Double washing in the shower

[definitelyO]

oh god no. just use whatever soap you want and wash once.

[dexteroni]

I sometimes double wash my face, but not hair or body. I’m guessing this is part of the social media trend I keep seeing where people are scrubbing their homes and bodies far more than is necessary. I don’t know if it stems from germophobia, anxiety, or overconsumption, but it’s bizarre.

[tiki]

Even if you thought you needed to use an antibacterial soap (you don't, regular soap removes bacteria on the skin very effectively), why would you then immediately wash off the antimicrobial with regular soap?

[hazelden]

We have a lot of body wash at our house, but lately I've been using the antibacterial Dial bar soap that I had to buy when my son started wrestling last year. I've never seen any TikToks about double washing, but just the other day I considered using a nice smelling bodywash after finishing up with the Dial. I didn't do it because that seems wasteful and I've been liking the Dial scent a lot anyway. But we seriously have a lot of bodywash to go through.

[glitzy07]

Yeah, the only time I'm double washing anything is if I'm using a clarifying shampoo followed by a purple shampoo.

[expectantsteelerfan]

This annoys me to the same extent the overabundance of 'whole body deodorant' commercials annoy me. I'm a sweaty person by nature, but I don't feel the need to slather my whole body in deodorant to fight of potential body odor if I'm going to be working out or outdoors or anywhere else that I might naturally be sweating. Sure, I can come up with a few instances where it might be helpful to apply a deodorant to other parts of my body than under my arms, but I don't need those products making me feel self-conscious about how I might smell at every moment of the day just so companies can sell more chemical products to me and my self-conscious teens.

[ellipses84]

I remember learning that anti-bacterial soap is bad in a college ecology course in the 90’s.

Not sure how legit this site is with the article from 2017, but it outlines the reasons I remember.

- They are no more effective than regular soap.
- They may be creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Antibacterial soaps may act as endocrine disruptors.
- Antibacterial soaps kill good bacteria too.
- It is bad for the environment.

www.conehealth.com/services/urgent-care/5-reasons-to-stop-using-antibacterial-soaps/


Here’s what the FDA currently says about it.

www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/skip-antibacterial-soap-use-plain-soap-and-water#:~:text=Because%20the%20manufacturers%20haven't,the%20spread%20of%20certain%20infections.

Most liquid products you use in the shower aren’t great for the environment, between the packaging and ingredients.

I occasionally wash my hair twice if I feel like it needs it. I use a mild soap like cetaphil and a shower lotion (which is like body wash). Some people might need a stronger soap to keep body odor at bay. Washing twice every time is excessive and like it would dry your skin and not be great for your hair.

I personally think people could shower less often. Think about how often people bathed for most of history! Of course they smelled worse but they were typically in a dirtier environment, than most of us, whether in the city or country. They washed up at the sink anywhere their clothes didn’t cover several times a day especially if they were out working on a farm or whatever and they did sponge baths.

[mommyatty]

That would be so freaking bad for your skin! Antibacterial soap generally should not be used outside of a clinical setting or if your doctor tells you to use it because of a particular concern. But otherwise, your skin has its own healthy biome that you shouldn’t be jacking with. The bacteria on your skin keep other things on your skin in check. Remove them and you’re more likely to end up with other issues, like yeast infections. Just shower and wash yourself normally with normal soap. The only body part I wash more than once are armpits: first to get off deodorant, then to make them April fresh.

[raleighnc]

The additional suds on the second rinse is because your hair is already clean and there's essentially nothing left for the detergents to solubilized. So it's basically showing you how much product is being wasted and just puffing up with air to make suds. So yes, if you have a ton of products in your hair or it's really dirty for some reason, you may have to use more shampoo to remove it. But whether you use a little more shampoo in the first wash and spend extra time/effort scrubbing your hair and then rinsing really well or break it into two separate washes, it's essentially the same.

[Patsy Baloney]

Isn’t all soap antibacterial? Like…that’s what it does. Not to the same extent as a clinical cleanser, but, it’s doing the job.

