TikTok eating oranges in shower trend: why are people eating fruits while washing?

It might sound like an odd thing to do, but millions of people around the world are apparently eating an orange while they shower - and posting a video of themselves doing it to popular social media site TikTok.

This is just one of the trends which is sweeping TikTok at the moment - others include deinfluencing, a drinking game called BORG, delusion week and moon phrase soul mate compatibility.

But, why would people want to eat a fruit while going about their daily clean routine and also film themselves? Here’s what you need to know.

Why are people eating oranges in the shower?

There are several reasons why people are taking their citrus fruit into the morning or evening shower with them, according to a video on the subject posted by American media company The Skimm on TikTok. The first is that it makes your shower smell lovely, and the smell of orange is said to promote a happy mood and also relieve stress. The second comes down to the fact that the shower is a clean space, and there’s no clean up necessary because any spilled juices or pips will end up down the drain - you will just have to put your peel in the bin afterwards. The video suggests that while you are showering your shower tray could be a good place to keep the peel. Plus, you can instantly clean your sticky fingers. The third reason is simply that it’s a delicious snack - and why not eat as you shower?

When did the eating orange trend start?

The trend did not begin on TIkTok, according to New York magazine The Cut, it actually began when a Reddit user commented how he eats an orange in the shower everyday in 2015, under a post asking for unconventional personal routines that everyone should try out.

It then went on to become the topic of its own subreddit r/ShowerOrange, which has more than 80,000 members. The description reads: “We are dedicated to the consumption of various citrus fruits whilst taking a shower. I know, I know it sounds weird. Just give it a try and post about your experiences. According to the title of the thread, the practice is referred to as “enlightenment of the soul”.

What have TikTok users said about the trend?

TikTok users have been raving about the trend, in fact there are over 4.5 million views of videos of people doing just that. One TikTok user, Makenzy Smith, said: “It’s like something primal when you just rip into an orange and you can just eat it and it just gets all over you and it smells delicious and it just levels up your whole shower experience”. Another user, Austin Otier, referred to the practice as a “well-rounded experience” and said eating an orange is just better this way. TikToker Phoebe Livingstone, admitted that they were only giving it a go because of the trend, said that it “felt weird but in the best way” and told their followers they would recommend it.