Lore:Hygiene

An Imperial style bath

Hygiene, as it relates to proper oral care, hair or fur care, scale care, bathroom hygiene, and personal grooming and beautification that is not a part of general cosmetics is practiced by the various races and inhabitants of Nirn in all manner of ways. How one cares for their body may vary greatly depending on culture, biology, and the resources available to them.

Bathroom Hygiene

An outhouse

Sewer systems can be found in several larger cities across Tamriel and some are seen as modern marvels of engineering credited with keeping both the cities and local waterways free of disease and refuse. Toilets are sometimes used in large cities to dispose of excrement. Smaller cities however, tend to lack these more intricate sewage systems and instead rely on smaller scale solutions for dealing with waste like outhouses.

On a more individual level, chamber pots are commonly used for waste collection purposes. These household items are quite often varied in their makeup and opulence. The Bretons, Nords, and Dunmer are partial to earthenware chamber pots, while the Altmer tend to craft them with porcelain. Some Chamber pots are commemorative pieces depicting a certain group or event such as the Knights of Saint Pelin or an Imperial chamber pot depicting the longhouse emperors recoiling in fear, no doubt terrified of what is soon to be upon them. Some Khajiit forgo the idea of chamber pots entirely, instead preferring to squat in a certain place and then cover the results in sand in an attempt to mask any odors.

Bathing and washing of one's body can be achieved in multiple ways ranging from bathing in lakes and bathtubs to the simple washing of the hands.

Certain products may be added to bathwater to make a bath more luxurious, such as bath salts. Wealthy Bretons make use of emerald infused salts and hand gathered sea salt in their hot baths. Pungent swamp salts from Argonian lands are a popular choice for an ingredient in such bathing products.

Bathtubs can range from small individual tubs to the large public baths that can be found in many Imperial cities. Orcs also spend time in bathhouses where they double as places to launder clothing. Certain furniture like bath rugs are sometimes used to give whoever is exiting their bath a place to stand as they dry off. Soaps for washing include anything from simple homemade soaps to more exotic lathers like soap made from Sload or the fat of hibernating Bears.

Hair, Fur, and Scale Maintenance

Hair, fur, and scale care encompasses the combing, brushing, maintenance, shaving, and cleanliness of an individuals hair, fur, or scales. Different races and groups have different ways of achieving this, generally through using various combs, razors, and other tools.

Combs may be made from materials that range from things such as simple deerbone, to more exotic materials like dragonbone.

Of the Mer, the Altmer have a preference for combs made of natural materials such as oyster shell. The elite kinlords of Summerset favor foldable cherrywood razors for shaving. Bosmer use ivory from timber mammoths to make combs. The Dunmer use spongy combs made of Hunger tongues to apply products to their hair but prefer the rest of their bodies to be smooth and hairless. Precious little is known of the practices of the long lost Dwemer other than that they used rotating "nostril combs" to keep their nose hair tidy and that they may have forsook shaving entirely.

The Orcs take a somewhat rougher approach, using heavy hairbrushes made from orichalcum.They also use combs specifically for mustaches and Orc forge-wives are known to forge razor blades.

The races of Men are able to approach these matters in much the same way as the elves. Imperial metalworks are known to forge and sell deluxe razors and matching strops for sharpening them. While other Cyrodillic razors are given a cultural flair and studded with rubies. Fine combs made of cypress wood are part of the Nibenese aesthetic. Fancy ivory combs are used by Redguards to style their hair, while some royalty prefers combs of Alik'r make. Hair discs are not uncommon among Breton nobility. Boarbristle brushes and straight razors are common Breton tools. Nords employ tiny clippers to keep their ear hairs trimmed.

Beastfolk such as Argonians and Khajiit take different approaches to these matters as they typically have different morphology when compared to Man and Mer. Argonians use scale scrapers to rid their bodies of any mites and dirt that cling to them, and scrubbers to assist in removing any shedding scales. Tortoiseshell and bronze combs are used by khajiit to rid their fur and manes of tangles and more. Entire kits are sold for this purpose. Beyond that, a type of goop is used to remove things such as ink from a Khajiit's fur.

Werewolves tend to place great emphasis on the care and grooming of their hide, believing that a gleaming coat shall terrify any attackers and protect them from blows. Knot rakes are used to keep a werewolf's fur from becoming matted and gentler knot rakes made of ivory are used by more discerning werewolves to give their fur a more luxurious flair.

Nail and Claw care

The trimming and care of someone's nails or claws is achieved by means of tools such as clippers and files. This is done not only for aesthetic and hygienic purposes but for combat capabilities as well.

Redguard nobles trim their nails with golden trimmers while Bretons employ manicure sets complete with nail clippers and more in fanciful shapes.

Nail trimmers made of hardened shalk resin are used by Dunmer and commemorative nail clippers are given to great house nobles for special occasions The Orcs use heavy duty files crafted from ebony to grind down their hard nails along with toenail clippers, tusk files, and nail knives. The Wood Orcs of Valenwood smooth their nails and sharpen their tusks with steel files.

Forges in Khajiit lands produce iron claw files and special stones are used to help shed loose claws. Khajiit vanities may come equipped with a sharpening post for use in claw care.

Pummice claw files exist to sharpen an Argonian's claws for use in a fight or to dull them. Clam shell is also a material used to produce said files.

Oral care

An Orichalcum brush

Oral care is handled in a number of different ways ranging from cleaning the mouth and tongue to the filing of the teeth for aesthetic or self-defense reasons.

An unpleasant but highly effective mouth freshener can be made from the roots of the kollopi plant. Other, more pleasant mouth fresheners such as those of Breton make, have a gingery taste and whiten the teeth along with freshening ones breath. Some Breton mouth washes use powdered pearls as an ingredient and also whiten the teeth. At least one alchemist from the town of Hoarfrost Downs created a breath freshening concoction that is also an edible spread.

A Dunmer alchemist from Mournhold is the creator of a concoction that doubles as both a breath freshener and a tarnish remover for use on silver. Hardened tablets of scrib jelly packed with scents and herbs are used as breath fresheners as well.

Imperials use plants such as marsh mint for rubbing on their gums.

One luxury item in use by Bosmer is corundum files for cleaning their teeth.

Khajiit take a slightly different approach in that they add sugar to their mouthwash, believing it to be essential to good oral hygiene.

Vampire's put great effort into making sure their fangs are kept in good shape, using specialized tools to clean, sharpen, and polish their fangs. Fang brushes are also used.

Gallery

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  A Dunmer bathroom

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  Orcish bath basins

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  Orcish sauna

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  Orcish Laundromat

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  Altmeri Bathhouse

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  Abandoned Daedric bathhouse

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  A prop Chamber Pot Throne

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  A bath

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.