Hygiene In The 18th Century

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[@mahna_mahna]

"Savoring the flavors and aromas of the 18th Century."

[@iac4357]

🤮❗

[@adarkerstormishere]

Thou art clever.

[@Rodelero]

Hahahhahahaha

[@QuestionYourWorld]

Every year before toilet paper sucked

[@mahna_mahna]

@@QuestionYourWorld All depends on who you are. If you were fancy enough, you had a dedicated guy who gave you a backdoor sponge bath. Nowadays you don't get that level of cleaning without an expensive Japanese toilet.

[@dianasonleitner8317]

Many years ago, my husband and I went with my mother to colonial Williamsburg. One of the guides, dressed in period costumes, heard my mom talking about the fact that in the 17th and 18th centuries they didn’t bathe with the same regularity that we do today. Mom commented on how she couldn’t handle that. The guide said “Oh madam...we don’t miss what we never had”. I think of that comment often when I hear people compare things in years past to today.

[@9395gb]

They also died young then from poor hygiene too. So let that sink in. Your mom was right.

[@billmiller4972]

Hygiene: Let us pause a while and thank the inventor of modern toilet paper in late 19th century.

[@electricianr2529]

Thomas crapper

[@wanderingidiot9742]

Bidet for life!

[@Anne--Marie]

Old tshirts cut into large pieces works very well, especially with #1. You can wash them and extend your toilet paper if you only use paper for #2.

[@Ballu12345]

Bro clean it with Water Tissue paper is gross You just don't clean yourself by wiping

[@raymondvankooten6854]

@@Anne--Marie THEY USED MOSS

[@BiChengYi]

I was just thinking of the 'old ways' in which we had been raised in the 1970's on a rural New England farm by our 1920's Grandparents, who had been raised by their 1870's Grandparents...etc...The old ways were strong with us, and there were definitely rules about when bathing was appropriate, particularly in the cold weather. It was very easy to extrapolate how these modern rules came about from some 1700's customs and mindsets of people who didn't have much in the way of resources easily available, including common access to medicines other than that which was made at home, and when 'catching a chill' could be the death of one. Despite enough water, in the house, and heated...all three of those are chores in and of themselves. Pump and haul the water to the house(regardless of weather or outdoor temperature). Heat the water, bucket by bucket on the wood fire, some buckets on the wood kitchen stove and some in front of the hearth. Fill tub. After all that, you still need to drain a tub, probably without anything resembling a hose available to you. You bathe the little ones first, they are least dirty. Several people will be bathed in that water and if the family is large it will need to be changed. One of the reasons a good strong lye soap was so respected is that it could "get you clean even in dirty water" I am told. Drying off completely, in a home which during Winter, they could see their breath and the pee pots would freeze solid overnight brought them another chore earlier on bath day; slogging in enough wood to heat the house to a point where nobody would 'catch a chill'. Thrifty Yankees are not going to burn all that wood for just a bath though, for the women, old and young, this meant that bathing day was also cooking/baking day. Now imagine the amount of work for a bath. Folks did keep very clean. There was washing up from outside, usually done out at the watering trough/hand pump. This was always done out of respect for the ladies of the house, so as not to be filthy when you went in side. That washing was usually done without a face cloth and consisted of head, face, neck, armpits, forearms and hands. Washing up before supper was generally done indoors and consisted of the men taking down their shirts to the waist and scrubbing fit for supper. This includes their groin region...always last...lol! Before bed was always "face, neck and ears" and 'wash your teeth'. These are the days where the bowl and pitcher is on a stand in each bedroom. Folks prosperous enough to have their own bedroom, would have been able to partake of washing their private parts privately. Though bathing was difficult for them back then, it does not mean they were dirty folk. After all, in the case of most of my ancestors and those around here; these are most definitely 'god fearing' people, who generally read the Bible nightly together. "Cleanliness is next to godliness" was forged into their heads on the regular, so much so, it survived 7 or 8 generations to be passed on to us from them in this generation.

[@aaron9687]

Thank you for sharing these historical facts

[@YT4Me57]

I enjoyed reading this. My grandmother told me of similar experiences. A church sister of mine (now deceased), told me that her job as a child growing up in rural Virginia, was to run down to the creek several times a day to dip water for the washing up, drinking, cooking and cleaning. That was before breakfast every day, after school and in the afternoon so her mother had time to cook dinner and there'd be water for bathing before bed. They didn't even have a pump in the front yard!

[@kimberlyquinn37]

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness” is not found in the Bible. A very common misnomer. Wesley the founder of the Methodist church wrote in 1791: “But, before we enter on the subject, let it be observed, that slovenliness is no part of religion; that neither this, nor any text of Scripture, condemns neatness of apparel. Certainly this is a duty, not a sin. "Cleanliness is, indeed, next to godliness." As a Medical Esthetician many Americans now “over clean” or strip their skin of all its natural protective properties. I love the history of our nation, our pluralistic religious values and origins.

[@kirkstinson7316]

BUT, during the winter months , it was common practice in a lot of areas for men and boys to grease themselves and put on their long woolen underwear at the start of winter. This stayed on until spring!! All day and all night

[@MetalSStar196]

You'd have to admit, though, that the medieval Vikings bathed twice a week. They were the most hygienic compared to any culture up to the 20th century.

[@hajjibarbara2900]

I have experienced a hint of what it was like. I didn't bathe for over 6 weeks during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. We were unable to bathe because water and time were in short supply. I know from first hand experience that after about two weeks you don't really notice how you or anyone else smells. You become nose blind to it. The smell was was a like combination of vinegar and cumin mixed with what your hands smell like after handling brass or copper. Some folks had a hint of bad tuna, soured cheese, or spoiled milk to them. It got worse during meetings when you would have 30-40 people squeezed into one tent. Good times.

[@perryruch1794]

Bless you for your service!

[@AmberGraves80]

That is really interesting. I tried going a weekwithout it, similar to what a lot of city people did during WW2, and I was miserable by day seven! I took an hour shower, as hot has I could handle afterwards. Thank you for your service!

[@ericksousa911]

Please let me ask you: after those 6 weeks, just ONE bath was enough or the smell went away after a few other baths?

[@theusher2893]

Thank you so much for your service!

[@RJavier007]

@J OneLife Bless the man that eats you out

[@uweschroeder]

PS: fun fact: the Romans had closed sewer systems well over 1000 years before London had an open sewer. I grew up in a town in southern Germany which was originally built by the Romans over 2000 years ago and the downtown center sewage system is still in use today - over 2000 years later!! It works great. It's basically a catacomb below the street which has an open sewer in it - but since the open sewer is in a catacomb, it's essentially a huge sewer pipe. All built from hand hewn stone it's still working (takes some upkeep though from what I heard - modern pipes sure are easier to replace and fix)

[@censusgary]

Uwe, which town in southern Germany?

[@uweschroeder]

Augsburg

[@tomrecane6366]

Wow

[@garlicgirl3149]

I have heard this from other earlier cultures and have often wondered how did London get it so wrong?

[@uweschroeder]

They didn't exactly get it wrong. In my book the main problem was the middle ages. Humanity advanced technologically and culturally very early on and then Christianity emerged at the end of the Roman Empire. From there it went down-hill. Many of the advances made were abolished. Of course the plaque then played a big role in turning people into a quivering praying pile. It took centuries for new science to emerge, philosophers to dare say something (the church would eliminate anyone who said anything other than the churches view). I would guess that we could have advanced much more much earlier if it wasn't for the Roman Catholic Church. The way it went we hunkered down for hundreds of years denying any advanced thought. We had to re-learn things we already knew several hundred years before!

[@lisaautolitano5517]

My great grandmom Smith lived high in the mountains. I remember visiting her. She had awood burning kitchen stove and only 1 light in the kitchen and 1 light in the livingroom. The rest of the house had hurricane lanterns. We always had to wash up before we ate. And if she was helping you it was like getting a bath. You washed from head to toe. And there was only 1 phone in the house. Also in the kitchen. Often in the winter with snow,ice and wind the lines would be down. Till spring . She lived to be in her 90's .

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

"there was only 1 phone in the house". What? She has a phone? What an odd comment.

[@pixiestyx1766]

I am in my 70’s and I can remember our neighbor being mad because his wife made him bathe. She had to use a broom on him to clean him. He was complaining that he was sweating because she opened his pores. It was his yearly bath. I thank the Lawd my mama bathed us nightly.

