Contaminated water
While camping may be fun, imagine having to live everyday life in those conditions. It’s obvious that life during the colonial era utilized outhouses and chamber pots for relief, but what you may not be prepared to hear is that these chambers were then emptied by tossing the contents out of the window.
This human waste would find its way into lakes, rivers and streams, completely contaminating drinking water. This resulted in illnesses and the spread of diseases. Sadly — but not surprising — this inefficient disposal system was the cause of death for many colonials.
A washcloth and a bucket
At this point in time, plumbing simply didn’t exist. The only ones that got to enjoy the luxury of a bath were babies; it wasn’t not necessarily to keep them clean, but to “harden” them. As for adults, bathing consisted of a washcloth and a pail of water.
They were expected to keep themselves clean by wetting the cloth and wiping the dirt off their skin — similar to how we’d wipe down a dirty countertop after cooking, except without the soap. Picture that.
Families shared the same tub of water
As if bathing not being part of a daily routine isn’t enough, colonials would often dedicate some time within the week or month to cleanse thoroughly, sharing the same bath water. You read that right.
After drawing water from the well, warming it with fire and transferring it to a portable wooden bathtub, they’d each take turns. One can only speculate that their biggest fear in life revolved around being last in line. That is the stuff nightmares are made of.
Hygiene was no big deal
Since personal hygiene wasn’t a huge deal during colonial times, people — regardless of their social status — took the same number of baths per year. Dirt doesn’t discriminate. The wealthy, however, had more means of masking their body odor (such as oversized robes and fragrances).
On the other hand, the poor could barely afford multiple items of clothing, let alone fragrances. This caused them to smell a tad bit more rancid, not that it mattered much anyway.
Bathhouses weren’t designed for bathing
Despite the name, bathhouses weren’t exactly created for bathing. Rather, they served as a type of medicinal cure and a unique way for wealthy folks to relax and unwind after a tedious day. Many people, including the royal governor of Virginia, also used bathhouses to cool off on hot days during the summer.
The majority of these bathhouses closely resembled the ones used by the Romans a few centuries ago. By the mid 18th century, bathhouses were very much a part of the citizens’ everyday lives.
The clean bed linen theory
If you haven’t yet noticed, the colonial era wasn’t as peachy as the movies paint them out to be. In fact, you’d better brace yourself because the stories only get weirder as we go along. During the 1600’s, the Puritans believed that the neatness of their bed linens directly reflected their body’s cleanliness.
The majority of people considered going to bed with clothing to be unhygienic and immoral. Sleeping in the nude was the only way to have “clean” bedsheets.
The best defense is good offense
From everything we’ve gathered about the colonial era thus far, one thing’s for certain: hygiene wasn’t exactly high on the priorities list. People simply cleaned themselves as they saw fit, with whatever resources they had available. Even still, it’s hard not to wonder how and where women fit into the whole hygiene equation.
Men had far less to worry about in terms of reproductive organs, which is why doctors often advised women to wash regularly. Society, however (especially fathers!), didn’t share the same views, encouraging women to use their offensive odor to defend themselves.
Makeshift feminine hygiene
Since sanitary pads are a more modern invention, women in the colonial era had to get creative when it came to making their own pads and tampons. They had to use materials that were readily available to them.
Some of these makeshift methods included folding a cloth to absorb the blood. Or they relied upon more extreme measures, such as gathering moss from the forest floor to use an artificial sanitary pad. Except… methods such as these were everything but sanitary, resulting in bacteria growth and nasty infections.
Only men were allowed to shave
Men, for the most part, weren’t concerned with shaving or trimming hair from any part of their bodies until the late 18th century.
Barbers at the time, primarily men of color, only offered services to other men, leaving it perfectly safe to assume that women didn’t shave. So far, there’s been no evidence that supports the possibility. Shaving wasn’t necessarily an easy procedure and left very little room for mistakes, so the chances of women actually shaving themselves seem slim.
