Question:
How
often did people take baths in the 1830s?
Answer:
Almost never! Full-body bathing was rare. Most people washed their
hands, face, neck and sometimes feet in cold water from a basin in the kitchen.
Others did the same thing outside "at the wells" of their houses. Most washed
without soap (which was reserved for washing clothes); instead they rubbed
briskly with a coarse towel to scrub dirt off their skins. Things changed
gradually, when families began to move washing equipment out of the kitchens
and into bedchambers, from shared space to a space that could be made private.
Washing equipment consisted of a washstand, a basin, and a "ewer" -- or
large-mouthed pitcher. When people found they could shut the chamber door,
undress, and wash themselves completely, they began doing so on a more regular
basis, even though it was generally still with cold water. Personal hygiene
gained in popularity and importance by about the 1840s and
beyond.
