Toilets of the World
toilet-guru.com
toilet-guru.com
The answer to this question is not obvious. Even luxurious toilets in expensive hotels do not flush as nicely as in Canada/US. It’s not a cultural or environmental thing to not flush toilet paper —- toilets really do get clogged very easily and getting rid of the toilet paper might take multiple flushes. I’ve seen Brazilian toilets that pass a lot of water per flush but still don’t work well.
My current theories are that either Brazil uses narrower diameter drain pipes or that they have a more elongated P-trap than in the US and Canada. Someday I hope to run into a master plumber who’s worked in both Brazil and North America to tell me what the difference is.
EDIT: The Quora link below says that the same problem happens in Mexico because the Y-fitting under the toilet doesn’t have graceful curves compared to US fittings and/or the drain is not sufficiently vented, so the toilet water flows slower. Both of these also sound like plausible theories.
Throwing toilet paper in a basket and taking it through the garbage route is a very sensible solution.
Have you lived where this is commonplace for any length of time? Have you done this in your own house? Having been born in a country where this was commonplace a few decades ago, I have a very hard time accepting it as a "sensible solution". It's just gross. I'd much rather pay for spelunking through my property taxes.
Surely you can pay for your own staff to clean the toilets. You're asking for infrastructure overhaul for what should be a waste basket with a lid emptied daily.
It is a good deal for me, I'm not denying that.
I put roughly as much credence in that statement as I would a smoker's that he doesn't really smell like smoke, or a dog owner's that his house doesn't really smell that doggy — i.e., none. I don't mean that rudely; I just don't think you notice the odour.
I too haven't had to unclog a toilet for reasons other than deficient toilets and/or excrement size for years.
What can do about it? I think that education is at fault. Most people in big cities does not realize how costly and important are jobs like sewer maintenance, garbage collectors, signal maintenance, gardeners, etc.
Without all this work cities will paralyze, the population will get sick or die, transport will stop working. etc. Without that work civilization instead of flourishing with economic growth and technology it literally will crumble into ruin.
Cities work because there is an absurdly large amount of people taking care of them. If it was a private endeavor there will be advertisements about their work everywhere. But, as a public service it is almost invisible. That is a shame.
Except most places I've been to and seen the practice have an open basket, I've never seen any soiled toilet paper in them and not entirely sure I'd like to...
I think about this in relation to modern society often these days. So much of the machinations that keep things running are invisible to the daily user.
Aside from older toilets that don't have the water flow design of contemporary systems that were designed to accept paper + waste, blockages down stream effect the flow of toilets upstream.
I used to work in hydrodynamics R&D (BHRA / BHR Group) and I shared an office with an engineer who had a project to analyse the UK's toilet designs and come up with design guidance for more efficient designs.
It was interesting to listen in on the call to the plumbing supplies company when he wanted to buy a couple of hundred toilets but instead of 200 of one type he wanted 2 of every model they had.
I did look at Computer vison / ML for this project, to measure flushing efficieny - but it was to expensive
Also, building code inspections may or may not be as strictly enforced in these countries, so even newly built things may not work properly.
I have been told it's because of smaller diameter pipes.
The subway authority in Seoul had some research done when they were preparing to get rid of wastebaskets in their public bathrooms a couple of years ago. They found that the plumbing infrastructure is more than capable of handling normal amounts of toilet paper, even in older stations. But clogs happen when the paper gets tangled up with wet wipes, feminine hygiene products, and miscellaneous items such as pens and phones (yes, phones!) that are either accidentally or deliberately dropped in the toilet.
When the subway authority and other large institutions did eventually get rid of the wastebaskets (they're smelly nuisances at best and biohazard at worst), the change was accompanied by a massive awareness campaign to discourage throwing foreign objects in the toilet. Separate receptacles for feminine hygiene products were added to women's bathrooms. There were some hiccups at first, but I think the change has been well received for the most part.
tl;dr: Paper is not the problem. A widespread habit of throwing foreign objects in the toilet is.
Many restaurants in North American cities have reminders that these should be thrown in the trash.
Then there's a co-worker's situation in his townhouse / condo development: some people, who are probably new immigrants don't know the rules of the road, have to be informed not to flush chicken carcasses down the toilet. Just put it in the green bin and it will be picked up with-in the week:
I'm in Toronto, and we get that kind of heat somewhat regularly, and the green bins haven't been a problem. It's the reason why they're picked up every week (garbage and recycling alternates).
(except you use Japanese washlet)
This is no different than the false economy of single-ply in North America: you end up using the same mass (volume?), you just have to have more pulls.
While not a topic I have quizzed many people on, I would hazard to guess that most folks want a certain thickness for their wipes. With two-ply you can achieve that with x revolutions of the roll, while with single-ply most people simply do 2x.
