Picture a Viking, a burly warrior with a wild beard, clutching an axe, and smelling like a fish market on a hot day. That’s the stereotype. But here’s the real shocker: Vikings were obsessed with cleanliness. They bathed more often than most Europeans at the time. Let’s scrub away the myths and dive into the surprisingly squeaky-clean world of Viking hygiene.
The Dirty Truth About Viking Stereotypes
When you think of Vikings, “clean” probably isn’t the first “Clean” is probably not the first word that springs to mind when you think about Vikings. Hollywood often shows them as cruel and dirty animals. However, historical documents provide a different account. In the Viking Age, an Arab explorer named Ahmad ibn Fadlan met Vikings. They washed frequently, he observed. The Vikings were surprisingly clean. Their enemies noticed this too.
This showed how clean their daily lives were. The word that comes to mind. Hollywood loves to show them as mud-caked, blood-splattered brutes. But historical records tell a different story. Arab traveler Ahmad ibn Fadlan, who met Vikings in the 10th century, wrote that they washed their faces and heads daily— ” more than any other people. ” Even their enemies admitted Vikings were oddly tidy.
So why the bad reputation? Later, Christian writers (who weren’t fans of Vikings) painted them as filthy pagans to demonise them. The truth? Vikings were the “clean freaks” of the medieval world.
Weekly Baths? Yes, They Had a Schedule
During the Middle Ages, many Europeans believed that bathing was unhealthy. Not Vikings. They bathed every Saturday. They called it Laugardagur, which means “Bathing Day.” For comparison, some European monks only bathed twice a year.
Vikings made soap from animal fat and ash. They washed in wooden tubs, lakes, or rivers. They even took silly things like grooming kits on raids! Archaeologists have found combs, ear cleaners, and tweezers in Viking graves. These items reveal details about Viking life. Imagine a burly warrior pausing mid-pillage to tweeze his eyebrows.
Hair Care: Vikings Were Hipster Barbers
Viking men and women took pride in their hair. Combs are one of the most common items found in Viking graves—carved from bone, antler, or wood. They used them daily to style their hair and beards, often accessorizing with beads or braids.
Blond hair was especially prized. Some Vikings even bleached their hair with a strong soap made from animal fat and lye (which also killed lice—bonus!). Talk about multitasking.
Dental Hygiene: No Toothpaste, No Problem
Vikings didn’t have fresh breath, but they did care about their teeth. They used toothpicks from twigs or animal bones to pick food scraps. Some people made grooves in their teeth for decoration. Historians aren’t sure if this was for fashion or to show status.
Their personal grooming habits extended beyond hair and skin. Their diet was full of fish, dairy, and some sweets. This kept their teeth healthier than many men and women in medieval Europe.
Laundry Day: Vikings Hated Stinky Clothes
Vikings washed their clothes regularly using soap and stale urine (yes, urine!). Ammonia in urine acted as a natural bleach to remove stains. They’d beat clothes clean with wooden paddles in rivers—a workout and washing day rolled into one.
Wool was their go-to fabric because it resisted odors. They used herbs like mint and thyme to freshen the Vikings’ clothes. This shows that personal hygiene was important, even for their wardrobes.
The Great Viking Sauna
Saunas weren’t just a Finnish invention—Vikings loved them too! They made sweat lodges by heating stones in a fire. Then, they poured water over the stones to create steam. These saunas were for bathing and relaxation. They were also used for giving birth. After sweating it out, they’d jump into a cold lake. Hot springs and steam baths were central to Viking hygiene practices, blending practicality with wellness in daily life.
Why Were Vikings So Clean?
- Religion: Vikings believed cleanliness pleased the gods. Dirty people were thought to attract bad luck.
- Practicality: Staying clean prevented infections during raids or farming.
- Social Status: Neat hair and clothes showed you were wealthy and disciplined.
Viking Hygiene Myths Debunked
- Myth: Vikings were filthy because they raided. Truth: Raiding was seasonal. At home, they kept clean like anyone else.
- Myth: They never washed their hair. Truth: They washed and styled it daily—combs were grave essentials because they combed their hair every day.
- Myth: Vikings smelled like rotten fish. Truth: Their diet was fish-heavy, but personal grooming routines like regular bathing and soap kept odors in check.
What Did Other Cultures Think?
While Europeans wrote snarky comments about Viking baths, Arab traders praised their hygiene. Ibn Fadlan noted their daily washing, though horrified by their communal morning snot ritual (they blew noses into a shared bowl—yikes).
Even the English monk John of Wallingford noted that Vikings’ grooming habits made them “irresistible” to English women.
Viking Hygiene’s Lasting Legacy
Viking grooming had a bigger impact on Europe than you might expect.
- Soap recipes traveled along trading routes.
- Comb their hair every day became common even in royal courts.
- Combs became popular in medieval towns.
- The English word “Thursday” comes from Thor’s Day—but maybe they should’ve kept Laugardagur (Bathing Day)!
Why Does This Matter Today?
The Viking hygiene myth shows that those who win, or who are the cleanest, often shape history. It also shows that even “savage” cultures had skills we often ignore.
Ibn Fadlan observed that both men and women looked quite neat. He noted that even noble daughters were often swayed by Viking cleanliness. Some saw it as a virtue of married life. Married women admired those clean habits. Some nobles felt flattered when asked if being a concubine was noble.
Next time you shower, remember the Viking Hygiene. They made cleanliness trendy!
Conclusion
So, let’s scrub away the grimy stereotypes—Vikings weren’t the smelly savages pop culture paints them to be. They took weekly baths, used careful grooming kits, and loved fresh laundry. So, they were cleaner than most medieval neighbours. Their hygiene habits, like soap recipes and saunas, showed more than just practicality. They were a badge of pride, mixing culture, religion, and smart survival skills. Next time you think of a Viking, picture a warrior with a comb in one hand and an axe in the other. Turns out, the “filthy barbarian” was way ahead of his time!
