What did people use before deodorant was invented?

Question

Thinkabou,George Carlin RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!
He once said "the bigger they are,the worse they smell".

Answer 1

The ancient Egyptians were apparently the first people to come up with the idea of masking body odor by applying combinations of citrus oils and spices. George Carlin does rule!

Answer 2

I'm not positive, but I DO know that, since deodorants are formulated with a form of aluminium as an antipersperant, the use of deodorant tends to clog pores, altering the effectivness of your sweat glands. Basically, this means that a person using deodorants that suddenly stops will smell worse and perspire more than somebody who has never used deodorants.

Also, before deodorant was invented it's a very real possibility that the problem wasn't really that noticeable, since everyone had it to some extent.

Answer 3

For the longest, nothing.

Though it is hard to fathom, people just smelled. It wasn't by choice, but considering there was nothing and nobody had an alternative, it just was a way of life.

Washing helped, of course, but in extremely hot weather, it really didn't matter much, because the stench returned pretty quick. Not to mention, bathing didn't occur all that frequently either. Once a week bathing was a real luxury many couldn't enjoy just because of the very primitive conditions.

Answer 4

Not a damn thang! They just made do with the baths they took EVERY SO OFTEN. People didn't bathe daily in the old days is the impression I've gathered through the years. See, they had to go to the river and bathe or draw the water from wells, epecially in the days before water came into the homes from publicly used piping systems. So, that made bathing more of a hassle or delicassy.

Answer 5

Perfume, boatloads of it. That's why the fragrances were so valuable in those days. If you had enough wealth, you didn't smell so bad. After the Roman Empire and before the English Empire, bathing in water was considered unhealthful, if not downright perverted.

Answer 6

Women would wear sachets or amulets with herbs around their necks or attached by a fob on their skirts. This was to hide odor as they rarely bathed. Men just stank. I used to collect vintage and antique clothing and the most beautiful pieces were ruined by underarm stains that destroyed the fabric.

Answer 7

If I remember correctly they would use orange peels in some way, perhaps using them as incense somehow, in a room with lots of people. This is in addition to some of the other answers.

Answer 8

Alot of people in Victorian England used scented handkerchiefs which they held over their noses to avoid smells coming from themselves and others.

Answer 9

Baking powder

Answer 10

Baking soda powdered on the arm pits.