Filthy bathroom habits of NZers exposed

Studies show a quarter of Kiwis don't shower or bathe every day. Photo / 123RF

New information about bathroom habits provided a fascinating insight into the hygiene levels of New Zealanders and revealed "some less-than-sparkling habits".

According to the press release entitled "Kiwis' Grubby Bathroom Habits Exposed": "[a] quarter of Kiwis said they don't shower or bathe every day, with 19 per cent admitting they only shower every two days. A further 6 per cent - or 268,000 people - confessed to showering every three to six days, or less than once a week."

The idea that a quarter of us do not shower or bathe daily caused much consternation. One talkback radio host commented that such figures explain the body odours we encounter when in close proximity to others in public settings such as movie theatres. A caller rang up to say she would shower or bathe only when she was employed; at other times she would make do with just washing strategic spots with a face-cloth.

Economic factors were behind some of the habits revealed in the study. Seventy-six per cent of us have rules in place to save money and resources in the bathroom. Nearly half of people surveyed have time limits applied to showers in their household.

The longest I went without showering was aged 14 at pony camp. Dozens of us were sleeping on camp-stretchers in a woolshed. I refused to use the shower because of the sheep carcass hanging nearby. Preferring to be filthy rather than shower alongside an animal corpse, I went for nearly a week without washing. It didn't do me any harm; I'm not sure whether it bothered my fellow campers, though.

The survey also encompassed annoyances we experience in the bathroom. These included not changing the toilet paper rolls, taking too long in the bathroom, leaving the toothpaste tube messy, using up all the hot water, leaving the toilet seat up and leaving towels on the floor.

Toilet etiquette was explored three years ago when I declared that, in order to contain germs, toilet lids must be closed prior to flushing. I was even certain about how to install the roll of toilet paper: "the leading edge of the toilet paper should be farthest from the wall". Reader responses included such gems as: "[u]rine is sterile" and "some women brush their teeth whilst sitting on the toilet". Who knew? One woman admitted that she even adjusts the roll of toilet paper in public loos if it isn't hanging correctly. That's keen.

Bathroom etiquette is often debated on Trade Me message boards. Towels, in particular, are a recurring theme.

"Hand Towels[:] how often do you change them?" asked one thread.

(It's a moot point for some since the Rinnai study revealed that only 70-odd per cent of us wash our hands after visiting the bathroom.) Still, responses from Trade Me members ranged from three-to-four times a day to twice a week. My favourite reply to the hand towel question was: "I refuse to answer because if I do little men in white hazmat suits will come take me away." I can't decide whether it means she is super clean or super filthy.

For the record, I shower or bathe daily. Instead of multiple-use hand towels, I (having taken inspiration from the powder rooms at luxury lodges) have twenty $2 face-cloths rolled and neatly stacked for drying hands. I must confess I'm a bit lazy when it comes to bath towels, though. We each have our own and they're usually put back on the heated rails quite a few times before I finally throw them in the washing machine.

I'm all in favour of being clean but I reckon you don't want to be too precious about it. They say the presence of a few germs can be a good thing. Maybe cleanliness is overrated.