Guest Post by Kathleen of Becoming Peculiar
The other day I was listening to CBC radio in my van when I heard some disturbing news: in many parts of the world, we’re using up groundwater faster than it can be naturally replenished through precipitation. By the year 2040, experts are predicting major water shortages on many parts of the globe.
After more research I discovered that it’s mostly poor agricultural practices that are to blame, and it’s mostly occurring in the Middle East and North Africa. But it got me thinking a lot about our water use in general.
I was reminded that clean water is a precious commodity that we mustn’t take for granted, even here in Canada.
I’ve never before given too much thought to water consumption, focusing instead on reducing my consumption of more tangible things (i.e. “stuff”).
Water just seemed like something we couldn’t run out of. But this radio program compelled me to start thinking about how I can reduce our family’s water use, and start talking to others about the same.
There has to be enough clean water to go around, if we all learn to steward it well. I do not want to contribute to global water shortages in any way.
There are lots of things we can do. We can stop wasting water on lawns. We can say no to individually-owned pools and hot tubs in favour of community pools. We can stop buying and drinking bottled water.
Water should NOT be a commercial commodity, but a common good!
However, one of the easiest ways I feel I can reduce water overconsumption as an individual citizen is by showering less often. There is no way every single person on the continent needs to immerse his/her entire body in water every single day!
Without my current sense of urgency, I’ve actually already been working to reduce the number of showers I take. It varies throughout the year, but I typically shower 3-4 times a week. I think I could reduce that to two times if necessary.
Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve used to stay fresh and clean while reducing the number of showers I take. Maybe you’ll find them helpful, too!
How to Naturally Reduce Body Odour
We live in a culture obsessed with not smelling like we have bodies. We are pathological about deodorizing and re-odorizing our bodies, often in terribly unhealthy ways.
Fortunately, it’s not that hard to naturally reduce B.O. Healthy bodies don’t actually stink all that much, even with regular sweating, and without daily showers, antiperspirants, and commercial perfumes. Here’s how:
1. Switch to Natural/Homemade Deodorant
The first thing you can do is break your body’s dependence on antiperspirants and artificial fragrances, which actually make you more prone to stink in the long run.
When your sweat glands are used to being blocked up and oozing chemical fragrances, they can’t function the way they’re supposed to.
(Read Beth’s article on How to Find a Natural Deodorant That Actually Works.)
Ever since I made the switch to natural deodorant three years ago, I don’t start to smell nearly as quickly after application – I can often skip a day without noticing. Back when I used commercial deodorant, I had to be vigilant about applying every day or I’d start stinking by evening.
There are lots of homemade recipes out there: I use this simple baking soda, corn starch, coconut oil and essential oil recipe (adding beeswax in the summer to prevent melting).
Folks with more sensitive skin might prefer this recipe from Stories and Thyme, using bentonite clay. Crunchy Betty has a number of recipes you can try. I also know some people have had great success with those mineral salt crystals you can buy in health food stores.
Give it a try! You’ll be glad you did.
2. Use Magnesium Oil
I started using magnesium oil about a year ago for various reasons, but I learned that a happy side effect was less body odour! Most of us are chronically deficient in magnesium (read more on the subject from Wellness Mama), and balancing the minerals in your body can lead to all kinds of improvement in your health – better sleep, improved fertility, etc. It only makes sense that your body would be less stinky as well!
Interestingly, the best way to boost your magnesium is to absorb it through your skin. I make my own magnesium oil (check out Food Renegade’s post) and keep it in a spray bottle in the bathroom. I just apply a few spritzes to my skin (arms, belly) after most showers and rub it in. Simple!
How to Stay Clean Between Showers
So now you can go longer stretches without showering, because you have less body odour. But now it’s morning and you don’t feel totally fresh. What else can you do to look, feel and smell clean between showers?
For me, I’ve found that it’s mostly important to focus on underarms and hair to look and smell clean without getting my whole body soaking wet and scrubbed.
With a few quick steps, you can freshen up to face your day.
Step One: Change your Underpants
Sorry to even mention it. But it’s a really quick and easy way to immediately feel cleaner. And adding one more pair of underwear to the wash takes a lot less water than a full shower. Just sayin’.
Step Two: Wash Your Underarms
If you’re paranoid that your underarms will be smelly, just give them a quick wipe-down with a damp washcloth and a dab of soap. Insta-clean. Then you can go ahead and reapply your natural deodorant.
