How Clean Were Tudor Homes and Were They Really as Dirty as We Think?

 

How Clean Were Tudor Homes and Were They Really as Dirty as We Think?

Today I want to try and find out just how clean Tudor homes really were. It is easy to think that people living more than 400 years ago paid little attention to cleanliness, but the reality was more complicated. Although they lacked the modern plumbing and cleaning products that we have today, many Tudors still worked hard to keep their homes as clean as they could.

The standard of cleanliness usually depended on a family’s wealth. Rich households employed servants that could do the cleaning, they swept floors, dusted furniture and emptied chamber pots every day. Poorer families had to do the jobs themselves, usually in much smaller homes where people and animals sometimes had to share the space.

Floors were regularly swept with simple brooms that were made from bundles of twigs or heather. In wealthier homes, fresh rushes were spread across the floor. These helped to provide some warmth and comfort, but they also trapped the dirt and had to be replaced regularly. Contrary to popular belief, they were not usually left to rot for months at a time.

Without running water, washing was much harder than it is today. Water had to be carried from wells, rivers or public pumps, so it was used carefully. Clothes were washed less often than modern clothing, but many people changed and cleaned their linen undergarments regularly, as these absorbed sweat and helped keep the body clean.

Good smells were also considered important. People burned herbs like rosemary and lavender these helped to make their home smell more pleasant. They sometimes even scattered them around their homes to freshen the air. Although people of the time did not understand germs, they did believe that bad smells could spread diseases, so keeping the home smelling nice was thought to keep you healthy.

By modern standards, Tudor homes would probably be seen as dirty, especially because there were no toilets, vacuum cleaners or disinfectants. But even without all these things many Tudor families took pride in keeping their homes as tidy and clean as they could.

 

Were Tudor homes cleaner than you expected and do you think you could have lived in one?