Bathroom

This article is about private rooms for personal hygiene. For toilet facilities outside the home, seepublic toilet.For private toilet room at a residence, seetoilet (room).For washing facilities outside the home, seepublic bathing.

Illustration of a bathroom from the early 20th century, in which appear abathtub,twotowels,atoilet,asinkand twomirrors

Abathroomis aroomin which people wash their bodies or parts thereof. It can contain one or more of the following plumbing fixtures: ashower,abathtub,abidet,and asink(also known as a wash basin in the UK). The inclusion of atoiletis common. There are also specifictoilet rooms,only containing a toilet (most often accompanied by the sink), which inNorth American Englishtend to be called "bathrooms", "powder rooms" or "washrooms", aseuphemismsto conceal their actual purpose, while they inBritish and Irish Englishare known as just "toilets" or possibly "cloakrooms" - but also as "lavatories" when they arepublic.

Historically, bathing was often a collective activity, which took place inpublic baths.In some countries, the shared social aspect of cleansing the body is still important, for example withsentoin Japan and, throughout the Islamic world, thehammam(also known in the West as a "Turkish bath" ).

Variations and terminology

Bathroom in France, with abathtuband ashower- and no toilet.

The term for the place used to clean the body varies around theEnglish-speaking world,as does the design of the room itself. Afull bathroomgenerally contains a bath or shower (or both), a toilet, and a sink. Anen suite bathroomoren suite shower roomis attached to, and only accessible from, a bedroom. Afamily bathroom,in Britishestate agentterminology, is a full bathroom not attached to a bedroom, but with its door opening onto a corridor. AJack and Jill bathroom(orconnected bathroom) is situated between and usually shared by the occupants of two separate bedrooms. It may also have two wash basins.Awetroomis a waterproof room usually equipped with a shower; it is designed to eliminate moisture damage and is compatible withunderfloor heatingsystems.

In the United States, there is a lack of a single definition. This commonly results in discrepancies between the advertised and actual number of baths inreal estatelistings. Bathrooms are generally categorized as "master bathroom", containing ashowerand abathtubthat is adjoining to the largest bedroom; a "full bathroom" (or "full bath" ), containing four plumbing fixtures: atoiletandsink,and either a bathtub with a shower, or a bathtub and a separate shower stall; "half bath" (or "powder room" ) containing just a toilet and sink; and "3/4 bath" containing toilet, sink, and shower, although the terms vary from market to market. In some U.S. markets, a toilet, sink, and shower are considered a "full bath." In addition, there is the use of the word "bathroom" to describea room containing a toiletand a basin, and nothing else.

InCanada,"washroom" is the preferred term for such a room, the same applies to public facilities.

Design considerations

Towels

Bathrooms often have one or moretowelbars or rings for hanging towels.

Furniture

Abathroom cabinet

Some bathrooms contain abathroom cabinetfor personal hygiene products and medicines, and drawers or shelves (sometimes in column form) for storing towels and other items.

Bidet

A modern bidet of the traditional type

Some bathrooms contain abidet,which might be placed next to a toilet.

Plumbing

The bathroom design must account for the use of hot and cold water, in significant quantities, for cleaning the body. The water is also used for moving solid and liquidhuman wasteto a sewer orseptic tank.Water may be splashed on the walls and floor, and hot humid air may cause condensation on cold surfaces. From a decorating point of view, the bathroom presents a challenge. Ceiling, wall, and floor materials and coverings should be impervious to water and readily and easily cleaned. The use of ceramic or glass, as well as smooth plastic materials, is common in bathrooms for their ease of cleaning. Such surfaces are often cold to the touch, however, so water-resistant bath mats or even bathroom carpets may be used on the floor to make the room more comfortable. Alternatively, the floor may be heated, possibly by strategically placing resistive electric mats under the floor tile or radiant hot water tubing close to the underside of the floor surface.

Electricity

Electrical appliances, such as lights, heaters, and heated towel rails, generally need to be installed as fixtures, with permanent connections rather than plugs and sockets. This minimizes the risk ofelectric shock.Ground-fault circuit interrupterelectrical socketscan reduce the risk of electric shock, and are required for bathroom socket installation byelectricalandbuilding codesin the United States and Canada. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, only special sockets suitable for electric shavers and electric toothbrushes are permitted in bathrooms and are labelled as such.

UK building regulationsalso define what type of electrical fixtures, such as light fittings (i.e. how water-/splash-proof) may be installed in the areas (zones) around and above baths, and showers.

