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@ Betelgeuse
2025-05-04 20:23:30Disclaimer: No artificial intelligence tool has been used to write this article except Grammarly.
There are some things that no one* wants to talk about in a public forum. One of those things is how we clean ourselves after using the toilet. Being a South Asian, I find the bathroom etiquette a bit different from where I am now- in the US. I don't think it is something we have to keep mum about.
[*Mostly]
Earlier, I had read a "Quora WAR" where there was a fierce fight between fellow Western country people vs Indians. Indians advocated using water and the West despised that and advocated using dry wipes/toilet paper. Recently (Yesterday), I remembered this Quora debate and I was curious, when was the commercial production of toilet tissues started? And what were the hygiene methods followed before that.
Obviously, My reading started with Wikipedia. And from there, it was a rabbit-hole. I don't know how, I kept on reading for almost 2 hours. And this piece is out of my understanding of things I read during that mere 2 hours.
We take it for granted today, but toilet paper has a fascinating story spanning thousands of years. From creative ancient solutions to the modern perforated roll, humanity's quest for comfort and cleanliness reveals surprising ingenuity.
Time Before Toilet Paper
Historically, people used whatever they had in their habitat, to clean themselves. This varied from grass, leaves, tree barks, etc. And yes, many civilizations insisted and used water as the main cleaning method. But this was mainly based on the availability of clean water.
Wherever the availability of water was in question, people got creative! Ancient Romans used "tersorium"- basically it is a sea sponge on a stick. They sock it in vinegar or salt water between uses. These were communal.
Greeks preferred smooth pottery fragments with rounded edges. Of course, no one wanted the other end of the digestive tract injured! :D
Early Chinese civilizations wrapped cloth around wooden sticks shaped like spatulas.
Medieval Europeans show their class divisions even in the bathroom! The wealthy used wool, hemp, or even lace. While commoners made do with whatever cloth they had- sometimes, their own sleeves (- today, YUCK!). In the 1700s rural Americas, people turned to nature, using corncobs and seashells.
No matter what we think about these methods, every civilization and every class of people in those valued one thing - Cleanliness.
True Toilet Paper Pioneers
We all know China invented paper somewhere near 100 AD. By the 6th century, Emporer Yandgi's court records show that he used 15,000 sheets of paper annually, just for his personal hygiene!
Early Chinese toilet papers were made from rice straw, hemp, and bamboo. They boiled the material, churned it into a pulp, flattened and dry it, and then cut into shape before using it. By 14th century, the imperial court enjoyed "Perfumed paper sheets". Records show that the royal family alone used almost 0.75 million sheets yearly!!
However, not everyone was happy with this invention. Traveling Muslim merchants described the Chinese practice as "Haraam" (foul), they always preferred using water.
The West Catches Up
Western toilet paper development took longer. Sir John Harrington invented the flushing toilet in 1596, though it would not become common for centuries. By the 1700s, newspapers became a popular bathroom staple.
The commercial breakthrough came only in 1857 when American entrepreneur Joseph Gayetty found a way for the commercial production of toilet papers. But at that time it was sold in another name - "Medicated Paper for Water-Closet". He sold it 500 sheets for 50 cents. Only then the use of "Toilet papers" really arrived in the West.
Rolling into Modern Era
Later in the 19th century, manufacturers found the best and most economical way to produce and store toilet paper - as "Rolls" like we see today. Seth Wheeler of Albany patented perforated wrapping paper in 1871. and the first modern perforated toilet paper roll came out in 1891, making the "tearing" much easier - literally and figuratively! :D
That was the same time home plumbing was improving a lot which resulted in having the toilets inside the home itself. With that, the consumption of toilet paper rose - first as a vanity symbol and later as a common addition to the shopping list.
Big Business in Bathrooms
Brothers - Clarence and Edward Irvin Scott founded Scott Paper Company in Philadelphia in 1879, initially cutting and packaging toilet paper for retailers to sell under their brands. The company grew after 1896 when Arthur Hoyt Scott joined. They started mass-producing their brand of toilet paper. By 1910, they had built the largest paper mill in Chester, marking the industrialization of toilet paper production.
Meanwhile, that old paper made of concoction in China became popular there by the 16th century.
From Luxury to Necessity
We humans always run behind an unknown "comfort". The story of toilet paper is also not so different from that. Imagine using the pottery fragments in place of that "plush quilted ultra-soft scented bathroom tissues". This everyday item we rarely think about represents centuries of innovation and cultural evolution.
Next time you pull a pack of tissue papers from the back aisle of Costco, spare a "thanks" for your ancestors and their corncobs, sea sponges, and pottery fragments.
And maybe soon, you might be "Zapping" to buy tissue papers.
Final Thoughts
The COVID-19 pandemic time gave us some lessons as well as some "FailArmy" videos. One of those videos was people fighting over the last available toilet paper pack in some shop. After the pandemic, there has been a surge in American homes installing Bidet faucets in their bathrooms. A bit late, but the West is now catching up again with the East! :D
Let me know if you liked this article - leave a reaction/comment. Cheers.