Step Three: Use Dry Shampoo on Your Hair
I’ve always tended to get oily locks pretty quickly. It has improved significantly since I switched to the no-poo method, but sometimes my hair still needs a quick clean-up between showers.
Dry Shampoo to the rescue!
(How to make DIY dry shampoo with just 2 ingredients)
Allow me to demonstrate with some visuals:
My hair on a bad no-shower day:
I generally just apply it to my bangs, since my hair is so long – it would be a huge ordeal to get it all out effectively if I did my whole head. If you have shorter hair, you could probably pull off a full-head dry shampoo.
I apply a tablespoon or so of my dry shampoo to my bangs (standing over the sink) and rub it in. It looks kinda like this:
Then I brush and comb and shimmy my hair (still over the sink) until it’s all out.
I generally throw my hair into a sock bun on no-shower days and voila. You’d never guess my head was a big old grease-ball ten minutes ago.
Congratulations for saving yourself a bunch of time, water, and energy! You just skipped a shower!
If you want, read more about the benefits of showering less here!
Jon Hash
Obviously the great ideas to keep clean without a shower. Especially I liked that dry shampoo you mentioned. But I am also agreed with Reams and Annette. There are many ways to use less water during showering. Shower off for water storage, It doesn’t really look good. Every day a fresh shower brings softness and tranquility to the people.Thanks Reams for your water saving idea. Like Andrew, I think everyone will follow your ideas to store more water.
Joe Carrow
Excellent tips. I believe its usually good in order to rethink exactly what society tought us as well as figure out our very own way. Furthermore , i want to include I use the travel bidet after I make use of the bathroom to maintain my personal parts thoroughly clean. Quick, simple only utilizes a fraction from the water every day showering really does. Anyway, thank you for this article.
Ev
Nice articel !
I think its always good to rethink what society tought us and figure out our own way. Just few years ago i would have told you – no way – i have to shower every day at least once! But then i met my partner who showers every second day and is never smelly. I just figured out he did after we moved in together honestly. And last weekend i didnt had time on one day to shower. So i just cleaned my armpits, private parts and feet with soap and water put on parfume on natural deo real quick. Working whole day and sweating! I totally forgot about the missing shower and late that day we were watching a movie together and cuddle and all of a sudden he just told me – oh you smell nice. i had to ask again 😉 cause first i thought he ment it like ironic – pls take shower. But he said again, no i would smell nice.
I think its also important what you eat. I am vegan, my bf eats sometimes meat. And then he smells different. Also if there was alcohol. different smell.
So my personal oppinion/experience – if you are clean from the inside, and change your clothes every day, put on fresh clothes and clean your “dirty parts” – you are not smelly. At least we should give it a try – safe water and money, for the world and our wallet 😉
James Leber
Oh no, I take a shower twice a day and can not even imagine how to do without it. But if I have to wash less often, I will remember your advice 🙂
Me the teen
Love this!!! Really so helpful, I’m actually 13, and I’m an athlete, so with being sweaty (just because I’m a teen *rolls eyes*) and reallllly sweaty (athletics) I need to shower pretty much everyday, not proud of it, but these tips are extremely useful, I’ve cut down my useage of water in the last month by a lot. Thanks so much:)
Cyndi
You go, girl! Your comments are spot-on, in my opinion.
I take 2-3 showers per week, have been for years. Sometimes I need more, sometimes less (ewwwww, I’m sure some are thinking) ?. Buuut, I have to say, your body and hair do get used to it!
My mom taught us kids to be very frugal. Sometimes I think, “Gasp!, such waste!, when someone is washing dishes in the sink and the water is on full blast while dishes/ pans…are being gathered or something on the other side of the room. Just turn it off for a minute!
We really can do Soooo much to be more planet-friendly.
Norma Walker
I was at a rehab center and they were required to help patients every other day. This was appro
ved by the state and they had to keep written records.
neal
I would like to skip showers every day…Forever. Lol.
Annette
Good thoughts but may not work for everyone. I think besides showers I’ve seen people waste water running one item through washing machine and running dishwasher when not full. There are other ways to save water that need to be considered as well.
Sharon Reams
I also agreed with Annette, There are so many ways of water saving while showering as well. Try to use low flow hand held shower head if you really want to save water during shower. But stopping shower to save water!! It’s awkward to me. Shower is the most essential purpose of living fresh and cool.
Andrew Powell
Yes, I also agreed with Reams and Annette, This is a really amazing water saving way. I think every body should follow Reams idea then save more water. Thank you reams.