[@raygiordano1045]

Baths and birthdays: once a year whether you need them, or not.

[@the_mighty_kc]

Yearly? Yikes.

[@missanne2908]

Queen Elizabeth I was said to bathe once every three months 'whether she needed it or not.'

[@malikaelyadiri7005]

Funny story 😂😂😂😂 Washing him with a broom

[@caroled3924]

Oh yuck 🤢

[@IrishLincoln]

My grandfather was born in 1910 (he passed in 2004). He told me that they usually took a bath only once a week, usually on Saturday evenings after the washing was done. This way they'd be clean for church the next day. During the summer they'd bath outside in tubs and sometimes they'd share water with someone else as they only had one well or they had to carry water from the creek. In the winter they'd boil pots of water and tamper it down with cold well water or snow. Now, just think of what they had to deal with in the 1700s and 1800s. I really like my shower. :)

[@buffoonustroglodytus4688]

Thank the gods for plumbers

[@BroccoliBeefed]

@faultroy I've noticed that since I shower every other day or 2 days by choice now, my skin doesn't dry out and flake like it used to

[@immaggiethesenilegoldenret7918]

IrishLincoln Yup...my Dad would make a ritual of taking a bath every Sunday evening, without fail. He was born in late ‘18, so there you have it....

[@draskang]

yup. People don't understand how luck they are now...

[@bettyholman8591]

My father was born in 1920 so he would say once a week I always thought he was joking . Even as a child with 11 kids myself being the baby girl and my younger brother we took a bath every night so did my mother and my father would ever other day he would wash up with a wash clothe my mother said . It was a hard life but I knew what-that life was hard on my father and mother she was born in 1921 . We grew up on a farm .

[@dosanbey9437]

A couple of things to add: My mother was born in 1908, and her mother was born in 1884 (yeah I'm old,) and I got this information from my mother which was passed down. 1. potatoes -My grandmother & mother used water in which peeled potatoes had been boiled to make bread. I don't know if they tried to grow yeast by letting it sit out (at least my mother didn't, but she proofed her yeast in the water.) If you use the same water you had the potatoes soaking in, it works well as you will have some potato starch in the water. Let it sit for a while with the potatoes in it, then let it stand after you remove the potatoes so any starch will settle to the bottom then just pour off the water you don't need or better yet use it in cooking. Russet and other starchy potatoes work better, and you can also mash up a piece of boiled potato in the water as well. 2. Hygiene - before the invention of Kotex and tampons ladies used diapers (cloth of course) which were sized to fit them. Over a period of time, the diapers would become soft through use, at which time they were cut down to be used on the babies, Cotton swatches and folded pads were sometimes placed in the crotch of the diaper as well. 3. Bathing- When I was a child I grew up in construction camps and farms, some of which were just like the 1700s in terms of facilities and were in a world lit only by fire. The bath was in a tub in front of the wood stove, especially in cold weather as the kitchen was the warmest spot in the house. Everybody washed their armpits, bottom and privates every night, and usually faces, necks and feet as well. We all bathed at least once a week (at least in my house) kids were washed a little more often because we got dirtier than everybody else. We had toothpaste (I understand in the 1700s they used sifted charcoal which you can still buy for this purpose. I've used it, and it seems to leave a black outline around your teeth which does disappear, and the texture is a bit gritty - I'll take toothpaste- thank you.) The soap was usually Ivory. Laundry was done with powdered laundry soap and Fells Naptha or Castille for the finer things (we rarely used lye soap.) Deodorant was Arm & Hammer baking soda - I still use it as I have an allergy to some perfumes &c. Up until the 1920s when the safety razor was invented, many if not most women didn't shave under their arms (Europe and Asia only started this fad in the past 20 years or so) except for actresses, prostitutes or, for others, sometimes in summer. My grandmother would have my grandfather shave her (especially if she was going on a trip) with his straight razor as he was used to shaving with it. Other ladies would go to what was called a "Ladies Barber" (oft times operated by the barber's wife) where anything of that sort could be taken care of as well as a hairdo. YES, people stunk, some worse than others. We used outhouses and if James gives a video on that subject, I'll write a comment on how to use one (and YES, there are things it's nice to know if you ever have to use one of the old "splinter benches" (not a sissy portapotty.) If you get a chance to watch The Milagro Beanfield War, it has an old man (whose best friend is a ghost) telling a young college kid boarding with him how to use an outhouse (very funny and a really good movie.) I realize that this information might seem more modern, but some of it could just as well apply to the 1700s. The work is the same, but the tools are better. Hope the information is useful to you.

[@isatq2133]

Good to know now as we go towards a second Great Depression! Thank you!

[@BFFBuddyFionaandFriends]

Thank you. I love to hear about how things were done before my time.

[@mattiemathis9549]

Wow!! Thank you for sharing your family’s history! When I was little I lived with my granny (great, great grandmother) for awhile. There was no indoor plumbing. If we ate meat, granny probably killed it that day. All our fruits and vegetables came out of the garden. I look back through my childhood eyes and it was paradise. When I look at it as a woman of 50yrs, I can’t imagine the exhaustion she must have felt each night. Never having a day off. As a child the holidays were amazing. It must have been a nightmare for granny. As fascinated as I am by the past, I’m SO grateful I was born in the late 20th century…

[@CommonCentrist82]

I'm not trying to be vulgar, but I would imagine sexual encounters back then were a smelly ordeal. I know most of you were thinking the same that's why I had to bring it up.

[@juansierralonche9864]

Stephen 1982 I was not thanking about that. Thanks for forcing the idea into my head though.

[@BiChengYi]

Did he victimize you Juan? You'll get better...@@juansierralonche9864

[@carloharryman]

That's probably how they liked it. Seems like I read Napoleon sent letters telling his lover not to bathe... 😣

[@bobbystanley8580]

Stephen 1982 I would have to a clothespin !!!

[@paulfroelich1024]

@@carloharryman It's in She Comes First and yeah, that lowered my opinion of Napoleon.

[@hankw69]

I remember, as a kid in the early 80's, commenting that I would love to go back in time to see a classic movie premier in the 1930's. My dad said that no, I wouldn't. EVERYONE smoked, at least the adults, and the toxic clouds of tobacco would have choked me to death.

[@MetalSStar196]

But, those tobacco pipes from the early-1900's were absolutely beautiful to look at. My great-grandfather had a collection of three (they're still framed and on a wall as a family heirloom at my grandparents' in Orangeville (courtesy of the founder whose last name was Orange.)

[@amierikke6225]

Everyone (well, a lot of people) smoked in the 1970’s and 1980’s. As a nurse I remember patients, visitors smoking in patient rooms. Also, when I came on duty and went into the report room to get report from staff leaving, you could barely see through the cigarette smoke, most of the nurses smoked. I didn’t, I couldn’t stand it.

[@alsaunders7805]

I was a teenager in the early 80s and we could still smoke in theaters then. I haven't been in one since.

[@SaddlebagPreacher]

Please do a video on foot wear. What was common for the city verses the farmers and soldiers. Thanks.

[@rosemcguinn5301]

WOW excellent question!

[@hannahkrystyn5947]

Yes!!!

[@scotthannan8669]

Such a question really gets to the sole of the common man. Townsend would be a heel to fail to cobble something together. I would have to give him the boot if he didn't. Such a thing is a shoe-in to clog my notifications. He really shod do it.

[@DevinAK49]

I'd be very interested in watching that one.

[@crummockiphail9720]

they were all rocking boost

[@Automedon2]

It always amuses me that in movies with a historical theme, people are costumed in crisp white clothing, brushed and shining hair, no matter what task they were doing. A cowboy could have just finished 1000 mile cattle drive and his clothes were newly laundered when he arrived. Now THOSE guys must have stunk up a storm.

[@dalepeto9620]

Watch The Gangs of New York, grubbily realistic

[@michaelalguire419]

Dale Peto I think it was even worse then it appeared on Gangs of New York.

[@michaelalguire419]

It was because it was romanticized.

[@Aethuviel]

And their teeth are sparkling, shining white.

[@juansierralonche9864]

Gathering No Moss I remember watching the PBS show Colonial House ( which was a little disappointing) and on the day when the trainer's/judges were coming to see how the participants did nesr the end, they noted that there was a stench long before they actually got close to the people, and this was on a day where all the participants had scrubbed up and dressed in the fancy outfits they'd been saving till that day. I guess you just got used to it.

