Reflections | Amid intense Singapore morning shower debate, a reminder having a bath was once a luxury

A social media post about sweaty commuters sparked intense debate in Singapore, yet in the old days people would go months without a bath

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Commuters pack a train in Singapore. A recent post about the smell of sweaty bodies during a morning commute ignited fierce debate on social media in the country. Yet hot running water piped to one’s home is a relatively recent invention. Before that, few bathed daily. Photo:
Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images

Published: 8:15am, 8 Feb 2025

An intense debate dominated Singapore’s social media late last month over whether people should shower in the morning, especially if they are taking public transport to work.

It was sparked by a Tiktokker’s impassioned tirade, which quickly went viral. “You all smell like you have not washed your bedsheets in months and you have marinated in months of night sweat and hair oil,” she raged.

I would have put it in another way, but yes, her rant resonates with me. I am lucky that my work does not require rush-hour commutes, but on the occasions when I have to take the train in the morning or evening crush, the noxious miasma of humanity overwhelms me.

I take at least two showers a day, after I get out of bed in the morning and before bed at night. I take a third one in the afternoon if I have to exercise in the daytime or if it is a particularly hot day and I have just been out.

How often do you shower each day? Singaporeans reacted to a social media post about sweaty, smelly commuters by saying having a shower in the morning would cut into their sleep. Photo: Shutterstock

It has been a habit of mine for as long as I can remember. I do not think it is excessive, especially in a hot, tropical climate. Each shower lasts 10 minutes or less, and I turn off the tap when I am soaping myself so that I use less water. I have recently limited myself to shampooing my hair once a day only because I have concerns about hair loss.