Toilet paper was not yet invented, so most colonial people used leaves or corn cobs. Yes, corn cobs! Privies were very unsanitary by our modern standard and most people did not wash their hands after using the bathrooms because they did not know about germs or bacteria.
In the 1700s, colonial Americans began using old newspapers and catalogs to wipe.
Convenient for insertion and surprisingly soft when dried, corn cobs were plentiful and popular among Native Americans and colonial settlers in North America. With the edible kernels removed, the remaining cob has copious grooves and indentations which become quite efficient at trapping any remaining fecal matter.
Alternatives to toilet paper in the Middle Ages
In Europe, wealthier people used wool, rags and scraps of cloth to wipe themselves. The common people knew how to make do with leaves, moss, straw, hay or simply with their hands and water.
The father of American toilet tissue is said to be J.C. Gayetty, and his “Gayetty's Medicated Paper for the Water-Closet” was available from the Civil War era, well into the 1920s.
One of the more popular early American wiping objects was the dried corn cob. A variety of other objects were also used, including leaves, handfuls of straw, and seashells. As paper became more prominent and expendable, early Americans began using newspapers, catalogs, and magazines to wipe.
The Romans cleaned their behinds with sea sponges attached to a stick, and the gutter supplied clean flowing water to dip the sponges in. This soft, gentle tool was called a tersorium, which literally meant “a wiping thing.” The Romans liked to move their bowels in comfort.
The use of toilet paper first started in ancient China around the 2nd century BC.
Corn cobs
Dried corn cobs were plentiful in rural agrarian societies throughout history. According to Farmers' Almanac, the corncob worked by turning on its axis to clean the region (you get the picture). Some outhouses in western US states still use this method.
The Romans used a communal small mop on a stick. called in Latin: tersorium. It was soaked in vinegar or salt water. It could be a sponge on a stick as well.
In many traditional Amish communities, manufactured toilet paper is seen as a luxury item. Instead, they use the following alternatives: Leaves: Naturally available and biodegradable, leaves are common in many rural settings.
Cowboy's toilet paper is an invasive wildflower that is native to Eurasia and Africa. It is a biennial, meaning that it lives for two years. During the first year, it grows close to the ground as a basal rosette of leaves.
An accountable daily ritual of bathing can be traced to the ancient Indians. They used elaborate practices for personal hygiene with three daily baths and washing.
As a result, waterborne diseases like cholera and dysentery were rampant, and cleanliness was compromised. In addition, personal hygiene practices were not as thorough as today. Regular bathing was still uncommon; many people would go without washing their bodies for extended periods.
Frontier toilets were as varied as frontier houses, ranging from an agreed-upon shrub or hole in the ground to free-standing sod or wooden outhouses.
Cowboys were wearing their jeans every day; day in, day out. They didn't wash their jeans so much, so they had to cuff their jeans because of the long length. The cuffs weren't a fashion statement, or because of the fact that they want to show that their jeans were made of a selvedge fabric.
Other ways of wiping before the invention of toilet paper
Early North American settlers used corn cobs. They were abundant, they were soft and they were easy to handle. Sailors used something called a 'tow rag'. A tow rag was a long piece of frayed rope that dangled in the water.
Today's royals take care of their own personal hygiene. But historically the role of Groom of the Stool was a very important one at court, which involved being responsible for assisting the monarch with their excretion and ablutions.
Colonial Times (1700s)
Imagine liberating your land from British tyranny with the monumental feat of signing the Declaration of Independence, and then proceeding to wipe your ass with a dried out corn cob. Shockingly, that's how the founding fathers handled their feces.
In very ancient times, wiping with stones and other natural materials and rinsing with water or snow was common. Some cultures opted for seashells and animal furs.
While wet wipes for adults sound ideal, especially when you're on the go (looking at you, travel wipes), they are not the best option to wipe after pooping. Even those advertised as “gentle cleansing wipes” can cause redness and irritation on your butt, and potentially wipe away good bacteria left behind on your anus.
The seats of the toilets at Roman baths are close together. And there is little historical evidence that men and women had separate bathroom (or bathing) facilities. Some modicum of privacy was provided by the Roman's loose togas, since they were hiked up rather than pulled down.
It was not only the ancient Egyptians who emphasised clean teeth, oral hygiene was also important to the Greeks and Romans. They mainly used tooth powder, which consisted of various ingredients such as charcoal, ground bones and crushed oyster shells. They also used what were probably the first toothpicks in history.