NationStates Jolt Archive

How long have you went without bathing? I went like 2 days...and i couldn't take it any longer than that..And by bathing i mean shower, bath, or if you are camping, washing up.

Ahhh...the creature comforts of civilisation.

I reckon 1-2 weeks. You don't always have the luxury of a campsite.

Almost three weeks. Ah, the delightful funk! :p

I am forgetful so sometimes I go a few days (< week), but fortunately I don't sweat that much.

Almost three weeks. Ah, the delightful funk! :p
*can't help but being reminded of the stories of various animals that roll in mud and then shake off the dried mud with all of the ick on the skin sticking to it to get clean*

I need at least my daily shower - I can't leave my home before I've had it. I just can't. I'm big on hygiene.

Almost three weeks. Ah, the delightful funk! :p

Oh my BOB! What a schweet stank!

*can't help but being reminded of the stories of various animals that roll in mud and then shake off the dried mud with all of the ick on the skin sticking to it to get clean*

Nature knows best. :)

I need at least my daily shower - I can't leave my home before I've had it. I just can't. I'm big on hygiene.
Yep, seconded.

I feel like total crap without a shower.

4 days, I think, in the Bolivian jungle.

The worst for me is actually not being able to wash my hair. HATE.

I need at least my daily shower - I can't leave my home before I've had it. I just can't. I'm big on hygiene.


Same here..its only VERY rarely i go a day without a shower.

See..I love showers...they make me feel both good on the outside and on the inside...now if i only some one to fluffle with in the shower:p

4 days, I think, in the Bolivian jungle.

The worst for me is actually not being able to wash my hair. HATE.


Same here..It is an absolute thing that i wash my hair each day..

several weeks....I'd say maybe 3 or 4.
that said, I prefer to shower daily.

I'm quite sure I went without bathing for more than a week several times in childhood. Then again, I had very short hair at the time and kids seem to sweat less than teens and adults...

once when I was very depressed I went a week and a half, but then I got dragged to the shower by some friends who thought it would make me feel better.

The saying I live by: "Take your monthly shower, even if you don't need it."

how about some military people? How long do you all go while out in the field?

once when I was very depressed I went a week and a half, but then I got dragged to the shower by some friends who thought it would make me feel better.


awww...did it make you feel better?

awww...did it make you feel better?
no, I felt worse, I felt pathetic.....what type of person needs friends to help her get into the shower? I felt like I wasn't even strong enough emotionally to take a shower, why should I go on living, I am just going to be trouble for my friends now.....


I said I was really depressed. I ended up in the hospital for it.

no, I felt worse, I felt pathetic.....what type of person needs friends to help her get into the shower? I felt like I wasn't even strong enough emotionally to take a shower, why should I go on living, I am just going to be trouble for my friends now.....


I said I was really depressed. I ended up in the hospital for it.


:eek:

But of course you are better now..But yeah that sucks....

4 days once on a camping trip for duke of edinburgh award (silver)

stank sooooo bad when i got back - parents were positively wretching :p

:eek:

But of course you are better now..But yeah that sucks....
much better, therapy, drugs, and a good husband who notices changes in my moods before it gets anywhere near that bad, have helped a lot.

Being in high school, I shower at least twice a day (I'm a hygenic freak, I know) once in the morning, once at night... Trust me, it helps!

around a week and a half.
ahhhhhh the smell! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!:headbang:

No one's been in the military?

But it's not as bad as it sounds. You're either outside, where people don't smell, since it's too well ventilated, or in a tent, where the smells of earth and the stove are stronger.

I heard that in one company, they learned it the hard way that you have to take off the uniform when sleeping. Underwear is thin enough to ventilate sweat and especially its smell, but the uniform isn't. So, if you wear it when sleeping, you'll kill people when you take it off.

No one's been in the military?

Of course not.

sorry to hear that, smunkee :(

the longest i ever went without bathing when i was depressed at uni was 3 days - though i did that quite often. i bathe every day, and always have done, so it got me down more to not do so after too long (plus my ol' hygene thing kicked in).

Shower every day.

I can go/have gone for ages without a shower if I have to (like...a month), but I prefer one every day.

#1 The Romans taught me long ago that Civilization meant Bathing with Women.

#2 Even when camping, you should have a river somewhere nearby to skinny-dip in.

#3 The Roman Army taught me that there are places with few rivers. :headbang:

Yay Palestine.

Honestly, even in the "worst" of conditions I won't go more than a week without a wash... even if that means a snow rubdown at -15degF.

When your pores clog, your body stops working correctly.

Every day...sometimes twice a day if I feel dirty. Record has been over a week...but I was swimming and stuff, so no need then. I didn't really feel comfortable around 70 other boys, butt naked showering next to me when some of them were like 12 and went all the way up to like 30....sorry no thanks.