[@wyrdwildman1689]

Bar of soap and a thunderstorm and I'm happy

[@sosdd51]

Actually I wash my car in spring rain, after winter road salt I wash my car and let the rain rince it off no water spot's. My neighbors have seen me do this for year's never ask me why.

[@painteat]

Andy Dufresne

[@raphies8319]

Lol

[@AnsweringMusic]

Lmao

[@jjgogojag6371]

@@sosdd51 I too. Thanks

[@Timeisirrelevant]

Makes me think of Ben Franklin and his “air” bathing. Sitting in a room totally naked.

[@slinky6481]

That's not a mental image I needed 😅

[@candicesawyer2895]

My mom used to take ‘air baths’. My kids were scarred for life after walking in on her one day. 😉

[@ethanheyne]

Hey, they would "air out" the linens, why not themselves? Direct sunlight and fresh air can make things seem much more clean.

[@HarryTheAwesome]

I always thought to myself that people would likely (and largely) smell of wood smoke. When you go to those old colonial houses they always have that smokey smell and, when you camp for instance, your clothing smells like campfire for days. If you were around it constantly I assume that is what you would smell like. (Especially because charcoal and ash are natural odor blockers)

[@jacobharris8240]

HarryTheAwesome very good point. in fact I lived off grid for 3 years and without electricity you naturally use fire for everything. day and night I had a fire going either in the cabin or outside and I smelled like fire obviously. also on that note I was by Crescent Creek Central Oregon. and just about every day (especially in the warm summer months) I would go down and wash up in it. because 21st century, 18th century, throughout human existence people have cleaned themselves. even animals do it. the way people assume everybody smelled like death is just foolish

[@rosemcguinn5301]

Jacob in the cities, though, it STANK bc of conditions and the lack of clean fresh running streams.

[@HarryTheAwesome]

I think that might be over embellished. London had filth to be sure, but by the 1700s London had a population of nearly a million. Even the largest cities in the US like New York, Boston, and Philadephia had populations of around 15 or 20 thousand. The Dickensian squalor we think of with cities is more from the Industrial Revolution and population boom a century later. Places were still pretty open in the 18th century.

[@c3pfett]

HarryTheAwesome Watch the BBC series filthy cities. They show how bad the cities were

[@healinggrounds19]

If you visit Disneyworld's colonial American section, the brown stripe that runs down the middle of the "street" represents the sewer of the city.

[@DaudAlzayer]

Its quite likely this comment will get lost in the shuffle, but I do living history and Hygiene is a topic of great interest. People cared enough about how they smelled to: 1. Wear clean linen shirts and shifts daily. 2. Have wash basins and soap (submerged bathing isn't the only way to wash one's self) 3. Wear Perfume (and flower waters that are much cheaper and easy to make) 4. People today don't realize that hair powder is basically dry shampoo and potnum is conditioner. Both are often scented and can be made at home. And on cities; yes, they were unsanitary, which is why they were nowhere near as common or as large as they are today. Colonial America only had about 5 cities with populations over 10k. Boston, the third largest had a paltry 16k.

[@TiffanyApanMusic]

I can personally say that in 3 years, I've only washed my hair once a month. The rest of the time I use the dry shampoo method and it works well. twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-truth-about-big-hair-of-1770s-part_24.html I also do living history and recently bought a tooth powder based on a 1737 recipe at a market faire. It's made out of crushed myrrh (which is great for oral hygiene, btw) and peppermint. It's pretty potent and works rather well. One method used was putting it on a dried out licorice stick (which I haven't tried yet, but plan to) and brushing their teeth with it. Here is also an interesting and entertaining article on 18th century hygiene (you are correct...submerged bathing is not the only way to get clean). www.frockflicks.com/the-gross-18th-century/ There are several other great articles on the subject. Several factors played a role in habits as well, so I'm sure habits varied as they do today (ever get on a subway or public transit bus? Yeah...). There is also evidence of medieval bathhouses and such. So while I can agree that habits varied from place to place, class rank to class rank, etc, I don't think they were as naive about it as people seem to like to think they were.

[@user-ri6nz3vg3h]

Yes, I agee with you, as I have studied topic as well as a practitioner of physick. Apothecaries would import and make pomatum for sale. It was also very easy to make your own pomatum at home. They also used sachets, like lavender, that they placed with their clothing to aid in odors.

[@TiffanyApanMusic]

I do have a couple lavender satchels that I place in my dresser drawers and one that I place in the trunk where I keep my 18th century clothing. Like the myrrh tooth powder, and my dry shampoo, they work well and leave my clothes with a lovely scent. And while many frequently washed linens (and clothing worn close to the body), there were many methods of removing any odors from outer layers. So based on my own research and experimenting, I don't think they were as smelly as people tend to think. :D

[@rosemcguinn5301]

Tiffany They used licorice roots for chew sticks/brushes? Fascinating - i'd no idea!

[@johndifrancisco3642]

For those of you that "do living history" I was wondering if you looked into why the Missionary Position was so popular back then (perhaps you could just turn your heads to the side?) and all else was considered perversion? I think the Church adopted this reasoning because it was so nasty to stick your face anywhere else!

[@claytonlynch6288]

This dudes level of excitement and pure joy on camera are Mr. Rodgers level. Can’t help but enjoy his presentations

[@robertgeiter7958]

Your passion for history is what makes your videos so enjoyable

[@michaelbrennan6123]

I teach history. About 15 years ago I received an offer for a curriculum to bring history "alive" in classrooms. It included a sample of French perfume from the 18th century. It was so powerful that it made eyes water and some kids in the class next door got nauseated. I had to take outside, couldn't leave it in my class trash. It had to be strong to cover the accumulated stink.

[@noodletongs2664]

Michael Brennan do you have any info about what you had? Like a Wikipedia page? I wanna learn more about that kind of perfume

[@michaelbrennan6123]

Average Misfit sorry but as the sample was so overpowering I didn't even consider ordering it and it was 15 years ago. I remember the smell but not the name.

[@michaelbrennan6123]

Raven it was too much so I didn't even consider ordering and threw everything associated with it out. Sorry

[@dyingbreed7740]

Raven the used to use ambergris, it's a whale product.

[@smtpgirl]

Now the 4711 cologne made in Cologne (Koln) Germany is refreshing. This cologne was made as early as 1792. I love the stuff. It has a citrus, bay rhum note. Not offensive at all. I visited the store in Cologne where it was first made.

[@frnesbit]

I was born in 1933 and we even in the 1940es did not take a bath but once a week unless very dirty.I do not remember much about body odors.

[@michaelalguire419]

ross nesbit Yes, I heard of that.

[@Serai3]

The whole "bathe every day" thing is relatively recent. It's also very bad for the environment, wasting an enormous amount of water.

[@BlueHen123]

@@Serai3 Most places in North America get plenty of water from various sources (rainfall, snow melt, ground water). It's not really an issue. Now watering lawns, that's a waste!

[@Serai3]

+BlueHen123 I see you've never been to the Southwest.

[@krisb294]

And if you speak with a dermatologist, daily baths/showers are bad for your skin & scalp. 😉 But to go over 18th hygiene would take an hour or few... there were so many different levels of bathing at the time (not just by the year but by the region, the class status, the religion, and personal preference). But a full bath as we would think of it today was a big to-do. They were much more likely to take what we would consider as a sponge-bath or a PTA bath daily. They would also change their underclothes (what touched their skin..woman's shifts & men's shirts) often (upper class would change these several times a day!) Perfumes were also huge in France due to their fear of water being bad for their health (look into the old theory of the 4 humors). Then you have Louis the XV (or maybe it was Louis the XIV) that washed his hands (well, his stoolman would do it for him) every morning with an alcohol.

[@jamesschrang3712]

As an Army combat paratrooper (Vietnam/Cambodia) I can tell you after the third day in the field you no longer smell yourself or the rest of the guys in the platoon. Yet some still had the ability to smell North Vietnamese when they were present. I remember taking a shower in a stream where we later found a dead North Vietnamese. Also once pulled back to a rear area after several months we'd hit the South China Sea to bathe in.

[@mikeengler2203]

Tigers could smell you

[@kathyyoung1774]

Different foods make you smell different.

[@117rebel]

Thank you for your service! You Vietnam veterans didn’t get the appreciation and respect you deserved back then.

[@PPikes]

Thank you for your service! My dad was a Vietnam vet. Y'all didn't get the recognition you deserved

[@9395gb]

Disagree. You notice the chose to ignore it. Also there is a reason people died young back in the day...poor hygiene and infection.

