Soap History

The first references to soap making are believed to be in Babylon about 2800BC; the boiling of fat with ashes. The Romans were big on baths, but during the 1000 years of the dark ages with the fall of the Roman empire, bathing was often frowned upon in the European countries.

For example, in 1399 Henry the IV instituted the "Order of the Bath" which required his knights to be bathed as part of the ritual of purification. It was the European knights returning from the crusades who bought news of the hamman, a fragrant bath. It was about this time that the Southern Europeans began to use olive oil in the manufacture of soap, replacing animal tallow.

The Celts are credited with introducing soap making to the British Isles somewhat later than it was re-introduced to Europe, but by the 1600's was an item worthy of taxation. Exorbitant taxes drove soap out of the reach of the masses by the early 1700's.

In 1851, President Fillmore had the first bathtub installed in the White House.