Are baths or showers more hygienic? Scientist settles the debate

"'When you have a bath the water is not changed so all you are doing is redistributing the bacteria living on you to different body sites,' Dr Primrose Freestone, a clinical microbiologist from the University of Leicester, told the Daily Mail."

"'Meanwhile a shower is a continuously changing stream of water which washes away potential germs.'"

"'Showers clean skin more effectively than baths. We shower to remove dirt, sweat, oil and odour-causing microorganisms - mostly bacteria - from our skin. This personal hygiene is important in maintaining general health and avoiding skin rashes and infection.'"

"'Assuming if you shower regularly, a bath isn't going to be any less hygienic even if you do dip in directly,' someone wrote."

Bath water is not changed during soaking, so bacteria living on the body can be redistributed to different body sites. Showering uses a continuously changing stream of water that washes away potential germs. Showers remove dirt, sweat, oil, and odour-causing microorganisms, mostly bacteria, from skin. Personal hygiene supports general health and helps avoid skin rashes and infections. Many people prefer showers because they feel cleaner, and surveys show most Brits choose showers over baths. Some people still prefer baths for pleasure, while others shower before or after bathing to reduce grime and maintain hygiene.

Read at Mail Online