[Avodah] Showering during shloshim (was: Showering during shiva)

[Zev Sero]

On 7/4/19 3:35 am, Ari Kahn via Avodah cited his own 
articlehttps://arikahn.blogspot.com/2012/07/is-it-permissible-to-shower-during-nine.html 
as follows:

 >> But in present times our custom is to prohibit bathing for the entire
 >> 30-day period [known as shloshim]…
 >
 > Rav Moshe Soloveitchik argued that [...] this (presently unknown)
 > custom regarding personal mourning.[...] the now-defunct custom,
 > cited by the Rama as the Ashkenazi practice current in his time, of
 > refraining from bathing for the entire shloshim period. Once this
 > custom fell out of practice, Rav Moshe argued [...]

Looking around in the seforim and online it seems that the custom is far 
from unknown.  On the contrary, every reference I have so far found 
takes it for granted that this is very much still binding minhag 
ashkenaz.  R Kahn's article is the only reference I have seen that 
claims it is no longer done.  What is the source for this, and does the 
fact that so many references know nothing of this not mean that the 
metzius contradicts it?   Or is this a case where the books say one 
thing and universal practice is the opposite?


-- 
Zev Sero            A prosperous and healthy 5779 to all
zev at sero.name       Seek Jerusalem's peace; may all who love you prosper