The propaganda posters in the Soviet Union were based on the Marxist–Leninist ideology to promote the Communist Party line. Propaganda was one of the many ways the Soviet Union implemented control over its citizens. Glavit was the main Soviet Union censorship body, and its purpose was to eliminate undesirable printed materials that didn’t tow the party line as well as to ensure that the correct ideological spin was put on every published item.

In the midst of the current COVID-19 crisis, it has been revealed that there is a worryingly large portion of western society that have disregarded hand cleanliness for a long time! So it’s time to look back at five Soviet hygiene propaganda posters that wouldn’t let go of you until you changed your hygiene habits.

5. “Dirty hands spell doom. If you wish to avoid illness – be a person of culture: wash your hands before you eat!”

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4. “Dirty hands are a source of infection. Wash your hands after work and prior to eating!”

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3. “Protect your children from intestinal bacteria!”

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2. “Wash your hands after the bathroom, after work and prior to eating. Cleanliness is a precondition to the healthy existence of the worker.”

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1. “Dirty hands spell doom. If you wish to avoid illness – be a person of culture: wash your hands before you eat!”

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