The modern era is full of every convenience one could think of. We have reliable heating, indoor plumbing, and even at the barest income levels most of us could still afford soap and shampoo. However, this was not so in the past. There was a time in the Middle Ages when bathing was seldom undertaken by the lower classes. And, many of the dim conditions of the Dark Ages followed into the 19th century, which was ruled by a need for progress despite the crippling poverty that ensnared many families.
In the 1800s many countries did not yet have public schools or compulsory education laws, nor were there codes as to what a basic home must have. Towards the end of the Victorian era (Queen Victoria died in 1901), many homes of the upper classes already had indoor plumbing, however even they had a much different outlook on hygiene than we do today.
Using the Bathroom
Women of the era wore a lot of skirts and bustles or hoops. So, how did they use the toilet? Well, their pantaloons or knickers were more like pants than the underwear we know today. These loose-fitting undergarments had a split crotch so that women merely had to hover over the bowl instead of disrobing altogether (which would have taken too long). While some well-to-do families had indoor plumbing by the 1880s, many did not, which meant trips to the outhouse or privy when nature called.
The first toilet paper squares were sold in the 1870s (with chemicals added to keep the bathroom from smelling too bad) and the toilet paper roll wasn’t invented until 1891. So what did people use to wipe themselves before that time? The answer might hurt a bit: old newspaper or corncobs seem to be what many people used, provided of course they had access to these things at all.
Taking a Bath
Showers were not yet en vogue and everyone bathed to keep clean. Poorer families would have boiled water on the stove then added it along with cool water to a wooden or metal tub, usually in the kitchen area, when it was time for a deep scrub down. However, most people bathed in rather smaller quantities of water in their bedrooms with a basin and pitcher of cool water. Hands, face, armpits, and crotch were the essential regions and it was not necessary to be submerged in order to maintain a modicum of cleanliness.