I'm not quite sure if single-ply really saves anything.
So for Argentina, are people really using more, or simply doing more pulls to reach the same thickness as the thicker-papered Americans?
Oddly a google search leads to lots of discussion on this topic with no agreement.
https://www.quora.com/Why-don%E2%80%99t-Mexicans-flush-their...
- go https://overpass-turbo.eu ( OSM Overpass query service )
- add "Wizard" query: "amenity=toilets in Berlin" + press "build and run query"
- check the results on the map: https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/L0m
- "export" --> "download/copy as GeoJSON"
# OpenStreetMap toilets - Geographical distribution
https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/tags/?key=amenity&value=to...
# OpenStreetMap toilets docs:
see "examples" ( https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_API/Overpass_AP... ) and search for "around" key
or "around" documentation: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_API/Overpass_QL...
I love holidaying in Europe. Bidets, bidets everywhere.
I am so disappointed.
https://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/china-travel/plan-china-tr...
Near the Olympic park there's a Starbucks that I figured was a sure bet. There was even the familiar toilet picture on the door!
Nope... it was a squat hole. Psych!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cbustapeck/3067417509
The bathtub or sink would equally be unlikely to puzzle, and remain very familiar. Yet in the software industry, it seems very common to drastically alter the UI in a timescale of only a few years to even months, confusing basically the entire userbase. As software becomes more ubiquitous and relied upon, one wonders if it will ever attain the same levels of UX stability that many other inventions have gained over the years.
On some you press the big section for the big flush, on others you have to press the big and small, sometimes the half flush is the bigger "default" button and others can be confusing with nested levels of depressions to mark them. Throw in no directional standard like the half flush being on the left and the whole things one big (pardon the pun) crap shoot.
The human bottom hasn't changed since time immemorial. Plus, every human has similarly shaped buttocks.
Computers interact with the mind, this means they are subjective, it's a moving target.
Dry toilets/compost make a lot more sense
Expecting people to shovel their shit is almost reasonable in a setting where you live in a house with a yard and could actually use the compost, but what about an apartment building, or a high rise office building?
I really like the idea of using grey water to flush toilets, which at least takes 1 level of water cleaning out of the equation. I used one of those toilets that fills the tank after you flush, through a tap that drains into the tank. You washed your hands while the tank filled and eventually flushed. It was pretty neat.
The Night Soilman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_soil) or dunny man in Australia would come and collect it once a week. It really wasn't that long ago in some parts, Brisbane Australia had them until the 70's and it's still within living memory of much of the developed world. In many older cities you'll still see little lane ways between rows of houses that were used to give the carts access to the outhouse, most have been converted to footpaths/bikepaths these days.
I wouldn't want to go back because the smell in the summer heat was legendary, but flushing toilets are incredibly recent.
https://www.bloomberg.com/careers/blog/eco-friendly-features...
Seems to take about a kilowatt per flush.
If you have property, graywater isn't hard to handle in for landscaping/gardening.
Too bad fancy ones cost $5k. I think if we can get them for $500, we could see homes without any sewer connections at all.
That's a meaningless statistic without the duration of the flush.
If you only have to clean out your ash hole weekly, then getting rid of the toilet paper is not a big issue.
Was watching and reading about them, but not sure If I'd like them... Someone kept a spray bottle to help clean the inside after each use if messy inside (think poop or maybe period blood).
Then there's a little fan that is sorta like a PC fan... but was reading somewhere someone's went out and their RV got invaded by fruit flies!
I like the idea of saving water when boondocking, but seems like some huge cons.
But there are already problems with traces of drugs in tap water, so it can't be that bad, there are many things like mushrooms, or bacteria at a smaller scale, capable to recycle toxicity
Firstly, I doubt heat alone is what kills those pathogens that do die.
Secondly, parasitic worm eggs and especially some parasitic protozoans are more resistant than pathogenic bacteria.
I think squatting down to potty just seems different and nasty. Plus elder people and people with disabilities a challenge too probably for them. Seen something that somewhere in China some place have like stalls with a trough running though you squat over. So you are squatting to take a poop while someone else's waste is going under you. Better not fall!
Didn't know some places had porcelain toilets with the seats removed. Then some places in the world don't use toilet paper, but their left hand and water.
Didn't know Japan had squat toilets too, I always envisioned the high tech ones being everywhere. I think Japan has the coolest toilets though out of any place, seems like a product Apple would of designed.
Also something that surprised me in Europe they have toilets you pay to use, which I guess encourages them to be cleaner... but someone from the US used to free bathrooms at pretty much any retail store.
