Because the Amish community has so many unusual habits, it’s easy to wonder how they do very normal, everyday activities. One question you may have is how do the Amish bathe?
We’ll look at the hygiene habits of the Amish, and the role that cleanliness plays in their religion. Another thing to consider is the differences between different Amish denominations.
Amish Hygiene Habits
Let’s look at Amish hygiene, and how they keep themselves clean.
How Important is Cleanliness in Amish Culture?
Cleanliness is important to the Amish because they believe that people were created in the image of God. Because of this, the body must be looked after.
Additionally, their houses are spotless and they have an array of special cleaning tricks, leading many people to wonder what’s in Amish cleaning tonic.
This cleaning tonic is often kept in wicker storage baskets for shelves that the Amish make themselves.
Do the Amish Bathe?
Yes, the Amish bathe, but they often do it without electricity, and sometimes without indoor plumbing.
They usually heat the water on a stove in order to have a warm bath. This labor-intensive process is one reason that the Amish don’t normally bathe every day.
If you’re wondering “do the Amish have running water?” the answer is that most do, but not all of them.
However, there are major differences among the different Amish denominations. One example of this is the Schwartzenruber Amish, who are particularly conservative. They don’t permit any running water indoors, so collect rainwater and use wells to get their water. They also use a freestanding tub for bathing.
The Amish make their own Amish goat’s milk soap, which is a great general cleanser.
They also do a lot of basket weaving, which includes making wicker laundry baskets. Another tradition that’s passed down is several Amish cleaning solutions that are used to do laundry and clean the house.
Other Amish sects bathe more frequently, especially if they have indoor plumbing.
Do the Amish Take Showers?
While bathing is more common amongst the Amish, they do also take showers. Again, it’s very dependent on the community and the individual family.
Some Amish families have gas-powered hot water heaters to take showers. There are even some communities that have large indoor showers just like we do.
During the summer, some Amish families set up outdoor showers. You’ll also sometimes see Amish people swimming.
Adults need to cover up, but young children often wear modern swimming costumes because they aren’t full members of the church yet.
Conclusion
So the Amish do bathe using soap and water just like the rest of us, even if they’re sometimes a bit more old-fashioned about it.
It’s both a reminder of the importance of tradition and history to the Amish and that they aren’t as different from us in some basic human ways as we might think.
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