International Bath Day – June 14, 2024

History of International Bath Day

It was on June 14 that the Greek mathematician, scientist, and scholar Archimedes discovered that an object’s volume could be accurately measured by being submerged in water — while he was in a bath! Eager to share his excitement over this discovery, Archimedes jumped out of the bathtub and yelled “Eureka, eureka!” as he ran through the streets of Syracuse. While not all of us are geniuses, International Bath Day is also an ideal day for encouraging learning and discovery in children. Bath toys can be incorporated during bath time to teach children about the basic workings of the universe.

Today, we are used to comfortable bathrooms with showers, tubs, and pressure-controlled water flow. But, not very long ago, bathing used to be quite an uncomfortable experience. For example, in 19th century England, a bath was simply a large cold metal container placed in front of a fireplace — without any plumbing. And, in other parts of the world, people had to take a dip in a nearby pond or river when they wanted to clean themselves, braving cold weather conditions and other health hazards. Even as we enjoy comfortable baths in temperature-controlled water, it’s essential to remember that there are many people in the world without any access to clean and potable water. So even though it’s alright to enjoy a luxurious bath every once in a while, we must remember to never waste water.