What did Victorians use for deodorant?

There was no deodorant, let alone disposable razors, so some women placed half-moon-shaped “dress shields” between their clothes and their hairy, sweaty armpits. But really, the most surefire way for a lady to deal with body odor was to wear perfume — a lot of it.

What was the hygiene like in Victorian times?

Showers were not yet en vogue and everyone bathed to keep clean. Poorer families would have boiled water on the stove then added it along with cool water to a wooden or metal tub, usually in the kitchen area, when it was time for a deep scrub down.

What did Victorians smell like?

By the middle of the Victorian era, bergamot and lemon oil had surpassed Eau de Cologne to become the most popular fragrance for women. According to Goodman: “Bergamot and lemon oil, sometimes employed separately but more often used in combination, was the signature smell of the middle years of the century.

What was personal hygiene like in the 1800s?

Though even wealthy families did not take a full bath daily, they were not unclean. It was the custom for most people to wash themselves in the morning, usually a sponge bath with a large washbasin and a pitcher of water on their bedroom washstands. Women might have added perfume to the water.

What did they clean with in Victorian era?

Housekeeping manuals of the time suggested the basic 'ingredients' needed for cleaning the home were carbolic soap, metal polish, bicarbonate of soda, black lead, beeswax, turpentine, benzene, emery paper, and disinfectant.

The SAD TRUTH About Hygiene During The Victorian Era

How did Victorian ladies deal with periods?

The Victorian Period (And Beyond)

From the 1890s to the early 1980s, people used sanitary belts, which basically were reusable pads that attached to a belt worn around the waist – and yes, they were as uncomfortable as they sound.

What did Victorians use for toilet paper?

Before that, they used whatever was handy -- sticks, leaves, corn cobs, bits of cloth, their hands. Toilet paper more or less as we know it today is a product of Victorian times; it was first issued in boxes (the way facial tissue is today) and somewhat later on the familiar rolls.

How did Victorian ladies wash their hair?

She rarely washed her hair, as the process was involved and not terribly pleasant. Women were advised to dilute pure ammonia in warm water and then massage it through the scalp and hair, like modern shampoo.

How did people wipe before toilet paper?

Leaves, sticks, moss, sand and water were common choices, depending on early humans' environment. Once we developed agriculture, we had options like hay and corn husks. People who lived on islands or on the coast used shells and a scraping technique.

When did people start showering every day?

The oldest accountable daily ritual of bathing can be traced to the ancient Indians. They used elaborate practices for personal hygiene with three daily baths and washing. These are recorded in the works called grihya sutras which date back to 500 BCE and are in practice today in some communities.

How often did Victorians wash their clothes?

Did you know that Victorians didn't wash their clothes regularly? This is because it was really hard work and so people didn't want to do it all the time. Sometimes, they would go an entire month without washing them!

Why do vintage clothes still smell weird?

The source of the remaining compounds that made up that vintage smell were environmental contaminants like car exhaust, gasoline, dry cleaning solvents, food and perfume or, as the team at P & G put it, “the odor molecule peaks form a record of the odors” that the garments were exposed to over its life.

What did Victorians wear to bed?

Sleepwear during the Victorian age was usually referred to as 'night clothes' and often consisted of ankle-length nightshirts or nightgowns and floor-length robes. Almost everything was white, especially when the style was first adopted (eventually colors and patterns became fashionable).

How did Victorians clean their teeth?

Victorian Oral Hygiene & Dental Decay

Most people cleaned their teeth using water with twigs or rough cloths as toothbrushes. Some splurged on a “tooth-powder” if they could afford it. Sugar became more widely distributed, thus contributing to an increase in tooth decay during this time period.

What was the worst disease in Victorian times?

Typhoid. Typhoid during the Victorian era was incredibly common and remains so in parts of the world where there is poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. No section of society was spared – Prince Albert the husband of Queen Victoria contracted typhoid and died from it.

What was the average weight of a woman in the 1800s?

The 1847 article continued: “When the weight of the body has reached its average maximum, men weigh 139 pounds, women 112 pounds.” Fifty years later the numbers remained about the same.

Why do humans need to wipe after pooping?

Wiping thoroughly and washing your hands after a bowel movement are the two most important ways to prevent odor and the spread of pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria. For people who have solid bowel movements, this will mean wiping with toilet tissue.

What did cowboys use for toilet paper?

Mullein aka “cowboy toilet paper”

If the cowboys used the large velvety leaves of the mullein (Verbascum thapsus) plant while out on the range, then you can too! Mullein is a biennial plant available for use in almost every bioregion.

Do Indians use toilet paper?

India: Tourists are often surprised to learn that toilet paper is not easily accessible here. While you may find toilet paper in hotels and some stores in tourist spots, most homes and public places don't have them stocked. The people of this culture use water to clean themselves when necessary.

At what age did Victorian girls put their hair up?

Long hair was considered desirable but it had to be worn properly in public in order to be considered respectable. In the 1830's young girls were expected to wear their hair up when the reached the age of 15/16.

What soap did Victorians use?

Carbolic soap was a staple item in many posh and poor Victorian homes, as well as in Victorian schools, hospitals and places of work, right up until the mid 20th century. In some parts of the world it's still in use today.

What did London smell like in the 1800s?

In the 19th century, London was the capital of the largest empire the world had ever known — and it was infamously filthy. It had choking, sooty fogs; the Thames River was thick with human sewage; and the streets were covered with mud.

How did Romans wipe their bottoms?

The Romans cleaned their behinds with sea sponges attached to a stick, and the gutter supplied clean flowing water to dip the sponges in. This soft, gentle tool was called a tersorium, which literally meant “a wiping thing.” The Romans liked to move their bowels in comfort.

What did China use for toilet paper?

When not dirtying their drinking water they could also be found using rags, wood shavings, grass, leaves, hay, moss, snow, sand, stone and even, oddly, seashells. I'm betting that some of them weren't exactly as delicate and comforting as today's modern toilet paper.

How did Victorians clean their clothes?

Washing clothes in the late 1800s was a laborious process. Most household manuals recommended soaking the clothes overnight first. The next day, clothes would be soaped, boiled or scalded, rinsed, wrung out, mangled, dried, starched, and ironed, often with steps repeating throughout.