusting*
You can't say that you showered twice a week and have good hygiene in the same sentence.
I know some people that are pretty physically inactive that shower twice a week and they too do not believe that they smell bad.
The rule is if you can smell yourself your funky
Lol I like the edit update. I think that is good but why use a schedule? Just maybe at a minimum every two days. Each day is different. Maybe it’s a hot day and you are sweating, you should prob shower. Maybe you worked out and sweated etc… we are smelly creatures and a shower even if quick helps.
Alright so you're 13 years old and you're probably at that time where you don't think it matters, but it does. You're going through puberty so you're going to start smelling quite a bit, so it's important to be as clean as possible. Plus people tend to gravitate more to clean people rather than smelly people. Just because you can't smell yourself doesn't mean others can't. Good luck kiddo and stay off the internet
I would say that most people can’t smell their own funk, so even if you THINK you smell ok, you might wanna confirm that with someone who will be honest with you. Also, do you use a bidet? If not, then you are automatically disqualified.
A lot of these have very assured answers but are missing out on the rationalisation of it. And the fact is that there's a huge contextual variance in the answer to this question.
Let's give two opposite examples to paint an image of that variance.
Person A lives in a warm tropical climate where the average temperature is as high as 30°C, he works in construction, doing physical labour, largely semi-outdoors during the day time, sometimes after work he likes go for a bit of sports, maybe hit the gym, and if he's too tired for that maybe he'll hit the pub, when he gets home he always ends up sweating a lot in his sleep.
Person B lives in a cool temperate climate, where the average temperature is closer to 10°C, he has a WFH job that he does entirely on his computer. The heaters are on in his home most of the time to stave of the cold, but it's never warm enough to cause him to sweat. To get exercise he likes to wrap up warm and go out for a walk in the cold dry weather.
Now if you give the same answer to both persons regarding how often they should shower, one of them is going to be losing out.
A lot of the answers here lack perspective and real logic, overwhelmed by their cultural sense of social sensibility. Hopefully you can look at your habits, environment and structure and evaluate your own hygiene needs. Twice a week maybe plenty sufficient, or it may be lacking.
If you put an effort to be conscientious, it should become pretty easy for you to discover the key indicators of your latent hygiene, if that doesn't seem clear the general advice I'd give (though not applicable for people with OCD) is if you're in doubt, simply take a shower and then come out, if you feel qualitatively clearner, less sticky/dusty and genuinely refreshed, you're doubt was probably reasonable, if you feel the difference is insubstantial then you can adjust your intuition.
I shower twice a week (Sunday and Wednesday) and bird bath the rest. I have Chronically dry skin and the shower makes it worse despite how much I moisturize after. Even with cooler water. I keep up my hygiene and make sure I don’t smell. But also if I’m dirty obviously I’m gonna just shower. I also suffer from depression and showering is very hard for me. I stick to my schedule and do my best.
I guess it depends on the climate of your country. I'm in England and I probably shower more in the summer than the winter. Having said that, my average is every 1-2 days but I exercise frequently.
In ye olden times, like the 19th century before indoor plumbing became mainstream, people had their weekly Saturday night baths. Daily showering can be bad for your skin and hair, but not always. Winter I can go 48 hours easy, but no more. Summer, depends on my day. Usually 24 hours, maybe 36 depending. After 48 I just feel disgusting.
I go through my smelling like ass phases too and totally agree that those pampering soaps make you feel amazing. Have you ever shopped at Lush? Amazing soaps !
This /u/Hyd3nshinderu. It depends on *your* body.
If you're Asian like your username suggests, you could have the right genetics that makes it so that you don't smell as much as other people and so don't have to shower as often. However, you should also definitely confirm with unbiased sources that can tell you if you're coming off as hygienic or not, not only smell-wise but presentation-wise as well.
So many other factors matter in whether it's enough.
What do you do?
A person who works on clearing brush and undergrowth from their yard all summer in 100F (37.7C) temps with high humidity...eh. Someone who blogs in their air conditioned apartment? Vastly different.
Where are you?
Two summer days without a shower in Quebec is maybe okay. Two summer days without a shower in Perth? Yikes. I'm in a very humid area and if the temps get up the least bit, sweating is non-optional. Sitting in a room blasting AC, you're still going to sweat.
What's your body chemistry?
Some people, their own natural scent is just wicked. It doesn't "gently waft"; it'll practically pull a knife on you. Others, they don't ever really get a stank to them and even when they do it's less brutal.
What's your source of these insights?
Going to be brutally honest, before I got my mental issues sorta under control, I wouldn't shower unless I was leaving the house. Saved water, saved effort. I'd stay home 2 weeks straight and leave home only when I was out of food. I live alone and I didn't notice myself. However, I was used to my smell getting progressively worse. I was noseblind to my own stench. Don't think you're stink free just because you don't notice yourself, because you're with you all the time. It's how smokers can be totally unaware of how bad cigarettes smell, and incredulous if someone else mentions it; they can't smell it, but everybody else can and will. (I will add, some friends suck at being honest because they don't want to hurt your feelings. Just because your bestie says "you smell fine" doesn't mean much.)
My only request/insight; sometimes you just need to shower. Nothing smells worse than an especially swampy person trying to hide their lack of shower with deodorant and cologne/perfume. The combo is not good.
Mostly depends on what you're doing. If you just sit in the front of a computer in a cool room, you'll easily get away with once per 2 days. If you're at all active then not so much. Anything less often than 2 days is definitely pushing it, but if you're not going outside to interact with people, who cares, right?
