Despite the primitive hygiene methods of Tudor England, people of the time did what they could to keep themselves and their homes looking attractive. Whilst it is true that 'immersion bathing' was not a daily or even weekly happening in these times, people who could afford baths in their home had them and did use them; some royal palaces possessed bathrooms with piped water, and, as more time went by, running water in homes became not so rare.
But, for most, setting up a bath was a complicated business, with the wooden bath needing to brought out of storage, then lined with sheets and placed near a fireplace, from where hot water, heating up in pots, could be easily fetched. Bath water was made more fragrant with additions of fennel and bay; endive and fennel were used for foot baths. (1)
Poorer people, no doubt, kept themselves clean by using what nature provided, rivers, ponds and the like. Public baths and Turkish steam-baths (Hummums) could be found in London, but they also had another 'steamy' function: they operated as brothels.(2)
What I believe people did in between baths was 'sponge' their bodies clean; I've learnt through mothering four children - a bowl, water, soap and cloth is a very effective method for a quick clean up. It is also possible that they used similar methods to the Victorians in regards to some of their clothes - using vinegar as a 'sponging' method to help neutralize any obvious smells. Placing clothes in a vinegar steamed filled room also does this. Linen shifts worn under rich gowns or robes went along way to protect clothes from the damage of body sweat, plus shifts could be washed frequently, even if they were unable to wash the rich over-garments. Remember - bad body odour was commented on, and put forward as a possible reason for Henry VIII's aversion to Anne of Cleves. Henry VIII told Cromwell that he was not only disappointed in her looks, but she was also "'nothing fair and have very evil smells about her' and that he could 'have none appetite for displeasant airs.'" (3)
People in Tudor times tried their best to keep their teeth clean by using tooth-picks and a cloth to polish them - though they often put honey into teeth cleaning preparations, not realizing that this wrecked their good intentions. By the end of her reign, foreign ambassadors commented on the yellowness of Elizabeth's few remaining teeth (4) - probably stemming from her enjoyment of sugared sweets, and the Tudor belief that eating such things solved the problem of bad breath; they also chewed mint leaves and aniseed to keep bad breath at bay. (5)
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