5 centuries ago, people in Europe didnt bathe, Why ?

Answer 1

Hygiene wasn't as big of an issue as it was back then. Running water was also a problem. Plus, the water you bathed in sometimes was worse than you just staying dirty and disease-infected.

Answer 2

Medieval society actually liked to bathe. Hot baths were very popular and most towns as late as the mid-1200s had public bathhouses. But as forests were depleted, firewood became expensive and the rising costs of heating the water forced most of the bathhouses to close. Some tried burning coal to heat water, but the fumes proved to be unhealthy. By the mid-1300s, only the very wealthy could afford firewood for hot water in the winter. The rest of the population was forced to be dirty most of the time.

Perfumes made from the oils of flowers combined with spices were very popular during the Middle Ages as trade between countries improved. Perfume became an easy, quick fix for those who could not bathe.

Aside from this, when ancient empires fell and Europe entered the Middle Ages, bathing suffered a decline. Cities were being built without sewers or a water-delivery system, which made bathing a very difficult task. Bathing was widely discouraged by the church, which regarded it as a sinful pleasure of the flesh, as well as a vehicle for the spread of diseases such as plague and syphilis. Throughout the Middle Ages and into the eighteenth century, few people bathed regularly, if at all. By the nineteenth century, ideas about bathing began to change. From the Middle Ages through the renaissance, doctors warned against bathing, saying that it washed off a protective layer of filth. In the late 1700’s, many doctors began to believe that regular baths would help cure the sick. In the mid 1800’s, the discovery of germs demonstrated the benefits of cleanliness. Bathing gained popularity, and people began to take regular baths. Taking a bath was not easy, however. Water had to be carried from rivers or public fountains to the house, heated on the stove, and poured into a large portable tub. For the wealthy, servants would carry out this difficult work, but the rest of the population had to do it for themselves. A bath was a major undertaking, and many families made a habit of bathing only once a week; usually on Saturday nights, so they could be clean on Sunday. In the early days of the resurgence of bathing, tubs were no more than large wooden buckets. These tubs were not fixed in a specialized room, because most families had their baths in the kitchen, next to the source of warm water, the stove. Wealthier people may have kept their tub in a hidden compartment in their bedrooms, and had servants bring hot water up from the kitchen.

Answer 3

outline "very regularly". Its in elementary words in the finest 50 or so years that some thing extra prevalent that weekly baths grew to develop into common. there have been cultures that had public baths yet those were extra a count number of socializing than hygiene. In medieval Europe not often bathed. in the middle east bathing develop into some distance extra common. body smell develop into common and particularly a lot common. For that count number deodorants did not come out till the early 1960's. for sure there have been also fairly some ailments linked with undesirable hygiene too. yet they didnt figure that out till after bathing grew to develop into common. believe it or no longer inproved hygiene also brought some few pandemics. which consists of Poliomyelitis in the early component to the 20 th century. some at the on the spot are saying that the upward push in epidermis maximum cancers is brought about through human beings washing the protecting oil off their epidermis.

Answer 4

Because it was expensive and difficult to heat the water.

Really, the rumors that people didn't bathe, especially in the early middle ages, are highly exaggerated. People who could do so usually would bathe.

Answer 5

It took al ot of firewood to warm the water for a bath in the winter. The people at that time had other priorities than a bath.

Answer 6

Several reasons.
First of all, the aristocracy believed that they didn't HAVE to bathe regularly.
Second, there was no running water. It was a pain in the butt to boil enough water to fill something large enough to work as a tub!
And besides, they didn't realize how unhygienic it was to not bathe.

Answer 7

It was during the Dark/Medievel Ages so water would have been scarce. Also, at one point in European history, it was considered "low class" to bathe. The royalty and the rich would instead wear expensive perfumes to mask the smell while the poor would just have to be bear with their stenches.

Answer 8

Some actually considered it unhealthy. And others didn't bathe either, so why waste the water?

Answer 9

Because the water was not sanitary, much like the water in Mexico. But if you ask me, i still dont think Europeans bathe. Especailly the women. Christ, even Wayne Gretsky showers after three periods.

Answer 10

Allah and Mohhamad forbade it. Then the Danish invented caricatures and they were good. And on the second day Muslim Extremists rioted and ran around screaming Alluah Ahkbar

Real answer: no modern facilities....