Outdated hygiene practices that are far from clean

Rush floors were filled with food scraps and animal droppings

Instead of rugs or tiles, many medieval households used “rush floors”: layers of straw, grasses, and plants meant to insulate and perfume. But over time, they became traps for spilled food, animal droppings, and general dirt.

Rather than cleaning the old layer, they would simply add a new one on top. Some floors weren’t changed for years, turning houses into compost heaps with walls.