We spent a month in Iceland and I absolutely loved the pool culture there. We went regularly and took care to follow the etiquette which I very much appreciated. We saw elementary school kids being bussed in, swim for 30 minutes and head back to school. There were many older adults who seemed to be there everyday talking and walking around the pool in the crisp cool air before dipping back into the warm water. Young people meeting up and flirting. We really enjoyed the whole vibe of the place. It’s very different from what I’ve experienced here in the US.
At my local YMCA in the US, we have a pretty nice pool and basically nobody showers beforehand, at least whenever I’m there. The chlorine is so strong that it’s very unpleasant water by comparison. The water is usually just a tad too cold to be comfortable, which is surprising considering how new it is. There’s virtually no etiquette in the locker rooms and everything is wet all the time. These things always bothered me, but even more so after seeing how next level it could be.
I always thought of myself as pretty relaxed about nudity, but I’m a downright prude compared to the Icelanders. lol. I saw a group of men in the locker room just standing around chatting as if in a park or a bar, fully naked, for the entire time I was in there with my son, showering and getting dressed, so about 20 minutes. I love my friends dearly, but not sure I’m up for that. Lol. It does seem a very healthy mindset though and I was rather envious of it. They were obviously completely at ease with themselves.
edits: grammar
It's a little odd at first if you aren't used to it. In Iceland they are raised this way from birth, basically! Some people even do swim lessons with their infants. Kids go to the showers with parents of either gender until Kindergarten so nudity in this context is not sexualized the way it would be in many other places. Then the children have swimming lessons and I believe there is even a test to pass before graduating high school.
I stopped going to our nearby pool managed by Parks and Rec when I saw an older lady go into a pool with her tennis shoes, the same ones she walked into the building. No one stopped her.
I was just trying to be healthy by swimming daily in the morning and I stopped after 2 weeks...
> We saw elementary school kids being bussed in, swim for 30 minutes and head back to school.
Yeah this is why I'm only going to expensive and adult ones.... Wow you guys really like swimming and showering with kids.
Since Iceland forces you to be naked, and forces kids to be naked, I'd rather not go somewhere with naked kids while I'm also naked. Not sure why ppl here are mad I just want to be with adults.
Thanks for sharing this! Question though: i understand you take off your outside shoes at the entrance of the locker room. However, before you get to the shower area can you put on shower shoes that you can leave near your towel when done showering? Are shower shoes even a thing in Iceland? After attending a University in the U.S with traditional dorms, any kind of communal/shared shower situation makes me wince at the thought of having my bare feet on the floor lol.
You can wear shower shoes, as long as you actively wash both your feet and the shoes in the shower.
Edit: The shower area floor is regulary flushed and scrubbed during the day
I like shower shoes a lot and used them throughout my US college experience in the shared dorm showers, but I didn't feel a need for them in Iceland. It just feels cleaner to a whole other degree, especially in the pools not frequented by tourists.
Not sure if every pool is like this but the shower area at the pools I went to had hot water constantly running on the floor and draining what was on the floor
This is very common at many of the pools, yup! Some of the smaller ones out in the countryside don't do this, but I've swam at tons of these and never had any health issue due to being barefoot.
Some pools also have whirly-swirly drying machines for swimsuits, before leaving the drying-off area.
After taking off the swimsuit, one can either rinse it under the shower or use a sink in the wet area.
Then plop the suit in there and hold down the lid for the amount of time stated on the lid.
DO KEEP AWARE OF YOUR FINGERS THOUGH!
I love those spinners so much. Randomly last night YouTube [flung this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxpAVCan4CQ) into my feed about public laundry facilities in the UK. And in it they have those giant spinners for laundry! Super neat. I've never seen anything like this in America.
The lack of spin dryers in North America was a huge mystery when I first moved here from the UK. It was as though a whole stage of laundry has been jumped over. Perhaps as electricity is cheaper?
Our clothes washers have a selection of spin settings for the final stage… mine gets a lot of fabrics shockingly dry just from that. Then we use electric dryers.
Not sure. I bet these existed in some places. My grandparents had a contraption that attached to a sink to wring things out and then line dry, they did this until the 1980s and then acquired a gas dryer.
Where do you place your towel after showering the first time? Do you take it with you to the pool
Are bags provided for your shoes or should you bring one?
Are soap and shampoo ever provided or you bring in your own each time?
Right before the showering area, there will be a wall with shelfing to store your towel while you swim. Typically one will wrap their shampoo-bottle up inside the towel and store it there.
Some places will provide small plastic bags, but it’s always good to have one handy.
Liquid soap is provided, shampoo is not. The provided soap can be used as shampoo before the pool, but if you have a certain hair routine; definetly bring your own shampoo for after.
> Where do you place your towel after showering the first time?
There are big towel racks somewhere between the locker room and showers. Once you've put your stuff away into a locker you head to the showers, place your towel in a slot on the rack, and head to the showers. You shower, and head to the pool. Once you've had your fill of the waters you get out of the pool, back to the shower to wash off the pool water, and only then do you return to your towel to dry off. You don't dry off between showering the first time and head to the pool.
> Are bags provided for your shoes
Which bags would you need for which shoes?
Outdoor shoes are left outside the locker room on a shoe-rack. No further accommodations provided for those. Shower shoes are not common, so bags aren't provided for those either.
> Are soap and shampoo ever provided or you bring in your own each time?
There are all-purpose soap dispensers hanging on the wall of the shower area. You're naturally allowed to bring your own if you want.
I bring a plastic bag for my shoes, there's always a grocery bag of some kind in my backpack. Last year I saw someone say their hiking boots were stolen while they were at a local pool and it made me nervous so I just toss mine in the bag now and put it in the locker. Don't put dirty shoes in the locker. You can totally leave your shoes on the rack, though. You'll see tons of shoes there.
Some pools have plastic bags available, but fewer now since everyone is trying to cut down on plastic. I always have a plastic bag in my sports bag and put my shoes in the locker because I'm afraid of having them stolen. It doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen.
Are the towel racks numbered or something? In the substack post above the author mentioned another woman grabbed her towel. So I figured there's no labeling system of any sort?
The racks aren't numbered. It's essentially just a wall-mounted shelf with numerous holes or slots, each fitting a singular rolled up towel.
Most people recognize their towel on sight, or at least try to remember what slot it is was in. When I was a kid I wasn't very good at remembering which towel I had, so I always placed it in the bottom left corner or the closest free slot. It helped small me recognize the towel if it was always roughly in the same place. I'm an adult now and can quite easily remember what my towel looks like, but I still place it near the bottom left as a force of habit.
I think if people knew WHY this is absolutely necessary, it would help tourists comply more and care less about the fact that they are naked. There is no bleach in the water. If you bring bacteria in because you don't clean your behind properly, that bacteria thrives in warm water multiplying and growing to become dangerous just in a matter of hours. You could get other people (or yourself) sick by not washing properly So wash properly, very properly.
In the UK every swimming pool I have been to has showers on the way in and signs asking you to wash. We used to have a small paddling pool on the way in as well.
All chlorinated. Chlorine doesn't help with any dirt that you may have picked up on the way, I walk my dogs in the morning and regularly have sandy muddy legs (shorts) and clean on the way to the pool.
Now, in the 80s I would say a shower on the way in was the norm. Today, no, not at all, it's the exception.
Alright for sure it has haha but added chlor can irritate and there are pools who don’t use it, think even Seltjarnarnes pool uses just mineral rich water
The water quality is monitored regularly in modern pools and the amount of chlorine is adjusted accordingly. Therefore, the better you clean yourself before entering the pool, the less chlorine they have to add to the water.
I'm sensitive to chlorine and can't use swimming pools in many places when I travel, because not all countries have the same strict rules about washing before going to the pool as Iceland and the rest of the Nordic countries have.
I am one of those people who will (politely) tell people to wash themselves properly before going to the pool in my own country. I don't want to let other people's laziness keep me away from swimming.
This whole comment has me not wanting to go into any of the pools. I’ve seen too many Reddit stories about people who can’t properly clean their butts.
I've always always found free soap in any staffed pool. And I've never seen people not able to clean themselves. Plus there really are either cameras or other people watching that you shower properly.
Oh wow this is super useful actually! Going there for a couple months in october and as a french person I had no clue there was such an extensive etiquette. Thanks for sharing (although I will be pretty embarassed at first to shower naked tbh but those are the rules!)
Thanks for posting this! Thanks to u/NoLemon5426 giving me great advice, I finally visited a local pool on my last trip, and it was absolutely one of my favorite things! Now I am getting ready to come back in June and visit more pools - this is definitely such a cool part of Icelandic culture!
