What was feminine hygiene like in the 1700s?

Menstrual Care in the 1700s: Simple, Practical, and Private

In the 1700s, feminine hygiene was a matter of necessity and resourcefulness. With no commercial pads or tampons, women relied on what they had at hand—usually scraps of old clothing or even repurposed baby nappies. These makeshift solutions were washed, boiled, and reused, reflecting both the practicality and constraints of life at the time.

Most women didn’t have access to specialized menstrual products, so they improvised. Old linens, cotton rags, and even folded pieces of sheepskin served the purpose. Sheepskin, in particular, was valued for its softness and absorbency, especially when lined with cotton to prevent irritation. These materials were not only accessible but durable enough to be cleaned and reused multiple times—a necessity in an era when fabric was expensive and often hand-sewn.

Cleaning involved boiling the soiled rags to sanitize them before reuse. This method, while effective, was time-consuming and done in private, as menstruation was rarely discussed openly. Social norms of the time dictated modesty, so women managed their cycles quietly, often without much support or shared knowledge.

Unlike today’s disposable options, 18th-century menstrual care was deeply personal and rooted in domestic routines. There were no advertisements, no discussions in public, and certainly no medical guidance tailored to women’s health. Yet, through ingenuity and resilience, women navigated their monthly cycles with the tools they had.

It wasn’t until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that commercial products began to emerge. But in the 1700s, simplicity ruled—rags, boiling water, and quiet endurance defined the experience for most women across Europe and early America.