Outdated hygiene practices that are anything but clean

Shoe polish could clean, but it could also kill ya.

Victorian shoe shiners made a living buffing footwear to a high gloss. But their most popular product contained nitrobenzene, a toxic chemical that left shoes gleaming… but slowly poisoned those who handled it.

Frequent exposure to nitrobenzene caused dizziness, fainting, and even death. Loads of workers didn’t know or didn’t care about the risks, and sacrificed their health to keep boots looking spick and span.