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| Baths are full of bacteria, but so what? |
| First, let’s get this out of the way: When I want to clean myself, I take a shower — not a bath. Showering washes the day’s bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells off me and into the drain, where they belong. |
| I do not bathe to get clean. In fact, I feel greasier after a bath since it makes my scalp sweat. Also probably because baths are, it turns out, full of bacteria. Research shows our bodies shed a significant amount of microbes when immersed in water. And since we’re covered head to toe in bacteria, I guess this is really no surprise. |
| However, there’s no research that shows people are getting sick from bathing in their own bathtub. In order to get sick, you’d need to be carrying around pathogenic bacteria in the first place. Then, a large concentration of this bacteria would need to wash off you and into either an open wound or your mouth. |
| And while I’m on my soapbox, I’d like to remind everyone that every body of water you swim in is teeming with bacteria. The ocean, the lakes, the rivers — they’re all full of animal excrement, decomposing flesh, pesticides, and god knows what else. Comparatively, your own bathtub is pretty much sterile. |
| (On that note, it’s a good idea to disinfect your bathtub now and again. The soap scrum, aka biofilm, that builds up has been shown to be a reservoir of bacteria and could pose a risk of infection to people with compromised immune systems.) |
| I know in my heart that no amount of convincing will get the haters on my side. And truthfully, I wouldn’t give up my nightly soak even if it was home to all the bacteria on Earth. There are few things I treasure more than sinking my tired, chilled body into a steaming bath (and yes, I know, very hot water isn’t recommended). Sure, the improved sleep and relieved muscle soreness is great, but it’s the feeling of calm that washes over me when I’m finally warm again that really sends me. |
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| So, are you team bath or team shower? Let us know at wellnesswire@healthline.com! |
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