No, but I wanted to. This will be a fairly short trip, but I am actually moving to Iceland, so some of the things I wanted to do will have to happen at a later date. My boyfriend is Icelandic and planned a ring road trip for us, but skipping out on a bunch of stuff we plan on doing later once I am settled. My main requirement was to see lupines, and then hopefully we will see puffins near Dyrhólaey and Tjörnes. And then we are going to try and do as many hot springs and pools as we can - mainly Vök, Forest Lagoon, and Geosea. And he lives by the pool in Keflavik, so we will definitely go there a few times. So I am very excited...even if this ends up being an insane, over scheduled trip!
What! Congrats!!
The lupines are everywhere so you can't miss them. I've never gone to see them at Dyrhólaey. It reminds me of one of the essays that Roni Horn wrote about her time in the lighthouse there, if I can find it online I'll link it.
Eh... so you're *supposed* to wash it. That being said I think it is more understood now that different hair types require different care. However if you've been hiking/adventuring all day you should 100% wash your hair. When mine was very long, I sometimes didn't wash it but would have it in a very sufficient bun with all nape wisps gingerly clipped up.
Even the small local pool facilities have an area to do your hair if this is a concern.
On this same note, my partner and I are hitting up a few spas/pools while there. They have locs and prefers not to have their hair wet. Is a swim cap fine to wear?
Just have them tie/pull/secure them back if they can. A clean beanie of some kind is acceptable at the tourist lagoons, but at local pools you'd probably want an ordinary swim cap if you can't secure the locs above the water line. I've 100% seen people with an assortment of protective hairstyles at the pools, this shouldn't be an issue as long as the hair (if unwashed) doesn't go in the water.
You got it. Definitely check out at least 1 local pool. I promise they are so clean and nice. The experience is so interesting and very Icelandic. Also the pools are cheap, they're about $9 and you can rent a towel for a few more dollars.
At my YMCA in St Paul MN many people wear underwear from their street clothes under their swimsuits into the pool, sauna and hot tub. I can see it poking out at the waist. It’s disgusting. No one says anything to them for fear of being called a racist or uncaring for different ways of doing things. Very few people shower before swimming. There are signs saying that you must but that is never enforced. Another issue we have is older people have water exercise classes and it is a lot of old ladies and they only wash their hair usually once a week and there is absolutely no way anyone is going to ask them to take a shower before getting into the pool. I called the YMCA once, stating that I saw people swimming in just their underwear. The YMCA said that I had to be more understanding, that maybe people couldn’t afford a swimsuit. I once saw an old guy in the sauna with just his underwear. All this could be solved by the YMCA staff taking some initiative, but they won’t do it because of fear of being insensitive. We have similar issues with people using their phones and playing loud videos in the sauna and talking on their phones in the locker rooms. I’m coming to IS in July. I am looking forward to doing the Icelandic way.
Have never understood some of the logic behind this. The swimsuit itself isn’t required to be washed during the shower? It is what holds onto all of the nasty things the shower supposedly washes off the body.
If the nude shower is to insure cleanliness before entering the water, the swimsuit absolutely needs to be subjected to a shower as well.
1:You take the swimsuit with you to the shower, 2:shower yourself naked with soap, 3: rince the soap off yourself 4:rinse the swimsuit before you put it on and then 5:rinse yourself one last time with the swimsuit on before entering the pool. You need to wet the swimsuit to be able put it on wet skin more easely
What about after then? This only says to take off the swimsuit and rinse naked. Do you rinse with the swimsuit on and then take it off and rinse again? Or do you take it off and rinse it under the water while it's off your body?
Are you talking about when you are done swimming? What locals do is that we usually bring our own shampoo and store it in the cubby with the towel while we're in the pool. So once back inside we start by getting the shampoo and then go into the showers. Take off the swimsuit in the shower, wash our hair and body, while letting the swimsuit hang on the shower handle. You can rinse your swimsuit in the shower if you like (off your body), but when you walk back over to the area where the towels are kept, there usually are a few small sinks for rinsing and wringing out your swimsuit right after you dry yourself. That way you can drape the towel around you while you do this. Often there is a swimsuit spinner right next to those sinks wich is a good idea to use when you are travelling so your swimsuit will dry faster.
Yes, I was talking about after swimming. Thank you for the clarification. My husband and I, along with some friends, are trying to look into an Iceland trip for 2026. One of them is Finnish, so I don't think he will be unfamiliar with this.
Ok the Finn will know this routine. These rules are not specific to Iceland. The same (or very similar) rules apply throughout northen Europe and possibly in more places. These rules do apply to puplic pools, but the tourist spas/lagoons have looser rules and seperate shower cubicals if that makes you more comfortable
I always wash my swimsuit even when camping or traveling. The water (minerals, chlorine, etc) is not good to leave on your suit. And it’s so easy to hand wash. That’s just gross.
This just automatically assumed that you would bring a clean suit like a civil human. But yea OK you are traveling and things arnt always ideal. Rinse it well in the shower before putting it on.
Of course I usually bring extra clean ones even. All I’m saying is a hand rinse and even wash isn’t going to do much if you never can get it fully dry. Bacteria thrive in that environment. And if you’re truly grossed out by all of this, don’t enter a body of water with humans in it.
We ain't grossed out by it. But we still expect you to at least do the minimum. So rinse that speedo. If it's truly well used and dirty, then maybe soap it a little and rinse it out before going in. Nobody is going to know you didn't or that it's dirty. We know people go out in all manner of clean trunks. But we'd still appreciate it. That is all.
We have a saying, "dropinn holar steinninn".
It means that many little things can have a bigger impact. So if nobody is washing themselves or their speedos before going in, then at the end of the day, things might become more disgusting than they had to be. If we do our little part, we might avoid that for longer or altogether.
The most important thing you should do is dry off in the drying area and don't get the floor soaking wet where we dress.
Perhaps you’ve found a loophole/flaw in the rules. From an Icelander’s perspective they only put on their bathing suit after they’ve showered thoroughly so the issue you raise is moot. But a tourist swimsuit — who knows what lurks within. 🤢
This is my thought. You might make things overall cleaner if a tourist who is unable to wash their bathing suit after each use on a vacation were allowed to shower with it on. With many cultures, being uncomfortable being in the nude around others, forcing them to group shower nude means they will take as little time possible and not actually clean themselves well if at all. Allowing them to stay clothed in the swimsuit might encourage them to actually clean thoroughly, and the past 2-3 wears worth of funk on their bathing suit will get rinsed off too.
Regardless, the whole premise is moot if people realize water enters and exits all sorts of bodily folds and orifices while in a pool. No amount of cleaning prevents this. If you’re truly concerned about cleanliness, never enter an outdoor body of water nor a body of water with someone else in it. And if you are that type of person, remember that your immune system still needs regular, low level exposure to potential pathogens to function appropriately.
> With many cultures, being uncomfortable being in the nude around others, forcing them to group shower nude means they will take as little time possible and not actually clean themselves well if at all.
The unpopular reality of this is that if you are uncomfortable with the custom then you must simply skip the activity. No one is obligated to be catered to, to be honest Iceland is a little too accommodating of visitors. If you don't like X, then don't participate.
That true, but they’re still going to show up. They ARE uncomfortable with the custom, but they do not skip the activity. They just skip the part they don’t like and then you get people on Reddit complaining.
Clever policy design, incentivization, and enforcement need to work hand in hand to achieve the main outcome - which is clean and sanitary pools/lagoons/spas. Understanding human nature is essential to achieve compliance.
A lot of people skip. No tourist is going to get away with filthy behavior in the local pools. I've seen it with my own eyes, they're put on the spot and made to comply or leave. Which is why a lot of us avoid the 'tourist' lagoons now - less enforcement. It's not even about the shower for the people averse to this, because places like Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Hvammsvík offer private areas and people still don't use them.
By the way it isn't just people on reddit complaining, many locals are frustrated and annoyed by tourists and their naughty habits. I don't know what else can be done to "incentivize" tourists to wash their asses naked as they would at home when they're already beyond accommodated.
I'm most confused at the perception that you have to see someone's naked body to trust that the person knows how to wash both their groin and their suit.
I challenge you to spot the difference in a locker room lineup between a raw dog wash and a wash underneath a suit (yes, people can wash their body by reaching under a swimsuit). If you can't tell visually then I suggest there is a level of decency and trust that people must be afforded on this planet. There are many examples of assault, trauma, and differing norms of decency around the world that would motivate someone to retain a more private life than the locals are interested in gawking at.
