Toilets have existed in one form or another since the earliest civilizations, but the first known flushing toilet was invented by Sir John Harington in 1596. Harington's toilet was installed in his London home and used a cistern of water to flush away waste. The design was later improved by Thomas Crapper in the 1800s, who added a U-bend to the drainpipe to prevent sewer gases from entering the toilet bowl.