How Bathrooms Changed Over Time

Charlie Clark • January 18, 2023

An overview of the Bathroom Timeline

Over time, bathrooms have changed drastically, water was not very accessible, to begin with, and today we are facing environmental issues, will the past repeat itself?


The Roman and Greek Era

During this time, bathtubs were invented and rich people had access to them privately. The poor would resort to public washing areas and the average person didn't even realise how bad hygiene could impact the world.


The Middle Ages

The fear of water started to arise in the middle ages, bathing was even less of a habit at the start of this era. However, the making of soap debuted, which was a whole new concept to the public. While the rich had clay baths in their manors, the poor went back to public bathing, making it much less accessible to this demographic.


For Centuries to come

People who fear the water is now an old topic, everyone tried to wash as frequently as possible in an attempt to avoid germs spreading and to battle bad hygiene.

The flushable toilet was presented at the end of the sixteenth century but was not a generic asset until the 19th century.

Roll-top baths became more common to the rich as the poor settled for showers.

Hot water was easily accessible, finally, so this marked a change in the overall bathroom timeline. This promoted washing daily and sustaining good hygiene.



​The Modern World

Bathrooms are now about ergonomics, functionality, and comfort. We try to make them as aesthetically pleasing, welcoming, and relaxing as we can. A bathroom will be used to complete many different tasks, such as simple ones like washing and general hygiene practices, or maybe less common ones like doing laundry, watching television, some even doing exercise.

Bathrooms are often ram-packed with technology in modern homes, floors are heated, lights work with sensors and dimmers, showers are touchscreen, and water pressure can be modified.

Some of these technicalities seem like overkill but some of them are essential when it comes to being friendly with the environment. For example, saving water through modern showers and toilets will make a world of a difference if everyone was to use them.


I hope you enjoyed reading this quick bathroom timeline, going from the Roman Times and the laying of bathroom foundations, to today's surprising and practical trends.


Have a great day.

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