Victorian toilets indoor toilets were not as available as they are now, and they looked very different during the Victorian era. Before we had sewers and flushing toilets, humans disposed of their waste in cesspools. A cesspool was a big hole dug in the ground, and these holes were lined with brick or stone, with the bottom of it being lined with soil. Please continue to support my channel by subscribing. These holes would be filled right to the brim until the hole could not contain any more waste. Once it was full, a soil man would collect it. This was a designated job role that involved drying out the waste and turning it into fertilizer to be used by farmers on their land. Ironically, nothing went to waste, and for hundreds of years, our fields and countryside were fertilized by human waste. Indoor plumbing and modern toilets that we take for granted today did not exist in the Victorian era. The public were expected to use designated outhouses or chamber pots for their personal hygiene.

needs. So, how would the Victorian women, who were known for wearing large, extravagant, and expensive dresses, manage to go to the toilet in an outhouse? The heavy silk, satin, and velvet dresses were a big issue when trying to avoid peeing or pooing themselves, very different to the ease that men faced when they could easily remove their simple slacks to go to the toilet. Not only were there outbuildings to use, this was a problem for those cold nights, and so people also used chamber pots indoors for convenience. These pots were put away in a cupboard or under the bed and brought out when needed. They were convenient because they could be transported when required rather than being static in the outside building. These were used especially by those that lived in homes with more than one story and whom it would be inconvenient to go downstairs and then outside to use. Each person may have their own chamber pot, but once full, these would be poured into a larger pot or picked that a number of people had access to. If you were a privileged family with

wealth you would have access to your own standalone building and pit, which would be a wooden structure in the garden. However, for other people, these pits would be in a backyard, and the public would have to bring their own water and newspapers or other materials to clean themselves. Running water in a toilet was not available to use. These would all be emptied by a designated soil man, whose job it was to remove the waste periodically. The idea of a restroom sounds like a better alternative, but these were public areas for people to go to the toilet, but they were actually less hygienic than the private pits and chamber pots due to being emptied very infrequently, leading to a grim buildup of human fecal matter. During the Victorian era, many technological and cultural changes were taking place, but the people were only just learning about hygiene and the idea of germs living on surfaces. But not everybody was aware or understood, as personal hygiene was not always prioritized. People were not always aware of the importance of hygiene and did not know

that a buildup of germs or dirt could make them ill. It was therefore no surprise that people did not always prioritize good hygiene through washing themselves, and money was also tight for many families, as though families did not prioritize it over other things that they needed. Families were often forced to share a tub of water for a whole family, unaware of why this would be unhygienic. It was common for the people in society to not change their underwear for a few days, and the grim odor that occurred as the result unfazed them, no matter how bad the smell got. This was a consequence of not having indoor plumbing at the time. However, there were initiatives to advance hygiene practices and sanitation as the Victorian era went on. Victorian London had been undergoing a period of industrialization and mass production. The population was at an all-time high, which brought many problems. One included the poor sanitation of the city, which led to some devastating consequences during the 19th century: four major outbreaks of cholera between 1832 and

1866 ravaged London communities and led to the death of tens of thousands of people. In 1831, a dangerous new epidemic began in London. The people were full of panic, and they rushed around to find a solution to the city's sanitation problems. In the 1700s, Great Britain began transforming into an industrialized nation, and by the 1800s, the Revolution was well underway. London was the largest city in the world at the time, and many people moved there from the countryside to earn money in the large city. Due to the ever-growing population and popularity of the area, London became overwhelmed by waste products. Thomas Crapper created the first contemporary flush toilet. He was also the first man to set up public showrooms for displaying sanitary wear, and he became known as an advocate of sanitary plumbing, popularizing such installations inside people's homes. This led to the notion of these products to become more widely available, especially in privileged households. The bathroom that we are privileged to use today was invented during the Victorian era; however, they had not quite