[@sylviaseri4235]

My grandparents lived in NYC at the turn of the century. They did bathe weekly, and gave themselves “sponge” baths using a basin and soap of the areas that smelled daily. Plus my grandfather was clean shaven, with washed and ironed clothes. My mom said they were very meticulous about how they looked. I can’t imagine some people talking about relatives from the 1930s and 1940s that didn’t bathe.

[@cleric7788]

skip to 9:25 for the hygine.

[@Dawoudkhalifa]

Thank you

[@94kiana2001]

TY!! 👍🏽

[@boobysr]

It's in the description. He always puts it in the description.

[@perniesweemmer51]

cleric7788 thanks alot

[@thetruth2547]

cleric7788 ... thanks...he was driving me nuts

[@censusgary]

Benjamin Franklin advocated daily bathing (he was, among many other interests, something of a health reformer). It is said that many of Franklin's contemporaries mocked him for his belief in bathing. They thought that taking too many baths, especially in winter, would give one "chills" that could cause pneumonia, rheumatism, or other ailments. Franklin was 84 when he died, so he no doubt outlived most of those detractors.

[@katiebayliss9887]

Gary Cooper My grandmother thought taking cold baths or baths in the winter would give me pneumonia.

[@poorminer3951]

Ben Franklin America's first genius, and bad boy. Great guy.

[@AnnaC63]

Also Ben Franklin was slutty so he needed to clean up after, plus smell nice for the next liason.

[@bluehavencd]

at least he kept his balls clean.

[@Automedon2]

Of course Ben never had to carry all that water, himself, either.

[@staceycobrien7706]

This is one of the most interesting videos and subjects and conversations I've run across on the internet. People are fascinated by the details of how those before us lived! Thank you!

[@ParvezMeherhomji]

I've been watching your channel for a little over a month, and I absolutely love the personal nuance you bring to the episodes. It's very interesting and a great deal of learning for me, of how people in some part of the world lived and what they ate and did in the 1800's. I did go back and watch the Orange Fool vid, and all I can say is that some folk will travel great lengths to take offence. As much as I would like to try cooking some of the recipes myself, we don't get the best pork or beef here in Bombay. But I still love watching your vids, and share them with my friends. 😊👍

[@jdryak]

The answer to personal hygeine was a disappointment for me.......I expected much more specific detail instead of a generalized statement that it was radically different from today. One could have commented on how one bathed; the surfactants used (also for cleaning ktichenware), the importance of the linen shirt to absorb sebaceous excretions; toiletry; the use of urine for bleaching and nitre production; the privy, etc., etc.

[@geraldhewitt9796]

Eh, it's not like this is supposed to be an in-depth analysis. It's just a general Q&A with hygeine being one of the questions. I will agree, though, the title was a little missleading.

[@cbatta2025]

I guess make your own video.

[@ladonnawashington1643]

jdryak I was disappointed and mad. Why did he title the vid with a tease about bathing. I hate that!

[@staceycobrien7706]

Yes. I was terribly disappointed. I had subscribed and I unsubscribed when he rambled on for 9 minutes about potato yeast and other stuff.. baskets on some web site... I fast forwarded and then he was like, "Gee it would take a long time" but he had already wasted 9 minutes NOT talking about it. Maybe he can try again with some real content? I put some of what I know about it in a comment closer to the top...

[@Serai3]

He had a lot of questions, and as he said, you could write a whole book on the subject. Why don't you try doing your own research if it interests you so much? There's this place called a "public library" that can help you with that.

[@quarteracreadventures855]

100 years from now, perhaps our current standards of cleanliness might be considered gross. Something to think about.

[@fernanditaluiz2591]

100 years from now, people will be worse off than ancient times. They will not have much water by then.

[@glowinggold9488]

Think of the bath tub. How many share that with the whole household? I find that today gross.

[@haha-eg8fj]

Everyone might be wearing goggles and masks 100 years later because more lethal virus are discovered.

[@peacheskong2245]

I mean look at corona, the fact that sooooo many people do not wash their hands after a SIMPLE visit at the toilet..

[@Lifecomesfromwithin]

We are going through a pole shift and a mini ice age and 100 years from now things will be much much better with a lot less people. We've had the same amount of water we've always had and it will be much purer.

[@Mimeh53]

An interesting tidbit from my theatre history class: In theatres there often would be orange sellers walking around the place. Audience members who could afford to purchase an orange did so in order to peel the orange to alleviate the smell of the tightly packed audience. 🤭

[@fredleeland2464]

Orange have an annoying scent so they must've been really bad in smell

[@matthewgabbard6415]

@@fredleeland2464 annoying orange scent?

[@ID30394]

I remember my mother’s stories of the Great Depression growing up on a farm. She was the oldest of 17 children and would only be able to bathe once a week, only filling the bath tub twice. They used lard and lye to cleanse. They made due.

[@KarolOfGutovo]

Lard and lye are actually ingredients for soap, so they probably just mixed it before bathing and cleaned themselves with such simple soap.

[@dankcum]

question in video title starts at 9:22

[@heywassuppp6107]

Jazzler The Vagabond Duck Prince thank you 😊

[@yhwhyhwh8197]

Thanks

[@Crochetloveby_dee]

Jazzler The Vagabond Duck Prince you're the best thanks!

[@RobLucci3]

For future reference you can actually find it in the video description.

[@donttrip1]

People that post these necessary comments deserve to get paid lol

[@Iflie]

Ruth Goodman the historian for the BBC Victorian Farm and the other farm series actually has very good information of hygiene in those time periods and it was not as disgusting as you might imagine even without frequent bathing of the whole body. They used their washable underclothes (the shirt was so long it was tucked in as underwear under the trousers) to keep clean under the less washable wools. The washing of clothes was a heavy serious task that took all week. They also used fine toothed combs to brush their oils through the whole hair and brush out the shed skincells and that kept it clean and shiney. They did dry washings, with clean cloths and ran them over their body to catch oils and sometimes they used an astringent like vinigar on those cloths and they certainly washed their hands and face with water and soap. Ruth Goodman is specialised in the females role in history so it's not that strange male historians didn't write about their daily tasks, How they washed up and kept clean. But they did.

[@scarletfluerr]

I love Ruth's work. The Farm Series are my favorite period recreation programs.

[@mdsmith702]

I just discovered your channel! I love the content and getting into the 18th century feel. You're one of the most positive souls on KZbin. Thanks to you and your crew for all this great content!

[@oscarcastro6203]

Man your attitude and enthusiasm are just infectious! Just love watching all of your videos!

[@tricitiesair]

I can't imagine how a crowded 18th century city would smell. Thank God we haven't invented smell o vision to find out.

[@FunnyPrankLaughs]

Tri Cities can you imagine London!

[@tombixler3512]

Yep. For sure. I think collectively it was pretty stinky due to the open sewage drains, but perhaps not so much especially from person to person. A person can do a lot to freshen up using only a bowl and pitcher and a little bit of soap...and then maybe even a bit of perfume and some powder. For many the daily 'ablution' in this way was a good habit. What I mean is, human beings don't fancy being dirty and nasty; and it reaches a point where it's really itchy and uncomfortable anyway. So they did what they could, I think. Even ancient peoples had methods of hygiene such as they were (the ancient Romans for example were quite fastidious in their ways). Even the Bible, which is reflective of ancient Jewish culture, contains specific instructions on personal and communal hygiene. God's best recommended practices if you will. But yeah...I am ever so grateful for my shower and deodorant today and anybody standing near me today I'm sure was grateful even if we mostly take personal cleanliness for granted these days! LOL. :)

[@christiesimons1941]

stefanos2691 x

[@ExUSSailor]

It smelled just as bad outside the cities. The countryside smelled of manure, piss, and, rotting meat.

[@Melissa0774]

It's not like there's not still places in the world where people live like that today.

[@underwood9371]

It was the Polish people who introduced the French to indoor plumbing and baths under Henry lll. See Henry the Third in Wikipedia. The Polish people also wondered if Henry lll was more interested in his looks than in being their ruler.

[@jenniferbrewer5370]

Which he most definitely was. Henri even thought nothing of taking Poland's crown jewels away with him when he left to assume the French throne, the rude bastard.

[@Jenjane55]

Thank you Townsends for this video. I still have your catalog that I frequently go to. Keep the videos coming to us. Very informative.

