One of the first signs of impending doom presented by the appearance of COVID-19 was the disappearance of toilet paper from store shelves. People panicked at the possibility of their bottoms being assaulted by rough paper ripped from paper bags or magazines. Actually, there was never any need to be so spooked, because even during the lockdown, paper producers were deemed to be an essential service and toilet paper was being rolled out at a normal rate. The perceived shortage did have an effect, though. It focused the spotlight on this commodity as well as on the various methods to which people historically resorted in pursuit of eliminating remnants of natures call.

In ancient times, the handiest solution was, well, the hand. Usually the left. Thats why in some cultures, eating, or even just touching someone with the left hand, is still regarded as a sinister practice. The ancient Greeks used stones, while the Romans favoured a xylesphongium, a natural sponge on a stick inserted through a vertical opening on the front of a stone toilet seat. There was no need to stand up to finish the job. Interestingly, a modern incarnation of this device is available for overweight people, but instead of a sponge, the gadget holds a piece of toilet paper.

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The Right Chemistry: Toilet paper and its predecessors - Montreal Gazette