• bedwyr@piefed.ca
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      21 hours ago

      Yes, a communal sponge in a container of water, flowing if available, does seem a little offputting to us. Yet after their corruption destroyed the empire, we had 1600 years of using the hand, or presumably random plant matter.

      Paper making was learned from Marco Polo, paper making in a modern sense. From China, but they never improved the process much because labour is cheap and fuck the peasants.

      • Axolotl@feddit.it
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        14 hours ago

        Wikipedia also says that it could’ve just been a toilet brush, which in my opinion makes more sense

      • schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
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        20 hours ago

        Wikipedia says the sponge might have been kept in vinegar or salt water, so it would be kinda-sorta sterile.

        I’m guessing romans used plant matter at home, though; seems the sponge was just for high traffic public restrooms.

        And, having visited some American cities, I’ll take a public bathroom with a sponge over that awkward glance on the way to the bathroom while I pretend to be a customer.

        • bedwyr@piefed.ca
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          20 hours ago

          Right, and as a fellow low tech brewer of alcohol I can see how they have that much vinegar. Alcohol below 5% can get taken by vinegar, that eats it.