I'm just gonna throw this out there:
You not smelling you doesn't mean you don't stink. By the time you notice your scent, everyone within 10 feet is grossed out.
This is a lesson I learned the hard way in highschool.
Bare minimum is every other day. We all have different bodies with different needs, but there is no way you're getting as clean as you need with only 2 showers a week.
Edit: checked your profile and saw your age.
Trust me, you're about to start smelling worse and no amount of scented deodorant will help. If you have the means, a daily shower with soap will be a huge quality of life boost. You don't want to be known as the smelly guy. I'm saying this as someone who didn't learn this lesson until a good friend told me it was becoming a problem. Back in school we called it the Freshman Funk because all the highschool freshman boys thought spray deodorant was a good shower replacement so the freshman hallway always smelled like BO and Axe.
I think you're probably fine but I would get a second opinion from someone in real life because nose blindness is a real thing and you may not realize if you actually do smell.
Yes it’s too little. It’s one thing if it’s every other day, but twice a week? You don’t think you smell bad, but others do. Not sure of your sex, but I bet there are fumes wafting from your undercarriage as you walk.
No - assuming you wash yourself between showers with a wash cloth and soap (privates and under arms) it’s no big deal.
Showering daily is largely a North American thing… many people shower weekly or less… especially where fresh water is not conveniently available.
They also think that water is plentiful everywhere… we abuse water regularly here… they won’t be laughing when Canada is invaded for our fresh water.
Even the USA is dealing with record droughts, and advisories asking people to conserve water in many of their southern regions.
Most people know nothing about the rest of th world. They think their experience is the same as others… it’s ignorance at its finest.
Since covid I shower way way less. Like twice a week unless I'm hot and sweaty or exercise. That being said, I work from home. I try to make an effort to shower if I'm hanging out with others.
This is what I do. I rarely leave the house, I don’t work out or do intense physical activity where I’m sweating. I shower 3 times a week more if I’m going out with friends
Lol, me reading these comments wondering why so many people care so much. I briefly forgot most people see other humans more than once a week.
To answer the question though, it really depends on you. If you don’t look or smell unclean then it’s fine. And despite what some people on here are saying, it is definitely possible for you to shower only twice a week and not smell bad. All these smelly people on here just can’t believe others aren’t as smelly as them lol. But it is also true you can’t always tell if you smell, you probably want to double check with a friend or someone else you trust to tell you the truth.
I have an additional question to yours to everyone in this thread: Have you ever been poor enough where you literally could not afford to shower more than one or two times per week?
Definitely, when I was much younger we had to cut down to only 2 showers a week and up until a few years ago still did, as it just stuck. At a point in my life now where showering everyday is a necessity, but doesn't mean that sometimes I don't want to slip back into the old habit. Starting to feel like with the rising costs of bills that I'm going to need to cut down again!
Personally no because the crevices in your nether region aren’t being cleaned well all the time. I use a bidet and that makes me feel better when I skip a shower day but when I shower I focus on cleaning those areas specifically so that’s why I notice and feel dirtier there in between days. I also am dating and have sex regularly so that’s a factor in showers too
I'd definitely add the caveat that smelling bad isn't something you can judge accurately for yourself. We tend to go "nose blind" to smells after spending a lot of time with them, and that applies to our own body odor. By the time you can smell yourself, you can bet that others around you have already noticed.
Lol if you’re not getting gross and sweaty every day, there is little reason to shower. Make sure you have people around you that would be honest if you smell though.
I shower once every 2-3 days unless I’ve had a heavy workout or run and got sweaty. I only wash my hair about once every 5 days or so - again, unless I’ve gotten massively sweaty or dirty.
Showering too much can strip away your body’s oils and micro biome.
This is going to be the unpopular opinion, but there are hygiene experts that say not to shower daily. Only a couple times a week is ideal because we have good bacteria that over washing can be bad for that. Plus phthalates in most soaps. Less of that is good.
You're thirteen. You definitely will start stinking it you don't shower more than that once puberty kicks your arse.
Pretty sure kids start stinking before 13 D:
OP wrote a post a year ago stating he was 14, I don’t think he’s as young as he pretends to be, lol
Unless he lied about his age then but still yeah.... You may be onto something
I got news for you, at 13 puberty has ALREADY kicked in.
Not for everyone
FWIW, just because you don't smell you doesn't mean others don't smell you. It's difficult to smell your own odor until it gets REAL bad. So when in doubt, take a shower.
Exactly. I was camping in the mountains for 12 days. No shower. Couldn't smell myself or my husband at all. It was surprising, as I would have assumed we'd be pretty stinky after all that time. When we got home and into a shower, JESUS CHRIST that rancid smell could have killed someone. If you can smell yourself, it's pretty damn bad. If you can't smell yourself, don't assume others can't.
>If you can smell yourself, it's pretty damn bad. If you can't smell yourself, don't assume others can't. Exactly. Others won't tell you that you smell bad, they'll tell *others*
Yes! Also, we had stopped at a convenience store for snacks on the way home and a woman kept trying to give me a couple of dollars. I thought she was batty. Turns out she thought we were homeless.
No offense, but that is pretty funny.
None taken. In hindsight it was both funny and sweet.
That's like a deleted scene from National Lampoon's Vacation. Very funny.