Unscientific birth control
It seems as though women throughout history have always had the “pleasure” of enduring some of the most unpleasant conditions, circumstances, and situations known to man. It is apparent that the colonial era wasn’t quite a walk in the park for them either.
From using body odor as a defense mechanism against men, to inserting crocodile dung as a contraceptive, it sounds more like a hard-knock life. Another unscientific contraceptive features a Canadian tea brewed from the genitals of male beavers. The science behind this concoction is unknown, but the thought alone is nauseating.
Once a month hair wash
In the colonial era, there were more than just biblical roots attached to what was considered a woman’s “crowning glory”. The longer and healthier her hair looked, the better — but as we all know, looks can be deceiving. The better it looked, the dirtier it most likely was.
Their method for keeping it healthy involved washing it only once a month- twice if the hair was excessive oily. This preserved the natural oils in the hair, protecting it from the harsh substance (lye) found in detergents, which made the hair and scalp dry.
Women used depilatory creams for hair removal
Back in the past, shaving was an exclusive service, afforded only to men and provided typically by minority men. Suffice to say, this service was not extended to women, and no one would dare attempt to shave themselves, due to fear.
For women, unfortunately, shaving was simply impossible. The only way was by means of plucking. Depilatory creams, which were made of limestone and arsenic, were also used to remove hair from unwanted places. Some opted to just let the hair grow, since it would never be seen anyway.
Ghastly beauty
It is not at all strange that during the 18th century, a woman’s beauty was measured primarily by the paleness of her skin — a criteria still prevalent in places such as Korea. It’s also not unusual that this standard is what led women to buy and apply chalk powder to their faces to make them appear paler.
Here is where things start to get a little weird, though. Some would go as far as ingesting the chalk, which certainly bore results… but only because it made them sick.
Special underpants for the toilet
You’ve seen pictures of how women in the 18th century dressed, with their massive gowns loaded with bustles, obviously making it quite a challenge to take off. Imagine trying to use the toilet with all that stuff on! Luckily for them, improvements were made, although clearly with not much effort.
Their underpants had a split section, allowing the women to hover over the bowl to relieve themselves. Great concept? Sure, but it was poorly implemented. The problem was, if they weren’t extremely careful, they’d make a complete mess of themselves. How’s that for hygiene?
Underwear signified moral impurity
Of all the ridiculous beliefs that seemed to surround the colonial era pertaining to hygiene, this one might just take the cake. As far-fetched as it may sound, the idea that one’s underwear actually served as an agent to clean the body and absorb impurities was prevalent.
Underwear was held in such high regard by some individuals that they even felt the need to display a small portion so that others could witness their moral purity.
People Did Their Business Behind Closed Doors
The outhouses of the 18th and 19th centuries were designed based on the example that medeival bathrooms set up—though outhouses were at least a bit more approachable.
Instead of relieving oneself in public, it was much more respectful and dignified to go into an outhouse and do your business behind closer doors. After all, folks in colonial America prioritized cleanliness and privacy when it came to intimate affairs.
Water had nothing to do with cleanliness
Believe it or not, Louis XIV is suspected to have only taken a grand total of just three baths in his entire lifetime. That’s rather hard to imagine, but doesn’t come as a surprise, especially given what we already know about their bathing practices.
People would quite often wash their hands, face and feet, but completely submerging themselves in water came few and far between. Alongside full submersion, bathing completely undressed was considered unhealthy and immodest.
Cleaning Up the Street
Town councils and local communities began to put rules into place to keep people in check, making sure each person took responsibility for the cleanliness of their own areas.
During these times, the population was expected to keep the portion in front of their home or shop clean. That way, it was easy to spot who was neglecting their duties and who was actually keeping their space spotless.
Infant immunity baths
Things seem to have operated slightly backwards in colonial times. A good example of that would be how hospitals today consider it mandatory to bathe newborns for the prevention of possible bacteria growth. However, for mothers in the colonial era, it was quite the opposite.