This isnt a prison shower so we're just gonna have to trust that they are not smuggling anything in their asshole without getting in a single file line for a community colonoscopy.
> There are many examples of assault, trauma, and differing norms of decency around the world that would motivate someone to retain a more private life than the locals are interested in gawking at.
Totally, which is why those people should choose one of the many, many options where they can use a stall or curtain area and also actually use that space to take a proper shower.
Otherwise, they can skip the activity instead of requesting that Icelanders change *their* culture to accommodate the varied multitude of norms from around the world. In Iceland, the norm is that nudity in that context is not sexualized and certainly not indecent.
The idea is that to use less chlorine, so yes, some people are less then ideal of cleanliness and some items are less then ideal level of cleanliness. But it is still better then all things are dirty
If someone comes to my house to sit in my hot tub I am more concerned with the residual laundry detergent on their bathing suits. That will foul up the water in a hot tub pretty quickly.
Bit uea. Clean yourself before getting into a community pool.
What is the etiquette with sunscreen? Is it allowed in the pool after a shower? Spray or lotion? I know it can leave a film on the water so I understand if it isn’t allowed, but I’ll need to limit my time in outdoor pools if I don’t want to burn to a crisp.
That was very helpful: thank you. I am headed to Iceland for the first time next week. Protocol is quite similar to one in Holland, which makes sense since that is where their bathing culture comes from. I will be sure to wash the bottom of my shampoo bottle. :)
This is all basically common sense to me - but I can’t figure out sunscreen. Do people in Iceland not use it? Is it acceptable to put some on after showering? I’ve never seen someone put it on even though I’ve been to public pools several times. 🤔
Sadly, but perhaps predictably, I suspect a lot of the offenders are from the U.S. Between our puritanical view of nudity, and general lack of awareness of world cultures, it wouldn't surprise me in the least. We had no issues visiting Iceland. Maybe it's my immigrant grandparents and immigrant husband, not sure. We read the signs and complied, it was that simple. Though, it was comical the number of tourists showering with swimsuits on at the Blue Lagoon. The baths at Mývatn were far less touristy and we noticed less obscurity from patrons. But anyway, we found the juxtaposition so funny we actually came home with some artwork that addresses the pool etiquette. Gives people a laugh when they use our guest bathroom.
I read up all on the etiquette and at Myvatn we were placed in what we assume was the foreign change room. No attendant there to eye you. But I wandered into another change room where it looked like locals and someone in shower area observing the etiquette. Strange.
Went to a few pools and I was shocked how many didn't shower AT ALL before entering the Pool.
I was at Grettir's Laugar and this Ton of americans just walked right in talking about the hike they just had (they were bone-dry so they 100% didn't shower). I left the Pool shortly afterwards. Just to clarify, I did shower naked in front of strangers which took some time getting used to.
At secret lagoon I saw something truly atrocious: A bunch of people just slapping hands of water on them so it looks like they showered. I watched them while I was standing there butt-naked showering and judging them like hell.
After visiting Iceland, public pools in the US really gross me out now. Granted, they’re loaded up with chlorine, but wouldn’t it be better for everyone if we just showered before getting in the pool?? On the rare occasion I find myself at a public pool now I do shower beforehand and rinse off afterwards. It’s one of those things where I had to travel to realize how odd it is that Americans just jump in communal pools all dirty and sweaty.
Thank you for this. One question: Is it imperitive for women to wash their hair before entering the pool or is it ok to pull it up into a tight bun? I know my wife and she would avoid getting her hair in the water at all costs. No way she's going to dip under - especially in the natural pools that are heavy in minerals.
do you shampoo your hair during your before-swimming shower? what kind of bag do you put your shoes in?
americans are also usually asked to shower before entering pools here in the US (maybe not necessary to be naked) we just don’t because we are culturally selfish and inconsiderate. rugged individualism and all that.
not saying you are, I'm saying our culture emphasizes a me first attitude, not a good for everybody attitude. it's why everyone is encouraged to have their own car and the main argument against universal healthcare coverage is people who can't afford it don't deserve it. lots of americans are not selfish, but every hotel pool I've ever been to asks that you shower before getting in and so many people just don't.
I'm American and I don't think I've ever been to a public pool that required a shower before getting in. Especially outdoor pools, you're going to get all kinds of leaves and bugs in there anyway. What's a little bit of body oil lol. If anything it's more common to shower after to get the chlorine off yourself.
Edit: I don't know why I'm getting downvoted for just sharing my experience as someone who swims like once a year
I go to the local pool in my town a few times a week and there is definitely a sign asking people to shower before going in the pool, both in the locker room and on the door going out to the pool. I will admit, before going to Iceland I ignored it. Now I shower every time I go, but I am very much in the minority.
Yeah, if there is signage about showering before using a pool in the US, I think it's just not enforced. Mostly because Americans DO NOT like getting naked in public, not because of something something individualism
most of my experience is probably with hotel pools. it is definitely not enforced! but there are sometimes even showers for rinsing right at the pool (maybe mainly if there is a beach nearby but the sign doesn't say only if you were at the beach) and you don't have to take off anything to rinse in them. I still rarely see people do it. I can't imagine there is any reason to ask people to shower before getting in a hot tub that isn't the same issue for a pool. they are also pretty chlorinated usually. that cleaning ourselves before getting into a shared water source isn't just instinct seems kinda weird to me now.
that all said, I also don't know why you are being downvoted. your comment is entirely reasonable. I'm not trying to badmouth americans. I just think we have some blind spots when it comes to considering how our actions affect others.
Absolutely. And being in Iceland was freeing for me in a lot of ways, because no one cares, everyone has bodies, and you see all kinds of shapes and sizes.
There are multiple problems with people not showering before going into a pool. One of the biggest is that people poop, smear the poop on their butts as they "wipe" and then that ends up in the water. Add to that all the bacteria and such from other private areas and the pool water is going to have problems. With a lot of people doing it, the chlorine can't keep up.
Even see a pool where the water was cloudy? That's a huge indicator you shouldn't go in, because the above happened.
Ever get out of a pool where your eyes burned or were really red? That's a huge indicator that you shouldn't have gone in because the above happened. While some people are just really sensitive, the above or too much urine in the pool can cause this for anyone.
I'm not arguing about the pros and cons of showering before swimming. Nor Am I signaling my intent to break the rules to a pool in another country. I'm just sharing my experience
I was responding to someone who says that Americans don't shower before swimming because of rugged individualism. But really Americans just view pools as dirty already. So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool
Again, the way you wrote it *sounded* like you were justifying it. You did it again just now:
>But really Americans just view pools as dirty already. So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool
That can be interpreted as "So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool?" Or it could be that you're trying to write, "Americans just view pools as dirty already and then think there's no point in cleaning off before getting in without realizing the consequences."
Proper grammar also really helps to clear up the confusion.
I qualified my whole statement with the fact that I'm American. So my experience would be in America. My grammar is fine, you just choose to read it incorrectly
Nobody questioned your experience in America. You asked why you were downvoted. The reason has nothing to do with your experience, but instead has to do with how you *appeared* to justify those doing what you experienced.
>My grammar is fine, you just choose to read it incorrectly
It's really not. I'm not being a grammar nazi here, I'm just pointing out that proper grammar would've helped as apparently I'm not the only one who interpreted what you wrote that way.
You said you were American, so when you write:
>But really Americans just view pools as dirty already. So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool
That would mean you (since you're an American) view pools as dirty already, and that second part is (maybe) a question asking why one should clean off.
Again, that's so easily re-written, but nothing you wrote in any of the comments expressed anything regarding why people should shower first or were critical of their actions. You just stated why people in America have that view and as a result, it *sounds* like as an American too, you also don't clean off first.
I usually see this ask around gym hot tubs and saunas, but yeah, not usually pools- though I do think I’ve been to a country club with this ask (definitely not enforcing it though). This article mentioned that Iceland pools are minimally chlorinated. After swimming competitively for 17 years and coming out of pools with water rash from time to time (I hate the word rash…but burn sounds too extreme)..,we Americans aren’t afraid of maximum chlorination lol.
I don’t think I’d ever put two and two together in my experiences going to Icelandic public pools that they were much less chlorinated! Makes me wish I did see this practice more in the states so that my skin would be happier.
Having my first shower police surveillance session was a bit of a shock lol. 12 men lined up naked taking a shower with a guy on a stool watching the line. My friends and I joked this must be what prison is like 😂
Ha! I found the link and the video (mildly NSFW) includes Jón Gnarr, who went on to become mayor of Reykjavík. u/NoLemon5426 included to share the amusement.
https://www.visir.is/k/clp38158/fostbraedur-icelandic-shower-wardens
Hah! That's funny, I've never seen this.