Lighting

Bathroom lighting should be uniform, and bright and must minimize glare. For all the activities like shaving, showering, grooming, etc. one must ensure equitable lighting across the entire bathroom space. The mirror area should have at least two sources of light at least 1 foot apart to eliminate any shadows on the face. Skin tones and hair color are highlighted with a tinge of yellow light. Ceiling and wall lights must be safe for use in a bathroom (electrical parts need to be splashproof) and therefore must carry appropriate certification such asIP44.

All forms of bathroom lighting should be IP44 rated as safe to use in the bathroom.

History

See also:Ritual purificationandHygiene § History

TheGreat Bath of Mohenjo-daro

The first records for the use of baths date back as far as 3000 B.C. At this time water had a strong religious value, being seen as a purifying element for both body and soul. So it was not uncommon for people to be required to cleanse themselves before entering a sacred area. Baths are recorded as part of village or town life throughout this period, with a split between steam baths in Europe and America and cold baths in Asia. Communal baths were erected in a distinctly separate area from the living quarters of the village.

Nearly all of the hundreds of houses excavated had their bathing rooms. Generally located on the ground floor, the bath was made of brick, sometimes with a surrounding curb to sit on. The water drained away through a hole in the floor, down chutes or pottery pipes in the walls, and into the municipal drainage system. Even the fastidious Egyptians rarely had special bathrooms.

Greek and Roman bathing

Main article:Ancient Roman bathing

Virtual reconstruction of the Roman Baths in Weißenburg, Germany, using data from laser scan technology

The Roman attitudes towards bathing are well documented; they built large thermal baths (thermae), marking not only a significant social development but also providing a public source of relaxation and rejuvenation. Here was a place where people could meet to discuss the matters of the day and enjoy entertainment. During this period there was a distinction between private and public baths, with many wealthy families having their thermal baths in their houses. Despite this they still made use of the public baths, showing the value that they had as a public institution. The strength of the Roman Empire was telling in this respect; imports from throughout the world allowed Roman citizens to enjoy ointments, incense, combs, and mirrors. The partially reconstructed ruins can still be seen today, for example atRoman Baths (Bath)inBath, England,then part ofRoman Britain.

Not all ancient baths were in the style of the large pools that often come to mind when one imagines theRoman baths;the earliest surviving bathtub dates back to 1700 B.C and hails from the Palace ofKnossosin Crete. What is remarkable about this tub is not only the similarity with the baths of today but also how the plumbing works surrounding it differ so little from modern models. A more advanced prehistoric (15th century BC and before) system of baths and plumbing is to be found in the excavated town ofAkrotiri,on the Aegean island ofSantorini(Thera). There,alabastertubs and other bath fittings were found, along with a sophisticated twin plumbing system to transport hot and cold water separately. This was probably because of easy access togeothermichot springs on thisvolcanicisland.

Both the Greeks and the Romans recognized the value of bathing as an important part of their lifestyles. Writers such asHomerhad their heroes bathe in warm water to regain their strength; it is perhaps notable that the mother ofAchillesbathed him to gain his invincibility. Palaces have been uncovered throughout Greece with areas that are dedicated to bathing, spaces with ceramic bathtubs, as well as sophisticated drainage systems. Homer uses the word λοετρά,loetrá,"baths", later λουτρά,loutrá,from the verb λούειν,loúein,to bathe. The same root finds an even earlier attestation onLinear Btablets, in the name of the RiverLousios( "bathing" [river]), inArcadia.Public baths are mentioned by the comedianAristophanesas βαλανεία,balaneía(sing.: βαλανείον,balaneíon,Latinizedasbalneum,a "balneary" ).

16th century and beyond

Throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the use ofpublic bathsdeclined gradually in the West, and private spaces were favored, thus laying the foundations for the bathroom, as it was to become, in the 20th century. However, increased urbanization led to the creation of morebaths and washhouses in Britain.

In Japan shared bathing insentoandonsen(spas) still exists, the latter being very popular.

Cultural historianBarbara Pennerhas written of the ambiguous nature of bathrooms as both the most private space and one most connected to the wider outside world.

Gallery

• 
  Bathroom in Belgium
• 
  An early 20th century bathroom in theBeamish Museum,nearDurham, England
• 
  Illustration of a bathroom from 1903
• 
  A bathroom in the Olympic village of the2020 Winter Youth Olympics

See also

• Accessible toilet
• Folding screen
• Furo- Japanese bathroom
• Washstand

References

12.Bathroom Remodeling In Rochester- Retrieved AUG 20, 2024.

Further reading

• von Fürstenberg, Diane(1993).The Bath.Random House.ISBN9780679426790.
• Hoagland, Alison K. (2018).The Bathroom: A Social History of Cleanliness and the Body.ABC-Clio.ISBN9781440852664.

External links

• Media related toBathroomat Wikimedia Commons

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