GROSS HYGIENE PRACTICES FROM HISTORY

CLOTHES

You’ve probably wondered about this, and the answer is no, people

did not change their clothes. Not even royalty. They usually

only had 4 outfits, 1 for each season.

BIRTH

During labour, women were usually given oil and vinegar along

with eagle dung (all meant to ease their pain).

SICKNESS

If you were sick in the past, the solution usually involved a leech.

Why? To get rid of the “bad blood”.

WIGS

As you may suspect, they were usually infested with lice. What’s more,

they were shaped with animal fat so they smelled bad and

often caught fire.

FACE WASHING

Nobility often washed their face every day…with urine. Don’t be too

surprised though, it is still suggested by some people today as

a face wash.

BALDNESS

For a short time chicken droppings mixed with potassium were

rubbed into the scalp to cure baldness.

BATHING

Most people bathed in the same water. Since most people didn’t

have tubs at home the baths were usually communal.

BATHROOM BREAKS AT NIGHT

If you had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night you

would most likely just reach under your bed for your bed pan.

When you were done, you would just slide it back under the bed and

go to sleep. The grossest part? The bed pans were often emptied

right out of the window and onto the street.

WIPING

If you were a king, you didn’t wipe by yourself. Kings typically

had a “Groom of Stool”. This person’s job was to carry around

the king’s portable toilet and cleaning necessities. Of course,

you would also have to help wipe up afterwards. Contrary to what

you may think, this position was actually highly coveted and often

given to sons of nobles. As for the peasants? They used leaves.