No one's been in the military?

But it's not as bad as it sounds. You're either outside, where people don't smell, since it's too well ventilated, or in a tent, where the smells of earth and the stove are stronger.

I heard that in one company, they learned it the hard way that you have to take off the uniform when sleeping. Underwear is thin enough to ventilate sweat and especially its smell, but the uniform isn't. So, if you wear it when sleeping, you'll kill people when you take it off.
Yes. And, unfortunately, the US Military decided to takeaway the 2-part steel helmet & liner in favor of the current "Fritz" Kevlar helmet.... at the expense of Hygene. It's far easier to bathe in a Steel Pot than your Canteen Cup. :rolleyes:

Yes. And, unfortunately, the US Military decided to takeaway the 2-part steel helmet & liner in favor of the current "Fritz" Kevlar helmet.... at the expense of Hygene. It's far easier to bathe in a Steel Pot than your Canteen Cup. :rolleyes:

Solution...wrap all your soldiers in a fine plastic wrap...like ceran wrap. So nothing gets in or out....unless you want it to. Just add sweat collectors!

how about some military people? How long do you all go while out in the field?

44 days was the longest I remember because it was an actual combat operation, but 14 to 21 days was usually the limit. Once your body adjusts to the enviorment it isn't nearly as uncomfortable and smelly as it is if you go a week or so in our urban sardine existance. Humans tend to take on an earthy smell similar to that of the pedominate bacterial sources in the given geographical area.

Solution...wrap all your soldiers in a fine plastic wrap...like ceran wrap. So nothing gets in or out....unless you want it to. Just add sweat collectors!
Fremen Still Suits? :eek:

44 days was the longest I remember because it was an actual combat operation, but 14 to 21 days was usually the limit. Once your body adjusts to the enviorment it isn't nearly as uncomfortable and smelly as it is if you go a week or so in our urban sardine existance. Humans tend to take on an earthy smell similar to that of the pedominate bacterial sources in the given geographical area.
Which is good if the OpFor has dogs....

"Be the Jungle"....

Yep, seconded.

I feel like total crap without a shower.

Same here.

Speaking of crap... If you're going to do that in your shower, you better install a garbage disposal.

>.>

Which is good if the OpFor has dogs....

"Be the Jungle"....

Oh without a dout. In a jungle everyone is part beagle. The smell of a jungle is so predominate even the slightest change is like turning on the Kmart blue light.

i take 2 showers every day. morning and night...

This reminds me of once when Kansas City had an ice storm and the power was out all over the city. Half of my students moved out of the dorm, drove for miles in the ice, paid for a motel, took a shower and drove on the ice all the way back. They wondered why I laughed at them.

I am a compulsive bather...once everyday.

More than a week but my farts smell like cherry blosums. :)

as sad as it sounds I've gone more then a week...

I called it "my backpacking musk"

and when you finally get home and dump all your gear by the washing machine and take a shower you dread returning to wash your stuff...

But while you're out there the "musk" doesn't really bother you

About eight days, during a camping expedition involving canoes and a very remote island.

Probably 5 days on a camp. Every morning I get up and get straight in the shower.

I went about 6 days once, but now its cold and I keep about once every other day.

Longest? Probably a 3 day long weekend I went camping...
And I stunk after that...
I can't imagine the 'old' days when it was odd to bathe.
Those people deserved plagues. :p

Two weeks on a camping trip on a mountain. But I planned ahead and removed key body hair to minimize the eventual odor.

I went a little more than a month when I was in Iraq in '03. I was sweating the entire month as the low at night was about 95-100F and we Michigan boys don't handle the heat so well. There were no water purification units in the area, and we were only getting 2 1.5L bottles of water per day, and I wasn't going to use my precious drinking water on bathing. Had UN inspectors happened along I'm sure I would have been classified as an illegal biological weapon due to my ass-funk.

Now that I'm a civilian I shower twice a day, no exceptions.

Usually twice a day if it is hot or i am going out but here in Perth the summer is both very hot and muggy so i think it's justified.

you know you should ask what's the least amount of time you have gone without a shower.......my answer would be about 3 minutes, a whole day with 2 toddlers with stomache virus, I got puked and pooped on about 18 times in about 3 hours........it was terrible. :( I called my hubby to come home and deal with it (because I was tired of being the only one covered in disgusting bodily stuff) and they didn't puke or crap the rest of the day, they just laid on the couch with him and drank juice. :mad: it's not fair.

I don't even remember when I've gone more than two days without showering. I do it daily, because after 24 hours I just feel filthy. My hair's greasy and it stinks and I itch all over, it's disgusting.

