Who knows the meaning of the phrase too posh to wash?

Answer 1

the word posh means elegant, expensive or fashionable. so the phrase "too posh to wash" means that that particular item (probably clothes) is very expensive to wash ,meaning that if washed the item will loose it's elegance. or that an individual does not want to wash it or do any other thing that might cause harm to that item.

u know smtimes our mothers tell us to wear an expensive dress twice or thrice( on occasions) before giving it a wash....u can grab the meaning frm that!

Answer 2

I thought that this saying referred to the idle rich, who in days gone by did very little in the way of actual physical work, which made them sweat or get dirty. Hand and face washing was regularly done, and most other bathing was done as a stand up bath with a jug of warm water and a bowl. Hence all the beautiful vintage/jug set that are still around. Bathing facilities, such as a bath tub, were really in the ownership of the rich as well, and done in a very leisurely manner.

Clothing was expensive and all handmade, and especially the very fancy items were delicate to wash and didn't fair too well after a good washing, due to shrinkage or fabric wrinkling. A lot of clothes were removed and brushed down to remove mud and dirt, but careful washing was not often done. The children of the rich were usually washed in a tub, but as they got older they became more like their parents and only washed when deemed necessary. Hair washing was not very often done and usually powdered to remove excess grease.

So in general to sum up, our ancestors were not a very clean bunch as they were mostly ignorant to the knowledge that bacteria and germs caused many illnesses and symptoms of poor hygiene. Flower oils and waters were used as deodorisers to keep bodies and clothing smelling fresher. I'm glad I live in this modern age where I can keep myself, my clothes and my environment clean.