Medieval Bathing

In My Humble Opinion
1

Continuing the discussion from Movie with great cannon , medieval times:

The SCA is not always the greatest source of actual historical information. It tries, it really does, many laurels are very knowledgeable in the practical aspects of their fields and some are also academically qualified. But often, it perpetuates myths and its own internal mythologies about things (don’t get me started on the stupid heraldry rules…).

Yet, the SCA is also where I first learned that medieval people did bathe.

I first grew up in a house with no running water or electricity or piped gas. Large swathes of my country still trudges every day to fetch clean water. Do I have any idea? Do you?

You can wash with cold water.

Depends greatly what you mean by “often”. They didn’t have the (frankly insane) daily bathing frequency of a lot of modern people. But I also wouldn’t characterise what we do know about their bathing habits as “seldom”.

You can sponge bath your whole body, you know.

I think you’re confusing the Middle Ages with the Renaissance or afterwards.

What I do know about bathing medieval nobility, in advice written for noble attendants:

hang sheets, round the roof, every one full of flowers and sweet green herbs, and have five or six sponges to sit or lean upon, and see that you have one big sponge to sit upon, and a sheet over so that he may bathe there for a while, and have a sponge also for under his feet, if there be any to spare, and always be careful that the door is shut. Have a basin full of hot fresh herbs and wash his body with a soft sponge, rinse him with fair warm rose-water, and throw it over him.

From The Boke of Nurture by John Russel, 1450, pg 66 “A bathe or stewe so called”.

Note that the bathing process in that work is treated as an activity specifically for cleanliness. Medicinal baths are dealt with as a separate item.

And I know John I travelled with a personal bathtub, bathed at least every three weeks, and had a bathing attendant called William Aquarius.

I know Edward III had hot and cold running water installed for his bathtubs at Westminster and King’s Langley

Because the French in the 1700s were stinky. That’s way after the Middle Ages, though.

2

There is voluminous works on servants having to carry gallons and gallons of water up many flights of stairs, in the wealthier estates.

Poor folks did what poor folks always did. Make do. Pond, creek, the sea, horse trough. A bucket.

And, of course the bath houses.

If you watch children grow up, they could care less how dirty they are. Up and until puberty. Magically things change.
I’m pretty sure this has always been true.

Crap happens. Hard work. Too much clothing. The weather. And someone will be odorous to others.

I can’t imagine there was ever a time when modern peoples didn’t prefer to be cleaner rather than offensive to themselves and others.
There are outliers. Hobos, crazy people, disabled persons.

I don’t know the historical things. I think I know people.
I’m positive I know about body cleanliness and the benefits. Hygienically and mentally.

I do believe if you’re not physically working in a sweaty and dirty type job you probably don’t need to bathe incessantly.
If you have ready access to water and soap and towels. Why the hell wouldn’t you shower when you want?

I’ve read about prisons not allowing inmates but bi-weekly showering.
Homeless people would dearly love a nice warm shower on a regular basis.

There was a recent news report about hurricane survivors. One woman was crying she needed to go back to work but their water wasn’t back on yet.
And she hadn’t showered since the shelter location they were at. All the water they had was bottled for drinking cooking and some face washing, teeth brushing.

It makes you feel human to wash.

Medieval or Modern.

3

I remember reading Pillars of the Earth many years ago and when it came to the sex scenes, all I could think was: Ew. That was the last time I pondered medieval bathing, and I hope to never think on it again.

4

The old Norse newcomers to Britain were virtually dandies compared to the locals. See here, skip down to the Alcuin part for the deets. Alcuin wrote in the late 700s.

God was punishing the Anglo-Saxons with Viking raids for their adoption of once-a-week bathing. Makes sense.

5

Read Boccaccio. There were still communal baths as constructed by the Romans.

6

I’ve sponge-bathed most of my body with paper towels and room temperature water in public restrooms at the end of a dance weekend, when I’ve already checked out of my hotel room and I’m sweaty enough that i want to freshen up and change before sitting on an airplane for hours. It’s much better with real towels/sponges, which aren’t recent inventions.

I think there was a period when parts of Europe considered bathing to be a sensual pleasure (and thus immoral), but they felt the same about food, nice clothing, and sex, and many people indulged in those things, too.