[@StimpacksRequired]

You have to love it when he opens with IM NOT DEAD.

[@himals92]

In regards to your "Smell" comment. I lived in a village in Nepal for 3 years deep in the Himalyas where conditions would be very similar to Europe in the 18th century. Bathing was not a regular event and was performed at the river or at a nearby waterfall. At best, local villagers bathed weekly, at worst, rarely. When I first moved there the general aroma of the populace was at times overwhelming, but the longer I was there, the less and less noticeable it became, as I became enculturated. I have immense love and respect for these amazing people and the valuable life lessons they gave me. Many Many Thanks for keeping "Living" history alive! Many blessings!

[@George040270]

So, you stopped bathing, huh?

[@gunpladad9290]

Awesome comment.

[@baryonxovi7351]

smells do not retain their potency regardless of whether or not you bathe, especially living around them for long periods of time.

[@sallylemon5835]

In cold season that might be ok. But in hot season a regular bath is needed. In tropical living of our old ancestors, they have super huge bucket to save water at home taken from the well or river

[@snowyskylar8821]

3 cheers for European Christian Man

[@censusgary]

Most 18th-century people did bathe, although not necessarily daily. Rather, I should say they washed-- typically only fairly wealthy people had bathtubs. In some European and Asian cities (and especially in Jewish and Muslim communities), there were public baths, but this seems not to have been common in either England or America until after the 18th century. For the working classes, it was more common to wash yourself over a bucket or basin of water, preferably (but not always) warm water. That was generally true for residents of cities and towns. People out on the frontiers, such as mountain men and fur traders and the like, had fewer opportunities to bathe and may have done so only a few times a year, or even less. Customs among Native Americans varied according to their cultures and circumstances. Some bathed pretty often; others seldom. Some Natives also did things most people now might not think of as hygiene, such as rubbing ashes on their skins for purification, or "smoking" themselves to drive out impurities.

[@Zappamaniac]

If I cold "smoke myself" to drive out impurities, I'd never leave home.

[@manchesterunitedno7]

Rubbing ashes actually not that far off with mud bathing for health and beauty some people doing in spas nowadays. Especially if it sources from volcanic land. High on minerals and vitamins. So yeah, American First Nation being hipster and all.

[@michaelmcneil4168]

Generally the pressure from overcrowding in the early Industrial Revolution meant the expense of coal or/and unavailability of fuel along with overcrowding meant washing facilities were minimal. We did have public baths or lidos though. And cities usually had gas utilities. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_manufactured_gas

[@censusgary]

Brian: Volcanic mud, volcanic ash, volcanic sand, etc. is high in minerals (it's all minerals, in fact). But high in vitamins? I doubt it. Every vitamin I know of comes from biological sources (plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, etc.).

[@AmberGraves80]

Very true, and you're right about it being a religious/cultural thing. Even among the Europeans there was a sliding scale of cleanliness. Poor Quakers were often cleaner than most, for instance. And Marie Antoinette was ridiculed by the French nobility because she insisted on bathing once a week.

[@KISTOVI]

Love this channel. Thank you for your work .. It is so usefull!! Lots of grettings from Croatia..

[@christopherandchristian5632]

9:20 this is your answer. Thank me later

[@SENOR_David]

Thank you!

[@atl3630]

Thank you 🙏 how about more than a year later 😆

[@Ahmad_22]

Lol Thank You.

[@Karen-gh8gv]

The history of personal hygiene in the western world is interesting and complicated-- basically, people washed much more regularly in the early Middle Ages than we were probably led to believe in our history classes. But the Black Death in the 14th century gave rise to the idea that water would open your pores and allow foul smells to enter, which they believed caused disease. By the 17th century, washing with water was VERY rare (you just rubbed yourself with dry linen cloths and changed clothes). I think that by the Georgian period (late 18th century), bathing was starting to become more frequent. It was the Victorians who would bring back bathing on a regular basis. Still, bathing/showering daily wouldn't become the norm till after WWII (my parents, born in the early and late 1930's, only got an actual full bath once a week when they were kids).

[@YouzTube99]

@Karen K Small addition to your comments . . . until the 1930s most people in the U.S. lived on farms and did not have indoor plumbing. Imagine doing physical labor outdoors every day and bathing ~once a week.

[@Karen-gh8gv]

Yup. I know that they sponge-washed each night, but still... and no deodorant or antiperspirant. I'm sure people were just used to B.O.

[@YouzTube99]

@Karen K: When I was a kid, a lot of the older men I knew smoked cigars almost incessantly. Those things STUNK, but I wonder if they were used to distract from B.O.? I don't know anyone now who smokes them.

[@KC9UDX]

There's good reason to believe that there was less odor causing bacteria the further in time you go back. Also, stand around a smoky wood fire for an hour a day and you'll find that you don't get a lot of body odor for the same reason smoke keeps meat from going bad.

[@censusgary]

KC9UDX has a point. When everything smells strongly of smoke, you don't smell much else.

[@autodidact9122]

The way they preserved eggs for storage before refrigerators was that they did not wash the bloom off of them until they were ready to consume them. If you leave the bloom on them they can be stored at room temperature for 6 - 9 months. Most countries other than the US still use this practice today.

[@banjoninja]

We do this on our farm today and when we tell people they freak out. It's so funny! However, I would say they only last 6-8 weeks this way and not 6-9 months. They will definitely spoil at warm temperatures by 3 months. They would last longer if you refrigerated them with the bloom on. I'm not sure how long though; they don't stay uncooked that long at our house.

[@lysanamcmillan7972]

For a long time in Ireland, before refrigeration, they'd put up the eggs they were collecting in the cellar during Lent since eggs counted as meat under Catholic law. Easter day was an egg feast accordingly, since it was the animal protein readiest to hand and most in need of being eaten. Cooler conditions in a cellar plus the bloom kept on the egg let them do it without spoilage.

[@garlicgirl3149]

What is bloom? I have been to a chicken farm before and I don't remember seeing anything on the eggs...that or I missed it.

[@banjoninja]

It's not visible to your eye but it's an anti-bacterial coating that is naturally on the eggs that comes off when you wash the eggs.

[@garlicgirl3149]

OH!!! Thanks!

[@MoonlightDawnMoolightDawn]

Found your channel recently... I've been binge watching you to get caught up!! Subscribed - looking forward to more!!

[@tezzyteaspoon]

Thank you for another wonderful video! I live for these when I’m on KZbin ❤️

[@HomsteadingThePioneerWay]

Jon i use a potatoe water yeast starter, just save the potatoe water from boiling potatoes, while warm, not hot add a 1/2 cup sugar stir and cover with cloth set 3-5 day, use 1 cup in a bread recipe, you must feed it every 3 days or once a week, as you take ot a cup feed with a cup potatoe water and sugar

[@julesmbc]

Homesteading The Pioneer Way Yes! That's how I was raised doing it, too. Interested to wonder how/when yeast really made its appearance, or if it was by lucky accident :)

[@HomsteadingThePioneerWay]

right, and t i also use just 1/2 water and flour mix and cover after 2 or 3 days its bubbly and ready to use, yeast is in the air makes great sourdough bread

[@terrieross3051]

Homesteading The Pioneer Way. I haven't been on here in longg time - been subscribed for longg time for every vid. Hm? Anyway, wanted to say I'm surprised at how many people don't know or realize yeast is in the air. Bet it's on this site (?) somewhere. When did people learn & do on purpose & how many ways- would LUV to know about that! I plan on looking it up. LUV this site!! Big thanX & God bless y'all 💜

[@ZimVader-0017]

Julie Brendmoen-Crow Many discoveries are lucky accidents like the penicillin, and knowing how we humans are, maybe someone was curious to see what happened if they mixed starchy potato water with wheat. I do know that my natives made bread using root vegetales like potato, so they probably already knew about this.

[@michelformika]

You can always Edit your entry and remove the “e” from the word potato.

[@angeln1514]

this channel is amazing! you sir are extremely informative and have so much in site. you got yourself a new subscriber!

[@LBrobie]

insight, not in site... :)

[@trb-uo6nn]

Didn't realize I hadn't subscribed but I've been watching for a while. You make an excellent program here. Thank you

[@tjmooremusic]

Great channel! I've been subscribed and enjoining for some time now.

