how often did people take a bath during the middle ages?

Question

Just curious. I thought that I read somewhere that it was every 6 months or so

I am talking about people who lived in Europe

Answer 1

They didn't bathe much during the winter, maybe once a month or so. The middle ages were not a hygeine-friendly time, to say the least. They probably bathed more during the summer.

Answer 2

Bathing during the Middle Ages


Medieval society may have liked to bathe more than one might expect, however, this was not always an easy process. Medieval castle residents used wooden tubs with water heated from the fire in the great hall. In good weather, the tub might be placed out in the garden. Lords often employed a person whose sole responsibility was preparing baths for the family. This person would often travel with the family.

Hot baths were very popular and most towns, as late as the mid-1200s had public bathhouses. Wood fires heated the water, but this posed two problems. First, out of control fires could consume several blocks of buildings. And as the 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. Barrels were often used as baths, with entire families sharing the same water.

Answer 3

maybe once or twice a year, probably in summer when water and weather was warm. Bathing was not easy, no water heaters and swimming wasn't really even thought about, at least not in the middle ages.
However, the Greeks and Romans were very body consious and had discovered cleanliness and spread it as far as BATH, ENGLAND where they built their renouned Roman Baths -- there were hot springs there, still are and you can go see this amazing place to this day, altho they dont allow bathing today.
Of course it was warmer in southern Italy and Greese than in northern europe and southern Europe had a lot of hot springs, which no. Europe didn't. And after Rome fell we lost centuries of knowledge! Think where we'd be today if the library of Rome hadnt been burned !!!!

Answer 4

That sounds gross, but it was probably right. If you had to get into a tub, get the water to fill it up, and then heat it if you wanted hot water, then get in it when everyone was out of the room, then somehow get the tub out of the house, or try to get the water out first and then the tub out. That is a lot of trouble. My cousins on the farm in Texas did not have an indoor bathroom in their house about 50 yrs ago, and that is what they had to do, so that is why I know what it was like as that was a lot of trouble. They took a bath every Sat. when they went to town up the road to a bigger town that had lots of shops. They did their shopping and socializing on Sat. night. My cousin, who was my age, would go to the picture show and flirt with the boys. Then they would drive all the way back home.

Answer 5

which people are you refering to? Muslims and Moors took baths all of the time, they knew it would help keep them healthy. Vikings used to have saunas and ice baths. Native Americans as well as other aboriginal peoples bathed daily or as frequently as the weather allowed. People in Asia bathed regularly too. And don't forget about roman and greeks having huge public baths. It wasn't until the european churches came into power that europeans were told not to bathe or if they absolutely had to - no more than once or twice a year. Apparently it was considered immodest, sinful and unhealthy - you could catch a chill - nevermind that pesky plague thingy.

Answer 6

very rarely as there was very little clean water available to do so, in the higher classes, its true they did only bathe every 3 to 6 months....the poorer classes usually did much better and often just bathed in the river....it was an easy way to stay clean without having to pay for the water.....depending on how close they were to an open water way.....some of the poorer classes never bathed at all.

Answer 7

Every 6 months.

Answer 8

hehe , every 6 months ? who told you that ?
i think any normal human would take a bath between 1 : 7 times a week , actually i have a bath everyday !!

OR did you mean middle ages like long yeasr ago ? , ah i think they went to sea and lakes , i dont know but 6 months is too long because any human will smell bad if he didnt take a bath within a week

Answer 9

It's probably closer to almost never. The prevailing belief at the time was that baths were dangerous to your health, and would expose you (by being clean, I guess) to all sorts of diseases. Gross.

Answer 10

Once a year - usually in spring. That's why weddings were usually in June - everyone still smelled pretty good. Blech! Can you imagine?