The Belief That Bathing Could Make You Sick
In medieval Europe, the notion that bathing could lead to illness was more than just superstition—it was rooted in widely accepted medical theories of the time. Physicians, influenced by the ancient Greek concept of the four humors, believed that warm water opened the body’s pores, making people vulnerable to disease. This idea was reinforced by the fear of “miasma,” or bad air, which was thought to carry sickness into the body through these widened pores. As a result, many people avoided bathing, particularly in public bathhouses, where they feared exposure to contaminated air and waterborne diseases.
Medical texts from the period, including the Secreta Secretorum, warned against excessive bathing, claiming it could weaken the heart and induce fainting. Some physicians even prescribed detailed bathing guidelines, advising people to bathe only under specific conditions, such as on an empty stomach or after consuming light foods like raisins and wine. King Louis XIV of France famously took only three baths in his entire life, believing that washing too often could be harmful. His aversion to bathing was so extreme that he reportedly suffered from severe skin infections and even lost his toenails due to a lack of hygiene.
Despite these fears, earlier medieval societies had a more positive view of bathing, particularly in natural hot springs. The Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum, an 11th-century medical text, encouraged washing hands and maintaining warmth after bathing. However, as outbreaks of diseases like syphilis spread in later centuries, public bathhouses fell out of favor, solidifying the belief that bathing was dangerous. This misconception persisted well into the Renaissance, shaping hygiene practices for centuries to come.
How the Black Death Reinforced Fear of Water
The Black Death, which swept through Europe between 1347 and 1351, reshaped medieval attitudes toward hygiene and bathing in profound ways. Before the plague, public bathhouses were a common feature of European cities, with Paris alone boasting at least 32 by the 13th century. However, as the pandemic devastated the population—killing an estimated 25 to 50 million people—many began to associate water and bathing with disease rather than cleanliness. This shift was largely driven by contemporary medical theories, particularly the widely accepted miasma theory, which suggested that disease spread through “corrupted air.” Physicians of the time believed that bathing, by opening the pores, made individuals more vulnerable to these deadly vapors.
Observations during the plague further fueled this fear. Bathhouse attendants and frequent bathers appeared to suffer higher mortality rates—likely because communal bathhouses served as prime locations for disease transmission. In response, physicians advised against bathing and recommended keeping the skin covered in dirt and oils to “seal” the pores against infection. Municipal authorities in cities across Europe even ordered the closure of many bathhouses, reinforcing the perception that water was dangerous. Over time, this fear of bathing became deeply ingrained in medieval society, contributing to the long-standing misconception that people of the era were universally unclean.
The Church’s Influence—When Cleanliness Was Considered Vanity
During the Middle Ages, the Christian Church played a pivotal role in shaping attitudes toward cleanliness, often prioritizing spiritual purity over physical hygiene. While modern perspectives might assume the Church outright condemned bathing, the reality was more nuanced. Early Christian teachings emphasized inner moral cleanliness rather than external washing, a theme reflected in the writings of figures like St. Augustine. He acknowledged the benefits of bathing for health and comfort but warned against excessive concern for bodily cleanliness, which could lead to vanity and distraction from spiritual devotion.
The rise of asceticism further reinforced this mindset. Many devout Christians, including hermits and saints, deliberately avoided bathing as a form of self-denial, believing that enduring physical discomfort brought them closer to God. Some, like St. Anthony, went years without washing, their uncleanliness becoming a symbol of holiness. This perspective influenced broader medieval attitudes, particularly among the clergy and monastic communities, where self-discipline and rejection of worldly pleasures were central values.
However, the Church’s stance was not entirely against cleanliness. Monasteries maintained bathhouses, often using them for medical or charitable purposes, allowing the sick and poor to bathe. Baptism, the most significant Christian ritual involving water, symbolized spiritual purification rather than routine hygiene. Over time, as public bathhouses became associated with moral corruption and sinful behavior, religious leaders grew more critical of communal bathing, reinforcing the idea that excessive washing was not just vain, but potentially dangerous to the soul.
Why Public Bathhouses Were Associated with Sin and Disease
Public bathhouses were once a staple of medieval European cities, offering communal spaces where people could cleanse themselves, socialize, and even receive medical treatments. Yet by the late Middle Ages, these once-thriving establishments had become synonymous with sin and disease, leading to their decline. Several factors contributed to this shift, ranging from changing medical theories to growing moral anxieties.
