Hygeine 1950s - 2020s

Callistemon

I just took it all for granted and feel like giving my Mum a big hug to say thank you.

Aah, that's so lovely.
You've honestly brought a tear to my eye

Some of us were really lucky.

Always grateful Mum and Dad.
Happy days.

I had a bath twice a week most weeks as a child. Once would be Sunday and once in-between. We had toothpaste, soap and flannels and each had our "own" towels.

Clean socks and knickers every day too, and school shirt at least every-other day.

Almost everything was ironed. Even cardigans (and most certainly hair ribbons!)

I was very, very, fortunate and was aware of it, even in my primary school... though I hated "lacy" socks had those too in summer months.

I just took it all for granted and feel like giving my Mum a big hug to say thank you.

I had a bath about three or four times a week but hair wash only once a week. I do remember Mum saying that the people next door only changed their knickers and socks once a week which she found shocking; we had clean every day. A school blouse had to last for two days, sometimes I got a clean one again on a Friday but not always. Cardigan was washed once a week. Gymslips and blazers etc had to go to the dry-cleaners so that was only once a term.

I had wyncyette pyjamas (is that spelt correctly?) and cosy flannelette sheets in the winter, goodness knows how they all got dried. The Laundry Fairy must have worked very hard.

Until I was six we lived in a house with no facilites. Water came in a bucket from the well down the road, oil lamps, tin bath at the weekend and privy at end of garden. Washing was done in a boiler once a week,wash board and mangle too. Toast could be made at the open fire.

We had a bath and hair wash on a Sunday night ready for school. Other nights it was what my Mam called’a strip wash’.
Clean knickers and socks every day, and a nice ironed hair ribbon. ( 1950s)

We had a bath and hair wash once a week, 1960s, on a Sunday. Clean underwear every day but socks only twice a week! Also had a wash every evening with mum saying which bits had to be washed , I remember not liking it when I was told I had to wash my knees, no idea why I didn't like it.

There were 6 in our family, everyone had their own flannel which were lined up on the bath rack. I used to take great delight in telling on my sisters if I noticed their flannel was still dry after they were supposed to have had a wash.

I didn't have a daily bath, and still don't have a daily shower. I don't think it is necessary, except if it is hot and I'm sweating a lot, and I am quite capable of keeping myself clean without a daily bath or shower.