Were people in 1950’S America less hygienic then today?

Question

Every time I watch a television show from the 1950’s I’m perplexed at certain references, such as “Sunday Bath.” As in, “Did you take your Sunday Bath Dear?” Did people only bathe weekly? Also, have you ever seen a 1950’s teen girl make this excuse, “I can’t go out with you Wally, I have to wash my hair that day.” How often did people wash their hair back then? I take about two showers a day, three when I visit the gym, and I wash my hair about twice a day. I can’t image going one day without being clean. Were the people in those TV shows serious or was it just slang?

Answer 1

The daily bath or shower is fairly recent. But no, people were not dirty or smelly. They also had much less dry skin and eczema and psoriasis! I think soaps and detergents were quite a bit more harsh and damaging then, though. I was a kid in the fifties, and my mom made me bathe when I got dirty. In the summer, that was probably every day.

My Dad worked construction, and he bathed every night after work, before dinner, but not, if I remember correctly, on the weekends, unless they painted the porch or something. My mother did go to the beauty shop about once a week, and wore a "sleep cap" to keep her hair nice until the next visit. She had no lice, or stink, or growths on her head. Oh! We didn't use "product" in our hair either. I can remember when "creme rinse," which was later called conditioner, was introduced.(And most homes in America had hot and cold running water in the fifties, except some in quite rural areas!)

One thing you may not have thought of is that there was far less pollution in the air. I do not remember my face getting dirty from simply walking around my big city neighborhood when I was younger. Beginning in the late 60's, that happened whenever I went out and about in the city. (Of course I was a teen then, too, so had a lot more oil to attract dirt!) I think it's better now, but I'm no atmospheric scientist.

I have very dry skin, and unless I'm very sweaty, or playing in the dirt, or spill something down my front, I take a full bath or shower about once a week, cleaning up--washing areas that need it--daily. If I were to bathe much more often than that, some of my skin would literally be raw!

Yet I have been made to feel like a pig at times, simply because of this. I was in the hospital overnight just last week, and an aide asked me, with great consternation on her face, THREE times if I didn't want to shower! I finally showed her the cracked and bleeding skin on my hand and told her that I prefered not to have my whole body look like that, and she stopped asking.

My daughter, on the other hand, showers at least once a day. *I* didn't teach her that, the current culture did, and I'm not certain that it's really better for us than less frequent bathing. I know I'm certainly not "dirty" or "unhygenic" in any way after a few days. I don't smell bad, or feel greasy, or anything like that. I change my underwear and wear clean clothes every day. I wash my hands as needed.

Wow! You've given me a chance to spout off about something that really bothers me, but about which I seldom speak. Thanks!

Answer 2

People were very different 50-60 years ago when it came to personal hygiene. Saturday night was bath night when I was a kid. Usually because Saturday night was date night or the night for socializing because people back then worked 6 days a week and had off on Sunday. People didn't use water like they do today. They were more aware of there being a LIMIT to water, and hot water at that. There wasn't endless hot water like there is today in most homes. I personally don't think people were as wasteful as we are today. They lived through the Depression and two World Wars...they knew how to conserve and use just what they needed, not what they wanted.

I don't think they were unsanitary, they just did the bath ritual once a week, but during the week kept themselves clean by washing appropriate areas daily, like underarms, neck, face and such.

My grandmothers and aunts used to go to the Beauty Parlor once a week and get their hair done. It lasted for a whole week before they would get it washed and styled again. And they always looked beautiful and well groomed and smelled good.

I think people today are less hygieniec because they sneeze all over the place instead of using a handkerchief, they don't wash their hands after using the toilet, and they show up to work sick so they can infect everyone in their vicinity. People today have filthy habits and take antibiotics if they get sick, instead of maintaining their health through clean habits.

Today we take lots of showers because we can. I also go to a gym and when I do I take two showers that day. But back in the 50's people didn't go to gyms.

It is a different lifestyle today for most of us.

Answer 3

In the '50's they washed their hair about once a week. But the Sunday bath was a joke.

The shampoo people came out with a shampoo that they claimed was so mild that it could be used every day and people starting doing that. Profitable for the shampoo manufacturers.

Answer 4

Back in the 50s for many people taking a bath meant trips to the outside pump or well ..Lugging buckets of water inside and heating the water on a wood stove.Thats after working long hard days. More then likely thats why saturday night baths were a common occurance for many families.

Answer 5

No, they weren't less hygenic. They just weren't as manipulated by advertisers as we are (the more we use of their product, the more often we have to buy it and the more money they make). They also didn't have as much modern conveniences as we do. But rest assured, they did clean up daily. You can still get clean by using a basin of water and some soap. (It just doesn't feel as refreshing and rejuvinating as standing the the warm water relaxing away your cares!)

If you are showering THAT often, please make sure you take care of your skin and hair. They will get stripped of natural moisture.

Answer 6

Remember, not everyone in the 1950's had running water in their homes, or indoor toilets for that matter. I think people were not as germ-a-phobic as we are now. Also, people did not bath as much to avoid getting sick.

Answer 7

All the hygiene products we have today were not available in the 50's and believe not all houses had showers.