Although they bathed their children regularly, the purpose wasn’t to clean the child; instead, it was to harden them against possible future diseases and other ailments. In their minds, bathing their children was more like a form of immunization, similar to that of a vaccine. How strangely interesting is that?
Washing Up in the River
As towns began to grow, washing up became much more of a priority among villagers. Thus, many of the newly developed towns were placed along rivers.
Not only did this make it much easier for folks to wash up and keep themselves clean, but it also allowed for easier access to trade routes and connections between villages. Who would’ve thought staying clean had so many benefits?
Diseases became the norm
For disease to have been so prevalent, conditions throughout the colonies must have been pretty horrendous. There was no proper sanitation system in place, and outhouses were often located near water sources, leaving children and adults alike to develop illness such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever.
The issue was so major that it stole the spotlight in one of the biggest moments in history. More than half of George Washington’s Army perished from a variety of infectious diseases, including typhoid, influenza, and dysentery.
Soldiers were ordered to wash
During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington was aware of how essential personal hygiene was in the prevention of spreading diseases, so he ordered his men to wash regularly. Unfortunately, those commands were taken with a grain of salt, due to the inconvenience of it.
He was, however, able to maintain camp cleanliness with the help of “camp followers.” What were those? They were women, who would help assist the soldiers with cooking, cleaning, and other services.
The infamous white wigs
When we think of colonial times, it’s impossible not to picture those hideous white wigs that are depicted in almost every photo and painting. Have you ever wondered about the story behind (or under) it? One word sums it up: lice.
Yes, lice infestation was a huge and common problem back then, so much that the best solution was to shave your hair and cover the baldness with a wig made of animal fur. To add insult to injury, the wigs also attracted lice and other insects due to the products used to treat them.
The Native Americans practiced good hygiene
If anyone got it right back during this era, it was the Native Americans. They knew that bathing the entire body was a highly effective way to stay healthy and free of diseases. They openly bathed in rivers and streams, using leaves and other natural materials to scrub themselves clean.
They also highly disagreed with the colonials’ hygiene methods, particularly the handkerchief, since it involved carrying your mucous around. They understandably saw it as extremely unsanitary and utterly disgusting.
A period of enlightenment
At one point in time, before the mid 18th century, it was actually believed that exposing the skin to excessive water could be fatal. They thought it was possible to drown the person from within, from water seeping into the skin. Because of this, people would only submerge themselves in water briefly, or chose to wear clothes during the process.
This insane belief eventually ended once the enlightenment period began revealing the health benefits of exposing the skin to both water and sunlight, thus opening up a whole new world in terms of hygiene.
The colonials refused to wash
Due to their poor hygiene practices, the Colonials obviously didn’t smell very pretty. This repulsed the Native Americans to the point that they tried persuading them to wash more frequently. Of course, it doesn’t come as a surprise that their effort fell on deaf ears.
This was a recorded fact, noted in a 1965 biography by a Mayflower pilgrim who had recently arrived in Plymouth. The colonials could have easily made their lives so much easier by just listening to the Native Americans.
Native American’s good oral hygiene
Unlike the Europeans, the Native people also practiced good oral hygiene and kept their teeth clean. They employed various methods, such as rubbing charcoal on the teeth, brushing with a chewing stick, and chewing minty herbs for fresher breath.
Not only did the Europeans have poor oral health, their diet played a major factor in the detriment of their teeth. One of the larger culprits being the insane amount of sugar consumed in their tea.
A symbol of wealth
As if things could get any stranger, some people would go as far as coloring their teeth brown, or washing them relentlessly with lye soap, in order to fake the appearance of being wealthy.
Since sugar was a luxury available to those of the upper class, they often sported sugar-rotten teeth. This tooth rot was also the result of excessive herbal teas and poor oral hygiene. Despite how unhealthy (and unsightly) this oral condition was, it was still very much a desired symbol of wealth.