[@chewchewpark4786]

Johns back! I was afraid he was kidnapped by those damned Red Coats. 😂

[@markkreps]

George Washington's General Orders, July 14, 1775"As the Health of any Army principally depends upon Cleanliness; it is recommended in the strongest manner, to the Commanding Officer of Corps, Posts and Detachments, to be strictly diligent, in ordering the Necessarys to be filled up once a Week, and new ones dug; the Streets of the encampments and Lines to be swept daily, and all Offal and Carrion, near the camp, to be immediately burned: The Officers commanding in Barracks, or Quarters, to be answerable that they are swept every morning, and all Filth and Dirt removed from about the houses. Next to Cleanliness, nothing is more conducive to a Soldiers health, than dressing his provisions in a decent and proper manner. The Officers commanding Companies should therefore daily inspect the Camp Kitchen, and see the Men dress their Food in a wholesome way"

[@censusgary]

Notice that there is no mention here of personal hygiene. The order deals with removal of food garbage and human waste.

[@YT4Me57]

Mark Kreps Whoa. Nothing about washing the body? Ughh. I can imagine that they were crawling with vermin.

[@beth8775]

It may not mention personal hygiene, but cutting out open sewage and generally keeping the camp clean would still have gone a long way for public health in what might amount to a small city.

[@munahfarxan2092]

Mark Kreps o

[@lisahyde9894]

Mark Kreps me

[@TheBcoolGuy]

1:47 Ah, yes. The fine mashed potuttoo!

[@mggailitis7231]

Just stumbled upon your channel, and I'm happy I did so. You are answering questions I always ask my history major friend. She will be relieved not to be bombarded with questions like "When did people start brushing their teeth?"

[@thomasmcgehrin4205]

Wasn't Paris called the Perfumed city. It wasn't because of the lovely smell. It was because you needed perfume to not smell the city...

[@jenniferbrewer5370]

I've heard the Seine River described as one long sewer in that era.

[@Nantosuelta]

thats because it's full of frenchmen

[@treeaboo]

Yeah, it came about thanks to the idea during the Black Death that it was foul odours that transmitted disease, so people would mask those odours with nice smells instead.

[@rolfhoffmann4294]

make sure you wash your eggs with soap so they don't smell

[@morganolfursson2560]

Well the word Perfume or Parfum in French comes from the verb Parfumer , meaning hiding smell "BY" , ("PAR" in French) the use of "SMOKE" ( Fumer" in French ) , PARFUM, PAR FUM , BY SMOKE. Because in those days the only perfume was burning incense , mostly in church hall where people gathered and where the smell was hardly bearable , so they used those huge incense burners swinging at the end of a rope to hide the smell of filth . Scented oils came A LOT later , but the name remained Parfum , perfume with the same etymology in English (PER , old english for BY , the use of FUMES )

[@benw9949]

Comparison or reality check: My dad's family and my mom's mom's family were farmers, so when they grew up, (1930's and 1910's respectively) they bathed daily, because they got dirty and sweaty, working hard, picking cotton, tobacco, or vegetables, taking care of any livestock). Both families, different states, had wood stoves of various kinds (a Franklin stove was one, other wood stoves). They heated water on the stove and bathed in a tub either outside in warm weather or inside in cold weather, typically at night when they came in from working or before bed. Yes, the water was shared (ugh). Both had outhouses, not indoor plumbing. Another check: My dad put in indoor plumbing and electricity for his parents when he was home on leave or was discharged from the army, before the Korean War (early 1950's). From what both sets of grandparents said, this matched how they grew up in the 1910's and earlier. So at least back that far, some (many?) farming families bathed daily as a matter of practical necessity to keep clean after hard farm work.

[@nanettie]

My family too. The kids bathed in the water first and the father bathed last because he was the dirtiest. Homemade soap of course, before the 1950s. And they all used Sears catalog pages to wipe in the outhouse - softening the paper up by wadding and rubbing it, until the 1960s when they added indoor plumbing and a septic system.

[@AmberGraves80]

My family was that way as well. My grandma told me once that when she came to Chicago as a teenager to find work, she was shocked that most people only bathed once a week, if that! There seems to be a big difference between city and country life, especially in this country.

[@joanneapperson992]

Ben W a

[@TheClassicalSauce]

I’m a new sub. Thanks for the content! Very interesting, I love the era, the clothes, and especially the music! I’m going to have to get a hat, I think! Take care.

[@sandyguigar9077]

And then you got the summertime when it's a 90° on a feels like a hundred you got no fan

[@BryanSiegfried]

Who DOESNT need a tricorn hat?!?

[@julesmbc]

Bryan Siegfried Lol I told my hubby the same thing! :)

[@VideoClam]

Thanks for all you folks do, running this channel and providing such great content. I really enjoy it.

[@gokaren420]

When I was in the military, regulations stated females can wash daily....there were times we couldn't due to extreme weather conditions, accelerated training etc. My solution = LOTTA BABY WIPES

[@thesisypheanjournal1271]

That made me think of Ursula in "George of the Jungle" thanking her friends for the baby wipes and how they were a life saver!

[@niawohl3377]

This is essentially what people back then too. They sponged themselves off instead of taking full baths. This article is pretty good and goes into depth about 18th century hygiene www.frockflicks.com/the-gross-18th-century/.

[@RikuIshmaru]

Yep, some of the best care packages had good socks, boot inserts, baby wipes, and tiger balm lol...

[@wilkescustomkniveswilkes9664]

Hey just found your videos love them so far but I have always been a history geek.. love all the ones I have seen so far. So glad i found this channel

[@facemonkey13]

You're on trending!! This is so exciting!

[@charaayars4692]

I know that from my own experience, following Ma Ingall's instruction, I put flour and water in a jar, mixed it and let it sit. In about three days, it was bubbling and yeasty smelling. I "fed" it with a little more water and flour every day and watched as it continued to grow and eventually made bread with it. It made great bread, that rose beautifully and had a very NOT sourdough taste. No milk, just flour, water, salt and a little butter or oil.

[@irunamuk]

Chara Ayars The sourdough taste you get in stores is usually from citric acid or something sour added to the dough. The sour taste in homemade sourdough comes from letting the "sponge" sit for 12-24 hours to develop that flavor.

[@doctorteethomega]

Have you ever encountered someone that immediately feels comfortable and familiar, like an old friend? John has always seemed that way to me. Thank you for the good work.

[@johnndavis7647]

There were times that bathing was in a dish-pan. A pot of water was always on the wood-stove. We poured about a gallon of hot water into the dish-pan and added enough cold water so you could put your hands in the pan for 10 seconds. You dunked your head in first. Then you took a wash rag and some soap and washed from the head down, feet last. Then you rinsed off the soapy water with clean water and a second wash rag. Dipping and wringing the rag as needed and adding more soap. Special attention was given to behind the ears and around the neck and between the toes . That was how the kids washed. I suppose adults washed other parts with a bit more care. This was usually in the evening before bed-time

[@kollow]

If you could go back 300 years and tell them how curious we are about their bathing and washing routines I wonder if they would be interested or offended.

[@graceandglory1948]

I adore history, and finding your channel is such a thrill! I am looking forward to seeing all your videos! Blessings.. Tricia

[@charlethemagne5466]

I heard about pemmican from Rimworld, kinda how i got into the rest of your videos as a result. Great stuff, keep it up :)

[@adamheeley285]

This was such a great video. The hygiene part had me laughing a lot. I did not know it was that bad.

[@ETWL897]

funny how people forget the song "ring around the rosey" tells you much of what would be doing for smells and such, especially during the plague times but they would have been doing it before and after that as well. Wearing flowers (pockets full of poseys), having a sachet of flowers or something aromatic to stick to your face while out in the street. The whole reason for wearing flowers at weddings was to cover smells. Also the reason that most weddings are in may was because that's when most people would take what we would consider "real" baths. Spit baths or washing up as some have been known to call it is cleaning up was what was common place then and even into the early western settlers in the US.

[@carolyngetchman4437]

the rosy, ashes ashes , all fall down--the plague was hemoraghic (spelling?) so we are talking blood here hence the rosy--ashes-well the dead were burned en masse

[@jerusalemfohner655]

My great grandmother lived to be 100. She woke up every morning and took a bird bath in the bathroom sink. She still had a dry sink in her bedroom with the bowl and pitcher. She washed her face and upper body, then her peri area. She put on her corset every day till the day she died of a massive stroke after flying on an airplane from Los Vegas to Pennsylvania. Her posture was perfect. I can't walk due to back injuries obtained from Nursing in Intensive care for 35 years. I have often thought if we still had those corsets we may not have so many back injuries. She was not pampered either she had 18 children. I think people tried to at least keep a sort of hygiene in the 19th century. They learned it from somewhere.

