Did People in Medieval Times Really Not Bathe?

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Constant bathing is really a new thing that has only been around for about 50 years. Like most folks these days, I usually take a shower in the morning before work and another one in the evening when I get home. But my grandma, who is 84, talks about when she was growing up, she said it was highly uncommon to bath more than once a week (usually Saturday night for church on Sunday). Although she did say that they would always fill a wash basin and "clean up" every evening, so it's not like they weren't doing anything through the rest of the week.

I'm a plumber during the academic portion of my apprenticeship I learned that according to the CDC the development of Modern Plumbing has saved more human life than has Modern Medicine. Nothing prevents more diseases than bathing, clean drinking water, sanitary disposal of sewage.

I read some journal entries from a noblewoman in Versailles who mentioned wiping off with vinegar and a sponge, rather than a full bath. The astringency of vinegar would help remove body oils and smell, making it a good choice in a time where water was labor intensive. And a lot of early baths weren't full submersion baths, like modern swimming pools, but steam baths, since again, this took less water.

That's why I love The Last Kingdom so much because they not only show them bathing regularly but they also show Uhtred regularly using a twig to clean his teeth.

Yes they had a real hard time in the middle ages at backing up their digital files.

I know people in modern times and a lot still don’t bathe

Damn, German Medieval bath houses sound dope AF

When the family bathed the head of the household went first and then each in turn according to their rank in the family, with the baby or babies going last. This is were the term “Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water” came from, because the bath water would be less then clear by the time the baby was bathed and you might lose the baby in the dirty water.

Forget the Middle Ages, just walk through any major metro centre today and you'll encounter plenty of people who never bathe.

Surprised there wasn't any reference to that dear Monty Python bit "Oh he must be royalty" "Why do you say that?" "He isn't covered in $#%&"

One thing to note about heels. They were initially used by horsemen in Persia to remain in saddle, shoot bows while riding and control the horse. If I recall the French court brought it into vogue for western Europe.

I really like how this show is always answering the questions that I didn't think needed to be answered or even asked. I really like that about this show. That's what makes it awesome.

I read an Elizabethan book giving instructions for new brides as to the management of the household. The one instruction that really stuck in my mind was "Servants should be given a new set of cloths and a bath once a year whether they needed it or not".

I’ll be unavailable for the remainder of the evening as I will be bath feasting

I love the black bars over the ‘naughty bits’ in the painting. 😂 Are we Neo-Victorians because of YouTube?

A lot of people seem to think that a shower makes you smell clean all day, and don't use deodorant.

having done multiple week hiking and camping excursions, no where near bathing facilities. An occasional cleaning in a stream tends to do a better job than most people realize. Yes you tend to smell a bit of sweat, but if you don't eat crappy food, you'd find that your sweat doesn't smell as badly as when you eat processed foods.

Using products with pungent herbs.... You know the more I learn about history the more I see we are still living in it, just with a lot more plastic and mechanical production.

I'm currently in my bath watching this and having toast and coffee (I even have a side table next to the bath).