The Native American’s healthy teeth
As we’ve said, compared to the Europeans, whose teeth were stained and deteriorated, the Native Americans had much healthier teeth. This was largely due to their excellent oral care routines. In fact, they could easily be traded to wealthy colonials for money. Take, as an example, George Washington, who needed a new set of dentures.
By the way, those rumors we’ve all heard over the years regarding his wooden teeth are nothing short of a tall tale. His teeth actually consisted of gold, metal, and various non-organic materials.
George Washington’s new set of teeth
Although it may be hard to imagine, according to George Washington’s ledger, he paid six pounds and two shillings for a set of nine teeth from someone poor.
As gruesome as it may sound, it was a pretty common practice for poor folks to sell their healthy teeth to the more affluent. It also comes as no surprise to see George Washington continuously pop up throughout this list, since he was a significant figure during the colonial era.
Anyone could be a dentist
As if going to the dentist isn’t stressful enough, let’s be thankful that we never had to pay a visit to a blacksmith, barber, surgeon, or apothecary anytime we got a toothache.
There were no American dentists during the colonial era, so the tools used for teeth removal consisted of natural remedies such as alcohol, figs, and opium to numb the tooth before extracting it. As you probably imagined, these procedures were very dangerous, often leading to the teeth becoming infected — sometimes for years.
What’s a toothbrush?
Before the mid 18th century, toothbrushes weren’t even a thing. People would use all sorts of methods in attempts to clean their teeth.
This included such tactics, such as rubbing their teeth with a damp cloth, thoroughly rinsing their mouths with warm water, and rubbing herbal chewing sticks against the teeth to loosen the dirt and freshen their breath. These were all pretty effective in getting the job done, but nothing surpassed the genius invention of the toothbrush. Hallelujah.
One tool, many tasks
This very well could have been the Swiss army knife of colonial times. In recent discoveries, Archaeologists have unearthed a silver tool, believed to be an earpick, that dates back to the 17th century.
It was most likely used to clean other body parts as well, such as teeth and nails, given that it was equipped with several points to cover various tasks. The main end is a scooping tool, while the other smaller sections can be utilized to clean other parts of the body.
Insects were a major nuisance
It’s a known fact that insects, particularly flies, aren’t exactly attracted to the cleanest environments. They prefer filth, and yes, we’re talking about feces. This speaks volumes in the case of Captain John Smith. Upon visiting Jamestown, he was instantly displeased with the environment, claiming it was infested with what he describes as “noisy creatures” — flies, mosquitos, cockroaches and lice.
Fleas were also a common problem, making themselves (along with lice) quite comfortable on the everyday garments of colonists. For conditions to be that bad, just imagine the stench.
Disease wiped out the Native population
Tragically, history suggests that it was the European diseases that were largely responsible for wiping out vast numbers of the Native Americans. It’s believed that these diseases claimed 90 percent of the Native Americans living in coastal New England.
Due to the poor hygienic habits of the colonials, these diseases multiplied and continued on, killing millions of Native Americans for decades after the pilgrims arrived in 1620. This goes to show us what poor hygiene on a large scale has the potential to become.
Syphilis spread like a wildfire
When the Spaniards arrived in the new world during the 1400’s, they had unknowingly brought along syphilis with them, as well. As imagined, due to their lack of hygiene, it didn’t take long for the disease to spread throughout the camp.
As if that wasn’t unfortunate enough, it didn’t stop there. The disease quickly evolved into an epidemic. Sadly, since the doctors couldn’t do much about this disease, it became the 4th leading cause of death… and remained that way until WWll.
The spread of disease led to progress
The increased spread of diseases meant that doctors needed to invent much faster and more effective methods to cure their patients. Due to the war, surgeons also became more effective, since there was now a steady stream of patients to test and refine new methods.
It almost makes you wonder how advanced the world would really be if it weren’t for the unexpected, unfortunate situations that surface from time to time. It creates a sense of urgency, confidence, and progress that can’t otherwise be matched.
