Unique toilet habits around the world!

It’s taken a few years for the travel industry to get back to where it was before COVID-19. Now, however, most people are finally cleared for take off to new (and old) destinations. International travel can be a great learning experience in all kinds of ways. Possibly one of the more unexpected ones is learning about international bathroom etiquette.

Andrew Sinclair, Managing Director of Get Loos Ltd looks into the unique toilet habits around the world - some you may have never realised before!

Globally, few countries provide toilet paper

Some countries do not use toilet paper at all. In these countries, people either use water (bidets) or their hands. If they use their hands, the assumption is that the left hand is used. The left hand is therefore never used for activities where hygiene is important. This includes shaking hands and eating.

There are also some countries which have adopted (or are adopting) the use of toilet paper. At the same time, however, they often retain the practice of only using the right hand for activities where hygiene matters. Countries where you might encounter this include: India, China, Singapore, Thailand, S. Korea, and Taiwan.

Some countries don’t automatically provide toilet paper. You have to pay for it. Some countries do, technically, provide toilet paper. In reality, however, there may or may not be any there at any given point in time.

Basically, no matter where you’re going, the safest approach is to have your own stash of toilet paper. It doesn’t hurt to have soap/wipes/sanitiser as well.

How to use a bidet

If you’re in Asia, the chances are you’ll use an integrated bidet. This will either be a jet integrated into the pan or a hose connected to the cistern.

If the jet is in the pan, it will often activate as soon as the flush is over. If it doesn’t, there will be some form of control you need to use. If it’s a hose connected to the cistern, you essentially use it the same way as an over-bath shower. In other words, you just aim and turn on the water.

If you’re in Europe, a bidet is more likely to be a separate appliance, usually situated at the side of a toilet. Stand-alone bidets look like toilets but they don’t have a lid and do have a tap and spout.

To use a stand-alone bidet, you straddle (like a bicycle). Position the area you want to clean so that the water hits it. What this means in practice will depend partly on where you are cleaning and partly on the bidet. Then turn on the water until it is the temperature and strength you want.

Using a bidet can be a strange experience at first. Once you get used to it, however, it will give you a thorough clean. You won’t need to use toilet paper for hygiene. You may, however, want to use some to dry yourself off.

Many countries require you to bin toilet paper

Where countries do commonly use toilet paper, it’s relatively rare for it to be disposed of down the toilet itself. If you see a bin right beside a toilet, that’s probably what it’s for. If you see a sign above a toilet as well, it’s almost certainly reminding you that’s where your toilet paper should go.

If you’re in a country that does allow you to put toilet paper down the pan, that’s all you should ever put down it. Putting anything else down the pan can create serious problems with plumbing at both local and public levels. Be aware that many flushable wipes are not actually as flushable as their advertising may suggest.

Different countries take different payment methods for public toilets

Paying to use a public toilet is now standard around the world. What differs is how you pay for them. In countries where cash is on the decline, it’s very common for public toilets to accept payment cards. In fact, some may not take cash at all. By contrast, in countries where cash is still widely used, you will generally need physical coins for payment.

In some places, toilets in businesses are opened with a code you find on your receipt. This is very common in France. In others, you may need to buy a token that opens the door.

In Asia, squat bowls are still very common

Squat bowls are still quite widespread throughout Southeast Asia, including China, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan. They’re also still found in parts of Japan. In Japan, they are mostly in rural areas but there are still some in major cities, including Tokyo.

In France, you may encounter the sanisette

A sanisette is a permanent public toilet but it looks very much like a portaloo. A light on the front tells you if it’s occupied (red) or free (green). If it’s free, you pay and have 15 minutes to do whatever you need to do. After 15 minutes, the door automatically unlocks and the sanisette auto-cleans itself.

In Germany, you should always brush after you flush

In Germany, all private and most public toilets will come complete with a brush. You’re expected to use this every time you flush even if the toilet looks completely clean.

Also, increasing numbers of German bathrooms have pressure-sensitive seats with alarms. The idea behind these is to encourage you to sit no matter what you’re doing. It’s believed that sitting keeps bathrooms tidier and quieter.

In Japan, bathrooms are becoming super high-tech

Up until fairly recently, Japan’s best-known contribution to bathroom design was the toilet with an integrated hand basin. Essentially, the water you used to wash your hands then went into the cistern and was used for the next flush. These are still in wide use today. Now, however, Japanese bathrooms are becoming much more high-tech.

In Tokyo (and other larger cities), you can now find transparent public toilets. This lets you confirm their cleanliness before you go in. Once the door is locked, the smart glass takes on a frosted appearance. This gives you the necessary privacy.

Japan is also the country that has most embraced smart toilets. These are both more practical and more convenient than their traditional counterparts. They offer functions such as seat warmers, auto-flush and music while you go about your business.