bathroom

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

A bathroom is a room equipped with fixtures for distributing potable water and removing waterborne wastes. Historically, plumbing systems for waste disposal were less elaborate than those for water supply. Significant improvements in sanitation and plumbing occurred during the Industrial Revolution, addressing issues of disease spread in crowded urban areas.1

Modern bathrooms typically include a toilet, washbasin, bathtub or shower, and cabinets. Plumbing fixtures are commonly made from materials like porcelain, vitreous china, copper, brass, or plastic. Within a building, plumbing systems consist of drainage and venting to manage waste and prevent odors. The primary residential use of water is in the bathroom, with fixtures like bathtubs, lavatories, and water closets.213

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

7 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

construction
Plumbing
…of water is in the bathroom, which typically includes a bathtub of cast iron or pressed steel with a ceramic porcelain coating (although fiber-glass-reinforced resin is also used), a ceramic lavatory, and a ceramic tank-type water closet. The bath and lavatory are supplied with hot and cold water through faucets…
Read More
…of water is in the bathroom, which typically includes a bathtub of cast iron or pressed steel with a ceramic porcelain coating (although fiber-glass-reinforced resin is also used), a ceramic lavatory, and a ceramic tank-type water closet. The bath and lavatory are supplied with hot and cold water through faucets…
Read More

furniture
Bathroom furniture and fixtures
Bathrooms in large private homes were not unknown in the 18th century, and splendidly equipped marble bathrooms are still preserved in several European palaces and mansions. But not until the 19th century did bathrooms in private homes become more commonplace. Fixtures…
Read More
Bathrooms in large private homes were not unknown in the 18th century, and splendidly equipped marble bathrooms are still preserved in several European palaces and mansions. But not until the 19th century did bathrooms in private homes become more commonplace. Fixtures…
Read More

India
Planning and architecture
The bathrooms were usually indicated by the fine quality of the brickwork in the floor and by waste drains.
Read More
The bathrooms were usually indicated by the fine quality of the brickwork in the floor and by waste drains.
Read More