Sminelis
I love the idea but living in a tropical Island… I dont think it would work for me living in Puerto Rico…. But if I move somewhere less hot, I would absolutly do it!! Because its true we have to find a way so safe our planet
Sabrina
I’m curious about the Magnusium oil. I’ve just purchased some and it says to spray on and rinse off 20 minutes later. Do you do that?
Beth
Interesting! I’ve never rinsed it off, personally! From what I understand, it’s fine to leave it on, but if the tingling/itching sensation bothers you, rinsing may help.
Keirstyn
Interesting read for sure! Although these methods aren’t going to work for everyone, I think it’s bringing to light a very crucial topic – we don’t actually have an unlimited water supply. If the “showering less” method won’t work for you and your personal needs ( I for one usually shower once a day, might skip a day here and there) it does bring our attention to our water usage. Maybe utilize the tips here periodically, or just a few of them? Maybe shorten your showers, think about other ways you can lessen your water consumption? I’m seeing a lot of people supporting this blog post, but also a few condemning it. Bottom line is, it’s your life and you know what works for you. Try it or don’t , just take a second to reflect on the actual problem that is being discussed ??
Paula Smeltzer
Just a small long spouted watering can is a quick effective way to clean your bottom while sitting on the toilet.
Michael
I used to shower ever day like most, but over time my skin has dried out especially my face. I’m also of Hispanic/Asian ethnicity so my hair is naturally greasy. if I shower every other day and on the off days use a soapy wash cloth and change my pillow cases often I look and smell fine.
Alma
I shower three times a week after workouts. during the rest of the days, I only wash my private parts and this is enough to feel clean. the homemade deodorant is the best invetion ever, even my mother who was a huge fan of those antiperspirants, now changed her mind 🙂 by the way, I skip my showers to avoid skin dehydration, not to save the planet.. sorry… 🙂
Ant James
This is completely unrealistic. After working all day in a forklift and concrete truck, then going to the gym every night if I were to shower 3-4 times a week or try cut down to 2 times a week I would reek!
Beth
It works great for lots of people, but no one is forcing it on anyone. Feel free to shower just as much as you want.
Mariam
Not only that, but what about cleansing after daily bowel movements? The most important part about showering isn’t our hair and it isn’t even our armpits. It’s out so-called “private parts.” That needs to be cleaned at least once a day!
Jamie
Again, not forcing anything on anyone, but I’ve been recently heard about “washing” after bm’s with a perineal irrigation bottle. You know, the ones they give you after having a baby to keep your hoo ha clean. It’s basically a redneck bidet. Just an idea if someone would want to shower less.
I shower about every other day (because I’m not sweating or getting dirty) and only wash my hair once or twice a week because there’s a lot of it and takes forever to wash and it dries out horribly anyway if I wash it every day. I certainly don’t smell on my non shower days – I am paranoid about it after having been teased about BO while in school.
Abby Smas
I am likely to wash the important parts morning and night, with mild soap I make myself. My face usually only gets water – no soap. I use the same soap on my hair and my armpits: both contain baking soda, tea tree oil and lavender e.o., along with Dr. Bronners (and H2O). Nether region gets general body soap, including the same ingredients as shampoo except subtract baking soda and add olive oil. hair, I As a hair conditioner, I like to use ACV, peppermint, and rosemary (with H20). After a really dirty, sweaty garden day, I am still likely to spot wash before a shower. A quick, tepid shower is plenty of clean in that case. At least once a week I soak in a tub with MgCl and seriously scrub.
This is a huge change from the days when I would shower daily, and I actually feel cleaner. And healthier. This is partly because I subscribe to the importance of the body’s microbiome, its ability to balance good and bad bacteria to the best benefit, and to cleanse itself.
Good nutrition and activity is critical too, in keeping your body’s system working efficiently for you. Drinking lots of water and eating simple, good food, enhances your natural fragrance, which is not overpowering, but pleasant and sweet.
Michelle
I have friend very much like you. She doesn’t shower everyday (every other 3-4 days a week). She thinks she doesn’t smell but she does (not BO, but like an unwashed.. Umm er… Lady parts and dirty scalp). I started avoiding her/stopped hanging with her because I couldn’t stand it, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings. You probably smell, you just can’t smell your own body. I shower for about 3 minutes a day. I wash the “hotspots” and my hair 2-3 days per week. You might try that…
Beth
Everyone’s body chemistry is different, and while I agree that it’s certainly possible that I could smell bad without realizing it, I’m confident that it’s not true in my case. I’ve literally asked my hubby and friends and family members to smell me and tell me the truth. 🙂 Not everyone has bad B.O. even when they do sweat, and not everyone sweats a lot. Also, the post talks about ways to keep certain parts fresh between showers.