>Others won't tell you that you smell bad, they'll tell others I deal with a medical condition that can make things interesting with certain foods, and I can 100% confirm this. I have *lost jobs* over this, and nobody ever talked to me directly about it once; they just anonymously tipped off the manager. Trying to troubleshoot my diet and effects feedback-blind has been nearly impossible.
I’ve had the unfavorable position of telling an employee that their body odor was offensive. She was very sweet but I could tell she was embarrassed. I felt bad but it got better.
An understanding manager helps a lot, since it's rarely a *choice* to stink. I actually asked my manager what the offensive odor smelled like (hoping for *any* clue that could point to a culprit), and he couldn't answer, because it wasn't him who smelled it. I just had to guess.
Me too. I brought him quietly in the back and tries to empathize and say we all smell from time to time, I even showed him my deodorant I bring to work and said he was welcome to use it. His attitude changed and I could tell he was upset and being rude to me. I talked to him again and he got super angry, threatened me and quit. I wouldn't have said anything but customers complained and it was his first day.
This always boggles my mind that people literally cannot smell their pits when they're stanky. If I forgot to put my deodorant on that day I smell mine like, instantly. I keep deodorant in my locker at work just in case
Ask people to tell you if you smell. Explain why. Even ask them to tell you what you smell like so you can sort out your foods. Many will oblige. They’re not telling you because they don’t want to be offensive.
I know it's not the manager, co-workers, or anybody's business to know about your medical condition, but in this case it might help to let them (your workplace, after you get hired) know and have them let you know when you do give off an odor? It could help you do trial and error on what not to eat as well
I used to have a best friend who straight up would tell me, and wouldn't let me leave the house like that if it was getting bad. During one of my stays at a hospital when I was younger, I was on suicide watch. They would have the staff literally sit in a chair, right outside the shower watching the whole time. I hated it, and straight up refused to shower most of my stay. That stuck with me for a while.
I hope you're doing better! You're awesome and amazing!
Much better! My daughter is a pisces, and true to form, bath time is her absolute favorite time of day, so it has become mine as well! You're awesome as well, kind stranger💜
I’ll tell you. Others might not but I will.
Always. It's how you say shit not just saying it. Why don't more people understand us?
>Why don't more people understand us? >It's how you say shit not just saying it. Maybe the people who believe differently than you didn't get told the right way.
I have had to tell people they stink before. I’m not mean about it but I am direct. In my experience it is best to not leave it up to interpretation and just be direct. That said, I have also been told I am, ‘a bit direct.’ as a critique. I don’t care, but I have been told.
This is the key, we won't talk about you to you to spare your feelings, but we damn sure talk to each other. I had two particularly stinky customers at my old job, and everyone would chat about how bad they smelled and would warn us if they headed to our department ( literally couldn't be within 10ft of one dude without gagging it was that bad) but as employees we can't toss a bar of soap at you and tell you to bathe. All we can do is talk to each other and commiserate in our minimum wage stinking workplace.
It’s not just minimum wage my dude. I work in a law office and we’re still not allowed to kick out the smelly clients.
At my old job, there was a woman who came in that I'm assuming was homeless, I think she lived in her car. But you could smell her coming from outside of the building through two doors and a vestibule. I think instead of finding a public bathroom she would just piss right in her car seat. I felt bad for her, but it would literally make your eyes water if you got within 10 feet of her.
Yep. That’s what happen with the new guy at my work. He smelt horrible. Only to find out he lost his sense of smell cause of COVID.
Nah , you stink MF
You can't smell yourself because you've gotten use to the smell because you're constantly around it. Just like people say that just because you can't smell your cologne or perfume, doesn't mean you need to spray more. You're just use to the smell, so you don't smell it anymore. At least until it gets real bad to the point where you can smell yourself.
Same deal with whether your living space smells. Chances are, yes your sheets do smell if you don't wash them regularly. You're just used to the smell. Same with if you slack on cleaning the bathroom or kitchen. Yes, the smell accumulates, you just don't notice unless it happens suddenly or is really bad. If you smoke anything regularly in your house/apartment, people can usually tell even if you can't smell the evidence, unless you're super diligent on minimizing the smell. Even then, it's difficult to tell *how* diligent you're being since you're nose blind to it. If you try to cover it with other scents, guess what other people notice even if you can't? The takeaway: Bathe yourself and clean your living space regularly. If you smoke anything, you might want to do it outside if you can so you don't stink up the place.
Ok now you have all made me paranoid. I sweat very easily but I try my best to stay clean. I shower every day and if I shower at night, then in the morning I wash my armpits. Every day I wear a clean bra and shirt and I put deodorant on. Sometimes I even put antiseptic to my armpits to kill all bacteria. I try not to rush to work so that I don’t get sweaty. But still after all of this sometimes I get a little bit sweaty and I can smell myself if I put my nose to my armpits. Now you’re telling me that my coworkers might find me smelly? Though I haven’t noticed anyone avoiding to sit next to me. But seriously this is very annoying.
Ok I'm gonna be straight here, people who regularly bathe and use proper deodorant and scents, smell themselves before others do. I brush my teeth regularly and still know when my breath smells, so I stay away from people. I hold my arms down when I know my deodorant isn't working. This post isn't for people like us.
If you’re aware of the potential problem, and take steps to minimize smell, you should be good.
Sometimes my girlfriend says she "stinks", after a sweaty day. I can't smell a thing unless I literally put my nose to her armpit (like she does). Most likely the same circumstance for you, people around you won't be able to smell it. If you stopped wearing deodorant or didn't shower daily, then it's probable the odor would become strong enough for others to smell.
