How often do we take a shower in Italy? And are we really the cleanest people in Europe? Data and statistics show habits other than those we imagine. But between bidets, teeth and ears, hygiene remains a distinctive trait of our country.
How often do we take a shower?
Lately a statistics have returned viral according to which Over 95% of Italians would take at least one shower per day. But this data, released in 2021 from page X Theglobal_index Without mentioning a specific source, holds up to comparison with reality?
The most reliable investigations tell a somewhat different story:
- A BVA-doxa investigation, conducted in 2020, reveals that only the 42% take a shower every daywhile 51% between the two and five times a week.
- According to an IFOP study1the percentage of Italians who washes daily in 2022 ascent to 54%, a figure that makes us comparable to Germans and English, but far from Spanish (82%) and French (72%).
- The results of a 2024 Galaxus investigation are also similar: 53% of Italians take at least one shower per day, while 38% stop at 2-3 per week.
In short, We are not the people of the daily showers that many think. And the discrepancy between these data also suggests the definition of “daily shower” may vary: some studies consider the annual average (including summer periods more frequently), others the actual daily routine.
The passion of Italians for the shower, however, remains a fact: it is present in 9 out of 10 houses and we prefer to have two bathrooms with two showers, rather than one with the tank. But how do we use it?
The majority spends us between 5 and 15 minutesabove all by returning home after work (41%) or before going to bed (28%), less in the morning (25%).
And while we wash ourselves, We also like singing (75%), listen to music (67%) and there are even those who do not give up talking on the phone (25%)!
The products we use most in the shower are soap (86%) and shampoo (81%). In addition, we use much more than other European countries (41%), but less peeling products (8%) and face cleaning (10%).
But are we attentive to waste? Just more than half of the Italians (57%) declares to close the water as it is flavor. The greatest sensitivity is found among over 55 while young people, who tend more to live the shower as a moment of relaxation, pay less attention to sustainability. However, strong territorial differences are reserved. The daily provision of per capita water oscillates between 118 liters in Enna at 446 in Aosta.
Personal hygiene in Italy, beyond the shower
If we don’t excel in the shower, However, hygiene remains a distinctive trait of our country. Together with Portugal, Spain and Greece we are the only European ones to have the bidet, which we consider indispensable as the toilet.
Italy is then the European country with the Best oral hygiene care: 83%of the interviewees said they were washing at least 2 times a day (a higher than the European average of 76%) and almost 3 out of 4 Italians also use the thread, the toothbrush or interdental sticks (74%)
The Bel Paese also wins the Trophy of the cleaning of the ears: 41% of Italians say they clean them every day (while the European average stops at 28%): 7 out of 10 using Cotton Fioc, while 12% a damp cloth.
Regarding the underwear, almost all the Italians (94%) changes it every day, while only 3 out of 4 men (77%) do the same.
How often do you need to wash us? What science says
There are no universal guidelines for the frequency of showers and personal hygiene, but dermatologists agree that it is too little to wash too little can damage the skin. In addition, recent recent psychiatric studies confirm that personal hygiene is also an important marker of mental health: the loss of interest is related to depression and mood disorders while adequate hygiene improves self -esteem and social relationships.
Optimal frequency However, it depends on the type of skin and the lifestyle of an individual. For example, living in a warm and humid country is different from living in a cold country. Just as cleaning can be more at risk among those who take public transport, he attends very crowded places and carry out jobs in which you get dirty. Or among those who carry out intense physical activity compared to those who are sedentary.
However, many experts agree what to do a quick warm shower (no more than 5 minutes) once a day or alternate daysfocusing mainly on armpits, feet and groin, it allows you to maintain good hygiene without compromising skin health.
On the other hand, the main health organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Dental Association (ADA), are of washing their teeth, they recommend brushing their teeth with vertical movements at least twice a day. They also recommend using dental floss daily, to ensure deeper and more effective cleaning.
For the cleaning of the ears, experts in otolaryngology, on the other hand, recommend only the external cleaning of the ear with a soft cloth, as the use of cotton swab can push the earwax deeper and cause damage.
So, are we a people of showers? Maybe not, but where Italy really excels is in the Holistic approach to hygiene, where we keep overall hygienic standards of the highest in Europe.
1IFOP study for Xlovecam conducted through self -administration online questionnaire from 21 to 27 June 2022 on a sample of 5,039 people representative of the population of Italy, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom equal to or greater than 18 years
