Did King Tut ever battle the Superbug? Clearly, the ancient Egyptians were unaware of MRSA or cheap landau scrubs. Nevertheless, they were exceptionally hygienic people. Some experts have even argued that the expression "cleanliness is next to godliness" may have, in spirit, originated from the ancient Egyptians. Although they lacked our modern knowledge about bacteria and how to treat them, they were quite enlightened about how to keep themselves clean (and attractive). Here are some specific areas in which they used this approach:

1. Soaps

Egyptians did not have the antibacterial soap that doctors and nurses use today. However, they did have a cleaning agent called "swabu," which was a paste that contained clay or ash. Another soap-like material that they used included a combination of vegetable oils and animal oils; and alkaline salts. The Egyptians used these early forms of soap, to wash and to treat various types of skin diseases.

2. Footbaths

Walking in the Middle East can be a dusty activity. In ancient Egypt, people's feet became particularly dusty when walking barefoot outside and inside their homes-both surfaces were the same. Wealthy Egyptians were fortunate enough to own clay or wooden footbaths, for cleaning their feet.

3. Washing

For the ancient Egyptians, bathtubs were not the bathing method of choice. In fact, few of them existed during the time. Washing in rivers and canals apparently satisfied most Egyptians.

Egyptians also used washbasins. They probably washed with a mixture of salt, natron, and sand. The salt and natron cleaned, while the sand served to scrub off dirt and dead skin cells from the body. Egyptians would wash up after waking up in the morning, and before and after the main meals. They even had a type of mouthwash, termed "bed."

4. Hair

In today's workplace, such as in medical facilities, hair must typically be worn in a functional manner. What was the ancient Egyptians' approach to hair? Wealthy women used various types of tools to style their hair, including:

•combs

•hairpins

•mirrors

•razors

Meanwhile, men were typically clean-shaven. Some pharaohs had beards, but these were fake and revealed that their wearers were royalty. Boys' heads were shaved, while girls frequently wore pigtails.

5. Laundry

Today, many medical and dental clinics, and hospitals use scrubs as uniforms for many of their employees. Besides being very hygienic, scrubs are also a cinch to clean, and they dry quickly.

The ancient Egyptians were also particular about their clothes' cleanliness. The famous ancient historian Herodotus wrote of the ancient Egyptians, "They are very careful to wear newly-washed linen all the time." He also noted that "...they would rather be clean than better looking." Interestingly, while the Egyptians valued wearing clean clothes, the upper class was condescending towards the washers.

Though the ancient Egyptians lived thousands of years in the past, their personal hygiene was indeed astounding. Today's medical personnel can continue that tradition, by using various methods, such as the wearing of hygienic scrubs. Staying clean and healthy will never go out of style!