mastered all of the logistics of making it a smooth operation. The water was sometimes too hot, which led to many people being scolded. The toilet was also known to randomly explode, and this was due to the flammable gases that were emitted from human waste, such as methane and hydrogen sulfide. Over a number of years, the buildup of human excrement in the sewers meant that the backlog would come back up into the toilets inside people's homes. A naked flame or candle would set a light, and candles were still being used for light at the time, and the two were not very compatible. So how did women go to the toilet in those huge puffy dresses? Women's clothing was extremely troublesome, but looks and class prioritized much more than convenience. The dresses were made up of layers of ruffled lace, intricate embellishments, satin, and velvet. They were extremely heavy for the women, which made everyday tasks mere impossible. Not only were they heavy, they were also floor-length, which using your imagination, you can see how

this would cause quite the challenge for women. Underneath their dresses were heavy underskirts and petticoats, as well as restrictive corsets. These challenging undergarments had to be removed in order to use the varying different types of public restrooms. Chamber pots could be used by women, which were modest porcelain or metal containers that women could use at home. These pots were put away in a cupboard or under the bed and brought out when needed. They were convenient because they could be transported when required, rather than being static in the outside building. These were used especially by those that lived in homes with more than one story, and of whom it would be inconvenient to go downstairs and then use. Each person may have had their own chamber pot, but once full, these would be poured into a larger pot or pit that a number of people had access to. These women would have to retreat to private rooms, or their bedroom or dressing room, to relieve themselves in private. This would be a huge task and would require removing many layers just for them to get redressed again.

afterwards, one solution to this issue. These pots were typically covered with a lid to cover any odors and were frequently kept in a special cabinet or under the bed. Chamber pots, as you can imagine, were very unhygienic and smelly, and so women had to get creative when they traveled away from their private homes to further afield in a bed to prevent their dresses from becoming ruined, which was costly. They would often use a urinal bottle. These bottles are made of glass or metal and had a spout at one end which would allow the women to be inserted into the dress and allow women to urinate whilst still wearing their clothing. The beauty of these devices was that women had so cleverly created meant they would be carried privately in the women's handbags or pockets. A toilet chair was another option that was used. It was a portable chair with a hole in the seat that allowed women to use the restroom. Women can lift up their dresses to use or would often require another person, such as a maid, to help them.

the most popular remedy; however, was for women to simply take off their underskirt and petticoat to use the restroom. For privileged women, separate rooms and closets were used. They were often found on the ground floor in a different wing of the house. Inside these rooms were often a toilet, a wash basin, and a vanity or dressing table. When these Victorian women did not have access to their private rooms, they were forced to use public restrooms that lacked adequate lighting, as well as being very small to use and highly unhygienic. Of course, these women preferred their own private rooms, but they were not always available to use. The women of this period were exceptionally judged and held to the highest of standards for modesty and decorum. This seemed an impossible task with such difficult and inconvenient facilities. Special knacks and tricks were passed down from women on how to be discreet and cautious. The task is further complicated by the monthly menstrual cycles, which was also highly taboo at the time. The SE women were expected to hide their cycles as well as concealing

any symptoms. Society taught them that their period was dirty and a source of embarrassment, and therefore they would often hide away during such time that their period would start. Sanitary towels did not exist like they do today, and women were faced with using rags, clothes, or folded newspaper, or even moss, which would have been uncomfortable and unhygienic. There were not the best practices for washing such items, and so they would be reused over and over without proper sanitation, which increased the likelihood of these women getting infections. Other materials that were popular to use were sheepskin or leather vaginal pouches, but these were extremely costly and hard to wash. Many women suffered during their period as they do now with cramps, bloating, and headaches, and there were very few options for pain relief. With the absence of proper pain medication, women would use hot water bottles, warm baths, and herbal remedies. Opium was widely available at the time, but it had devastating consequences, and many women would become addicted to them, only exacerbating their emotional

symptoms which will lead to more shame. Society viewed women who were on their period as being emotionally unstable and weak, and so they were taught and forced to suppress their feelings and interaction with others. Scientists in the years that followed would begin to research into the menstrual cycle, which did go on to provide better information about it so that improvements could be made to women's lives. Please continue to support my channel by subscribing. Please comment, like, and subscribe if you wish for more stories, and leave your suggestions below, and I will endeavor to cover them.

The History Of The Victorian Toilet & Womens Hygiene

The History Of The Victorian Toilet & Womens Hygiene