[@dontreadthisplease2416]

Actually sometimes people would do the corsets so tight and wear them so much that the muscles got weak and a corset became a necessity. I may be wrong. Look it up. Anyway we call "bird baths" spit baths lmao.

[@jackiebd24]

jerusalem fohner 18 children!!! Holy Moly!

[@peggyharris3815]

Thanks for the story.

[@scarecrowperson]

jerusalem fohner "

[@Peppermint_Winter]

@@dontreadthisplease2416 You are wrong. There was a very brief period in a woman's life where she could wear a corset ridiculously tight, usually before she married and had children. I wear corsets today; they are marvelous if you are top-heavy and provide a lot more back support.

[@bonniemullen9820]

I really enjoy your channel💕great coverage👍🙋🕊

[@nativejuicevapors]

So 17th century London is just like sanfran California today

[@Jesuslovesyou8525]

Because the homeless are neglected. They're not the problem, your comment is disgusting

[@Jesuslovesyou8525]

@Eric Ocasio someone is a touch ignorant on the situation that they're talking about and unfortunately for you it's not me. There was a hep A outbreak because of it. I AM homeless, maybe don't make assumptions when you don't know what you're talking about next time, so you don't come across as a complete idiot

[@Wmoore1]

@@Jesuslovesyou8525 be honest with yourself. The homeless in California have unlimited options available to them. They are not victims, stop treating them like they are. Dumping your needles and shitting on the streets is unacceptable regardless of how "oppressed" you may think they are. The homeless in America are better off than your average folks in 3rd world countries and somehow they can avoid being drugged up 24/7 vandalizing property and relieving themselves on public walkways. They are the problem, not the victims.

[@Stroggoii]

And the homeless who can will just move away to cheaper towns and vote for exactly the same politics that made them homeless in the first place.

[@eliasarches2575]

By and large, homeless people are on drugs or are alcoholics. No sympathy here.

[@AmberGraves80]

The tale about hygiene made me think of what I've read about Versailles. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson said the nastiest things about these people, swearing that this beautiful palace smelled like a barn. When you put that into context, keeping in mind that these men were not up to our standards of cleanliness, can you imagine how flipping terrible that place must have been for them to notice it?! Anyone else suddenly really grateful to be living a modern life?

[@revinaque1342]

Draculady123 I think it must have been absolutely terrible. The entire palace was built without any toilet facilities, and courtiers relieved themselves in random corners behind curtains and drapery. The palace was only cleaned out once a year. I don't understand why they didn't have chamber pots available, but I think it must have something to do with standing around and waiting on the King.

[@e.urbach7780]

French paintings from the period show many kinds of chamber pots and other porcelain items for washing; there is even one particular French artist (I can't remember his name right now) who seemed to have a kind of fetish for painting people using chamber pots, and bathing in wash bowls. There are also many wash basins and things that survive from that period, so I think that the idea that the French court members just relieved themselves on the floor all the time, and never used chamber pots, is actually a myth. The palace only being cleaned once a year must also be a myth; there were tons of servants at court -- what were they doing all day long? Other historians have done some experimental anthropology, along with their book research, on this topic, and have discovered that people did not just get dirtier and dirtier, as we seem to think. If we widen our definition of "bathing" from "submerging yourself in warm water in a large tub" or "taking a long, hot, shower every day", then we can appreciate different methods of bodily cleansing. For example, there were the wash basins, which were not just used for washing the hands and face, but could be used for washing the hair and almost the entire body, using a washcloth, with the person standing on a dry towel. There were foot baths for bathing the feet and lower legs; there were hip baths for bathing the privates and thighs, and all of these containers were smaller, so they didn't require as much hot water to be carried in to fill them (and then be carried out by the servant and dumped outside the house). There was also a method of dry cleansing the skin and hair; using soft, dry linen cloths to simply scrub the skin all over, using friction to remove the dirt, dead skin, and sweat -- and then you wash the cloth. Still a useful and do-able technique today. Sponge baths in the bathroom sink are still a good way to wash yourself when you're in a hurry and you can't take the time for a full bath (and you don't have access to a shower). That, combined with a clean linen shirt or smock every morning (18th century underwear) means that no sweat or smells remain on the skin from day to day, so unless your outer clothes also got really sweaty and stinky, and you didn't have enough clothes to wear something else until you could clean or air out the stinky outfit, you wouldn't be that much stinkier than people in the 21st century. What you wouldn't smell like, unless you were rich enough, is perfume; today, so many of our soaps, shampoos, lotions, deoderants, etc. are perfumed, so we are used to smelling some kind of perfume from everybody, and that was not the case back then. Hair could be cleansed wet or dry -- but remember that the most common soap available during the period was lye soap, which is very strong, and harsh on the skin and hair. If you washed the hair with Castile soap (made with Spanish olive oil instead of lard or tallow), it was gentler, but it still left soap scum on your hair which had to be removed in some way; rinsing with diluted rose water is my favorite way to get residue out of my hair, and period household books mention it. Also, it is entirely possible to wash your hair in a wash basin -- I have done it many times. It's easier if you do it in a sink with running water, but you can do it just in a large bowl, with a large pitcher of clean water to rinse with. Cleaning the hair, dry, involved fine-toothed combs and hair powder. The combs were not just for removing lice, like we think, but they exfoliate the scalp and then catch any dead skin/dandruff and slide it along the hair to the ends, absorbing any oil, dirt, or dust on the way, and removing it from the hair with every stroke. That old tradition of "brushing your hair with 100 strokes every evening before bed" was supposed to clean the hair; I can get the tangles out in less than 20 strokes, and I have waist-length hair. If your hair starts looking oily, you sprinkle some hair powder -- corn starch, wheat starch, or talc -- on your hair and work it in with your fingers; it will absorb the excess oil and it can be combed out at the end of the day. Modern "dry shampoos" are basically this same idea, packaged in a spray can, which is less messy than applying the powder to the hair with your hands.

[@AmberGraves80]

Revina, You are exactly right. It was considered bad manners to excuse yourself to go somewhere private to use the facilities, so tey'd squat behind the nearest door. It just rattles my brain to think of having all of that gorgeous artwork and architecture around you, and you are pooping on the floor!

[@AmberGraves80]

I read that Louis 14th would kind of do a tops and tails wash with lemon juice and vinegar every morning, as well, so i imaine it helped some. And he did change his underclothes several time a day, but I am certain not everyone was able to do that... or that they had his standards. In David McCullough's biography about John Adams, he mentions a horrific story about the filth of Versailles that has really stuck with me. One of the royal ladies had a pet dog pee on the floor, so she used the pettycoat that she was wearing to clean it up and kept on talking like nothing happened. Apparently, it was all John could do not to freak out! lol I can't say I blame him, that would be a step too far for me. I think what I find so startling about the filthiness of Versailles was how picky they were about fashion at the same time. The placement of a button or a beauty spot was incredibly important, but stinking of rancid dog pee wasn't.

[@revinaque1342]

E. Urbach In the private apartments, there absolutely would be chamber pots, basins, hip baths, etc. But in the audience rooms or ballrooms, there were truly no facilities. And Versailles was only empty once a year, and that was the only time it could be scrubbed. You need to consider the political context as well. Louis XIV remodeled Versailles so he could have a court away from Paris (which was the traditional seat of power). He called all the courtiers and aristocrats there, and required then to be present at Versailles when he was there, so that they could not plot uprisings against him. He also required elaborate, expensive fashions so that the powerful aristocrats wouldn't have enough money to fund private armies. Versailles was all about controlling the court and the ruling class, so I imagine that they would have been required to spend most of their time in the public audience chambers, which lacked the toilet facilities of the private apartments. And because of the constant presence of high-ranking people all day, it would be difficult for servants to properly scrub up the messes behind the curtains.

[@AvailableUsernameTed]

G. Washington: Mr. Franklin is that you? I did not smell you come in. B. Franklin: Terribly sorry Mr. President. I fell into a creek the other day and now no one seems to recognize me unless they look right at me.

[@michaelinarizona6008]

Pipe2DevNull B. Franklin bathed regularly.

[@renadenison6759]

I love this channel, I thought it was silly at 1st, now we've watched almost all of them.

[@jimmyshrimbe9361]

You rock!!!! Thanks for all your hard work!

