this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2025
42 points (100.0% liked)
HistoryArt
247 readers
226 users here now
This magazine is for sharing artwork of historical events, places, personages, etc. Scale models and the like also welcome!
founded 3 months ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I’m guessing you soak the sponge stick in a bucket of water after use?
Why wouldn’t you just use a towel that can be washed?
A bucket of salt water or vinegar.
Cloth is expensive, a sponge soaks up water well, and can be washed. Knowledge of microscopic bacteria at the time was near-nonexistent.
Yeah I didn’t think they had “soap” then. But vinegar is actually not a bad idea. That probably kills something, maybe?
Vinegar and (sufficiently saline) salt water both kill some bacteria.
Funny enough, the Romans did have soap, adopted from the Gauls.