Performing One's Morning Ablutions

There was a brief time in my life when I lived in a building where I shared toileting and bathing facilities. I lived in an SRO (single room occupancy) hotel that had a medicine cabinet, a sink, a window, a bed, a table, and a closet. Many times I would avoid using the shower (and NEVER use the tub) because I felt compelled to clean it before using it. And when you are cleaning a shower that is from a pre-depression era, you ever feel as if you have gotten it truly 100% clean to your liking.
So, instead, I would stand in a very large metal basin (suitable for washing clothes by hand) and I would lather myself up and then rinse myself off. I may not have spent a lot of money on good food in those days, but I always made sure that I had decent soap; my favorite at the time was Kirk's original coco castile soap. Some argued that it was strong and drying, but I always felt it got the job done. One could always add emollients to the skin after the fact.
As I've aged, I've found the personal hygiene doesn't seem to last quite as long. I've given up using deodorant and the only time I wash a second time in a day is if it is excessively hot throughout the day, or if I get lucky and am asking to hop in the sack.
Fortunately, I also don't wear make up so I never worry about what soap and water will do to me.

The Religious History of Ablution

Ablution derives via Middle French and Middle English from the Latin verb abluere, meaning "to wash away," formed from the prefix ab- ("away, off") and lavere ("to wash"). Early uses of the word occurred in contexts of alchemy and chemistry. The first known use of ablution to refer to washing as a religious rite occurs in Thomas More's The Apologye Made by Hym (1533). Many religions include some kind of washing of the body in their rituals, usually as a form of purification or dedication. The use of the term to refer to the action of washing one's body without any religious significance did not take hold in English until the mid-18th century. In British English, ablutions can also refer to a building housing bathing and toilet facilities on a military base.

Douche

The word's first known use is in 1766. Douche came into English via French, from Italian: doccia "conduit pipe" and docciare "pour by drops" to douche, from doccia water pipe, probably back-formation from doccione conduit, from Latin: duction-, ductio means of conveying water, from ducere to lead. In French today it means shower, as it does in many non-English European languages.

Bidet

A modern bidet (foreground) with a matching toilet

A modern bidet that resembles a traditional type
A bidet is a bowl or receptacle designed to be sat upon in order to wash one's genitalia, perineum, inner buttocks, and anus. The modern variety has a plumbed-in water supply and a drainage opening, and is thus a plumbing fixture subject to local hygiene regulations. The bidet is designed to promote personal hygiene and is used after defecation, and before and after sexual intercourse. It can also be used to wash feet, with or without filling it up with water. In several European countries, a bidet is now required by law to be present in every bathroom containing a toilet bowl. It was originally located in the bedroom, near the chamber-pot and the marital bed, but in modern times is located near the toilet bowl in the bathroom.

Whore bath

The quick style of bathing that would apparently be common among prostitutes between servicing clients.

whore bath (plural whore baths)

1. A quick sponge bath by hand, using a wet washcloth or a pre-moistened towelette, to extend the interval between showers or clean up after casual sexual intercourse.

Bath

Bathing is the act of washing the body, usually with water, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes. By analogy, especially as a recreational activity, the term is also applied to sun bathing and sea bathing.


Astronaut Jack R. Lousma taking a shower in space, 1973
People bathe at a range of temperatures, according to custom or purpose, from very cold to very hot. In the western world, bathing is usually done at comfortable temperatures in a bathtub or shower. This type of bathing is done more or less daily for hygiene purposes. A ritual religious bath is sometimes referred to as immersion or baptism. The use of water for therapeutic purposes can be called a water treatment or hydrotherapy. Recreational water activities are also known as swimming and paddling.