Sponge: A long pedigree. From Old English sponge, from Latin spongia, from Greek σπογγιά "spongia", and (speculatively) from a distant non-IE origin.
Loofah: Easy one. A 19c borrowing from Arabic lufah = loofah plant
Soap: From Old English sape = soap but (excitingly) may at one time have meant a red hair dye German warriors wore to look fearsome*. The meaning of soap as we know it has cognates in other Germanic languages, e.g. Modern German Seife = soap.
Flannel: Uncertain; possibly from Welsh gwlan wool, from Old Celtic *wlana = wool.
Towel: From Old French toaille with a similar meaning, from a Germanic root, and with borrowing into several Romance languages and cognates in Old High German, Dutch and Old English, with meanings to do with washing, wiping, drying etc.
Sources: OED, Etymonline
* Or maybe not. Red hair is mentioned in Roman sources but modern commentators have suggested that this was just the red hair often found amongst people of Celtic and Germanic descent. According to the BBC about as many as 13% of people in present-day Scotland may have red hair for example.
A Bathroom Etymology
Sponge: A long pedigree. From Old English sponge, from Latin spongia, from Greek σπογγιά "spongia", and (speculatively) from a distant non-IE origin.
Loofah: Easy one. A 19c borrowing from Arabic lufah = loofah plant
Soap: From Old English sape = soap but (excitingly) may at one time have meant a red hair dye German warriors wore to look fearsome*. The meaning of soap as we know it has cognates in other Germanic languages, e.g. Modern German Seife = soap.
Flannel: Uncertain; possibly from Welsh gwlan wool, from Old Celtic *wlana = wool.
Towel: From Old French toaille with a similar meaning, from a Germanic root, and with borrowing into several Romance languages and cognates in Old High German, Dutch and Old English, with meanings to do with washing, wiping, drying etc.
Sources: OED, Etymonline
* Or maybe not. Red hair is mentioned in Roman sources but modern commentators have suggested that this was just the red hair often found amongst people of Celtic and Germanic descent. According to the BBC about as many as 13% of people in present-day Scotland may have red hair for example.