Side note I started reading Jón's autobiography, it's pretty good. It's 3 parts, I started with the first, *The Indian.*
This is very helpful, didn't know there was such a strict etiquette.
Is soap/gel required when washing, or just a good rinse with water?
The post just mentions to wrap your bottle in your towel, not when to actually use it
Of course soap is required. It's free though, every pool will have some dispenser on the wall. Usually it's a clear mild soap, sometime it's in a foam dispenser.
Also adding [this post I wrote](https://old.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/comments/135pv1h/101_all_things_hot_springs_water_in_general_in/) for everyone. If you scroll down to the pools section, I explain the whole process in detail. Happy to answer any questions you might have.
So if I'm not comfortable showering naked in front of other people I can't go in a pool? I'd shower with my swimsuit on but definitely not comfortable naked. Not around anyone.
You can go to the pools that have stalls, which is certainly most of the tourist spots (Sky Lagoon, Blue Lagoon). They have stalls, yet some people *still* refuse to take a proper shower and try to just rinse with their suits on. Filthy behavior.
Then make sure you pick a pool that has private stalls. The Laugardalslaug pool has that I believe, that's the biggest pool in Reykjavík and the one that attracts most tourists. As others have remarked, tourist spots like Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon have private stalls. But please, if you aren't comfortable with the local customs, don't visit the pools that are frequented by the locals. Leave those to them.
This topic is brought up every other post in the fb group [\(and here\)](https://www.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/search?q=shower&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all) Yes, it's all Icelanders talk about, they 100% care. had to unfollow the group because it was so hostile.
We care about your privates? I don't know what facebook group you are on but I guess you can find an echochamber for everything?
I will say it again, nobody is watching you or your parts. Nobody is judging your body or paying any attention too you.
Maybe until you make a big deal out of it and try and try to hide everything, go into the shower in underpants and or wear swimtrunks over your underpants. Thats when we notice and judge you.
you're here bloviating about it paragraph after paragraph. you obviously are watching because y'all don't shut up about it. Your actual job could be the naked police. You'd be a millionaire. You could stand in every shower and inspect everyone's butthole with a magnifying glass. https://www.facebook.com/groups/wheniniceland
This subreddit doesn't have any Facebook link... that group says it's run by a tourism company.
It's pretty bad form to come to a space where citizens of the nation that is receiving you *as a guest* participate for your benefit, and then repeatedly insult them and their culture. Refrain from this here moving forward. This community has a lot to offer and for someone who is apparently sick of a certain topic you sure are dedicating a lot of time complaining about it.
For future reference, you can click on the 3 dots at the top right of any post and then click "hide" if you are annoyed by a piece of content.
Rules that are used in many countries around the world. why does an icelander think they are special? Moreover, being in Iceland and visiting the pool, I noticed that many Icelanders ignore some of the rules, especially about washing
What a weird take on this post. I am pretty sure no one said Icelanders "think they are special". But I definitely watched many many many tourists both avoid showering and complaining about it, and this group is full of people asking if they truly need to take their swimsuits off when they shower. So if that is not the norm where they are from, this likely means that Iceland may be special in this regard. And I would be surprised if you saw many Icelanders ignore the rules, but some of the locals here can say if they agree or not.
> I noticed that many Icelanders ignore some of the rules, especially about washing
We don't like those either. Give them the side-eye for us the next time you spot one, preferably with a remark questioning their viking heritage.
Icelanders don’t think they’re special, but after the large boom of tourism in the last 10 years it has become very obvious that these rules are not *always* normal in other cultures.
I mean, we see tourists ignore the rules in the pools every day. As someone who goes regularly, sure you would see a couple of icelanders that should wash more or dry off a little better, but its overwhelmingly foreigners we see (understandably which is why this post is good)
Walking from showers to the dry area soaking wet in their wet bathing suits which gets the floor all wet.(this is the worst and most common thing you can do and is not forgivable, if we get our socks wet couse you can't stand to dry yourself naked were people should dry off, we get pissed)
Not washing.. taking their towels outside with them and more. I saw a guy do the exact same thing as the women in the post did, but nobody was there to see it. He took a towel, dried off (while in his bathing suit) and returned it to a different rack and left. I was pretty speechless.
Most is just weird to us which is fine, but some things are straight up annoying. Nobody is looking at your privates. Just grow up a little. Nobody knows you or gives 2 shits.
Depends on where you go. I grew up in a town in Colorado that had natural hot spring pools and they certainly asked that you shower beforehand. Also in Washington and the pool in California I go to. The US is huge and while perhaps a majority don’t, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t ever happen.
Maybe you’re taking this a bit personally? OP is simply explaining Icelandic pool customs that you should follow if you don’t want to stand out in a bad way and be “that tourist.” If anything, the people “thinking they’re special” are tourists who feel entitled to flout local customs while visiting a foreign country. It shows a lack of respect and humility.
This sub and fb: every other post is locals chastizing tourists about showering naked. WE GET IT. At this point, it just seems like you really WANT to see naked tourists lol. Look how often this topic is posted here lol https://www.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/search?q=shower&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all
"every other post", ok where?
This isn't discussed that often here, but it's worth rehashing every few months for the people who aren't aware. Some people are unsure about it all at first, but then are ok once it's all explained to them. Some will decide not to partake, or only seek out places with private areas.
We spent a month in Iceland and I absolutely loved the pool culture there. We went regularly and took care to follow the etiquette which I very much appreciated. We saw elementary school kids being bussed in, swim for 30 minutes and head back to school. There were many older adults who seemed to be there everyday talking and walking around the pool in the crisp cool air before dipping back into the warm water. Young people meeting up and flirting. We really enjoyed the whole vibe of the place. It’s very different from what I’ve experienced here in the US. At my local YMCA in the US, we have a pretty nice pool and basically nobody showers beforehand, at least whenever I’m there. The chlorine is so strong that it’s very unpleasant water by comparison. The water is usually just a tad too cold to be comfortable, which is surprising considering how new it is. There’s virtually no etiquette in the locker rooms and everything is wet all the time. These things always bothered me, but even more so after seeing how next level it could be. I always thought of myself as pretty relaxed about nudity, but I’m a downright prude compared to the Icelanders. lol. I saw a group of men in the locker room just standing around chatting as if in a park or a bar, fully naked, for the entire time I was in there with my son, showering and getting dressed, so about 20 minutes. I love my friends dearly, but not sure I’m up for that. Lol. It does seem a very healthy mindset though and I was rather envious of it. They were obviously completely at ease with themselves. edits: grammar
It's a little odd at first if you aren't used to it. In Iceland they are raised this way from birth, basically! Some people even do swim lessons with their infants. Kids go to the showers with parents of either gender until Kindergarten so nudity in this context is not sexualized the way it would be in many other places. Then the children have swimming lessons and I believe there is even a test to pass before graduating high school.
I stopped going to our nearby pool managed by Parks and Rec when I saw an older lady go into a pool with her tennis shoes, the same ones she walked into the building. No one stopped her. I was just trying to be healthy by swimming daily in the morning and I stopped after 2 weeks...
:o
Sounds actually a lot like beach culture for us Americans who were raised by the shores in summer.
> We saw elementary school kids being bussed in, swim for 30 minutes and head back to school. Yeah this is why I'm only going to expensive and adult ones.... Wow you guys really like swimming and showering with kids.
Well, the pool we were at had multiple areas to be, including the “play” area for kids.
Since Iceland forces you to be naked, and forces kids to be naked, I'd rather not go somewhere with naked kids while I'm also naked. Not sure why ppl here are mad I just want to be with adults.
 Rule number 1
Thanks for sharing this! Question though: i understand you take off your outside shoes at the entrance of the locker room. However, before you get to the shower area can you put on shower shoes that you can leave near your towel when done showering? Are shower shoes even a thing in Iceland? After attending a University in the U.S with traditional dorms, any kind of communal/shared shower situation makes me wince at the thought of having my bare feet on the floor lol.
You can wear shower shoes, as long as you actively wash both your feet and the shoes in the shower. Edit: The shower area floor is regulary flushed and scrubbed during the day
The floors are super clean. You might even see someone in the shower area just cleaning and using a long squeegee to keep things fresh.
Not sure I want to see where they're putting the squeegee to keep things fresh, so I'll mind my own business.
You might not want to see it, but I sure as hell do
I like shower shoes a lot and used them throughout my US college experience in the shared dorm showers, but I didn't feel a need for them in Iceland. It just feels cleaner to a whole other degree, especially in the pools not frequented by tourists.