7

Jewish culture required regular bathing and general cleanliness in medieval times and for centuries prior. I’ve seen it postulated that this lead to a significantly lessor chance of them getting the plague and other diseases. Of course this led to the ignorants blaming them for the plague.

8

Muslim culture as well has washing before prayers. So 5 times a day for the really observant. Plus full body washing on Fridays, after sex and certain other times. Europeans brought a lot of things back from the Crusades, I find it hard to believe this didn’t have an influence also.

9

From what I’ve read, Jews and Muslims in the Middle Ages complained about how filthy Christians were. (Sorry, I can’t cite any specific work.)

Sponge bathing is actually quite beneficial. In some ways, it’s better than taking a full bath, because you’re not sitting in a tub full of water that’s contaminated with detritus from your own body. If you’re using soap, all of that guck will simply reattach itself to your body unless you rinse thoroughly with clean water.

The question with sponge bathing is, How often do you do it, and do you give special attention to where it’s needed?

Modern technology can make public baths more or less safe for bathers. Without it, baths can be cauldrons for all sorts of biological brews.

Recreational Use of Spa Thermal Waters: Criticisms and Perspectives for Innovative Treatments - PMC

10

“Sitting in a tepid pool of your own filth!”- Kramer.

11

My interest in the Middle Ages was not confined to the SCA. It prompted me to do my own research. Yes, I know all about public baths going back to antiquity. That doesn’t mean they weren’t health hazards.

Yes, I know how hard it is to fetch clean water and fuel for a fire every day. I hope never to have to go through that again.

I also know about hot and cold running water going back to antiquity. How many homes had it?

OF COURSE you can wash with cold water. Who would do that if they had a choice between cold and hot?

Wow, once every three weeks! John I must have been a really sanitary dude!

Servants obviously did more than wipe their masters’ butts, but I doubt it helped much.

Why would nobles in the Renaissance stink more than in the Middle Ages? I suspect they all smelled what we would call “disgusting.”

12

Because it’s easier to get cold water. It takes a long time for the water running out of the “hot” tap in my ensuite bathroom to actually get hot. I almost never bother to wait, and just wash my hand in cold (room temp) water. I sometimes do a quick sponge bath of some body part that needs cleaning using the cold water from that tap, too. If I’m going to actually take a full shower or bath, i wait for the water to get hot.

I imagine that in medieval times they had to do more than wait five minutes to get hot water. I suspect they often bathed in room temp water

13

You know, you are supposed to wash with soap and rinse off before getting into the tub :slight_smile: Especially if we are talking communal baths.

Even Roman bathers probably would have had at least a strigil and a small bottle of oil, in times when bars of soap were not really available (which does not apply to medieval bathing).

14

You need those allover bathing wipes.
Especially on your dance trips.
My understanding is they are great for getting sweat off. No rinse necessary.

I’d name them but it’s not necessary, there’s many brands, and they are all over Amazon. Amazon has their Medline brand, cheaper.

15

I’m good with paper towels and water, thanks. Nothing to pack, no residue, no odor.

I’ve thought of carrying a small washcloth, instead, but i don’t really want to carry a wet washcloth back home.

16

Umm. Steal one from the hotel and toss when you’re done.

I’m kidding don’t wanna turn you into a petty thief.

17

Lol, I’ve done that. I haven’t stolen a towel, but I’ve asked if i could use one, and where to leave it when i was done. Small places will sometimes accommodate requests like that.

18

Because they stopped bathing as much, after religious pushback, plague and syphilis caused it to fall from popularity.

And once every 3 weeks for a bathtub bath is a bit less than my own once a week, but again, no way constitutes ‘seldom’

19

Egads, @MrDibble, you shock me!

Dude.
At least every other day.
If you’re sedentary, I somehow, don’t see you that way.

Do you live alone?

20

I usually wash my hair once a week, and the rest of my body if i feel dirty. If I’m at a dance weekend, that might be twice a day. I hate the feel of dried sweat. If I’m hanging out at home, not exercising much, i might go a week between bathing. Now that I’ve retired I’m more physically active, and bathing more than i did when i was working.