What did people use to clean themselves before soap was invented?

Question

How did people clean themselves before soap was invented?

Answer 1

Oil and fine sand, or ashes. The Romans rubbed themselves with oil while in their famous baths, then scraped off the grime with an instrument called the strigil.

Have a look at this site:

http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/bubbles.htm

Look under History here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap

Answer 2

Well, there were thousands of years when they didn't clean themselves, but when grooming came into vogue I have read that they would rub themselves with sand and/or ashes; I guess to remove skin oils and dirt, and of course, even without soap they could swim or submerge in the ocean and lakes, etc.

Answer 3

There is a soap-like substance in many plants and they are often found growing on riverbanks or near lakes. We know native Americans used them for cleaning themselves and their use was probably wide spread in the rest of the world in hunter gather societies. Written records tell us that oils which was removed with scrapers or sand was used in early civilizations.

Answer 4

The earliest was probably "Soap Root"
You pounded the roots in a little water and they would release a foamy liquid called Saponin.
I have forgotten the botanical Name for it.

Adolph

Answer 5

The earliest known evidence of soap use are Babylonian clay cylinders dating from 2800 BC containing a soap-like substance.
The Arabs made soap from vegetable oil such as olive oil and some aromatic oils such as thyme oil.

Answer 6

Soap has been around for a very long time-Practically forever.

Answer 7

Even though there wasn't any soap, there still was [and is] water. You can search the Net for full info.

Answer 8

Romans used urine to whiten teeth.

Answer 9

Rocks.
And water.
And animal fat.