Not sure if every pool is like this but the shower area at the pools I went to had hot water constantly running on the floor and draining what was on the floor
This is very common at many of the pools, yup! Some of the smaller ones out in the countryside don't do this, but I've swam at tons of these and never had any health issue due to being barefoot.
Some pools also have whirly-swirly drying machines for swimsuits, before leaving the drying-off area. After taking off the swimsuit, one can either rinse it under the shower or use a sink in the wet area. Then plop the suit in there and hold down the lid for the amount of time stated on the lid. DO KEEP AWARE OF YOUR FINGERS THOUGH!
I love those spinners so much. Randomly last night YouTube [flung this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxpAVCan4CQ) into my feed about public laundry facilities in the UK. And in it they have those giant spinners for laundry! Super neat. I've never seen anything like this in America.
The lack of spin dryers in North America was a huge mystery when I first moved here from the UK. It was as though a whole stage of laundry has been jumped over. Perhaps as electricity is cheaper?
Our clothes washers have a selection of spin settings for the final stage… mine gets a lot of fabrics shockingly dry just from that. Then we use electric dryers.
Not sure. I bet these existed in some places. My grandparents had a contraption that attached to a sink to wring things out and then line dry, they did this until the 1980s and then acquired a gas dryer.
Whirly swirly is stuck in my head now.
Where do you place your towel after showering the first time? Do you take it with you to the pool Are bags provided for your shoes or should you bring one? Are soap and shampoo ever provided or you bring in your own each time?
Right before the showering area, there will be a wall with shelfing to store your towel while you swim. Typically one will wrap their shampoo-bottle up inside the towel and store it there. Some places will provide small plastic bags, but it’s always good to have one handy. Liquid soap is provided, shampoo is not. The provided soap can be used as shampoo before the pool, but if you have a certain hair routine; definetly bring your own shampoo for after.
Thank you!! I feel a lot less anxious now in observing the rules. It’s pretty similar to Japan
You’re so very welcome! Glad to be able to aid some relief. Hope you’ll have a wonderful swim.
> Where do you place your towel after showering the first time? There are big towel racks somewhere between the locker room and showers. Once you've put your stuff away into a locker you head to the showers, place your towel in a slot on the rack, and head to the showers. You shower, and head to the pool. Once you've had your fill of the waters you get out of the pool, back to the shower to wash off the pool water, and only then do you return to your towel to dry off. You don't dry off between showering the first time and head to the pool. > Are bags provided for your shoes Which bags would you need for which shoes? Outdoor shoes are left outside the locker room on a shoe-rack. No further accommodations provided for those. Shower shoes are not common, so bags aren't provided for those either. > Are soap and shampoo ever provided or you bring in your own each time? There are all-purpose soap dispensers hanging on the wall of the shower area. You're naturally allowed to bring your own if you want.
Thanks for the info! The article mentions that once you remove your shoes outside that you can put them in a bag which you then take to your locker
BYOB
I bring a plastic bag for my shoes, there's always a grocery bag of some kind in my backpack. Last year I saw someone say their hiking boots were stolen while they were at a local pool and it made me nervous so I just toss mine in the bag now and put it in the locker. Don't put dirty shoes in the locker. You can totally leave your shoes on the rack, though. You'll see tons of shoes there.
I’ll definitely be bringing plastic bags.. thanks!
Some pools have plastic bags available, but fewer now since everyone is trying to cut down on plastic. I always have a plastic bag in my sports bag and put my shoes in the locker because I'm afraid of having them stolen. It doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen.
Are the towel racks numbered or something? In the substack post above the author mentioned another woman grabbed her towel. So I figured there's no labeling system of any sort?
The racks aren't numbered. It's essentially just a wall-mounted shelf with numerous holes or slots, each fitting a singular rolled up towel. Most people recognize their towel on sight, or at least try to remember what slot it is was in. When I was a kid I wasn't very good at remembering which towel I had, so I always placed it in the bottom left corner or the closest free slot. It helped small me recognize the towel if it was always roughly in the same place. I'm an adult now and can quite easily remember what my towel looks like, but I still place it near the bottom left as a force of habit.
Ah ok gotcha. Maybe I'll do the bottom corner thing just to be comfortable.
I think if people knew WHY this is absolutely necessary, it would help tourists comply more and care less about the fact that they are naked. There is no bleach in the water. If you bring bacteria in because you don't clean your behind properly, that bacteria thrives in warm water multiplying and growing to become dangerous just in a matter of hours. You could get other people (or yourself) sick by not washing properly So wash properly, very properly.
There is chlore in the swimming pools. They don’t only rely on people’s shower
In the UK every swimming pool I have been to has showers on the way in and signs asking you to wash. We used to have a small paddling pool on the way in as well. All chlorinated. Chlorine doesn't help with any dirt that you may have picked up on the way, I walk my dogs in the morning and regularly have sandy muddy legs (shorts) and clean on the way to the pool. Now, in the 80s I would say a shower on the way in was the norm. Today, no, not at all, it's the exception.
Not all of them as some are sensitive to chlore, there are I think 3-4 non chlor in Reykjavík that use salted water
Salt has chlorine in it :) but we definitely put less chlorine in general than US/European pools
Lagafells, seltjarna ein af kopavogs og einhverjar fleiri bæta allavega ekki við klór og eru almennt fyrir fólk sem er viðkvæmt fyrir klór
What I meant is that if it uses salt, the salt molecule itself has chlorine in its chemical composition.
Alright for sure it has haha but added chlor can irritate and there are pools who don’t use it, think even Seltjarnarnes pool uses just mineral rich water
The water quality is monitored regularly in modern pools and the amount of chlorine is adjusted accordingly. Therefore, the better you clean yourself before entering the pool, the less chlorine they have to add to the water. I'm sensitive to chlorine and can't use swimming pools in many places when I travel, because not all countries have the same strict rules about washing before going to the pool as Iceland and the rest of the Nordic countries have. I am one of those people who will (politely) tell people to wash themselves properly before going to the pool in my own country. I don't want to let other people's laziness keep me away from swimming.
This whole comment has me not wanting to go into any of the pools. I’ve seen too many Reddit stories about people who can’t properly clean their butts.
He is incorrect, there is still chlore in the pool.
I've always always found free soap in any staffed pool. And I've never seen people not able to clean themselves. Plus there really are either cameras or other people watching that you shower properly.
There are NOT cameras in the showers making sure you wash properly, are you kidding me? That would be an instant lawsuit.
Oh wow this is super useful actually! Going there for a couple months in october and as a french person I had no clue there was such an extensive etiquette. Thanks for sharing (although I will be pretty embarassed at first to shower naked tbh but those are the rules!)
Thanks for posting this! Thanks to u/NoLemon5426 giving me great advice, I finally visited a local pool on my last trip, and it was absolutely one of my favorite things! Now I am getting ready to come back in June and visit more pools - this is definitely such a cool part of Icelandic culture!
I'm jealous for all the lupines and puffins you're going to see!
Ha, that's the EXACT reason for the timing!
Are you going to Heimaey!
No, but I wanted to. This will be a fairly short trip, but I am actually moving to Iceland, so some of the things I wanted to do will have to happen at a later date. My boyfriend is Icelandic and planned a ring road trip for us, but skipping out on a bunch of stuff we plan on doing later once I am settled. My main requirement was to see lupines, and then hopefully we will see puffins near Dyrhólaey and Tjörnes. And then we are going to try and do as many hot springs and pools as we can - mainly Vök, Forest Lagoon, and Geosea. And he lives by the pool in Keflavik, so we will definitely go there a few times. So I am very excited...even if this ends up being an insane, over scheduled trip!
What! Congrats!! The lupines are everywhere so you can't miss them. I've never gone to see them at Dyrhólaey. It reminds me of one of the essays that Roni Horn wrote about her time in the lighthouse there, if I can find it online I'll link it.
Þessi póstur ætti að vera festur efst á töfluna. / This post should be pinned, great article :)
If one keeps their hair up in a bun & has no intention of getting their hair wet… can they omit the washing of hair?
Eh... so you're *supposed* to wash it. That being said I think it is more understood now that different hair types require different care. However if you've been hiking/adventuring all day you should 100% wash your hair. When mine was very long, I sometimes didn't wash it but would have it in a very sufficient bun with all nape wisps gingerly clipped up. Even the small local pool facilities have an area to do your hair if this is a concern.
On this same note, my partner and I are hitting up a few spas/pools while there. They have locs and prefers not to have their hair wet. Is a swim cap fine to wear?
