Old-fashioned hygiene habits that are anything but clean

Straw Floors Full of Food Scraps and Animal Droppings

Instead of carpets or tiles, many medieval houses had what were known as straw floors – layers of herbs, grass, and straw meant to provide insulation and mask odors. Over time, however, these accumulated food scraps, animal droppings, and general filth.

Rather than removing the layers, they would simply add new ones on top. Some floors weren’t replaced for years – the house practically became a compost pit with walls.