13 Public Restroom Features That Are Long Gone
This list explores once-common public restroom features that have faded into obscurity due to changing standards in hygiene, design, and cultural expectations.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Public restrooms have evolved dramatically over the past century, phasing out features that were once considered normal or even luxurious. From cloth towel rollers and coin-operated doors to ashtrays and powder lounges, these relics reflect changing values around sanitation, privacy, and accessibility. What was once standard is now outdated, and many of these former fixtures are remembered more for their impracticality than their charm.
1. Cloth Roller Towels
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These looped cloth towels were common in restrooms from the 1950s through the 1980s. Users would pull down on a roller mechanism to reveal a fresh portion of the towel, but in practice, the same dirty section often got reused. Hygiene concerns and the rise of paper towels and air dryers led to their disappearance.
2. Coin-Operated Stall Doors
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Some public restrooms, especially in train stations or bus depots, used to charge users a small fee to unlock the stall door. A coin slot was built into the lock, typically requiring a dime or a quarter. These were mostly phased out in the 1980s due to complaints about accessibility and basic human rights.
3. Toilet Attendants with Tip Trays
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In high-end venues like department stores or nightclubs, it was once common to find uniformed attendants stationed in restrooms. They offered mints, cologne, and hand towels, and expected a small tip in return. The practice has faded due to labor costs and changing attitudes toward privacy.
4. Ashtrays in Stalls and Above Sinks
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During the smoking era of the mid-20th century, public restrooms often included built-in ashtrays next to sinks or even inside stalls. Smokers could light up while doing their business without stepping outside. As smoking bans expanded in the 1990s and 2000s, these fixtures vanished.
5. Full-Length Communal Sinks
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Instead of individual sinks, some restrooms had long trough-like basins with multiple faucets spaced along one fixture. These were popular in schools, airports, and sports arenas. They were replaced by modern, individual sinks offering more personal space and cleaner design.
6. Central Floor Drains
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Public restrooms once relied on large central floor drains because custodians would hose the entire floor down. This approach made cleaning faster but often left wet and slippery floors. As tile and cleaning technology improved, mops and targeted cleaning replaced this method.
7. Wooden Stall Doors
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Early public restrooms often featured wooden doors and partitions that warped, absorbed moisture, and were hard to clean. While they offered a warmer aesthetic than metal, they were not practical in humid or high-traffic environments. Metal and plastic laminate became the industry standard by the late 20th century.
8. No Privacy Gaps
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Older public restrooms in the U.S. and Europe had stall doors that extended fully to the floor and ceiling, offering complete privacy. These designs gradually gave way to cheaper, easier-to-install partitions that left awkward gaps. The trade-off between cost, safety, and cleanliness caused the more private setups to fade.
9. Tile Urinal Troughs
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Instead of individual urinals, some restrooms used a continuous tile basin for men to share. These were common in stadiums, schools, and bars until the 1980s. Hygiene concerns and growing expectations for privacy led to the switch to individual porcelain fixtures.
10. Powder Rooms for Women
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Upscale department stores and hotels once offered separate powder rooms for women, often furnished with sofas, mirrors, and vanities. They served more as a lounge than a restroom, giving women a place to rest and touch up their makeup. These spaces were gradually eliminated due to cost and changing social norms.
11. Foot Pedal Flushers
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Before the widespread use of motion sensors and manual flush levers, some public restrooms used foot pedal flushers. These allowed users to avoid touching any surface with their hands. Though hands-free, they fell out of favor due to inconsistent function and maintenance issues.
12. Shared Bar Soap
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Public restrooms sometimes featured communal bar soap mounted on metal rods or placed in dishes. The idea was to encourage hand washing, but the sight of a soggy, overused bar turned many people off. Liquid soap dispensers eventually replaced them as the more sanitary choice.
13. Gender-Segregated Entrances with Elaborate Signs
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Older restrooms, especially in theaters or vintage diners, often had ornately designed signs with “Ladies” and “Gentlemen” written in cursive or stylized fonts. These entrances were sometimes entirely separate, even on different sides of a building. Over time, these features disappeared in favor of more accessible and inclusive signage.