Strange Hygiene Habits From Medieval Times

Hygiene habits from Medieval times were very different than the habits we keep today. Medieval people, especially those in the peasant class faced all sorts of complications when it came to hygiene. From parasites to toxic makeup to strange sleep habits, we’ll delve into all the crazy things you never knew about Medieval hygiene!

Private Bathtubs were for the Rich

While the upper class had bathtubs in their homes and servants to fill them with warm water, most middle-class people used public baths during Medieval times. Peasants, on the other hand, usually bathed outside in local streams or ponds—and sometimes not at all!

Most People Didn’t Use Soap

In Medieval times, soap was usually imported and expensive, so most people didn’t use soap. Plain water was commonly used, while some people added herbs or perfumes to enhance the smell. When soap was used, it was commonly made of fat or oil combined with lye.

Chamberpots and Outhouses

In an era before modern sanitation, very few homes had access to running water. This meant that chamberpots and outhouses were the common types of toilets of the day. Outhouses were used by castles. The structures were outside the castle and consisted of a bench with a hole placed over an opening leading to a cesspit. Chamber pots were exactly that: pots kept in one’s bed chamber that would have to be emptied outdoors.

Toilet Paper hadn’t Been Invented Yet

Toilet paper definitely wasn’t a thing in the Medieval era. While some people used cloth scraps that they washed most opted for leaves and grass. 

Laundry was a Weekly Chore

Only the very wealthy had lots of clothing options. Most people had only one or two sets of clothes. The best option was to wash clothes once a week. Leaving one clean set to wear while the other set was washed and dried.

Most Peasants Slept Naked

The simple fact is that the less clothes one wears, the less clothes that have to be cared for. Additionally, when weather was warm, many peasants found sleeping without clothes to be more comfortable. The higher classes usually had special gowns made of thin materials for sleeping in.

Delousing Each Other was a Pastime

Since we rely on cleanliness to keep parasites away, it seems understandable that in a time that lacked cleanliness, parasites would abound. Most peasants simply lived with lice as a fact of life. Families and friends would often help each other by sitting around and picking the lice from each other’s hair and clothes.

Communal Cesspits

If you were wondering what actually happened to the waste from chamberpots and outhouses, it ended up disposed of in communal cesspits. However, people would often become lazy and dump the chamberpots out the windows or doors into the streets. This would cause awful filth and even contaminated water during heavy rains. 

Handwashing was Common

Since bathing wasn’t always a priority, it might surprise you to know that most people in Medieval times, even peasants, washed their hands and faces at least daily. For many, handwashing might be done as frequently as several times per day.

Peasants Didn’t Have Utensils

ALSO READ

Perhaps handwashing was common even among peasants because most could not afford eating utensils. Most people of the peasant class at that time didn’t know how to use eating utensils, which made having clean hands much more advantageous.