BATHS HAVE GONE DOWN THE PLUGHOLE
AND THE AVERAGE BRIT DOESN’T SHOWER DAILY
§ Men are the dirtier sex, but only just
§ Geordies are the cleanest, showering everyday
§ Welsh are the dirtiest with 10% showering just once a week
§ The traditional bar of soap has been replaced by a shower gel
§ One in 20 take a smartphone/ ipad in the bath with them
THE NATION’S love affair with a long hot soak in the bath has dwindled as the average Brit (28%) bathes just six times a year.
Shockingly, one in five of us have a bath just once a year.
And while showers are by far the most popular method of cleansing, even then we’re not squeaky clean, with the majority (52%) admitting they don’t take a daily shower, according to new national study* of the UK’s washing habits.
The survey of 3,000 men and women by adventurous shower and bathing brand Original Source revealed that the average Brit (30%) prefers to shower every other day, while 22% confess to showering up to three times a week.
When we do finally jump in the shower, we’re out just as quickly as we got in, spending a maximum of five minutes washing away the day’s dirt.
It may or may not come as a surprise that it’s the nation’s men who are the dirtiest with a massive 84% of those polled admitting men leave a lot to be desired when it comes to personal hygiene.
One in four women say they wished their partners washed more regularly and 10% of those have no qualms in telling them.
Meanwhile, 20% of men say their partners could also do with washing more often and 10% feel their female counterparts are more relaxed than them when it comes to personal hygiene.
When it comes to bathing, it seems our lack of time (33%) and worries over water and electricity/ gas bills (24%) are the main reasons for not taking baths regularly, while one in four see the bath as a luxury to be enjoyed as a treat.
28% of us go all out when it comes to taking a bath, splashing out on bubble bath, candles and music. 39% of us see the bath as the perfect place to unwind with a good book.
Worryingly, one in 20 of us even take our smartphones or ipads in the bath with us to keep updated with work and social networking, proving that clearly we’re a nation that never fully switches off.
And while we may not bathe as often as we like, 69% of Brits say there’s definitely still a place for a bath in the home and wouldn’t consider buying somewhere that didn’t have one.
When it comes to cleaning ourselves, it would appear that the days of a traditional bar of soap are long gone with just 18% choosing this form of cleanser. The rest prefer to lather up with a shower gel or cream.
Original Source senior brand manager, Annie Anstey, said: “It was quite a shock to discover that most Brits don’t shower every day – even the women. And it’s a shame to hear we can no longer afford ourselves the time to take a bath. A long hot soak is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to relax, which should help to ease away the worries of the day.
“We are now a nation of shower enthusiasts however, and the main reason is that taking a shower is so much quicker, more efficient and more economical in terms of how much water we use and how much it costs to heat that water. But we’d like to remind people to leave their smartphones and gadgets at the bathroom door… they definitely don’t benefit from a good soak!”