Mainers, Can Swimming Take the Place of a Shower?

Can a dip in the ocean, pool, lake or any other public body of water, take the place of a shower? When it comes to hygiene, where do you stand?

Personally, I love to shower. The entire process is a relaxing treat. Shopping for shampoos, fancy soaps and body washes is a luxury that I indulge in every now and then. I'll also admit that before meeting Mark, I wasn't so fussy about showering before or after going for a swim. I'm the weirdo that actually likes the smell of chlorine on my skin. It reminds me of swimming in the pool when I was a kid. Mark is insistent on showers after swims to remove the ick, I just didn't realize how much ick.

You've probably seen the signs at public pools asking you to shower before swimming, they are there for a reason and I will obey them after writing this blog post!

If your teenager comes home with a group of his sweaty friends and they run through the gate to cannonball into your pool without showering off all of their sweat, sunscreen, grime, bacteria and fecal matter- they've created a disgusting swim environment, and someone could end up getting really sick.

According to Swim Guide, chlorine can only do so much, and you are also at risk in natural bodies of water.

If you think a quick dip can replace the cleanliness of a shower, you are soooo very wrong! Here's why:

Chlorine doesn't kill everything and it doesn't work instantly. It can take from one minute to several days to work. It takes ten days for chlorine to kill that super terrible parasite, Cryptosporidium that we've been hearing so much about.
When chlorine mixes with the organic matter on our bodies it can create something even more toxic called HBP. That particular yuck is the reason for the "Shower First" signs posted at public pools.
If you don't shower away the traces of fecal matter and other nasty pathogens on your skin before swimming in a natural body of water, you add to it's contamination. That's why the water quality at some beaches and lakes goes down by the end of the day.
Shower with soap and shampoo your hair after any swim to reduce the risk of infections.
Gross fact: the CDC estimates that on the average, people have about 0.14 grams of feces on their body. Swallowing just a little bit of that poo-water can make someone sick.- including you. Take a soapy shower before swimming!

Most people wouldn't bathe in someone else's dirty bath water. Would you?

So, I ask you again...In your opinion, can swimming take the place of a shower? Comment on our Fan Page.