[@rachelk5720]

also the wigs the people wore in the 1700s wasn't 100% a fashion thing (some of it was), it was because lice was a major issue back in the day.

[@tommyodonovan3883]

Rachel Kent Wigs came into fashion to hide the scars/open lesions/hair loss caused by syphilis, *"big-wigs"* were rich men that could afford a big wig.

[@eijonasson]

Tommy O Donovan thought that was for the judges with the oversized white wigs

[@Saucyakld]

Ewwwww, sounds awful!!!

[@astrinymris9953]

Lice live on blood, so they couldn't "nest" in a wig that wasn't being worn for very long. If you were rich enough to own multiple wigs so that you could go days between wearing the same wig... well, it wouldn't be a perfect fix, but it would at least reduce the number of lice.

[@freelover220]

Michael Rodriguez Sorry . but no freezers back then!!!

[@autodidact9122]

Bathing in the 18th century was done maybe on a weekly or monthly basis. And, there was a hierarchy. The water was heated bucket by bucket until the tub was full. Father was the first to take a bath. Then mother. Then each child the oldest to the youngest. By the time the baby was bathed the water was utterly disgusting. It was so dark by then the saying "don't throw the baby out with the bath water" was born.

[@e.urbach7780]

That "bathing hierarchy" is a myth from the 19th century or even early 20th century! That was one of the "history myths" that the docents were telling at the Victorian historic house that I used to work at, and I've heard it told by docents at Edwardian historic houses, too! Those kinds of stories paint the people of the past as uncivilized and backward, which is why these myths are popular, because they make us feel better about our own modernity and sophistication; people in the 18th century weren't that much beneath us today! First of all, bathing in large bath tubs -- with enough water to submerge yourself -- seems to not have been a widespread custom among anyone but the aristocracy. That doesn't mean that nobody else bathed at all; there are tons of other ways to bathe and clean yourself. The number of smaller washing containers that have remained in family collections and in museums, shows us that smaller bathing containers were common: wash basins for taking sponge baths in, foot baths, hip baths. They take much less water to fill, so they can be used much more frequently. So, smaller sponge baths, or washing at the basin with a wash cloth, was the practice of the day, and it can be done more than once a week, because it takes less than one pail of hot water.

[@TheGypsyVanners]

I just saw a travel documentary on Morroco saying they have public bath houses people use Daily and have for many many centuries. "Daily" being my point. - I guess here we might need to say "in the Americas from - to - " to try to be more precise. Which is what I feel you are trying to do here and I do appreciate. ;)

[@staceycobrien7706]

My stepfather grew up this way - with 8 brothers and sisters! So disgusting. It seems ignorant. They could have each bathed with fresh water, even cold water, using a bucket and cup. But they didn't. What really grosses me out is that the women may have been in menses and that would have also been in the water, although in many European cultures they were taught to to bathe during that time. When I was in elementary school and they had that talk with the 6th graders, they told us that the myth that says not to bathe during menses is wrong, and that you can and should do so. Can you imagine? That was in the 70s. Crazy that even then they had to tell people, "it's ok to bathe". Maybe this tradition came from having to share a bath and no one wanted to bathe in that. We're a pretty disgusting species when it comes down to it!

[@robadams234]

This is an old video but I'm new to the channel and I'm working through all of them. I took my daughter to Montpelier a couple of days ago and one room lets you sit on reproduction chairs and a rope bed. I actually found it to be more comfortable to lay on than my modern bed. It felt more like a hammock. I'm not sure what the mattress was stuffed with but it felt like fabric scraps.

[@dorisbrinkerhoff8124]

people would rub them selves with tree bark or a heavy oil , two of the gifts of the 3 wise man

[@5-1biggiebagextrafries]

I was watching the new Selena Gomez video and now it's 1:36am and I'm watching this 😂😂😂

[@mm0901]

Charisse Wade That's the beauty of KZbin! 👍🏻😂

[@marysanchez2981]

lol that sounds like me too

[@jcb5782]

I once heard a story about Louis' Versailles. So, king Louis demanded that all of his state officials and clergy stay in the palace so that he could monitor them closely. However, in Versailles, there were more hallways than rooms, so all of these men and women lived and slept together in large halls. Of course, there weren't enough sanitary facilities to handle all of these people, so one can imagine the smell that quickly filled the palace. However, most of these men and women were of noble/rich descent, and they wanted to at least smell nice. The answer? Perfume. Lots and lots of perfume. It is said that the smell of perfume was even worse than the smell of a badly washed human body. You could go outside during the day, but imagine having to go to sleep in a hallway filled with the perfume addicted rich.

[@baysword]

WWII Channel orange trees were planted all over the grounds to hide the stink of sewage. It was more of a drainage problem. Too many people and no were for it to go.

[@the-chillian]

There were public latrines near the entrances to Versailles grounds, but that was a long walk from the main building. If you live there you had chamber pots in your rooms that you could use. But if you were merely expected to be there, you usually had no choice but to relieve yourself in a back stairway somewhere. Most medieval castles had better sanitation than Versailles.

[@QueenCityHistory]

WWII Channel you're right! Versailles in a nutshell stunk!! there were special vessels throughout the palace filled with potpourri and people doused themselves in perfume because of the smell. there's a great documentary with Dr Lucy Worsley about Versailles. ..definitely worth watching!!

[@lindainglis8506]

JCB Louis 5 did not bathe, fearing that germs enter the skin and should be stopped by layers of sweat and dirt. Versailles, built by his father, was beautiful but filthy as guests would defecate in the halls. Americans were much cleaner even in primitive conditions.

[@lorenheard2561]

You help us get through monotanous times,thank you. I miss Mount Vernon.This helps greatly!

[@jonnyutsa1]

You channel shows up in the feeds of preppers. Lots of overlap between prepping & 18th Century living, food prep/storage & cooking. Love your channel.

[@charlesbelcher1510]

I just found this channel and am very interested in this time period.

[@YT4Me57]

I think that personal hygiene practices had a lot to do with place of origin and culture. Someone posted that her family members only bathed once a week back in the 30s. Mine bathed every day, but they lived in homes/apartments with indoor plumbing and heating systems which meant they didn't have to boil pots of water to fill up a tub.

[@lolahassan4443]

Your videos are addictive. (I have learned a lot. Thanks so much.)

[@imtheone221]

Love this channel!

[@ThePduncan742]

I'm sure most would not want to stay in the same room with people back in the day "how ever" they may say the same of us with all our fake perfumes and scents?

[@Mhel2023]

@spirals 73 ...agreed, today's overly concentrated chemical-like scented perfumes, laundry soaps, bathing soaps, lotions, hair products all layered up and sitting in the cubicle next to you = 😩

[@LexieDi]

I'm reading a book by Ruth Goodman on Tudor England. They tended not to wash very much, but changed their underclothing often and washed their hands, feet and face. Apparently, at least among certain classes, smelling bad was a social faux pas just like it is today. I wonder how that translated to early America which was less developed but had the opportunity for newer architecture.

[@martialme84]

Thanks for all your work and for all the effort you put into it! Really appreciate it. In case things like that interest you, i´m a fan of yours from the German/Danish border.

[@cherylT321]

This was all really fascinating. I scrolled through and read everyone’s comments. Nearly everything I read was really interesting and informative. Thanks to everyone for your comments, I learned a lot!

[@Nookrium]

The pemmican popularity is from all those RimWorld players! (That's actually how I found this channel originally)

[@Buckshort91]

I'd co-sign on this.

[@GridCube]

ditto :P

[@leonardodiaz9325]

That's how arrived and my love for history has kept me here.

[@absolutelynoone9723]

same here

[@sailingnushibaru]

Yep that's why I'm here.

[@stormqueen29]

The Irish country women coated their eggs with butter. They slowly and gently rubbed fresh butter into the shells of fresh eggs to coax a few more days of freshness from the egg. This practice dates back hundreds of years from what I have read. They had to be done by hand, and as other ways of modern farming came about, this process became more and more rare. Although there are a few places still in Ireland where you can find these lovingly hand rubbed buttered eggs.

[@briesthoughts2261]

Were there weekly baths? I feel like I’ve read books set in that time and people took a weekly bath on Sundays.

[@irnamax9]

On a personal note. I recently shattered my femur. I live alone & couldn’t get into a tub. I’ve done “spit” baths for 2 months. I can clean myself but you don’t get the wonderful feeling of a shower. Don’t take it for granted.