What did people do before toilet paper was invented?

Answer 1

Hi! Here´s my answer:

Toilet Paper:

Before this invention, wealthy people used wool, lace or hemp for their ablutions, while less wealthy people used their hand when defecating into rivers, or cleaned themselves with various materials such as rags, wood shavings, leaves, grass, hay, stone, sand, moss, water, snow, maize husks, fruit skins, or seashells, and cobb of the corn depending upon the country and weather conditions or social customs. In Ancient Rome, a sponge on a stick was commonly used, and, after usage, placed back in a bucket of saltwater.

In some parts of the world, the use of newspaper, or telephone directory pages, was common. Old Farmer's Almanac was sold with a hole punched in the corner so it could be hung on a nail in an outhouse. The widely-distributed Sears catalogue was also a popular choice until it began to be printed on glossy paper (at which point, some people wrote to the company to complain). In Hervé Bazin's book, "Viper in the Fist", a Catholic family uses pages of the Catholic newspaper, La Croix (after tearing off the cross of Calvary). In modern flush toilets, using newspaper as toilet paper is liable to cause blockages.


I hope it helps

Answer 2

The Romans used sponges on sticks I believe. Some people used their left hand, which is why left handed people still maybe be discriminated against. Leaves. I found a site just a few seconds ago.

Answer 3

In Imperial days, Roman soldiers marched with long sticks held in the air with sea sponges on top. They used the sponges as toilet paper, then kept them way up in the air on the sticks so they wouldn't have to smell them.

Answer 4

Medieval people went for a "bath" yeah uh huh.. some bath that was...
Leaves, rivers, snow (lol that must be really cold) depending on region, twigs if they can't seem to get it out.. cloths from animals... no sand I would believe... too irritating and hard to get out lol... I bet some of the oldest rainforests/ forests at some point had poop on the leaves and bark...

Maybe they just didn't care.

Answer 5

are you not aware of the fact that not all people use toilet paper?in many places, people wash with water...and feel using a toilet paper is iffy, to say the least.

Answer 6

Many different things were used, including soaked corn cobs and the Sears catalog. Cleaning was done with the left hand in many cultures; which is why in certain parts of the world it is very rude to eat with your left hand.

Answer 7

anciently they used their left hand to clean themselves. this is where we get the apparently genetic mistrust of left handed people and why the Muslim culture and many other cultures throughout history have considered the left hand Unclean and not to be used in polite society to touch other people, or to eat with
Later in history people used cloths of cotton linen, and then later they used old papers and circulars/ catalogs to take care of business

Answer 8

They do the same lots of people in Asia (and not only poor people) still do: Use water and their (left) hand. Then - obviously - the hand is thoroughly washed.
It is the most hygienic way of cleaning oneself.

Answer 9

The Romans used to use pieces of moistened sponge tied to the end of a stick. They also washed them out and reused them.

Answer 10

washed themselves with water. it was a much cleaner method. u dont get to clean yrself as clean in a toilet paper and yr asshole stinks too. try water sometime, u may end up feeling and smelling clean too.