The Surprising History of Toilet Paper

Before toilet paper became a bathroom staple in the 1800s, people around the world used whatever was accessible, including corncobs, seashells, or even snow. Modern tissue paper was originally marketed as a medical treatment for piles.

Long before mass-produced rolls hit shelves, hygiene habits were dictated entirely by local geography and wealth. Romans famously used a sponge on a stick soaked in salt water, while wealthy elites in medieval times opted for lace or wool. When Joseph Gayetty first launched toilet paper in 1857, he actually sold it as a medicated product to soothe irritation. It took decades for the soft, perforated rolls we recognize today to become a global standard.