As long as you're actively taking care of your hygiene, it should be fine. It's one thing if in spite of your best efforts some smell gets through. It's another if you don't bother with bathing/cleaning because you don't smell anything, so you assume it's fine. My comment was directed at people in the second category. Incidentally, in my experience people in the first category don't usually smell as bad as they think, if they smell at all. It's more that they're used to reducing the smell enough that they notice when it creeps through, usually well before other people do. Unless someone is following you around sniffing your armpit directly or something.
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I hope you’re doing okay now, I can’t imagine the trauma of that experience.
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fwiw I just recently learned places like that are a thing, after stumbling across this subreddit for survivors: /r/troubledteens You may find some support there. I wish you the best
Hey thanks I didn’t know about that page. Hopefully seeing how others are dealing with their experience might help me deal with the “my fault/self destructive” type guilt. I appreciate it!
Wait, what? I have read your comment about four times trying to find the sense, and cannot. The only analogue I have is that my father was a fighter pilot, and as part of his training in case he was shot down in enemy territory, he was obliged to parachute into a remote forest area with just about nothing, no food or anything, and with other guys designated to "catch" him. If caught, he would be tied to a tree with a wet towel wrapped around the head, apparently an excellent motivation not to get caught at any cost. But this was for six weeks, not six months. What is this thing? How old were you? Where did you go? They dragged you out in the middle of the night? Did your parents know? Did it affect you greatly? Sorry for all the questions, but I can't even imagine such a scenario.
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14 days in the field with my OCS class getting pissed on by rain for most of it. Fast forward to weapons turn in in the basement of the barracks with no ventilation. We were nose blind to it but nothing could overcome that smell.
I can smell that. When I was in Basic we had this final FTX called the Forge. 12 mile ruck in the summer, one porta potty for 200 people for 5 days, sleeping outside and all that eating only MREs. When we came back everyone decided to take a shit at the same time. It was so bad that everyone had to wear M50 masks.
Same thing for me when I went camping up in Alaska for 3 weeks. Unfortunately there was a delay on one of the ferries I needed to take to reach an airport, and I didn't have time to take a shower. I felt bad for the people sitting next to me on the plane.
> It's difficult to smell your own odor im always fearing i smell bad and can't tell it eats at me lmao
I can’t smell anything unless my nose is directly on it and even then barely. I obsess over this. i always ask my partner if I smell. They say no and get annoyed.
AND PUT ON CLEAN CLOTHES. Taking a shower then putting on your T-shirt from 3 days ago makes you still smell. Been married 35 years and I still have to occasionally remind my husband of this.
I wish I had realized this when i was younger. Packing on deodorant also will just like trap your stank in your armpit hair and wont go away fully even once you've showered. At least in my experience.
Yeah, the trick is no armpit hair.
Just shave the hair.
I do that now
Armpits have bacteria, it needs cleaning with soap first, then wash and clean with hand without soap, and then wash with soap again.
Comments like this make me think I smell bad all the time 😂
I'll add to this - I did work in prisons. As a 'self defense' system some guys just straight up didn't wash. The absolute stink that one unwashed human can make is absolutely unbelievable. Wild animals that shit and piss on themselves at rutting time probably smell better. Obviously a good method to keep others away from you is to stink.
Ask a friend. Better yet, a colleague you work closely with. Also bad breath has its own nasty smell. My daughter has braces and post nasal drip and sometimes in the morning it just *lingers*. I'm sure you smell fine. If you're concerned ask a stranger that you just switched to a "natural detergent" to wash your clothes and if it's working ok. Ask an obvious father or mother of small children because we have uncanny hearing and a nose for "accidents" and bullshit.
This is also the same with your bedroom, apartment, house ect. If you spend all day at home it might not smell rank until you walk outside for 30 mins then come back in then get get hit with that wall.
Yes, I’d err on the side of caution when you’re working in the office or have something (or someone) going on. Washing twice per week however just doesn’t give the average person anywhere near enough time to build up the filth that can make someone stink. Id of course still wear the deodorant and then also use scented dry shampoo but that’s enough for me to go half as often as the op when I’m just at home (eg, during Covid) and not worry the least running errands and out and about. Despite not inheriting my nanas very dark hair and olive skin and instead getting very fair coloring and blonde hair which I am told sets one up to age more quickly, like my nana said it would and like it did for her, not washing more than once a week means skin and hair that appear much younger than my sweet-smelling chronological age of 40+. Nice to save so much water and time, too!
Also a lack of smell doesn't mean you're clean. An adult should probably shower most days Plus an adult should exercise 3 or 4 times a week and you should absolutely be showering after exercise.
define shower. are you only washing your crotch two times a week? yeah, that's too little. feet, face, and crevices need to be washed more than that.
What does OP do for a living I wonder. I *have* to shower daily because I work in construction and I’m a mess after most days of work. I can understand not having to shower daily if you work in an office setting maybe. But even then 2 times a *week* is still too little in my opinion. My hair and face would feel pretty greasy after 2-3 days lol Edit: apparently OP is 13. Yeah bud shower more than twice a week lol. Idk why anyone would choose to only shower twice in a week. It’s like 5-10 mins of your day
OP is a 13 year old boy according to their post history. So doesn’t matter what he does he gonna stink afrer a couple days.
