# what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 13, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549 "2011-08-13T04:44:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/21 "2011-09-21T13:54:48Z")
The three shells. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/22 "2011-09-21T14:35:53Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > The three shells. When I was young we only used _two_ shells, and we were happy with it. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/23 "2011-09-21T14:47:34Z")
We used to dream of having two shells. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/24 "2011-09-21T14:47:37Z")
_Two shells?_ Luxury. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/25 "2011-09-21T15:05:19Z")
I remember being so poor that we had to make do with just an _image_ of a shell printed on three-ply quilted cotton fiber tissue, because we couldn’t even afford paper! ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/26 "2011-09-21T15:38:07Z")
You all probably already know this but on a related note, royalty used to move from castle to castle because they relieved themselves through a small window and the waste ran down an inner wall. When it built up the stench would prod them to move on. Bringing the outhouse in was a radical choice for some because what went on in the privy was considered nasty. When we moved to the country country (2nd move was even more rural) we had a grand two-storey farmhouse—with one bathroom. And it was on the porch. But that was better than the solution chosen by relatives who still lived in the city; not having a wrap-around porch they put their new bathroom in the livingroom, the only room large enough to accommodate it. Imagine decorating around that. lol And using water to cleanse yourself—haven’t we come full circle with bidets? (Which usually only wealthy people have.) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/27 "2011-09-21T15:46:26Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > You all probably already know this but on a related note, royalty used to move from castle to castle because they relieved themselves through a small window and the waste ran down an inner wall. When it built up the stench would prod them to move on. Cite, please? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/28 "2011-09-22T02:31:49Z")
In days of old, When knights were bold, And toilets weren’t invented. They’d drop their load Beside the road And ride away contented. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nic\_Niewart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9a140/32.png) [@Nic\_Niewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic_Niewart)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/29 "2011-09-23T11:58:24Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > In days of old, > When knights were bold, > And toilets weren’t invented. > > They’d drop their load > Beside the road > And ride away contented. > > 😃 In days of old when knights were bold And toilet paper hadn’t been invented They’d wipe their arse with a clump of grass And went away quite contented. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549/30 "2011-09-23T12:22:08Z")
So, in left-hand-is-reserved-for-personal-hygiene countries: Do cooks have special techniques for handling food one-handed? Or is this just one of those things that restaurant patrons try not to think about? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-was-invented/592549.md?page=1)