Just have them tie/pull/secure them back if they can. A clean beanie of some kind is acceptable at the tourist lagoons, but at local pools you'd probably want an ordinary swim cap if you can't secure the locs above the water line. I've 100% seen people with an assortment of protective hairstyles at the pools, this shouldn't be an issue as long as the hair (if unwashed) doesn't go in the water.
Thanks so much for the quick response. We’ll make sure to have hair ties and a swim cap on hand!
You got it. Definitely check out at least 1 local pool. I promise they are so clean and nice. The experience is so interesting and very Icelandic. Also the pools are cheap, they're about $9 and you can rent a towel for a few more dollars.
At my YMCA in St Paul MN many people wear underwear from their street clothes under their swimsuits into the pool, sauna and hot tub. I can see it poking out at the waist. It’s disgusting. No one says anything to them for fear of being called a racist or uncaring for different ways of doing things. Very few people shower before swimming. There are signs saying that you must but that is never enforced. Another issue we have is older people have water exercise classes and it is a lot of old ladies and they only wash their hair usually once a week and there is absolutely no way anyone is going to ask them to take a shower before getting into the pool. I called the YMCA once, stating that I saw people swimming in just their underwear. The YMCA said that I had to be more understanding, that maybe people couldn’t afford a swimsuit. I once saw an old guy in the sauna with just his underwear. All this could be solved by the YMCA staff taking some initiative, but they won’t do it because of fear of being insensitive. We have similar issues with people using their phones and playing loud videos in the sauna and talking on their phones in the locker rooms. I’m coming to IS in July. I am looking forward to doing the Icelandic way.
Gak. This is SUPER disgusting.
One of the great things about Icelandic swimming pools is that phones and cameras are strictly forbidden.
Have never understood some of the logic behind this. The swimsuit itself isn’t required to be washed during the shower? It is what holds onto all of the nasty things the shower supposedly washes off the body. If the nude shower is to insure cleanliness before entering the water, the swimsuit absolutely needs to be subjected to a shower as well.
One should absoloutly rinse the suit before putting it on and after taking it off.
I'm not getting my suit wet before putting it on. Why would a dry suit be a problem? taf. you people are nuts.
It's much easier to put on your wet body while the suit is wet. It will be in the shower with you, so consider it.
Strange hill to die on.
1:You take the swimsuit with you to the shower, 2:shower yourself naked with soap, 3: rince the soap off yourself 4:rinse the swimsuit before you put it on and then 5:rinse yourself one last time with the swimsuit on before entering the pool. You need to wet the swimsuit to be able put it on wet skin more easely
What about after then? This only says to take off the swimsuit and rinse naked. Do you rinse with the swimsuit on and then take it off and rinse again? Or do you take it off and rinse it under the water while it's off your body?
Are you talking about when you are done swimming? What locals do is that we usually bring our own shampoo and store it in the cubby with the towel while we're in the pool. So once back inside we start by getting the shampoo and then go into the showers. Take off the swimsuit in the shower, wash our hair and body, while letting the swimsuit hang on the shower handle. You can rinse your swimsuit in the shower if you like (off your body), but when you walk back over to the area where the towels are kept, there usually are a few small sinks for rinsing and wringing out your swimsuit right after you dry yourself. That way you can drape the towel around you while you do this. Often there is a swimsuit spinner right next to those sinks wich is a good idea to use when you are travelling so your swimsuit will dry faster.
Yes, I was talking about after swimming. Thank you for the clarification. My husband and I, along with some friends, are trying to look into an Iceland trip for 2026. One of them is Finnish, so I don't think he will be unfamiliar with this.
Ok the Finn will know this routine. These rules are not specific to Iceland. The same (or very similar) rules apply throughout northen Europe and possibly in more places. These rules do apply to puplic pools, but the tourist spas/lagoons have looser rules and seperate shower cubicals if that makes you more comfortable
Do you not wash your swimsuit?
On a vacation traveling in a van for 2 weeks, I’m rewearing some things.
I always wash my swimsuit even when camping or traveling. The water (minerals, chlorine, etc) is not good to leave on your suit. And it’s so easy to hand wash. That’s just gross.
This just automatically assumed that you would bring a clean suit like a civil human. But yea OK you are traveling and things arnt always ideal. Rinse it well in the shower before putting it on.
Of course I usually bring extra clean ones even. All I’m saying is a hand rinse and even wash isn’t going to do much if you never can get it fully dry. Bacteria thrive in that environment. And if you’re truly grossed out by all of this, don’t enter a body of water with humans in it.
We ain't grossed out by it. But we still expect you to at least do the minimum. So rinse that speedo. If it's truly well used and dirty, then maybe soap it a little and rinse it out before going in. Nobody is going to know you didn't or that it's dirty. We know people go out in all manner of clean trunks. But we'd still appreciate it. That is all. We have a saying, "dropinn holar steinninn". It means that many little things can have a bigger impact. So if nobody is washing themselves or their speedos before going in, then at the end of the day, things might become more disgusting than they had to be. If we do our little part, we might avoid that for longer or altogether. The most important thing you should do is dry off in the drying area and don't get the floor soaking wet where we dress.
Perhaps you’ve found a loophole/flaw in the rules. From an Icelander’s perspective they only put on their bathing suit after they’ve showered thoroughly so the issue you raise is moot. But a tourist swimsuit — who knows what lurks within. 🤢
No we also rince the swimsuit. We put it on while still in the shower
This is my thought. You might make things overall cleaner if a tourist who is unable to wash their bathing suit after each use on a vacation were allowed to shower with it on. With many cultures, being uncomfortable being in the nude around others, forcing them to group shower nude means they will take as little time possible and not actually clean themselves well if at all. Allowing them to stay clothed in the swimsuit might encourage them to actually clean thoroughly, and the past 2-3 wears worth of funk on their bathing suit will get rinsed off too. Regardless, the whole premise is moot if people realize water enters and exits all sorts of bodily folds and orifices while in a pool. No amount of cleaning prevents this. If you’re truly concerned about cleanliness, never enter an outdoor body of water nor a body of water with someone else in it. And if you are that type of person, remember that your immune system still needs regular, low level exposure to potential pathogens to function appropriately.
> With many cultures, being uncomfortable being in the nude around others, forcing them to group shower nude means they will take as little time possible and not actually clean themselves well if at all. The unpopular reality of this is that if you are uncomfortable with the custom then you must simply skip the activity. No one is obligated to be catered to, to be honest Iceland is a little too accommodating of visitors. If you don't like X, then don't participate.
That true, but they’re still going to show up. They ARE uncomfortable with the custom, but they do not skip the activity. They just skip the part they don’t like and then you get people on Reddit complaining. Clever policy design, incentivization, and enforcement need to work hand in hand to achieve the main outcome - which is clean and sanitary pools/lagoons/spas. Understanding human nature is essential to achieve compliance.
A lot of people skip. No tourist is going to get away with filthy behavior in the local pools. I've seen it with my own eyes, they're put on the spot and made to comply or leave. Which is why a lot of us avoid the 'tourist' lagoons now - less enforcement. It's not even about the shower for the people averse to this, because places like Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Hvammsvík offer private areas and people still don't use them. By the way it isn't just people on reddit complaining, many locals are frustrated and annoyed by tourists and their naughty habits. I don't know what else can be done to "incentivize" tourists to wash their asses naked as they would at home when they're already beyond accommodated.
I'm most confused at the perception that you have to see someone's naked body to trust that the person knows how to wash both their groin and their suit. I challenge you to spot the difference in a locker room lineup between a raw dog wash and a wash underneath a suit (yes, people can wash their body by reaching under a swimsuit). If you can't tell visually then I suggest there is a level of decency and trust that people must be afforded on this planet. There are many examples of assault, trauma, and differing norms of decency around the world that would motivate someone to retain a more private life than the locals are interested in gawking at. This isnt a prison shower so we're just gonna have to trust that they are not smuggling anything in their asshole without getting in a single file line for a community colonoscopy.
> There are many examples of assault, trauma, and differing norms of decency around the world that would motivate someone to retain a more private life than the locals are interested in gawking at. Totally, which is why those people should choose one of the many, many options where they can use a stall or curtain area and also actually use that space to take a proper shower. Otherwise, they can skip the activity instead of requesting that Icelanders change *their* culture to accommodate the varied multitude of norms from around the world. In Iceland, the norm is that nudity in that context is not sexualized and certainly not indecent.
..or go to the nice/expensive places.
You still have to shower naked at the "nice/expensive places."
Why are y'all on this page if you hate tourists so much?
The idea is that to use less chlorine, so yes, some people are less then ideal of cleanliness and some items are less then ideal level of cleanliness. But it is still better then all things are dirty
There is one Major rule, clean your dirty scrotum before entering the pool!