I want to travel the world someday when the money is there, and one of the things that is discouraging. Plus being a super picky eater. But want to go see the pyramids, great wall of China and stuff you've always seen on TV. I know there's some world cruises, even some advertising as a circumnavigation cruise of the earth so probably be more of my style of travel. Board a huge boat somewhere in the US, and spend half a year non stop seeing things and then back. No long flights, delays, limited new food choices, etc.
It's a really bizarre mix in my experience. You get the high end with a heated seat, even in a random road-side shop. Unless you don't, and then there's no seat at all. There are some "standard" toilets as well, but I've mostly seen either one of the extremes.
On the contrary, is much healthier.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/09/20/1615014...
Took deliberate effort (training, even) but I got over this. I can't eat just anything (nothing with bones I'm expected to crunch on, or a clear face, please—I can do [love, even!] fish skin-on and could probably manage with the head on too but I won't eat the head, ya know?) but I can eat all kinds of "weird crap" that sure, lots of Americans will eat, but many (most in some cases?) think is super-gross. Calamari, those little whole octopi, all kinds of sushi including some of the weirder ones, most any stinky cheese, beef marrow. Just about whatever. Haven't done bugs yet but could probably manage. And that's just the notable stuff I'm up to, go back far enough and I wouldn't eat most "normal" food either!
What I basically do is just shut off the part of my brain that was judging stuff as it went in my mouth. Probably people are picky for all kinds of reasons, but in my case, it was that. I was really picky. Now, I'm fine, but I still have to consciously repress it when trying some new things (if it's good, and most things are, it's much easier to have it again). Possibly some time working on Stoic non-judging helped make this easier, dunno.
It seems to be much easier when I'm out of my ordinary surroundings. With one or more other people, out at a restaurant, while traveling is ideal, though any of those helps. I don't prepare "weird" food myself for a first try, though I will prepare most "normal" things that I used to not be able to eat—was very picky, I'm telling you.
Still not sold on Mexican food of the smothered-in-melty-cheese variety, or pretty much any casserole, but I reckon I've earned a couple quirks so I'm not worried about getting over those. I'm never gonna be a big-hunk-of-oven-roast-or-crockpotted-meat fan like big hams or thanksgiving turkey, I've decided, though I can make myself eat it to be polite (couldn't before).
Was watching some travel videos, not sure if what's available or just their tastes. I know some people love to try tons of new foods too as part of the experience.
Knowing me I'd probably go halfway around the globe and visit McDonald's for some McNuggets. I know Egypt has them. but I wonder about the language barrier when ordering too... I think in some touristy areas though at least one worker would know some English as a pretty common language.
But I guess at the end of the day get back to your ship with your room, same toilet, etc. However, I wonder if world cruises change up their menu as they sail or if the buffet would always have similar food... I'd think a cruise leaving America and returning for half a year would probably still serve up some American styled food while in China for example... but I think they might also offer some more local styled dishes.
Maybe someday if I get lucky in tech as those types of cruises cost about the price of a new luxury car. I know through a half a year cruise, probably a lot of Visas and I think you need a yellow fever vaccine depending on the ports. but I guess if you have that kind of money to go on one, probably someone to advice you. But I've never been a cruise anyways, so probably go on a few ones around the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico as that is pretty common from the US. Also interested in an Alaska, Canadian New England ones first to see how I like them... and then if going on a world cruise check out the same line on a shorter cruise once or twice before committing to something that huge. Be like a once in a lifetime experience though. There's even some that go to Antarctica. Mediterranean ones in Europe. Also seen some that go around Washington State, Oregon and California too.
Always been interested in cruises and traveling more though, but feel like it'd be the perfect style of travel. I think if I hit it big I'd probably just sail full time for a few years, then RV across the US. Be an interesting alternative lifestyle. I know my family is against this idea though, but I think it's because people judge small little snippets of what they see on TV. Sure bad parts of Mexico and crime, but I think if you stick to touristy areas and be careful you'd be alright. So much fear mongering on television.
Speaking of television. I remember when the travel channel used to actually be about travel. Now it's just back to back marathons of ghost hunting shows it seems.
I'm also really interested in renting an RV and just driving across the US. Seems like a relaxed way to travel.
For example, France has some of the best public toilets I have ever seen. Go in, do your job, and press the button. 30 seconds later, everything is flushed and cleaned automatically, and the toilet automatically opens for the next person.
In some of the long term hikes, there are pedal toilets. Do your thing, and "flush" it down by doing a small cycle movement. There is a mechanism to move your gift down the toilet without using any water.
If you are worried about left hand and water, you will be pleasantly surprised when you see butt guns. It's a bidet shower that sprays water and you don't have to use your hands. I grew up in Sri Lanka, where we have them everywhere (in addition to toilet papers), and I personally got them fixed in the bathroom when I moved.
Until you're in a place where you want ot be aware of where all the spider, snakes, or bitey insects are before you expose your software bits to them.