[litskispeciality]

Aug 16, 2024 8:53:36 GMT -5 lavenderblue said:

I don't use anything antibacterial if I can avoid it. I don't want to make any contribution to making antibiotics even less effective. Everything I've read said that we need germs. I don't know how true it is, but it makes sense to me.

I was coming in to say the same thing. I remember everything saying the overuse (pre-COVID) of antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer outside of using the restroom, preparing or eating food etc. is actually killing natural, good bacteria. 

I use a little antibac on certain body parts to assist with odor, but not all over my body as it's very drying. My body wash says it now includes lot of extra cleansing stuff, who knows if it's true?

I try to only shampoo a couple of times a week, and typically only do it once. Sometimes twice if my hair is grimey or I have a lot of build up. I like the Sauve clarifying shampoo by rec on here  
I remember rinse and repeat, and the Herbal Essences commercials that made it seem like they were having an "O" when shampooing, but I feel like that died off a long time ago. Most stylists have told me less washing is actually better for your hair.

[mala]

Aug 16, 2024 11:36:41 GMT -5 Patsy Baloney said:

Isn’t all soap antibacterial? Like…that’s what it does. Not to the same extent as a clinical cleanser, but, it’s doing the job.

Yes and no. All soap will remove dirt and bacteria from your skin. Some will disrupt the lipid barrier in the bacteria and destroy them. Soap made from fat and lye is usually really effective at this, the other detergents can be hit or miss. Official antibacterial soap will have an additive to make it more effective (usually triclosan).

[10outof9]

I double wash my hair every time. I’m a zookeeper, so it can get pretty gross with sweat and I feel like the second round of shampoo makes a big difference.

I don’t double wash my body though.

[karinothing]

Aug 16, 2024 12:22:19 GMT -5 10outof9 said:

I double wash my hair every time. I’m a zookeeper, so it can get pretty gross with sweat and I feel like the second round of shampoo makes a big difference.

I don’t double wash my body though.

umm this job sounds awesome. Please tell me more as I sit at my desk job bored out of my mind. 

[rachers]

It does seem to be more of a thing.

I have fine hair that I usually wash every other day. Same as PP - if I’ve used a lot of product I do a double shampoo. I only condition my ends.

Nah to the double washing. Unless you have like actual dirt on you or whatever.

[stemmie]

When I was young and had oily hair or if I used a lot lot of products I might double shampoo. Last time I did it was when my hair went 4 days after my knee surgery. I'm a daily washer still.

I don't use antibacterial soap/wash unless instructed to use Hibiclens ahead of surgery. I don't think it brings anything positive the rest of the time.

[gummy]

I double cleanse my face. First with an oil cleanser to break up and remove makeup/ sunscreen and followed up with a regular cleanser.

I double cleanse my hair too. I wash twice a week and one cleanse doesn't remove dry shampoo etc adequately.

I've never double cleansed my body and certainly not with antibacterial crap.

[arehopsveggies]

The only double washing I do is when I space out and forget I already washed myself

[AAM2012]

Aug 16, 2024 19:50:22 GMT -5 arehopsveggies said:

The only double washing I do is when I space out and forget I already washed myself

OMG same…I think…but I can’t truly remember if I did or not so who knows! I just do it again just in case.

[sadlebred]

Regular soap is "antibacterial." It lowers the surface tension of water, so the bacteria washes away. I have never double washed except if I was having surgery, and that's at the surgeon's direction.

[Roc A Bee]

I’ll double wash my hair bc I like Head n Shoulders but use a salon shampoo after. I don’t know why. I just always have. I only wash my hair a few times a week though, so it doesn’t feel like I go through tons of product.

[Deleted]

Definitely never double-washed my body (except once I think before surgery because the surgeon directed it).

On very rare occasion I’ll “rinse and repeat” with shampoo if my hair is really dirty.

This trend sounds wasteful.

[agnes]

The only reason I double wash is when I get on autopilot and I’m not sure if I already washed whatever then I realize, yeah, I did that already

[momin2013]

I double wash my undercarriage - have for years 🤷‍♀️

[SwimDeep]

Aug 16, 2024 9:39:11 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

I can see how certain people with specific issues it might make sense. Like a friends kid with really bad excema gave him bleach rinses after a bath. But for peets sake that is the exception.

