STEPHANUS’ LAUNDRY

Having clean clothes was probably one of the most important things for anyone who was ‘anyone’, in Pompeii during the digs, 18 laundries were found where one of the best preserved one was that of Stephanus.  Where on the ground floor, the hard work took place, on the next floor were the living quarters and drying zones.
In the hallway, clothes were folded and then off they went to be washed on a delicate setting.  In the court yard there were many baths where the cleaners would fold the clothes using their feet, not a pretty sight as ammoniac was used to get things clean and it was usually in the form of personal ‘wee’.
The laundries got their precious liquid by putting out various bins so passers- by could make good use of them..