One major factor was the belief that bathing could make people more vulnerable to illness. Medieval physicians, influenced by ancient Greek and Roman medical theories, argued that hot water opened the pores, allowing disease to enter the body more easily. This fear intensified during outbreaks of plague and syphilis in the 14th and 16th centuries, when public baths were seen as prime locations for the spread of contagion. As medical theories evolved, the idea that frequent bathing could be harmful gained traction, reinforcing public hesitancy toward bathhouses.
At the same time, bathhouses became associated with moral corruption. Many establishments doubled as brothels, blurring the lines between hygiene and illicit activities. Church authorities, who already viewed excessive cleanliness as a sign of vanity, condemned public bathing as a gateway to sin. Regulations were introduced to curb immoral behavior in bathhouses, but the damage to their reputation had already been done.
The decline of public bathhouses also reflected broader societal changes. As cities grew and personal hygiene practices evolved, people increasingly turned to private bathing at home. By the 16th century, many public baths had closed, cementing the misconception that medieval people avoided bathing altogether. In reality, the fall of public bathhouses was less about a rejection of cleanliness and more about shifting cultural, medical, and religious attitudes toward hygiene.
How Medieval People Stayed “Clean” Without Bathing
It’s a common myth that medieval people were perpetually filthy, but the reality is far more nuanced. While full-body immersion baths were infrequent for many, medieval Europeans developed a range of hygiene practices to maintain cleanliness. Daily hand and face washing were standard, often performed using basins and ewers filled with water. Soap, made from animal fat and ash, was sometimes infused with herbs like lavender or rosemary for added fragrance and antibacterial properties.
Clothing also played a crucial role in hygiene. Linen undergarments absorbed sweat and body oils, and these were changed and washed regularly, even when outer garments remained unwashed. To clean clothes, medieval people often used water mixed with wood ash or even stale urine, which acted as a natural detergent due to its ammonia content. Hair care was another priority—people washed their hair with herbal rinses every few weeks and used fine-toothed combs to remove dirt and lice.
Dental hygiene was surprisingly advanced. Individuals used herbal tooth powders made from mint or marjoram, rinsed their mouths with water upon waking, and even wiped their teeth with linen cloths after meals to prevent decay. While medieval hygiene lacked modern conveniences, it was far from the unwashed stereotype often imagined today.
The Slow Return of Bathing—What Changed People’s Minds?
For centuries, medieval Europeans harbored deep-seated fears about bathing, associating it with disease, sin, and vanity. But by the early modern period, attitudes toward cleanliness began to shift. What caused this transformation? A combination of evolving medical theories, public health reforms, and changing social norms gradually restored bathing to everyday life.
One of the most significant turning points came with advances in medical knowledge. While medieval physicians had long debated the health effects of bathing, the 16th and 17th centuries saw renewed interest in personal hygiene. The “Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum,” a medieval medical text, had already emphasized the benefits of washing, but it wasn’t until the rise of germ theory in the 19th century—championed by scientists like Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch—that Europeans truly understood the role of cleanliness in disease prevention. This new understanding led to increased advocacy for regular bathing as a means of maintaining good health [JSTOR Daily].
Public health policies also played a crucial role. By the 19th century, European cities were grappling with the consequences of urbanization—overcrowding, poor sanitation, and frequent disease outbreaks. In response, governments introduced sanitation reforms, including the construction of public bathhouses. Britain’s Public Health Act of 1848, for instance, aimed to provide clean water and bathing facilities to the working class, reinforcing the idea that cleanliness was not just a personal virtue but a public necessity.
Social and religious attitudes toward bathing evolved as well. While medieval religious leaders often discouraged frequent washing as a form of vanity, later Christian movements began to associate cleanliness with moral purity. Some clergy even maintained bathhouses for the poor, reframing bathing as an act of charity rather than indulgence.
Economic factors further contributed to the resurgence of bathing. By the 16th century, soap production had grown into a thriving industry, making hygiene products more accessible. Guilds regulated soap-making, ensuring higher-quality products that encouraged more frequent use. Meanwhile, the Renaissance’s revival of classical learning reintroduced Greco-Roman ideals of cleanliness, influencing upper-class Europeans to embrace bathing as a mark of refinement.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, bathing had become an accepted—and expected—part of daily life. The shift wasn’t immediate, but over time, the fear of water gave way to a new appreciation for hygiene, reshaping European societies in ways that still influence modern cleanliness standards.
