Washstand

A washstand is a special piece of furniture that people used to use for washing their hands or face before it became common to have running water in your house. It usually has a big bowl, called a basin, that would hold the water, and a place to hold soap and towels. People would pour the water from the pitcher into the bowl and then dip their hands or face in to clean them. Some washstands even had a mirror on them so people could see themselves while they washed up. Nowadays, we have sinks in our bathrooms that do the same job, but in the past, washstands were very important for keeping clean and healthy.