Dollar Street (by GapMinder.org)
https://www.gapminder.org/dollar-street/matrix?thing=Toilets
"Some [Facebook] employees even took issue with WhatsApp’s desks, which were a holdover from the Mountain View location and larger than the standard desks in the Facebook offices. WhatsApp also negotiated for nicer bathrooms, with doors that reach the floor..."
Why a company paying their people tons of money won't spend a bit on the bathroom doors that reach the floor, I do not understand.
https://qz.com/work/1299178/facebook-and-whatsapp-the-real-r...
And a more authoritative reference here: https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandar... (Ctrl+F "604.8.1.4")
You can find them at suppliers in major cities but you have to rely on the persistence of your office managers to track them down and spend time on something that most people don't rally around or bring up in discussions. The compromise in my office was rubber strips that cover the gaps found in normal stall doors, those are easily bought and installed by anybody.
Lack of code is also probably the cause of the randomness of urinal heights.
I think it's just like that because that's just how it has been traditionally done in America. Their toilets are also a different shape - much wider, lower and shallower. And urinals always have flush handles.
I haven't actually seen many newer urinals with flush handles. Pretty much anywhere with a recent install is sensor based. There's plenty of old equipment around, of course.
Toilets are more hit or miss, though I'd hazard a guess that the majority of new installs are also all motion / sensor based. I can't speak to the bowl differences, though I'd suspect they're due to water efficiency, disabilities compliance and / or our heftier girth.
Google image search gives good examples:
https://www.google.com/search?q=us+toilet+stall+gaps&tbm=isc...
The vertical gap between the floor and where the cubicle wall starts is huge. Like, knee height. So weird.
I mean, imagine mopping one of those rooms. Bet you'd immediately be glad the partitions didn't reach the floor.
source: i am a cleaner.
My favourite experiences have been in Germany and China, where typically most of the bowl is comprised of a dry "receptacle" which is then flushed with water into a smaller pipe opening.
Can’t help you with your dangling-genitals problem, however.
These folks nailed it: https://toilet-guru.com/biblical_new.php
I've even been in toilets here where I had to take measures not to have my genitals end up dipping in it.
That's a bit too high, however.
It's probably because we don't want to employ more than one janitor to mop up.
Why is this a solution that needs jerry-rigged solutions instead of a normal solution like everywhere else in an office building?
It's disturbing that the probability is quite high that whilst searching for a vacant cubicle, your eyes may well lock with the single enlarged eye of a terrified pooper. This is not a bond I want to make.
Once made, it's unbreakable though.
You can install the doors properly with no gap, but it requires everything be square and plumb and all that. And then not get damaged.
Americans tend to question them and then do whatever they want to do.
Europe also tends to cultivate a village mentality where people trust each other to follow decorum.
America tends to operate as if vaguely hostile strangers are rolling through town all the time.
This still has the same cleaning advantage: http://www.ironwood-mfg.com/Pictures/Full%20Size/European1.j...
But I see this way more often in the US: https://globalpartitions.com/wp-content/uploads/ASI-SolidPla...
I have been in poorer bits of Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, South America, Pacific islands.
The USA is (so far) the only place¹ where there were gaps between the door and the "wall" of the toilet cubicle partitions. This is surely more expensive -- it requires special hinges to provide the gap. In other countries, "cheap" might mean a 2mm gap. In the USA, it's an intentional 2cm gap.
There is some other reason. I'm not American. I genuinely don't know if I should admire it (lack of shame of bodily functions), or criticize it (afford less privacy to those who use public toilets).
¹ [There are places where there are no stalls at all.]
https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/26620/why-do-publ...
Another difference not mentioned above is double-doors. Toilets in public/institutional buildings in the UK (and probably elsewhere) have an air-lock type arrangement with two doors (inner and outer) with the result that nobody can see into the inner sanctum when people enter and leave. US toilets have just one door.
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-some-public-restrooms-have-one-...
If you're ever in the Boston area, try checking out a Red Sox game; the urinary dividing "walls" are legendary.
Even more so if you know the people around you.
In many places stalls are not used and toilets are fit in one small, dedicated room each.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_flush_toilet
Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryIQYYogQ8A
That said, the Australian style flush is pretty different than most of the toilets I see in the US. I was in a hotel in Boulder CO and thought my toilet flushed pretty weird, so I googled the brand (Caroma) and fell into a rabbit hole of toilet information.
The one in that hotel regularly required two flushes to clear my waste, so I'm not sure I really buy the advantages of the Australian style vs the siphon flush I'm used too.
I've seen a bunch with sensors that automatically flush though, I've figured that's the most common in commercial spaces.
The back cover of every issue would have a few payphones from a various country / city.
Here's a full list: https://www.2600.com/payphones