Before outhouses and modern plumbing, humans relied on a mix of indoor vessels and outdoor spaces:
Before modern plumbing, people used a mix of the great outdoors, portable collection buckets, and communal latrines. Methods varied based on the time period and whether they lived in the country or a densely populated city.
Yes, roughly 70% of the world's population uses water instead of (or in combination with) toilet paper to clean themselves after a bowel movement. In many cultures, wiping with dry paper is considered unsanitary or insufficient.
Two thousand years ago, during the height of the Roman Empire, people primarily cleaned themselves using water, natural materials like leaves and stones, or reusable tools. Depending on their social status and location, they relied on distinct methods:
Because houses before the 19th century did not have running water, it was generally necessary for people to “go to the bathroom” either 1) in a chamber pot (a simple bowl with a handle) inside the bedroom, which was then emptied outside or 2) outside of the house, as there was no way to flush the pee/poop!
Ancient Romans did not use toilet paper; instead, they used running water in front of their toilets to clean themselves and a communal sea sponge attached to a stick, called a xylospongium or tersorium, to wipe.
Traditional Amish communities often rely on resourceful, biodegradable, or reusable alternatives to conventional toilet paper. Depending on the strictness of the specific church district, these alternatives can include:
Humans have to wipe because of our upright anatomy, fleshy buttocks, and processed diets. Most animals lack prominent butt cheeks and have a direct exit for waste, meaning their bodies naturally avoid mess. Additionally, many animals groom themselves with their tongues or fur.
Cowboys and pioneers in the 19th century relied on whatever nature or their immediate surroundings provided. Because commercial toilet paper was an expensive and scarce luxury on the frontier, they improvised with a few common items:
Instead of relying solely on toilet paper, Japan primarily uses high-tech electronic bidet toilets, commonly known as "Washlets". These smart toilets utilize built-in, adjustable streams of warm water to cleanse the user and often feature integrated warm-air dryers, completely eliminating the need for paper.
Muslims traditionally and religiously use water to clean themselves after using the toilet. This practice, known as istinja, ensures a higher standard of hygiene and ritual purity.
Yes, modern kings wipe their own bottoms. Today's royals manage their own personal hygiene like everyone else.
The "poop rule" usually refers to a viral home-organization and decluttering hack, though it can also describe medical guidelines for digestive health.
Female hygiene in the 1800s was vastly different from modern standards. It relied entirely on manual labor, homemade solutions, and sponge baths without indoor plumbing. Women managed their periods with reusable cloth pads, prioritized daily surface cleaning, and used heavy perfumes to mask body odor.
Marie Antoinette used "close-stools" (padded wooden chairs with built-in chamber pots) and personal portable potties known as bourdaloues in her private chambers. Later in her reign, she had an early, valve-operated flush toilet installed in her suite at the Palace of Versailles.
To stop urine from splashing or dripping under the toilet seat, try these targeted, practical solutions:
Most men typically wipe by folding toilet paper and reaching either from behind (sitting) or standing up, with a significant percentage (over 50%) preferring to fold rather than crumple. While techniques vary, common methods include reaching behind while seated to wipe back-to-front or front-to-back, with many opting to stand to ensure cleaner access, notes a Men's Health poll.
Approximately 70% of the world's population uses water instead of toilet paper. Across much of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Southern Europe, washing is the cultural and religious standard, utilizing a variety of methods for personal hygiene.
In the Wild West, most people bathed once a week or less. Because water and firewood were scarce on the frontier, full baths were usually reserved for Saturdays. Daily hygiene typically consisted of simple sponge baths using a washbasin and a small pitcher of water.
Muslims practice Istinja, the Islamic rule for washing private parts after defecation. Instead of dry wiping, the tradition requires washing with water to ensure absolute purity.
An unusually long, 2-foot stool is generally the result of delayed bowel movements combined with a high-fiber diet. When you do not go regularly, your body compacts the waste in the colon into one large mass.
Never feed your dog bacon. Because it is extremely high in fat and sodium, even small amounts can trigger life-threatening conditions like acute pancreatitis in dogs.
No, Amish men do not typically use condoms. The use of artificial birth control is generally forbidden by religious doctrine in Amish communities, as large families are viewed as a blessing from God.
If an Amish mother is unable to breastfeed, she will typically use standard commercial infant formula with a bottle. In more traditional or rural communities, families may also rely on raw farm goat's milk (often diluted with water and a sweetener) or turn to wet-nursing—having another lactating mother in the family or community nurse the baby.
Building a 1,000 sq. ft. home with an Amish crew typically costs between $80,000 and $240,000, depending on the level of finish. A basic weather-tight outer shell runs about $80 to $100 per sq. ft., while a fully turnkey, move-in-ready home ranges from $120 to $240 per sq. ft..