Half of Americans say they use a swimming pool as a bathtub

May 16, 2019

By Herb Scribner

Showering in swimming pools? Apparently, that’s not too gross for half of Americans, according to a new study.

The Water Quality & Health Council released findings of a new study that found 51 percent of Americans use a swimming pool as a communal bathtub.

The pool, for them, serves as an alternative to showering or rinsing off anything after exercising or doing yardwork.

Ignorance doesn’t really play a role, either. Apparently, 64 percent of Americans know the chemicals don’t eliminate the need for a shower but they still do it anyway because… well, we’re not really sure.

“When dirt, sweat, personal care products and other things on our bodies react with chlorine, there is less chlorine available to kill germs,” said Dr. Chris Wiant, chair of the Water Quality & Health Council, according to USA Today. “Rinsing off for just 1 minute removes most of the dirt, sweat or anything else on your body.”

More findings: The report — which was done to educate Americans “on healthy and safe swimming,” according to USA Today — had some additional findings.

40 percent of Americans said they urinated in the pool as an adult.
24 percent said they would go into a pool within an hour of having diarrhea.
48 percent said they never took a shower before swimming.
53 percent said they didn’t know makeup could impact pool chemistry.
55 percent said they didn’t know deodorant could impact pool chemicals.

Method: Sachs Media Group conducted the 2019 Healthy Pools survey. The group interviewed 3,100 American adults from April 12 to 13. The survey had a 2.7 percent margin of error.