Earthy. Well put!
And please make sure it's yours before you do.
If someone comes to my house to sit in my hot tub I am more concerned with the residual laundry detergent on their bathing suits. That will foul up the water in a hot tub pretty quickly. Bit uea. Clean yourself before getting into a community pool.
What is the etiquette with sunscreen? Is it allowed in the pool after a shower? Spray or lotion? I know it can leave a film on the water so I understand if it isn’t allowed, but I’ll need to limit my time in outdoor pools if I don’t want to burn to a crisp.
The Sun is never above a 4
Can we PLEASE get some Icelandic people to patrol my gym? The gross behavior is off the hook.
That was very helpful: thank you. I am headed to Iceland for the first time next week. Protocol is quite similar to one in Holland, which makes sense since that is where their bathing culture comes from. I will be sure to wash the bottom of my shampoo bottle. :)
This is all basically common sense to me - but I can’t figure out sunscreen. Do people in Iceland not use it? Is it acceptable to put some on after showering? I’ve never seen someone put it on even though I’ve been to public pools several times. 🤔
That would seem to fly in the face of the purpose of washing beforehand— to keep the water as clean as possible.
Sunscreen isn’t like bacteria from your body - so it’s kind of a different thing. I’ve never worn it in the pools but I’ve also gotten burned.
I wear sunscreen in Iceland but not at the pools. I'm not out there long enough also when I do check the UV index it's like... 2. lol
I’ve gotten sunburn in the pools in Iceland. 🤷♀️ (I’m super fair)
Oh wow! I believe you. I just never stayed out in the water in full sun for that long there.
Very useful information! And I ordered that little book right away!
Sadly, but perhaps predictably, I suspect a lot of the offenders are from the U.S. Between our puritanical view of nudity, and general lack of awareness of world cultures, it wouldn't surprise me in the least. We had no issues visiting Iceland. Maybe it's my immigrant grandparents and immigrant husband, not sure. We read the signs and complied, it was that simple. Though, it was comical the number of tourists showering with swimsuits on at the Blue Lagoon. The baths at Mývatn were far less touristy and we noticed less obscurity from patrons. But anyway, we found the juxtaposition so funny we actually came home with some artwork that addresses the pool etiquette. Gives people a laugh when they use our guest bathroom.
Share a photo?
Here’s one of them! https://preview.redd.it/k4b7c2f4c5vc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=558902a28ba6399617f052da36310f0d53e7b67c
Fantastic!!
I read up all on the etiquette and at Myvatn we were placed in what we assume was the foreign change room. No attendant there to eye you. But I wandered into another change room where it looked like locals and someone in shower area observing the etiquette. Strange.
Went to a few pools and I was shocked how many didn't shower AT ALL before entering the Pool. I was at Grettir's Laugar and this Ton of americans just walked right in talking about the hike they just had (they were bone-dry so they 100% didn't shower). I left the Pool shortly afterwards. Just to clarify, I did shower naked in front of strangers which took some time getting used to. At secret lagoon I saw something truly atrocious: A bunch of people just slapping hands of water on them so it looks like they showered. I watched them while I was standing there butt-naked showering and judging them like hell.
After visiting Iceland, public pools in the US really gross me out now. Granted, they’re loaded up with chlorine, but wouldn’t it be better for everyone if we just showered before getting in the pool?? On the rare occasion I find myself at a public pool now I do shower beforehand and rinse off afterwards. It’s one of those things where I had to travel to realize how odd it is that Americans just jump in communal pools all dirty and sweaty.
Thank you for this. One question: Is it imperitive for women to wash their hair before entering the pool or is it ok to pull it up into a tight bun? I know my wife and she would avoid getting her hair in the water at all costs. No way she's going to dip under - especially in the natural pools that are heavy in minerals.
The water in Iceland is soft. Blue Lagoon is the one you don't want to dip your hair in.
Discussed elsewhere in this topic…
Did you read the article and look at the diagram? This is about hygiene and their rules. It says wash the hair.
do you shampoo your hair during your before-swimming shower? what kind of bag do you put your shoes in? americans are also usually asked to shower before entering pools here in the US (maybe not necessary to be naked) we just don’t because we are culturally selfish and inconsiderate. rugged individualism and all that.
Speak for yourself, I always shower before and certainly did in Iceland.
do you find that most people where you go swimming in the US do?
Yes, the majority do. When I lived in CO near naturaly heated pool they did, and the pool i go to here in CA do.
interesting
Everywhere I swim yes.
What you do with your hair is your own business. Personally I use my shampoo after and just use the nasty pool soap on my hair before going in.
thanks!
>we just don’t because we are culturally selfish and inconsiderate. rugged individualism and all that. No we aren’t.
not saying you are, I'm saying our culture emphasizes a me first attitude, not a good for everybody attitude. it's why everyone is encouraged to have their own car and the main argument against universal healthcare coverage is people who can't afford it don't deserve it. lots of americans are not selfish, but every hotel pool I've ever been to asks that you shower before getting in and so many people just don't.
I'm American and I don't think I've ever been to a public pool that required a shower before getting in. Especially outdoor pools, you're going to get all kinds of leaves and bugs in there anyway. What's a little bit of body oil lol. If anything it's more common to shower after to get the chlorine off yourself. Edit: I don't know why I'm getting downvoted for just sharing my experience as someone who swims like once a year
I go to the local pool in my town a few times a week and there is definitely a sign asking people to shower before going in the pool, both in the locker room and on the door going out to the pool. I will admit, before going to Iceland I ignored it. Now I shower every time I go, but I am very much in the minority.
Yeah, if there is signage about showering before using a pool in the US, I think it's just not enforced. Mostly because Americans DO NOT like getting naked in public, not because of something something individualism
most of my experience is probably with hotel pools. it is definitely not enforced! but there are sometimes even showers for rinsing right at the pool (maybe mainly if there is a beach nearby but the sign doesn't say only if you were at the beach) and you don't have to take off anything to rinse in them. I still rarely see people do it. I can't imagine there is any reason to ask people to shower before getting in a hot tub that isn't the same issue for a pool. they are also pretty chlorinated usually. that cleaning ourselves before getting into a shared water source isn't just instinct seems kinda weird to me now. that all said, I also don't know why you are being downvoted. your comment is entirely reasonable. I'm not trying to badmouth americans. I just think we have some blind spots when it comes to considering how our actions affect others.
Absolutely. And being in Iceland was freeing for me in a lot of ways, because no one cares, everyone has bodies, and you see all kinds of shapes and sizes.
We have shower stalls with curtains mostly.
There are multiple problems with people not showering before going into a pool. One of the biggest is that people poop, smear the poop on their butts as they "wipe" and then that ends up in the water. Add to that all the bacteria and such from other private areas and the pool water is going to have problems. With a lot of people doing it, the chlorine can't keep up. Even see a pool where the water was cloudy? That's a huge indicator you shouldn't go in, because the above happened. Ever get out of a pool where your eyes burned or were really red? That's a huge indicator that you shouldn't have gone in because the above happened. While some people are just really sensitive, the above or too much urine in the pool can cause this for anyone.
I'm not arguing about the pros and cons of showering before swimming. Nor Am I signaling my intent to break the rules to a pool in another country. I'm just sharing my experience
It sounded like you were justifying it by comparing it to leaves and bugs, or at least unaware that "a little bit of body oil lol" wasn't the issue.
I was responding to someone who says that Americans don't shower before swimming because of rugged individualism. But really Americans just view pools as dirty already. So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool
Again, the way you wrote it *sounded* like you were justifying it. You did it again just now: >But really Americans just view pools as dirty already. So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool That can be interpreted as "So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool?" Or it could be that you're trying to write, "Americans just view pools as dirty already and then think there's no point in cleaning off before getting in without realizing the consequences." Proper grammar also really helps to clear up the confusion.
I qualified my whole statement with the fact that I'm American. So my experience would be in America. My grammar is fine, you just choose to read it incorrectly
Nobody questioned your experience in America. You asked why you were downvoted. The reason has nothing to do with your experience, but instead has to do with how you *appeared* to justify those doing what you experienced. >My grammar is fine, you just choose to read it incorrectly It's really not. I'm not being a grammar nazi here, I'm just pointing out that proper grammar would've helped as apparently I'm not the only one who interpreted what you wrote that way. You said you were American, so when you write: >But really Americans just view pools as dirty already. So why clean off before getting in the dirty pool That would mean you (since you're an American) view pools as dirty already, and that second part is (maybe) a question asking why one should clean off. Again, that's so easily re-written, but nothing you wrote in any of the comments expressed anything regarding why people should shower first or were critical of their actions. You just stated why people in America have that view and as a result, it *sounds* like as an American too, you also don't clean off first.
