Fill up the tub and thank Kohler

There’s nothing like a nice, warm bath to pamper yourself after a rough day at school, but International Bath Day, which is celebrated on June 14, is a time to reprogram yourself to start off the next day refreshed.  What better way to celebrate this day than to learn about bathtubs?

In 1883, John Michael Kohler II invented the world’s first modern bathtub (Aquatica USA). Before his invention, people often shared the tub, starting with the oldest adult bathing first and as the water got dirtier and dirtier, the younger family members would be using the same water. In the end, the youngest would bathe, even though the water might be very dirty. It is from that tradition that we get the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water” (Wikipedia).

The choice to make International Bath Day on June 14 comes from a legend from the ancient Greeks, who claimed that it was precisely one week before the beginning of summer when the temperatures would be right, “due to the 23.5-degree tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the sun” (National Day Calendar).   In 2016, the Registrar of the National Day Calendar proclaimed the day to be observed on June 14, annually.

By the way, according to freeby50.com, to heat a bathtub full of water would cost you 40 to 60 cents on your water bill each time, so a bath could raise your water bill a little, but during a drought, the amount of water it takes could be more of a concern. A bath takes about 40 gallons while a 10-minute shower only uses about 25 gallons.