Room for personal hygiene activities, such as showering
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 a bathtub, twotowels, atoilet, asink and twomirrors
Abathroom is aroom in 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 theUnited Kingdom). Atoilet is also frequently included. There are also specifictoilet rooms, only containing a toilet (often accompanied by a sink), which inAmerican English tend to be called "bathrooms", "powder rooms" or "washrooms", aseuphemisms to conceal their actual purpose, while they inBritish English are known as just "toilets" or possibly "cloakrooms" - but also as "lavatories" when they arepublic.[1]
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 withsento in Japan and, throughout the Islamic world, thehammam (also known in the West as a "Turkish bath").
The term for the place used to clean the body varies around theEnglish-speaking world, as does the design of the room itself. Afull bathroom generally contains a bath or shower (or both), a toilet, and a sink. Anen suite bathroom oren suite shower room is attached to, and only accessible from, a bedroom. Afamily bathroom, in Britishestate agent terminology, 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.[2][3] Awetroom is a waterproof room usually equipped with a shower; it is designed to eliminate moisture damage and is compatible withunderfloor heating systems.
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 estate listings. Bathrooms are generally categorized as "master bathroom", containing ashower and abathtub that is adjoining to the largest bedroom; a "full bathroom" (or "full bath"), containing four plumbing fixtures: atoilet andsink, 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 toilet and a basin, and nothing else.[citation needed]
InCanada, "washroom" is the preferred term for such a room, the same applies to public facilities.[4]
Some bathrooms contain abathroom cabinet for personal hygiene products and medicines, and drawers or shelves (sometimes in column form) for storing towels and other items.[5]
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 waste to 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.[citation needed]
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 sockets can reduce the risk of electric shock, and are required for bathroom socket installation byelectrical andbuilding codes in 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.[7]
UK building regulations also 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.[8]
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.[citation needed]
All forms of bathroom lighting should be IP44 rated as safe to use in the bathroom.[9][where?]
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.[citation needed]
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.[10]
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.[citation needed]
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 ofKnossos in 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,alabaster tubs 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 togeothermic hot springs on thisvolcanic island.[citation needed]
Both the Greeks and the Romans recognized the value of bathing as an important part of their lifestyles. Writers such asHomer had their heroes bathe in warm water to regain their strength; it is perhaps notable that the mother ofAchilles bathed 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 B tablets, in the name of the RiverLousios ("bathing" [river]), inArcadia. Public baths are mentioned by the comedianAristophanes as βαλανεία,balaneía (sing.: βαλανείον,balaneíon,Latinized asbalneum, a "balneary").[citation needed]
Throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the use ofpublic baths declined 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.[citation needed]
Cultural historianBarbara Penner has written of the ambiguous nature of bathrooms as both the most private space and one most connected to the wider outside world.[11]
^"Lighting research center - Bathroom lighting". Article from lighting research center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY 12180 USA). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Archived fromthe original on September 7, 2011. RetrievedJuly 10, 2011.
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