Now-ideally-I shower every day. I'm a firm believer in being clean.

In the past-I have gone a long time without a formal bath or shower. Two weeks is a long time-give or take a day. You learn alternate methods of cleaning and take those opporotunities.

And to this day, I rarely luxuriate under a long hot shower- I still turn the water off while soaping and scrubbing.

I went a little more than a month when I was in Iraq in '03. I was sweating the entire month as the low at night was about 95-100F and we Michigan boys don't handle the heat so well. There were no water purification units in the area, and we were only getting 2 1.5L bottles of water per day, and I wasn't going to use my precious drinking water on bathing.
:eek: That's ridiculously little! Did you have to actually *do* anything, too, or was it at least only sitting on bunks and wasting away the time?

:eek: That's ridiculously little! Did you have to actually *do* anything, too, or was it at least only sitting on bunks and wasting away the time?

We were doing TCP's and presence patrols at night, so we were more than a little thirsty. Luckily they got it straightened out about a month later and we were getting 5 bottles a day.

We were doing TCP's and presence patrols at night, so we were more than a little thirsty. Luckily they got it straightened out about a month later and we were getting 5 bottles a day.
About time, too. :rolleyes:

About time, too. :rolleyes:

I guess I'm just to used to the fact that Uncle Sam couldn't find his ass with both hands and a map. When you go around expecting to get fucked over all of the time it's not so bad when you do. Also, on the off chance you don't get fucked over you're pleasantly surprised.

4 days once on a camping trip for duke of edinburgh award (silver)


Are you a cadet?If you are what rank are you?

And to this day, I rarely luxuriate under a long hot shower- I still turn the water off while soaping and scrubbing.

Umm, yeah, that's what we call 'environment-conscious usage of water' and I do it too. I mean, there is no sensible reason to have water running while not having it touch your body, no? Except for those ancient bathrooms where you'd neeed to do that in order to still have warm water once you want to get the soap off..

Same goes for letting the tap run when brushing your teeth. I was horrified when I saw my hostfamily do that.

The longest ever was 17 days, 4 hours, and 31 minutes. I'm not all too big on hygiene.

I typically shower or take a bath around 2-3 times a week. Once in a while, one time a week. During the summer when I don't have to worry about school, it usually varies between 1-4 times every two weeks.

I don't remember what the record is, but I would estimate somewhere between 2-3 weeks.

Umm, yeah, that's what we call 'environment-conscious usage of water' and I do it too. I mean, there is no sensible reason to have water running while not having it touch your body, no? Except for those ancient bathrooms where you'd neeed to do that in order to still have warm water once you want to get the soap off..

Same goes for letting the tap run when brushing your teeth. I was horrified when I saw my hostfamily do that.


I'm not a very wasteful person. I appreciate the comfort and luxury of modern life, but see no reason to be wasteful.

I guess I'm just to used to the fact that Uncle Sam couldn't find his ass with both hands and a map. When you go around expecting to get fucked over all of the time it's not so bad when you do. Also, on the off chance you don't get fucked over you're pleasantly surprised.
Heh, that's probably the best way to look at it.
Do you happen to know Jonathan Shay's Achilles in Vietnam (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0684813211/qid=1141929988/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-4308269-2777668?n=507846&s=books&v=glance)? He makes some good points about what can happen when you do get fucked over a bit too often or a bit too unexpectedly.

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you know you should ask what's the least amount of time you have gone without a shower.......my answer would be about 3 minutes, a whole day with 2 toddlers with stomache virus, I got puked and pooped on about 18 times in about 3 hours........it was terrible. :( I called my hubby to come home and deal with it (because I was tired of being the only one covered in disgusting bodily stuff) and they didn't puke or crap the rest of the day, they just laid on the couch with him and drank juice. :mad: it's not fair.
I think I might win. Babysitting my sick little cousin...he pukes on me, so I put him in his crib, grab a shower. Get out, he's crying so I take him out of the crib (before even getting boxers on) and he pukes again. I sigh, look at him, ask him if he's doing this for revenge or sick pleasure, and go shower again. total time out of the water: about 1 minute.