Zach
In your Step 1 you advise changing your underpants, but you do not mention washing your private parts before that. Shouldn’t that be a priority? 😉
I also have extremely dry skin and I, too, do not shower every day (except in the heat of summer, although I do not sweat a lot, except on my face), because it dries out my skin too much, even if I use just water. But I do I wash my armpits, my feet and my intimate area twice a day with pH friendly gels + I use shower oil for the rest of my body every other day.
Michael
Did you try politely telling your friend she needs to shower more. If you value your friendship in anyway you should tell her. If I smelled I’d rather have a friend tell me than a random stranger.
allison
Hi… I think that you’re a good human being to care about that stuff… Well I’d say most of the people didn’t say much about the most important thing… Water… I shower about every- to every other day… I get my water at a free local spring there are many in america… That can save a Lot of water actually… Since bottled water co.’s Can waste up to 8x’s the amt. Of water they actually sell… I use a cloth on my skin to wipe dead skin cells… And use a nontoxic organic plant based shampoo maybe once or twice a week tops… I used to do the apple cider vinegar and baking soda… But the baking soda is really drying on my hair…. I will still do the apple cider vinegar its good to keep dandruff and fungus off your scalp, and conditioner which helps to strengthen the hair shaft, a good nontoxic organic plant based conditioner, with all the hair loss these days its a good idea I think… But I wanted to mention the single most beneficial way to factually cut water usage… Which is going vegan… Not much in main stream american TV or news… I know… But proven, the single most effective way to cut water usage and protect our good water supplies to boot… I hope you will consider it…. Organic vegan is #1 and I go to my farmers market every week… Which even is in the winter… As they’ve had winter markets for yrs. Now… You will also help greatly to save rainforests and trees and pollution and ocean this way… Thanks for caring and good luck to you… 🙂
Maryanne
Great tips. thanks! I also want to add I use a travel bidet after I use the bathroom to keep my private parts clean. Quick, easy and only uses a fraction of the water daily showering does 🙂
allison
Hi… I think that you’re a good human being to care about that stuff… Well I’d say most of the people didn’t say much about the most important thing… Water… I shower about every- to every other day… I get my water at a free local spring there are many in america… That can save a Lot of water actually… Since bottled water co.’s Can waste up to 8x’s the amt. Of water they actually sell… I use a cloth on my skin to wipe dead skin cells… And use a nontoxic organic plant based shampoo maybe once or twice a week tops… I used to do the apple cider vinegar and baking soda… But the baking soda is really drying on my hair…. I will still do the apple cider vinegar its good to keep dandruff and fungus off your scalp, and conditioner which helps to strengthen the hair shaft, a good nontoxic organic plant based conditioner, with all the hair loss these days its a good idea I think… But I wanted to mention the single most beneficial way to factually cut water usage… Which is going vegan… Not much in main stream american TV or news… I know… But proven, the single most effective way to cut water usage and protect our good water supplies to boot… I hope you will consider it…. Organic vegan is #1 and I go to my farmers market every week… Which even is in the winter… As they’ve had winter markets for yrs. Now… You will also help greatly to save rainforests and trees and pollution and ocean this way… Thanks for caring and good luck to you… 🙂
skyej
a three minute shower maybe? Using dry shampoo helps cutting down on the time.
if you really want to conserve that water put a bucket in the shower with you?
I love the fresh feeling of a shower after a day of work etc. Good luck to you though, each to their own….
allison
Going organic vegan is single most factually proven way to save the most water… It also saves rain forests and protects our good water is great for your health, it DOES have complete proteins and it DOES have plenty of protein, more than enough… Our bodies require an avg. Of 8-11% calories in protein aside from athletes which is like 11-13% and considering most veggies have 11% or more… Beans and nuts have about 20-30% calories in protein… There will be no problems getting enough protein… There’s a site with all the facts… Its vegetarian guide Michael bluejay…
SheMayBeCrazy
I love these tips. I especially like the dry shampoo for dark hair. It seem I always come across recipes for lighter shades. I didn’t know what a sock bun was, so I had to Google it. I’m hooked! Dug out an old sock and voila, a new quick ‘do! Love it!