Cleaning supplies are essential for the maintenance of every household. Still, the standards of hygiene have changed as cleansers and equipment evolved. The essential history of cleaning products and tools shows us how people kept their homes clean before chemicals were invented.
Regardless of how interesting these facts are, a lot of people turn to experts in house cleaning in Leawood, KS for help. Keep on reading this article if you want to find out more about the long way that supplies and equipment have come.
How did people clean before chemicals?
Although it may seem that home upkeep was impossible until the invention of chemicals, it’s actually quite the opposite. People used various methods and homemade supplies. Here are some of them:
Laundry
As wool was one of the first materials used for making clothes, that made clothes costly and wool as a material required regular maintenance. At first people washed their clothes in rivers.
Before the invention of detergent, one of the supplies that every household needs, doing laundry and removing stains and dirt required a lot of muscle power. That implied hard twisting and slapping clothes against rocks on the rivers, stomping on clothes and using paddles and washboards to beat the dirt out of the fibers. Animal fat and lye were used for washing clothes instead of detergent.
Dishes
It’s assumed that the first method of washing the dishes involved rubbing them clean with sand and washing them in clean water. In ancient Rome people used other abrasives besides sand and water such as cuttlefish bone and horsetail. In the Middle Ages rhubarb juice was used for washing kitchen utensils, whereas dishes made of delicate materials were washed with soft textiles.
Washing dishes with running water was introduced in the Renaissance while the use of warm water and soap was common until the 19th century. The history of housekeeping and cleaners teaches us that by this time the occupation of a housekeeper became common.
Carpets
People used to apply certain techniques that were very unusual and even dangerous according to modern standards. To get rid of ink stains like ink and grease it was common to scrub the carpet with lemon juice and a hot loaf of crusty white bread. After this carpets were rinsed with fresh water and left outside to dry. If methods such as this one hadn’t changed, nowadays you would consider the lack of insurance one of the red flags of a bad maid service.
Another popular method was applying the clay paste mixed with water that would be placed on the stain and left overnight to dry. Brushing off the paste was believed to remove stains and dirt.
Windows
Window cleaning became common in the mid to late Victorian era with the construction boom. The procedure was quite simple and it involved a metal bucket filled with hot water and a lot of cleaning cloth. Vinegar was sometimes used to cut through the grease and add shine to window panes.
When did humans start using soap?
Soap dates back to 2800 B.C. Ancient Babylonians mixed water, animal fat, and wood ash to create the first soap. Later versions made by Egyptians included vegetable oils and alkaline salts.
Which experts in house cleaning in Leawood, KS should I opt for?
If you want your home to be spick-and-span, you should partner with Sunflower Maids. Our vetted pros provide an array of cleaning services that will cater to all your needs.
Go on a shopping spree to Town Center Plaza in Leawood while our dedicated specialists spruce up your home. Book today!