I think I might win. Babysitting my sick little cousin...he pukes on me, so I put him in his crib, grab a shower. Get out, he's crying so I take him out of the crib (before even getting boxers on) and he pukes again. I sigh, look at him, ask him if he's doing this for revenge or sick pleasure, and go shower again. total time out of the water: about 1 minute.
yeah. I guess I had more showers in shorter times.....I am not sure how to word that correctly.

get up, kid A is covered in puke, give her a bath, take a shower (since covered in puke), kid B wakes up crying, go to get her out of crib, she pukes on me, give her a bath, as I am getting her dried off, she poops on me, I give her another bath, then take a shower, go to check on kid A, she pukes on me, on the way to the bath while carring her, she craps on me, we both take a shower together, I put her on the bath rug, she pukes again, I pick her up to put her back in the bath, she pukes on me again. I clean her up, give her a bath, wash myself off (btw I haven't gotten a chance to get dressed again from the fist shower yet) kid A comes in, covered in a substance I can't identify, but it smells puke-like, I give her a bath, kid B is in her crib now, I go to check on her again......she looks sad so I pick her up, projectile vomit, shoots 3 feet, gets on me and Kid A.......we all take a shower....this continues for 2 more hours.......I get tired of it, call hubby.....

In relation to water wastage, why bother? Several billion Africans have none, which rather counteracts our waste no?

Personally, once a day if no sport, twice if sport is involved.

I love baths and showers, I take at least one everyday. Sometimes two and maybe three if I'm having a crappy day.

For me, probably around 2 months with no form of bathing, during a long backpacking trip in AZ. And honestly, it did not bug me, after awhile you get a layer of grime and it seems like it just stops building up after that point.

I have gone a month without a bath in the Army. You must use baby wipes or a little soap and water to clean off certain areas of your body every day or you will start to grow that delightful dick cheese.

you know you should ask what's the least amount of time you have gone without a shower.......my answer would be about 3 minutes, a whole day with 2 toddlers with stomache virus, I got puked and pooped on about 18 times in about 3 hours........it was terrible. :( I called my hubby to come home and deal with it (because I was tired of being the only one covered in disgusting bodily stuff) and they didn't puke or crap the rest of the day, they just laid on the couch with him and drank juice. :mad: it's not fair.

Funny? Yes. Fair? No. :p

Funny? Yes. Fair? No. :p
he is some kind of magic. I can be very very sick and he can come home and I just feel better. I don't understand it, but I wish he could teach it to me, so that I didn't have to deal with sick kids, I could just do some "mom magic" and make them all better.

I vary between one shower a day and one every other day, depending on whether I'm in the mood for taking one and whether I feel especially sweaty or oily. If I go without a shower for more than two days, I take one as soon as I can.

Heh, that's probably the best way to look at it.
Do you happen to know Jonathan Shay's Achilles in Vietnam (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0684813211/qid=1141929988/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-4308269-2777668?n=507846&s=books&v=glance)? He makes some good points about what can happen when you do get fucked over a bit too often or a bit too unexpectedly.

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I haven't read it, but it sounds fascinating. I'll have to see if I can find it.

how long i go without bathing happens because i have other things on my mind then just being social, which i'm not all that much anyway. if i'm going somewhere that i'm going to be arround other people i always clean myself up first. but this isn't an everyday activity for me to do so.

thus there is no set pattern. as i say i do bathe. perhapse it would be healthier for me to do so more often. but there ARE only so many hours in a day and there ARE usualy other things that more greatly need doing.

i do however shave my chin every other day, and generaly trim my hair and otherwise wash all arround when i do so. this is because chin hair is irritating to me when i lie down on my pillow to sleep. otherwise i would probably have a beard long enough to stumble over, if any hair on my body would ever actualy grow that long.

=^^=
.../\...

I don’t feel human until I’ve had my morning shower. It helps make up for a lack of sleep, especially when I turn the water on full cold to get that electric shock through my body. Nothing wakes you up like that does.

Even when I camp, I take care of my hygiene and have a sponge bath every couple of days. Being out in the bush is no excuse for turning into feral boy.

Yes. And, unfortunately, the US Military decided to takeaway the 2-part steel helmet & liner in favor of the current "Fritz" Kevlar helmet.... at the expense of Hygene. It's far easier to bathe in a Steel Pot than your Canteen Cup. :rolleyes:

That was one of my big griefs when Canada switched to the Kevlar helmet and I was told that I couldn't wash clothes or use my helmet for sponge baths. I drink out of my canteen cup. I don't want to use it for washing in. We aren't even allowed to use the Kevlar helmets to bail water out of our trenches!

Whoever designed our helmet was thinking of it being used in a video game simulation and not in the field for extended duty. That and I really hate how the little black buckles are in my peripherial vision. Further stupidity, because of how the US Kevlar helmets have the large buckle release on the left cheek of the strap, so left handed shooters can't mould their cheeks around the butts of their rifles when they shoot (something that is basic marksmanship).

A trick I learned for drinking hot beverages out of my metal canteen cup was putting electricians tape over the lip on one side for insulation. That way you can drink from it without scalding your mouth. It's an old trick that works great. It's good to replace the tape and clean the area once in a while so nothing evolves in the paste of the tape, but otherwise great.