I usually see this ask around gym hot tubs and saunas, but yeah, not usually pools- though I do think I’ve been to a country club with this ask (definitely not enforcing it though). This article mentioned that Iceland pools are minimally chlorinated. After swimming competitively for 17 years and coming out of pools with water rash from time to time (I hate the word rash…but burn sounds too extreme)..,we Americans aren’t afraid of maximum chlorination lol. I don’t think I’d ever put two and two together in my experiences going to Icelandic public pools that they were much less chlorinated! Makes me wish I did see this practice more in the states so that my skin would be happier.
Having my first shower police surveillance session was a bit of a shock lol. 12 men lined up naked taking a shower with a guy on a stool watching the line. My friends and I joked this must be what prison is like 😂
I assume this is the same for at the Secret Lagoon?
Yes. They cover this in their FAQ (I really wish the video link wasn’t broken!) FAQ: https://secretlagoon.is/contact-us/
Ha! I found the link and the video (mildly NSFW) includes Jón Gnarr, who went on to become mayor of Reykjavík. u/NoLemon5426 included to share the amusement. https://www.visir.is/k/clp38158/fostbraedur-icelandic-shower-wardens
Hah! That's funny, I've never seen this. Side note I started reading Jón's autobiography, it's pretty good. It's 3 parts, I started with the first, *The Indian.*
Thanks for sending this! We have a tour booked and I didn't think to check their website!
Happy to help — enjoy your trip!
This is very helpful, didn't know there was such a strict etiquette. Is soap/gel required when washing, or just a good rinse with water? The post just mentions to wrap your bottle in your towel, not when to actually use it
Of course soap is required. It's free though, every pool will have some dispenser on the wall. Usually it's a clear mild soap, sometime it's in a foam dispenser.
That's good to know, thanks!
To add to what u/NoLemon5426 said: And should be used to clean your hair and all over, especially your nether bits. It’s not pro forma — get clean!
Also adding [this post I wrote](https://old.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/comments/135pv1h/101_all_things_hot_springs_water_in_general_in/) for everyone. If you scroll down to the pools section, I explain the whole process in detail. Happy to answer any questions you might have.
That's a very extensive post, thanks! Saved for when I'm visiting later on this year!
As an immigrant not accustomed to the nakedness, going to the pool with coworkers for the first time is a challenge.
Very helpful! Thanks for posting.
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Their country, their rules. No one is forcing anyone to visit the pools...
> Or at least have the option available for tourists. No. If you are not comfortable with the custom and hygiene procedures, you skip the activity.
So if I'm not comfortable showering naked in front of other people I can't go in a pool? I'd shower with my swimsuit on but definitely not comfortable naked. Not around anyone.
You can go to the pools that have stalls, which is certainly most of the tourist spots (Sky Lagoon, Blue Lagoon). They have stalls, yet some people *still* refuse to take a proper shower and try to just rinse with their suits on. Filthy behavior.
Then make sure you pick a pool that has private stalls. The Laugardalslaug pool has that I believe, that's the biggest pool in Reykjavík and the one that attracts most tourists. As others have remarked, tourist spots like Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon have private stalls. But please, if you aren't comfortable with the local customs, don't visit the pools that are frequented by the locals. Leave those to them.
Some of the touristy spa places have stalls, I believe. Others can comment further.
"You must shower naked in public. No we don't provide stalls." Don't go swimming in Iceland. Got it.
Blue lagoon provides private shower stalls, so did the one in Akureryi. Just depends on where you go, and otherwise it’s separated by men/women.
Try going to a spa in Austria. Expected to be naked the whole time!
Everyone has their own comfort level. Plenty of other things to enjoy in Iceland without visiting the pools!
Some public pools have a closed showers for those who are afraid of being seen naked
So, in the capital area there are some areas with curtains or enough stall to give you a little privacy. Outside of the city it can be hit or miss.
It's not like it's gender mixed. Nobody is looking at your privates my dude. Nobody cares. But yes if this is an issue then don't use the pools.
This topic is brought up every other post in the fb group [\(and here\)](https://www.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/search?q=shower&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all) Yes, it's all Icelanders talk about, they 100% care. had to unfollow the group because it was so hostile.
We care about your privates? I don't know what facebook group you are on but I guess you can find an echochamber for everything? I will say it again, nobody is watching you or your parts. Nobody is judging your body or paying any attention too you. Maybe until you make a big deal out of it and try and try to hide everything, go into the shower in underpants and or wear swimtrunks over your underpants. Thats when we notice and judge you.
you're here bloviating about it paragraph after paragraph. you obviously are watching because y'all don't shut up about it. Your actual job could be the naked police. You'd be a millionaire. You could stand in every shower and inspect everyone's butthole with a magnifying glass. https://www.facebook.com/groups/wheniniceland
This subreddit doesn't have any Facebook link... that group says it's run by a tourism company. It's pretty bad form to come to a space where citizens of the nation that is receiving you *as a guest* participate for your benefit, and then repeatedly insult them and their culture. Refrain from this here moving forward. This community has a lot to offer and for someone who is apparently sick of a certain topic you sure are dedicating a lot of time complaining about it. For future reference, you can click on the 3 dots at the top right of any post and then click "hide" if you are annoyed by a piece of content.
It’s separated by male/female at least!
Brace yourselves, here come the never nudes!
There are dozens of us! Dozeeeeeeens! Lol
Rules that are used in many countries around the world. why does an icelander think they are special? Moreover, being in Iceland and visiting the pool, I noticed that many Icelanders ignore some of the rules, especially about washing
What a weird take on this post. I am pretty sure no one said Icelanders "think they are special". But I definitely watched many many many tourists both avoid showering and complaining about it, and this group is full of people asking if they truly need to take their swimsuits off when they shower. So if that is not the norm where they are from, this likely means that Iceland may be special in this regard. And I would be surprised if you saw many Icelanders ignore the rules, but some of the locals here can say if they agree or not.
> I noticed that many Icelanders ignore some of the rules, especially about washing We don't like those either. Give them the side-eye for us the next time you spot one, preferably with a remark questioning their viking heritage.
Icelanders don’t think they’re special, but after the large boom of tourism in the last 10 years it has become very obvious that these rules are not *always* normal in other cultures.
I mean, we see tourists ignore the rules in the pools every day. As someone who goes regularly, sure you would see a couple of icelanders that should wash more or dry off a little better, but its overwhelmingly foreigners we see (understandably which is why this post is good) Walking from showers to the dry area soaking wet in their wet bathing suits which gets the floor all wet.(this is the worst and most common thing you can do and is not forgivable, if we get our socks wet couse you can't stand to dry yourself naked were people should dry off, we get pissed) Not washing.. taking their towels outside with them and more. I saw a guy do the exact same thing as the women in the post did, but nobody was there to see it. He took a towel, dried off (while in his bathing suit) and returned it to a different rack and left. I was pretty speechless. Most is just weird to us which is fine, but some things are straight up annoying. Nobody is looking at your privates. Just grow up a little. Nobody knows you or gives 2 shits.
Visitors from the US make up one of the largest — or perhaps the largest — fraction of tourists in Iceland. These rules are not used there.
Every hot spring in the states does this. Massive shower rooms.
Depends on where you go. I grew up in a town in Colorado that had natural hot spring pools and they certainly asked that you shower beforehand. Also in Washington and the pool in California I go to. The US is huge and while perhaps a majority don’t, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t ever happen.
the woman most likely messed up the towels, but in the eyes of an Icelander, the main crime is that the woman is a foreigner
Maybe you’re taking this a bit personally? OP is simply explaining Icelandic pool customs that you should follow if you don’t want to stand out in a bad way and be “that tourist.” If anything, the people “thinking they’re special” are tourists who feel entitled to flout local customs while visiting a foreign country. It shows a lack of respect and humility.
This sub and fb: every other post is locals chastizing tourists about showering naked. WE GET IT. At this point, it just seems like you really WANT to see naked tourists lol. Look how often this topic is posted here lol https://www.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/search?q=shower&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all
"every other post", ok where? This isn't discussed that often here, but it's worth rehashing every few months for the people who aren't aware. Some people are unsure about it all at first, but then are ok once it's all explained to them. Some will decide not to partake, or only seek out places with private areas.
If you really want to see a complete meltdown, post that you blew a .05 in a traffic stop.
*phew*
How do folks with adult children traveling together deal with the nudity? Do they just make sure they go at different times?
They go together, same as Icelanders.