Kelly Clarkson shared how she saves time in the shower, and some people think it’s gross

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Kelly Clarkson is raising eyebrows with her showering habits after an interview with Kenan Thompson of "Saturday Night Live." The daytime talk show host admitted to brushing her teeth and peeing in the shower — mostly to save time — and Thompson had some thoughts.

“I’m on the whole other side where I find it to be gross and I don’t do it,” Thompson, who's promoting his new memoir, “When I was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice from a Professional Clown,” said. He added that he has peed in the shower but tries to avoid it. “I pee almost every time,” Clarkson said. “The hot water hits your body … but if I gotta go.”

Clarkson admitted that when she’s rushed, she is more likely to perform several tasks in the shower.

“I don’t regularly brush my teeth in the shower,” she said. “I just do it if I’m in a hurry.”

But Clarkson added: “I do happen to be in a hurry a lot.”

While some might find these habits icky, is there any reason to avoid brushing teeth or peeing in the shower?

It depends.

There’s a lingering myth that urine is sterile, which some take to mean that peeing in the shower is harmless, TODAY.com previously reported. But research indicates that urine is not sterile: A small study found that urine carries bacteria similar what's commonly found on other parts of the body.

“There is bacteria on our body, and we wouldn’t be able to survive without them,” Evann Hilt, one of the researchers on the study. told TODAY.com. “There are just a few bacteria out there that cause illness.” While she's not 100% sure peeing in the shower has no health risks, she said she hasn't seen anything to suggest it's bad.

However, brushing your teeth in the shower could result in poorly cleaned pearly whites and even spread illness, according to dental insurer Delta Dental. In the shower, you probably can't see a mirror to make sure you're getting every spot, and you're less likely to floss afterward. Plus, bringing your toothbrush into the shower (especially if you leave it there) can allow germs to gather on it and potentially make you sick.

Some tips from Delta Dental to make sure that multitaskers like Clarkson are both saving time and protecting their teeth:

  • Brush for two minutes and set a timer to make sure

  • Floss immediately after leaving the shower

  • Do not keep the toothbrush in the shower (a wet toothbrush could grow bad bacteria)

  • Be mindful of water use

This article was originally published on TODAY.com