Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
My condo buildings have always insisted on a shower before using the (indoor) pool, but this meant getting a bit wet, not using soap. A lot of hotels have similar rules posted.
Once I got sick in Mexico despite being very very very careful about F&B, brushing teeth with bottled water, etc. I'm convinced it was from swallowing a bit of (outdoor) pool water, so I'm now cautious about using a pool in places where you can't drink the water. More generally, if I'm not convinced that the hotel has excellent hygiene practices, I won't swim there.
I'm even fussier about using spas because I don't know about the local regulations and licensing standards (or lack thereof). This means no pedicures in most countries, etc.
Similarly, I won't use public hot tubs. Too many people and lots of nasty things can grow in warm water.
There is very little to no policing of people showering before most pool use in the world even when there is an advisory to do so. And even in places where there is pool-entry control checking on swimwear and showering before pool use, I've never seen policing of adults' showering with soap/shampoo/bodywash. The last time I've encountered anything approaching such policing going on, it involved school or other swim classes for kids, but it involved no policing for soap/shampoo/bodywash use prior to going into the pools.
I was on swim teams for many years and have used many public pools over the decades, and I seem to have had way fewer problems due to that than due to going into ocean/sea/lake/river waters.