Vintage Hygiene Practices That Are the Very Opposite of Clean

 
Water Pipes Were Made of Poisonous Lead

Lead poisoning was a common fate for ancient Romans. Their main water supply ran through pipes made of lead, so it's no surprise that the constant exposure made them very sick. The consequences of this repeated exposure led to things like nausea, infertility, stomach pain, and even death. Despite the horrible effects, they continued to use lead because it was incredibly cheap and accessible—just another thing to add to the list of deadly ancient practices.

The convenience of running water probably outweighed any other factor during that time anyway. Again, another reason to be thankful for modern-day practices.