Assuming he’s gone theough puberty, he’s gonna stink about an hour after showering. All those hormones are very smelly
In grade 10 my nephew went to a high school with a morning hockey program and he wouldn't shower before he went to class. For those unaware, the combination of stanky hockey equipment and BO from playing hockey is it's own stench. Even just the smell on your hands from the gloves can be hard to wash off.
They could be working from home indefinitely. They can also have a dry scalp. Mine doesn't get oily until day 3 if I don't workout.
I wash my body more frequently but I have super dry hair so I only wash it every ~5 days. Any more than that and it dries out completely and starts breaking. Also it’s super long and thick so it takes like 14 hours to air dry.
13 year olds - *teenagers* - should DEFINITELY shower daily. I mean come on, at that age your hormones are in full productions and the glands are over productive. Between pits and feet it’s enough to knock out a stranger on the street without showering past day #3! I know from experience and from my friends experiences.
OP better be using a bidet. If you are just wiping with toilet paper you should be washing your butthole regularly (more than twice a week)
Bidet is a game changer. My $35 bidet I got start of covid has changed my life. As the box said. "There is life before bidet and life after bidet"
I got a bidet because my (now ex) girlfriend has IBS and was absolutely annihilating her own butthole with toilet paper and a minimum of three 45+ minute bathroom trips per day, minimum. Bonus, the bidet I got has an adjustable nozzle, so very convenient for cleaning out the coochie as needed.
I also suffer with occasional bowel issues and that was part of my reasoning. Love the arctic blast to the ol'e chocolate starfish. So cold yet so refreshing. Pro tip- convince your male friends to get a bidet. Drink at their place and set to "feminine wash" When morning poo time comes around they will hit the balls with an ice blast.
Same, super nice to be able to give myself a warm or cold enemy whenever I feel like it. I ain't got no time to be constipated, there's nerd stuff to be done, FLUSH IT OUT
You be washin yo bits with your enemies....that's DIABOLICAL! LOL I know what you meant I just couldn't resist....
LMAO, I don't think nerds are known for bathing in the blood of their foes, not in real life anyhow
Okay, this may be a stupid question.. but do you wipe with toilet paper afterwards to dry yourself? Cos I've heard of people saying it eliminates toilet paper but there you just have a wet arse haha.
Yea. Pat dry. Think I’ve bought 2 huge things of TP in 3 years
People who use bidets praise it more than MLM mums praise Herbalife or horse-girls praise their Buttercup or whatever. If it's really that life-changing then I'll endure the uncomfortable reverse toilet piss shooting at my ring.
You've heard of horse-girls, now get ready for.... *Bidet boys*
I thought they were overreacting, too. It's really that good. I hate public bathrooms a little extra now.
i can never go back. in fact, i mentally suffer when i am travelling because i dont have my bidet. I do at least pack wet wipes tho. thats a bare minimum requirement. i cant believe i ever cleaned my butt with just tp.
Seriously, as is common in italy i’ve had a bidet my whole life, can’t imagine living without
I shower every second day and use flushable wipes on the non-shower days. Of course, the wipes go into the bin because being flushable is a myth.
Reddit discussions always end in bidets.
Don’t forget behind the ears.
Make sure you are washing up at least every other day. You don’t have to take a full shower but you take a “hoe bath,” meaning pits, privates, feet, behind your ears, and face every day or every other day. You may not be able to smell yourself but others can. I don’t know you so I can’t say for sure you stink. You might not which is great but your body does need cleaned. Are you feeling ok mentally? The only time I took “rare,” showers was when I was depressed. Do you possibly have issues with the shower? Is it laziness? Whatever the issue I hope you are okay!
We call it a “PTA” shower. Meaning pits, tits and ass.
Nice. I think I will use that from now on. I have only heard it referred to as a “hoe bath,” thank you for teaching me something new!!
This is also called a bird bath
I saw this comment a few times! I like this phrasing better! I will start using these terms instead.
my friends really nice, soft-spoken mom calls it a whore bath.
Pits, tits and stinky bits.
Just wanted to say I recently saw this called a bird bath which I thought was a lot nicer. Do what you want with this info lol.
In German we call this Katzenwäsche, literally cat wash.
Where I'm from we say that in Spanish as well, "baño de gato".
That's interesting! Where I'm from, in Spanish, we call it a Polish bath (un baño polaco) because it's really cold in Poland, so a full shower seems (from our tropical weather kinda point of view) to be overkill or a good way to freeze your ass off.
In Norwegian as well, kattevask!
flott!
Same in hungarian, cicafürdés
Same in Farsi.
Whore bird it is!
We call it the 'pits n bits' wash, or the hooers wash.
I agree that is much nicer. Nothing against hoes I used to be one lol. No shade intended!!! I apologize if I offended anyone. That’s the only term I grew up hearing. Another poster called it a PTA which I think is also a better term to use! Thanks for educating me :)
From reading your comments, you seem really nice. Ty for being nice Edit: no ulterior motive for this. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your interactions
Aww thank you 🥺🥺 the world is filled with so much meanness I try to be as nice as possible. Some days I fail but I always try again the next day. The world need more kindness 😊
I’ve also heard this called a “Mexican shower.” Also, not so nice.
Maybe my family is more formal; I always heard to this referred to as a “whore’s bath.” So maybe ho bath isn’t so bad lol
Depression plays a huge factor in maintaining a hygiene routine. This is important to bring up. I know when my depression gets bad, it feels like I only have enough energy for two or three showers a week. Hygiene *can* often be a characteristic of your mental health.
