OK, hand on heart, how many of us can claim we’ve never peed in the shower? We’re guessing not many. And anyone who has ever been late for work will know the time-saving power of brushing your teeth while rinsing your conditioner. But people have strong feelings about what you should and shouldn’t do in the shower – and opinions vary so much, we had to turn to the experts for help.

Here’s our list of things you can, and really can’t, do in the shower. 

Myth: peeing in the shower affects pelvic floor health 

The debate rages over whether it’s OK to wee in the shower. The answer? It’s complicated.

“I was categorically told following my treatment for bladder cancer that I should never pee in the shower,” says entrepreneur Afsaneh Parvizi-Wayne, the founder of period subscription service MyFreda. “The cancer nurse told me it encourages the urge to wee, and that it’s a definite no-no!”

Weeing in the shower may be a Pavlovian response to running water, and some argue that it could potentially weaken bladder control, particularly during perimenopause and menopause. But GP and founder of wellbeing platform Wellgood Wellbeing Dr Zoe Watson disagrees.

“There is absolutely no evidence that peeing in the shower affects your pelvic floor in any way,” Dr Watson says. 

However, she adds that you should avoid the urge to wee if you don’t really need to go. “If you create a routine where you are peeing when you don’t quite need to – the ‘just in case’ wee we all do before a long car journey, for example – then your body can start wanting to empty your bladder before it’s full. This can lead to bladder dysfunction as the signals get confused, but can be easily fixed with some simple bladder retraining.”

There is also a theory that we’re not able to completely empty our bladders when we pee standing up, but the consensus seems to be that it’s not that much of a big deal. “If you’re only doing this occasionally, it really shouldn’t cause a problem,” says Dr Watson. “So if you want to wee in the shower – go right ahead.”

Myth: brushing your teeth in the shower spreads germs

There’s no doubt that killing two birds with one stone and brushing our teeth in the shower saves both time and water. But is it actually worse for us than sink brushing? Some critics say that we risk cross-contamination of germs from our bodies into our mouths, making illness more likely. 

However, dentist and founder of dental site Habox Katie Davies is firmly in the yes camp on this one.

“I’m a dentist, and I brush my teeth in the shower every day – and I advise my patients to do the same,” she says. “The main reason it’s a good idea is habit psychology. Tagging brushing to something you’re already doing means you’re more likely to do it consistently. Like having your vitamins next to the kettle for your morning coffee.”

But there is an important caveat to this. “Brushing should always be done without water,” advises Davies. “So, the shower as a location is fine. Dry toothbrush, toothpaste on the brush, no water on your brush, spit into the sink – or shower – and you’re good to go.”

Myth: washing your face in the shower dries skin 

While we’re on the subject of saving time and water, let’s discuss washing our faces. Some of us only ever wash our faces in the shower, but if you’re regularly cleansing in the shower, some beauty experts claim you’re doing it all wrong.

Dermatologists say that there is a risk that shower water is too hot for our faces, leading to dryness and dehydration. But the consensus appears to be that if it works for you, then it’s fine – washing is better than not. 

Myth: a shower before bed stops you sleeping 

For many people, there’s nothing that beats the feeling of showering before slipping into clean bedsheets – it’s one of life’s greatest pleasures. And research shows that a pre-bedtime shower might help you to drift off – providing you keep the temperature down.

According to the American Journal of Biology, showers should be taken two hours before hitting the hay in order to avoid raising body temperature and disturbing our natural sleep triggers. But if it works for you, go ahead and lather up. No one ever went to bed too clean.

Myth: it’s really easy (and common) to have sex in the shower 

We’ve all seen the (literally) steamy scenes in movies where a couple gets it on in the shower, but let’s face it – real life is rarely like that. Few of us have showers with enough space to swing a cat, let alone get busy. And according to experts, it’s probably not the best idea.

“Shagging in the shower could be dangerous, purely from the point of view that it’s so easy to slip and hurt yourself,” says Dr Watson. “But other than that, I really can’t think of anything we shouldn’t be doing in the shower. You can please yourself – no pun intended.”

Images: Getty