
Showers – 19th century luxury and health - userbinator
http://www.homethingspast.com/vintage-antique-showers/
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alister
> _Showers appeared in sports clubs and other communal facilities but remained
> uncommon in private homes in Britain before the 1970s /80s._

I wonder why the exact opposite happened in Brazil? "Brazilians love showers
(twice a day is common), but houses and hotels almost never have a bathtub;
however, Jacuzzis and hot tubs are found at spas."[1]

[1]
[http://brazilsense.com/index.php?title=Common_in_the_USA_and...](http://brazilsense.com/index.php?title=Common_in_the_USA_and_Canada_but_rare_in_Brazil)

~~~
jpatokal
The same is true in much of SE Asia, because in hot and humid places, showers
are much more useful than bathtubs.

This is also reflected in bathing habits: broadly speaking, hot countries
shower off the sweat in the evening, while cold ones warm up in the morning
(or at night before bed).

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agumonkey
and it's fun because when you leave the shower, you 'dry' almost right away.
at least that how it feels.

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userbinator
An interesting contrast I've noticed is just how "timeless" the UX of certain
plumbing fixtures are; the average person today, going back in time to a
(well-equipped) house in the early 1900s, would probably have no trouble at
all using the sink, toilet[1], or shower. Compare this with the computing
industry where a span of 5 years can mean radical and confusing changes.

[1] Amusingly enough, there are YouTube channels showing off nothing but very
old toilets --- which look and work nearly the same as modern ones.

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JJMcJ
Some really old ones would have a tank close to the ceiling and a pull chain
to flush.

But that means old. Nothing built since end of WW II would have that.

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ThePadawan
Note that that doesn't mean you won't encounter them.

Both my high school's gym in Germany (rebuilt after the war) and my student
housing (survived WW2 intact) had pull chain operated toilets.

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samcheng
What are the modern bathing luxuries that will 'trickle down' (so to speak) to
the rest of us sooner or later?

I know of:

    
    
      Steam showers
      Electrically-heated floors
      Rain showers (not new; mentioned in the article)
      Hot water recirculation?
      Tankless heaters?

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alister
Personally, I'd happily pay for an appliance or add-on to the plumbing that
increases water pressure in the shower. (Maybe such a thing already exists?)
Some places have good water pressure, but lots of places don't and weak
pressure really kills the joy of a shower. Fancy showerheads, which are
getting to be the norm, cut the pressure even further.

~~~
NeedMoreTea
You can get inline shower pumps upto about 3 or 4 bar. Will drive a fancy
shower head, and half a dozen or more jets.

e.g.
[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C1NOWBW](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C1NOWBW)

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phobosdeimos
My parent remembers a time when she washed herself in the kitchen. Had to do
that myself once when the water was out and I will say this: a shower is not a
luxury but a basic human right. Thankfully the government agrees with me.

~~~
CompelTechnic
Why is a shower a basic human right?