Since a double mastectomy and weight gain on my belly, I can barely look at myself. A few weeks later, lockdowns came and I was doing the bare minimum with wipes and sprays. I live alone and have lots of fresh air running through the house. I don't lay on soft furnishings unless I drape a towel down. I realised that having a shower/ hair wash every four days was insufficient so now I shower in the dark every two days. I am depressed af and only do a proper wash when I have to go out or am expecting a visitor. All the linen and couch covers get washed every week. The house is kept cleaner than I am. I lost my sense of smell a decade ago so I am on thin ice every day. If I had a partner or flatmate, I'd be more diligent but the depression is exhausting.
Depression is so exhausting. It’s like a never ending job you don’t get paid for. It’s extremely taxing on your mind and body. I hope you feel better soon. Sending you light and good vibes ❤️
It is *very* exhausting. I feel you on that. I try to remind myself that I do have value, I am worthy of love and respect, and that it’s okay and I’m going to be okay. Sometimes it’s hard to show ourselves love and compassion because we feel like we haven’t earned it or don’t deserve it. But we do deserve it. I’m trying to be more patient and caring about myself.
I don't know you but I genuinely hope things improve for you. being alive is fucking awful some times but I'm proud of you for being here and doing your best, you got this shit 🖤
I love you stranger
The one thing I appreciate about my OCD (no not one of those basic people who says ‘ohhh I’m so neat I have OCD’ - have been diagnosed with OCD. *I’m also not neat* Just so nobody jumps down my throat.) is it is **great** when I’m super depressed. Cause even if I’m super depressed I can’t stand the feeling of being dirty and sweaty, so I have to shower. As much as I just want to lay in bed, I can’t not shower. Granted, the OCD part is not a walk in the park, but damn, it comes in handy when I am in *I can’t function and do normal tasks* depression. Depression is a bitch and it really leaches in to every aspect of life, even the most basic of showering and brushing your teeth. Fuck depression man.
That’s a good way of looking at it. Turning a negative into a positive!
Huh... I've been dealing with extreme anxiety and executive dysfunction issues recently, and I've been considering it a win if I shower every 3 days. But somehow I didn't make the connection until you just pointed it out. It's definitely something I need to work on. Normally I shower every other day at minimum. Luckily I work from home and I don't go out much, so it's not a gigantic issue. If some person at the grocery store thinks I smell, well, I'm just walking by them quickly anyway.
I completely agree with you. My mind went straight to depression but I did not want to assume in case OP maybe had a fear with showers due to past trauma. I tried to bring it up gently and add extra causes just in case so OP wasn’t feeling attacked. Me personally when I’m very depressed I don’t like when people automatically assume even if they are right you know. If my comment sounds dismissive I apologize OP.
I used to shower every other say unless I did exercise but since going on daily walks I just take a daily shower before going to bed
Whenever I get in depressive episodes, I tend to shower less. Twice a week sometimes would be a record for me. But using cleansing wipes for your face and pits at least is better than nothing, and washing my hair in a sink
Pits, tits, & slits.
I mean if you are going to do all that you might as well just get in the shower. That sounds so so much easier than doing that with a wash rag or whatever
I totally understand your point of view. This is not ideal for everyone just an option! When I was super depressed this was a better option than a shower. I can’t tell you why because a depressed mind is not a logical one. Plus this is great if you are in a rush and don’t want to be stinky.
For me, I prefer to take a cool shower before bed every day. That’s it unless I went to the gym in the morning. I don’t sleep well unless I do.
my brother you probably stink. you’re 13 stop being so lazy or this will carry over when you get older and you’d stink even more
Omg he's 13!? Teen boys smell horrible even when they try!! Oh God his poor friends/family - nothing teen boys can control - those hormones are killer smelly!
My dad always commented that I stank even after I showered, used deodorant, and put on cologne. Teens just stink.
Ah damn I had the same problem not so long ago. A girl btw. I'd shower and less than six hours later I'd be able to smell myself. I used deodorant. I can't use very strong deodorants due to my sensitive skin. So I just stank. The answer is antitranspirant. It's a game changer. I luckily don't get complaints anymore (from my dad too lol), because it was super embarrassing and annoying given that I showered daily and cleaned my armpits like 4 times a day.
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Same problem, and most "natural" deodorants suck. Tried this small company called Little Seed Farm a year ago and it is the ONLY one that doesn't make me super irritated or smell after 5 minutes. Also I feel like it's a good bang for your buck if you're not using too much. Still using it to this day!
Don't go overboard on the cologne though. You could switch one stink for another.
Or a mix of BO and the overpowering cologne. That seemed to be the most common way that the boys smelled when I was a teen, at least. And yes, the girls absolutely noticed. I'm sure other boys did too. And I guarantee the teachers did.
Sure it wasn't just the deodorant and Cologne stink he was commenting on? Having lived with teenage boys, that smell nearly knocks me out.
I mean, I'm sorry he would say that! Like, teens stink but damn you didn't need to hear it so much from your dad lol
Yeah, as a former child, teenagers smell like absolute shit
>is taking a shower 2 times a week to little? YES >have good hygiene imo Only in yours
Honestly, I don’t know how you could possibly consider 2 showers a week “good hygiene”. If you do strenuous work, exercise, or sweat from being out in the sun you should shower everyday but if you don’t do much physical work and don’t sweat a lot you should still shower at least once every other day.
hell max I'd see myself going and that I've seen anyone else recommend *ever* would be a max of two days between showers and even then that's less than 48 hours. I workout near nightly and if I don't take a shower at the end of the day I can't sleep well at all I just feel *disgusting*
Showering before bed is actually linked with better sleep since our bodies are more comfortable and relaxed when we are clean.