*record scratch*

Eczema + BLEACH?!

Is this a thing? In all my years of searching for solutions to my skin problems I have never considered bleach or seen it suggested.

I don't double wash anything (tried it with my face... it got MAD). I also don't use hair products or wear makeup (WFH for the mf win 😅).

This whole trend sounds like a) marketing to sell more product, and b) influencers trying to get noticed.

[arehopsveggies]

Aug 18, 2024 18:36:11 GMT -5 SwimDeep said:

Aug 16, 2024 9:39:11 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

I can see how certain people with specific issues it might make sense. Like a friends kid with really bad excema gave him bleach rinses after a bath. But for peets sake that is the exception.

*record scratch*

Eczema + BLEACH?!

Is this a thing? In all my years of searching for solutions to my skin problems I have never considered bleach or seen it suggested.

I don't double wash anything (tried it with my face... it got MAD). I also don't use hair products or wear makeup (WFH for the mf win 😅).

This whole trend sounds like a) marketing to sell more product, and b) influencers trying to get noticed.

When my kids were little and we hadn’t eliminated enough foods/skin products to improve their eczema enough, we put some bleach in the bath water. It really did help

[Aloe Vera]

The only thing I double wash is my face IF I wash it before I apply conditionner. I noticed contionner can make the sides of my face break out.

I never use antibacterial soap unless I am scheduled for surgery. other than that, it's not necessary. If people smell, I would focus on applying stronger deodorant or body powder to more than their armpits.

[sonrisa]

Aug 16, 2024 11:11:59 GMT -5 expectantsteelerfan said:

This annoys me to the same extent the overabundance of 'whole body deodorant' commercials annoy me.

you are missing the point of whole body deodorant. It isn't that your whole body needs deodorant- but rather the enzymes in those products can help with problems that crop up beyond just arm pits. It’s the only thing that stopped my kid’s smelly feet (and once it stopped, it didn’t come back).

[basilosaurus]

Aug 16, 2024 9:17:53 GMT -5 cereal K said:

Double washing my body including antibacterial soap? I’m not going into surgery, so I’ll stick with one pass of Dove, thanks.

I do double wash my hard, though, since I only wash 2x a week. Once with a clarifying shampoo, then again with a bar shampoo.

and the wipes they give you pre surgery burn.

I'm a dirty hippie who uses dry shampoo most of the time (you try showering with room ie 80ish temp water!). So this would be a big fat no. It's also totally unnecessary. If dawn can clean animals after an oil spill body wash is plenty clean.

Yes rinse lather repeat was a total marketing scam

[basilosaurus]

Aug 16, 2024 11:15:03 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

I remember learning that anti-bacterial soap is bad in a college ecology course in the 90’s.

Not sure how legit this site is with the article from 2017, but it outlines the reasons I remember.

- They are no more effective than regular soap.
- They may be creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Antibacterial soaps may act as endocrine disruptors.
- Antibacterial soaps kill good bacteria too.
- It is bad for the environment.

www.conehealth.com/services/urgent-care/5-reasons-to-stop-using-antibacterial-soaps/


Here’s what the FDA currently says about it.

www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/skip-antibacterial-soap-use-plain-soap-and-water#:~:text=Because%20the%20manufacturers%20haven't,the%20spread%20of%20certain%20infections.

Most liquid products you use in the shower aren’t great for the environment, between the packaging and ingredients.

I occasionally wash my hair twice if I feel like it needs it. I use a mild soap like cetaphil and a shower lotion (which is like body wash). Some people might need a stronger soap to keep body odor at bay. Washing twice every time is excessive and like it would dry your skin and not be great for your hair.

I personally think people could shower less often. Think about how often people bathed for most of history! Of course they smelled worse but they were typically in a dirtier environment, than most of us, whether in the city or country. They washed up at the sink anywhere their clothes didn’t cover several times a day especially if they were out working on a farm or whatever and they did sponge baths.

Tits pits and bits!