In interwar Lithuania, cleanliness and hygiene were important areas for ensuring public health and well-being. Sewerage systems began to spread in cities, and modern plumbing equipment was no longer surprising in residential buildings. Homemaking courses were organized, lectures were given, and booklets on handwashing and disease prevention were published. Women spared no money for their beauty.
The situation in villages and towns was worse. There was even a lack of outdoor toilets, and cockroaches or fleas often visited homes. People also suffered from scabies, which developed due to unsanitary conditions and lice infestation. Home-made products were used to maintain cleanliness: lye, handmade soap, etc.
The exhibition aims to familiarize visitors with the attitude towards cleanliness and hygiene in Lithuania in the 1910s–1940s. Inconvenient aspects are highlighted: the fight against parasites and neglect, the problem of toilets. The contemporary understanding of cleanliness, intimate hygiene products, everyday objects, and prints are presented. The work of artist Beatričė Milkevičiūtė „Žalioji mėsmusė (Lucilia sericata)“ created especially for the exhibition is also exhibited.
