Bath Times

We washed off using a basin, called a “wash pan,” that was filled with water from the teakettle on the stove. The wash pan was set in the kitchen sink and we used a wash cloth (everyone used the same one) and lye soap to wash our face, hands, under arms and our private parts.

When we took a bath we used a round galvanized bath tub placed in the center of the kitchen floor for our bath. Water was taken out of the water tank on the kitchen stove and that was mixed with cold water for our bath.

Kids went first and moms washed their hair before they were allowed to get out of the tub. We didn’t get to play around in the bath water. It was much too crowded and it was setting in the middle of the kitchen floor and nobody wanted to splash water on the floor.

Dads got in the tub and took their bath and used the same water the kids just got out of. If the water had cooled off mom would add more hot water from the tea kettle. My mother would wash my father’s hair when he was finished bathing.

Moms were always last to use the bath tub and water. By the time she got it the water had turned a dirty gray color with lots of soap scum on top. Mom would scoop the scum off before she got in and took her bath. She always ended her bath by washing her hair.

When we were all finished mom and dad took the bath tub outside and dumped the contents on the ground. Then the tub was rinsed out and hung back on the nail in the kitchen. It would be used soon enough for the next wash day.