We've been indulging in bathtime since we were pretty much babies. Now, as adults, we take baths to take a load off after a long week, to catch up on our trashy magazines, and to take a private getaway from the world for just a little while. But while a bath may seem relaxing when you have the candles and the music going, you might not want to hear about what we have to say next. Here's why you should rethink taking a bath and find some other way to relax.

1. It uses a lot of water.

Most people use an average of 30 gallons of water per bath. Yeesh.

2. Baths are bacteria breeding grounds.

Over 200,000 bacteria per square inch are festering in your bathtub at any given time. And because your bathtub never completely dries out, the moist bath floor is the perfect place for bacteria to get it on (reproduce, we mean).

3. Don't think you're going to get clean.

Unless you like swimming around in a pool of your own thousands of dead skin cells, you might want to take a shower first. Baths aren't meant for bathing.

4. Don't trust your bath salts.

You'll want to know what you're doing when it comes to what you put in your baths. Don't add undiluted essential oils right to your bath, because oil and water don't mix and you could end up burning your skin. You'll want to make sure you're using a safe product. Here are some recommendations.

So we're not saying don't take a bath, just know that there are a few things you'll need to be aware of before you settle in for a good soak.