When asked the question, “Which is better: a bath or a shower?” a person might give a few different answers. Their answers could be based on personal preference and experience, but they may also be based on environmental impact or health concerns. For us to get a clearer view of this dilemma, we must first take a look at both sides of the facts in three categories: safety, health, and environmental impact.

Bath & Shower Saftey Issues

The safety issue between taking a shower or taking a bath often relate back to the same source: falling while exiting the slippery area. In an article by Nicholas Bakalar, he discusses how the bathroom is scientifically proven to be the most dangerous room in the house going on to say, “Every year about 235,000 people over age 15 visit emergency rooms because of injuries suffered in the bathroom, and almost 14 percent are hospitalized.” (Bakalar, 2011). Though bathing and showering cannot be categorized in each injury— generally the more movement while walking between the shower or bath can create more probability for safety issues. For young children and elderly people, sitting in the bath is the safest option.

Sitting In A Bath Dirtier Than Showering?

Health concerns arise for some people who believe sitting in a bath is dirtier than taking a shower. Though bath water isn’t proven to be dirtier or less healthy, most people feel better taking a shower. As we observe while swimming, the longer we stay in the pool, the more prune-like our fingers become. The same applies to prolonged baths, they tend to dry the skin out. (Fox, 2016). Showers, on the other hand, have less chance of drying your skin out. For health reasons, showers are cleaner because they wash everything down the drain and they slow down the process of dry skin.

Water Conservation Impact

Showers use five gallons of water per minute, whereas a bathtub only uses 36 gallons to fill. This means taking a ten-minute shower uses 50 gallons of water. (Fox, 2016). For economical choices, a person may decide to take shorter showers or even switch to taking baths. For a single person, this may not be an issue for the water bill—but for a family of eight extra shower time will drastically change the water bill. Saving water by taking baths or shorter showers also applies to those who are concerned about saving water for the environment or people who live in an area experiencing drought.

Conclusion

The “bath or shower?” question has no right or wrong answers—they’re all simply different. Some people may not be able to afford long showers while others are more concerned about environmental impact through using up water. Many people assess the risks of falling in the shower if they are older or maybe less mobile. And some people just prefer the shower because it seems cleaner than taking a bath! But in the end, both baths and showers provide us with the comfort of hot clean water to use no matter which one we prefer the most.

If you believe that your bathtub or shower drain has an issue, call MN Plumbing and Home Services!

References

Bakalar, N. (2011, August 15). Bathrooms Can Be the Most Dangerous Place in the House. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/health/research/16stats.htm

Fox, A. (2016, November 20). Finally, Answers To The Shower vs. Bath Debate. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/baths-versus-showers_n_57f81387e4b0e655eab4530d