A Brief History of House Cleaning & Cleaners
There’s no doubt that the notion of cleaning dates back to the beginnings of civilization. From personal hygiene to keeping the living area tidy, our distant ancestors had their own ways of doing things. Of course, the tools and methods were nothing like we know today, but in principle, still similar.
Nowadays, there are many companies in almost every town and city, as well as in Stonington, CT, that you can rely on for your housekeeping tasks. However, in the not-so-far-away past, people had to take care of their own chores. Keep reading to find out more about the development of cleaning through history.
When was cleaning invented?
When it comes to cleaning as a service, it goes as far as Ancient Egyptian civilization. Only, at that time, it wasn’t actually a service because nobody earned from doing it. Rulers and powerful people had their slaves do the chores for them. It was by no means an easy task since aesthetics and cleanliness were a big part of their culture.
What is the history of housekeeping?
We can observe the evolution of maid service throughout history starting from ancient civilizations. It begins with the Egyptians, but it goes on with ups and downs until modern times.
Ancient times
Apart from the Egyptians, powerful people of Greek and Roman civilizations also had their own servants to keep their environment tidy. Even back then the cleanliness was important, and they had their own ways of taking care of it.
Egyptians used alkaline salts and vegetable oil to make soap for both their clothes and themselves. Greeks, on the other hand, used ashes, clay, and sand, combined with oils. Finally, Romans had their animal fat soaps and public baths.
However, there was still no knowledge of hygiene being connected with disease, so there arrived a period between 500 and 1000 AD when many diseases spread.
The period of the renaissance
Once hygiene was finally connected with cleanliness, attitudes started to change, and cleanliness became fashionable. Yet, wealthy people wouldn’t spend their time on chores, so lower-class women managed these jobs. This time, these women were paid for their work, but they were often exploited and received very little.
WWI and WWII
With a lot of men off to war, women started to take up other jobs apart from housekeeping. However, having found out they were capable of much more than house chores, many of them refused to return to this job after the war, resulting in a huge decline in maids. Since the same happened during WWII, wealthy women had to take care of their own houses.
Modern times
With the progress of society and gender stereotypes becoming less prevalent, male cleaning technicians have become more common than they used to be. Furthermore, professional cleaning services have come to be a respected business that many busy people reach out to, especially if they have pets and little ones to care about.
What companies in Stonington, CT, offer reliable housekeeping services?
Thanks to the modern times we live in, you can now easily opt for a professional service to take care of your bedroom or deal with those grease spots in your kitchen. Our experts at Orchid Maids are highly trained and insured technicians who always go out of their way to meet the needs of our clients and take care of every single corner of your home.
Spend a relaxing day at the Haley Farm State Park while we make sure you come back to a clean home. Call now!