Last week’s 20+ hours of not having water due to a well repair reminded me of one of my mother’s stories. She called washing in the sink, or in a bowl of water while camping, a spit bath.
About ten years ago she told me a story about spit baths. As a child she was staying with someone that did not have running water. That was not unusual in Appalachia in the 30’s. This person told her she would have to take a spit bath. She said that did not know how to take a spit bath, so the person gave her specific instructions.
First, while the bowl of water is clean, wash your face. Then wash your hands, your arms, your chest, and your belly down to there. Then wash your feet and legs up to there. Then wash there. All clean.
Laughing Frog Farm 
When I was a little girl my grandmother taught me how to take a spit bath. When I googled spit bath I didn’t actually think it would come up, I didn’t think it was a real word! This story evokes fond memories of my gramma (i spell it that way on purpose because she liked the way i misspelled it as a 5 year old). I’m happy to know that calling a spit bath a spit bath is apparently common knowledge. Thank you for the great story.