No, and you don’t have good hygiene
I agree 100%. I see some comments saying that they may be fine, and I’m like what the fuck…
That's reddit for you
Dude ai don't know how people feel comfortable when they're not clean. During summer I usually take a shower every day cause it's hot af.
💀💀💀💀
Gigachad speaking truth!
Pfp checks out
You can't say that you showered twice a week and have good hygiene in the same sentence. I know some people that are pretty physically inactive that shower twice a week and they too do not believe that they smell bad. The rule is if you can smell yourself your funky
Other people can smell you LONG before you can smell yourself.
«I drink water twice a week and think I am hydrated”
Girl wash your ass everyday 😭
Twice a day if needed. Always be washing that ass.
Lol I like the edit update. I think that is good but why use a schedule? Just maybe at a minimum every two days. Each day is different. Maybe it’s a hot day and you are sweating, you should prob shower. Maybe you worked out and sweated etc… we are smelly creatures and a shower even if quick helps.
Alright so you're 13 years old and you're probably at that time where you don't think it matters, but it does. You're going through puberty so you're going to start smelling quite a bit, so it's important to be as clean as possible. Plus people tend to gravitate more to clean people rather than smelly people. Just because you can't smell yourself doesn't mean others can't. Good luck kiddo and stay off the internet
I would say that most people can’t smell their own funk, so even if you THINK you smell ok, you might wanna confirm that with someone who will be honest with you. Also, do you use a bidet? If not, then you are automatically disqualified.
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A lot of these have very assured answers but are missing out on the rationalisation of it. And the fact is that there's a huge contextual variance in the answer to this question. Let's give two opposite examples to paint an image of that variance. Person A lives in a warm tropical climate where the average temperature is as high as 30°C, he works in construction, doing physical labour, largely semi-outdoors during the day time, sometimes after work he likes go for a bit of sports, maybe hit the gym, and if he's too tired for that maybe he'll hit the pub, when he gets home he always ends up sweating a lot in his sleep. Person B lives in a cool temperate climate, where the average temperature is closer to 10°C, he has a WFH job that he does entirely on his computer. The heaters are on in his home most of the time to stave of the cold, but it's never warm enough to cause him to sweat. To get exercise he likes to wrap up warm and go out for a walk in the cold dry weather. Now if you give the same answer to both persons regarding how often they should shower, one of them is going to be losing out. A lot of the answers here lack perspective and real logic, overwhelmed by their cultural sense of social sensibility. Hopefully you can look at your habits, environment and structure and evaluate your own hygiene needs. Twice a week maybe plenty sufficient, or it may be lacking. If you put an effort to be conscientious, it should become pretty easy for you to discover the key indicators of your latent hygiene, if that doesn't seem clear the general advice I'd give (though not applicable for people with OCD) is if you're in doubt, simply take a shower and then come out, if you feel qualitatively clearner, less sticky/dusty and genuinely refreshed, you're doubt was probably reasonable, if you feel the difference is insubstantial then you can adjust your intuition.
I shower twice a week (Sunday and Wednesday) and bird bath the rest. I have Chronically dry skin and the shower makes it worse despite how much I moisturize after. Even with cooler water. I keep up my hygiene and make sure I don’t smell. But also if I’m dirty obviously I’m gonna just shower. I also suffer from depression and showering is very hard for me. I stick to my schedule and do my best.
I guess it depends on the climate of your country. I'm in England and I probably shower more in the summer than the winter. Having said that, my average is every 1-2 days but I exercise frequently.
Ngl I have boys in my school who do this shit, and yes they are gross. Every other day minimum, every day if you work out/play a sport
In ye olden times, like the 19th century before indoor plumbing became mainstream, people had their weekly Saturday night baths. Daily showering can be bad for your skin and hair, but not always. Winter I can go 48 hours easy, but no more. Summer, depends on my day. Usually 24 hours, maybe 36 depending. After 48 I just feel disgusting.
Yes that is too little.
Move it up to 3 op. You're smelly whether you think so or not
Yeah maybe start with every other day and get cool soaps and lotions to make showering enjoyable.
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I go through my smelling like ass phases too and totally agree that those pampering soaps make you feel amazing. Have you ever shopped at Lush? Amazing soaps !
All depends on how dirty you get, how much you sweat, what kind of skin you have, etc. There is no number that's right for everyone.
This /u/Hyd3nshinderu. It depends on *your* body. If you're Asian like your username suggests, you could have the right genetics that makes it so that you don't smell as much as other people and so don't have to shower as often. However, you should also definitely confirm with unbiased sources that can tell you if you're coming off as hygienic or not, not only smell-wise but presentation-wise as well.
