THREE in 10 adults have changed their shower habits in a bid to save money – with some even washing with their partner.
Researchers found 30% are curtailing their showering habits as the cost-of-living crisis bites, with 27% worried about how their hygiene routine is impacting bills.
1
A third of those cutting back are even turning off the water when it’s not needed – such as when conditioning hair – and 11% now use dry shampoo instead of washing.
While 17% combine a shower with brushing their teeth.
Yet, the typical adult still has six showers a week, lasting an average of eight minutes each time – with three quarters claiming anything longer than 10 minutes is “too long” to spend in the shower.
The poll of 2,000 adults found 42% opt for washing in the morning compared to 27% in the evening – the most popular times are 7:45am and 7:54pm.
A spokesperson for energy firm Utilita, which commissioned the research as part of its Bill Busters energy education sessions, said: “While the cost of heating up water is so expensive, households are clearly keen to do what they can to save, including showering together to cut costs by half.
“By cutting the average shower time in half – to four minutes – we can each save £112 a year, which could be spent on food shopping or other outgoings instead, and in doing so we reduce the impact we have on the environment, too.”
The research also found only 74% of the time in a shower is spent washing, with the rest of the time spent doing other things such as cleaning it.
Others admit they listen to podcasts (15%) and even have a wee (29%).
Most read in Money
Seven in 10 also admitted they let the water run before getting in for an average of 17 seconds.
And 41% confessed they never turn the water off mid-way through, while only 15% do when exfoliating and 18% do as they wait for conditioner to set.
It also emerged shower times increase by an average of three minutes when adults wash their hair three times a week, while shaving adds on five additional minutes, which people do twice a week.
Women also frequently use hair masks (17%) and face masks (12%) in the shower, both of which add on seven minutes to the standard time.
As a result, people argue with others in their household three times a week about washing times, with 31% complaining others spend too much time under the water.
And 26% have been accused of this themselves.
Of those polled via OnePoll, 44% have been known to wash more than once a day, including after exercising (48%), before attending an event (41%) and following sex (33%).
But 32% admitted they feel dirty if they don’t shower every day, although 18% often lose track of time and forget how long they’ve been under the water.
As a result, a fifth would like to know how to have a more efficient shower.
Utilita’s spokesperson added: “Until you’ve given the four-minute shower challenge a go it’s hard to imagine cutting your shower time in half, but it’s actually very easy with a bit of practice.”