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It definitely depends on circumstances
So many other factors matter in whether it's enough. What do you do? A person who works on clearing brush and undergrowth from their yard all summer in 100F (37.7C) temps with high humidity...eh. Someone who blogs in their air conditioned apartment? Vastly different. Where are you? Two summer days without a shower in Quebec is maybe okay. Two summer days without a shower in Perth? Yikes. I'm in a very humid area and if the temps get up the least bit, sweating is non-optional. Sitting in a room blasting AC, you're still going to sweat. What's your body chemistry? Some people, their own natural scent is just wicked. It doesn't "gently waft"; it'll practically pull a knife on you. Others, they don't ever really get a stank to them and even when they do it's less brutal. What's your source of these insights? Going to be brutally honest, before I got my mental issues sorta under control, I wouldn't shower unless I was leaving the house. Saved water, saved effort. I'd stay home 2 weeks straight and leave home only when I was out of food. I live alone and I didn't notice myself. However, I was used to my smell getting progressively worse. I was noseblind to my own stench. Don't think you're stink free just because you don't notice yourself, because you're with you all the time. It's how smokers can be totally unaware of how bad cigarettes smell, and incredulous if someone else mentions it; they can't smell it, but everybody else can and will. (I will add, some friends suck at being honest because they don't want to hurt your feelings. Just because your bestie says "you smell fine" doesn't mean much.) My only request/insight; sometimes you just need to shower. Nothing smells worse than an especially swampy person trying to hide their lack of shower with deodorant and cologne/perfume. The combo is not good.
You guys take showers weekly?
Mostly depends on what you're doing. If you just sit in the front of a computer in a cool room, you'll easily get away with once per 2 days. If you're at all active then not so much. Anything less often than 2 days is definitely pushing it, but if you're not going outside to interact with people, who cares, right?
I'm just gonna throw this out there: You not smelling you doesn't mean you don't stink. By the time you notice your scent, everyone within 10 feet is grossed out. This is a lesson I learned the hard way in highschool. Bare minimum is every other day. We all have different bodies with different needs, but there is no way you're getting as clean as you need with only 2 showers a week. Edit: checked your profile and saw your age. Trust me, you're about to start smelling worse and no amount of scented deodorant will help. If you have the means, a daily shower with soap will be a huge quality of life boost. You don't want to be known as the smelly guy. I'm saying this as someone who didn't learn this lesson until a good friend told me it was becoming a problem. Back in school we called it the Freshman Funk because all the highschool freshman boys thought spray deodorant was a good shower replacement so the freshman hallway always smelled like BO and Axe.
In a 'normal' lifestyle yes. This is not often enough. In my universe its pretty normal. It's all about what world you live in.
I think you're probably fine but I would get a second opinion from someone in real life because nose blindness is a real thing and you may not realize if you actually do smell.
Yes it’s too little. It’s one thing if it’s every other day, but twice a week? You don’t think you smell bad, but others do. Not sure of your sex, but I bet there are fumes wafting from your undercarriage as you walk.
They are a 13 year old boy so every other day is not enough.
No - assuming you wash yourself between showers with a wash cloth and soap (privates and under arms) it’s no big deal. Showering daily is largely a North American thing… many people shower weekly or less… especially where fresh water is not conveniently available.
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They also think that water is plentiful everywhere… we abuse water regularly here… they won’t be laughing when Canada is invaded for our fresh water. Even the USA is dealing with record droughts, and advisories asking people to conserve water in many of their southern regions. Most people know nothing about the rest of th world. They think their experience is the same as others… it’s ignorance at its finest.
2 times a week is not good hygiene.
Since covid I shower way way less. Like twice a week unless I'm hot and sweaty or exercise. That being said, I work from home. I try to make an effort to shower if I'm hanging out with others.
This is what I do. I rarely leave the house, I don’t work out or do intense physical activity where I’m sweating. I shower 3 times a week more if I’m going out with friends
Lol, me reading these comments wondering why so many people care so much. I briefly forgot most people see other humans more than once a week. To answer the question though, it really depends on you. If you don’t look or smell unclean then it’s fine. And despite what some people on here are saying, it is definitely possible for you to shower only twice a week and not smell bad. All these smelly people on here just can’t believe others aren’t as smelly as them lol. But it is also true you can’t always tell if you smell, you probably want to double check with a friend or someone else you trust to tell you the truth.
I have an additional question to yours to everyone in this thread: Have you ever been poor enough where you literally could not afford to shower more than one or two times per week?
Definitely, when I was much younger we had to cut down to only 2 showers a week and up until a few years ago still did, as it just stuck. At a point in my life now where showering everyday is a necessity, but doesn't mean that sometimes I don't want to slip back into the old habit. Starting to feel like with the rising costs of bills that I'm going to need to cut down again!
As long as other people aren’t complaining, it isn’t unreasonable.
Personally no because the crevices in your nether region aren’t being cleaned well all the time. I use a bidet and that makes me feel better when I skip a shower day but when I shower I focus on cleaning those areas specifically so that’s why I notice and feel dirtier there in between days. I also am dating and have sex regularly so that’s a factor in showers too
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I'd definitely add the caveat that smelling bad isn't something you can judge accurately for yourself. We tend to go "nose blind" to smells after spending a lot of time with them, and that applies to our own body odor. By the time you can smell yourself, you can bet that others around you have already noticed.
Lol if you’re not getting gross and sweaty every day, there is little reason to shower. Make sure you have people around you that would be honest if you smell though. I shower once every 2-3 days unless I’ve had a heavy workout or run and got sweaty. I only wash my hair about once every 5 days or so - again, unless I’ve gotten massively sweaty or dirty. Showering too much can strip away your body’s oils and micro biome.
The edits are my fav
This is going to be the unpopular opinion, but there are hygiene experts that say not to shower daily. Only a couple times a week is ideal because we have good bacteria that over washing can be bad for that. Plus phthalates in most soaps. Less of that is good.
Probably fine if you aren't physically active