Why are American and European toilets different?

American partitions offer a good deal of privacy, but the exposed feet and top, combined with the sight lines between the door and frame, may make some occupants a bit uncomfortable. European toilets offer exceptional privacy because instead of a thin partition, it's actually an enclosed stall.
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Why are European toilets different than American?

European toilets typically utilize a washdown flushing system in which water inside the toilet is forced out through water flowing from the rim of the bowl. The neck of the toilet hole tends to be larger so there is less of a chance of clogs, but the bowls may require more frequent cleaning from any leftover residue.
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Why are American toilets different?

America's plumbing is different to that in other countries, it's narrower, which explains why America's weird toilets are so easy to block. Invest in a heavy duty plunger, because you're definitely going to need one.
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Why are UK toilets different US?

In flushing an European toilet, the first push button (or partial push or small button) is to flush down liquid waste while the second push (or big button push) is to flush down solid wastes. American toilets on the other hand feature a single handle for flushing the toilets both solid and liquid waste.
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Why are there 2 toilet bowls in Europe?

The bidet is designed to promote personal hygiene and is used after defecation, and before and after sexual intercourse. It can also be used to wash feet, with or without filling it up with water. In several European countries, a bidet is now required by law to be present in every bathroom containing a toilet bowl.
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British vs American Toilets



Why doesn't Italy have toilet seats?

We asked Italian friends about the frequent absence of toilet seats, and they helped to fill in the blanks. Apparently, the toilet seats are there originally but, then, they break. The seats break because people stand on them. People stand on them because they are not kept clean enough to sit on.
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How do people poop in European toilets?

A step-by-step guide on how to use a Western toilet seat
  1. Step 1 – Sit directly onto the toilet seat – do not stand or squat on it.
  2. Step 2 – Use the toilet paper provided to wipe away excess waste and throw it in the dustbin provided.
  3. Step 3 – Flush the toilet with your hand to remove waste from the toilet.
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Why are Dutch toilets weird?

Arguably the most alarming feature of a Water Closet is the infamous Dutch toilet bowl. Dutch engineers have designed the bowl itself to contain a plateau set well above the normal water level. To say the least, one must be very comfortable with themselves and all their excrements on the display shelf.
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Why is there a shelf in German toilets?

Instead of excretions making the plunge straight into the water, this toilet has a prominent shelf midway to catch everything. The natural question is why, oh why!, would Germans create this? And Germans have a practical, disgusting answer. I m told that the shelf is indeed to catch one's leavings for examination.
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Why are Japanese toilets on the floor?

“Japanese toilets can be used without actually having to come into physical contact with them. Since you're not forced to sit on something that was last used by a complete stranger, you also don't have to endure their remaining [butt cheek] warmth, and come away feeling much cleaner.”
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Can you flush toilet paper down the toilet in Portugal?

Re Toilet paper their are some bars & restaurants who will have notices asking you to not flush paper down the toilet but use the bin provided, this is because their sanitation system will be on a pump/macerator and paper etc will block the pump and stop it working. if there are no notices displayed use as normal.
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Can you flush tampons in Germany?

As with every rule there is an exception. Toilet paper belongs into the toilet unless your sitting in an automobile caravan. Never throw tampons, sanitary towels or similar materials in the toilet but use the pedal bin.
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How do you get dry after you use a bidet?

The modern bidet seats even have drying options. If you press the 'Dry' button, provided there is one, the air dryer will dry the area. If you are using the traditional bidet, you can dry using toilet paper or a towel. In most public toilets with bidets, towels are provided on a ring next to it.
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Do they use toilet paper in Germany?

Unlike Americans, lo and behold, 60 % of Germans use toilet paper to wipe their noses. They also learned that 8% use TP to remove make up, 3% to clean children's faces and hands, and 7% to clean mirrors.
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Which country has no public toilet?

It's the moment we all dread in the Netherlands: needing to use the loo when you're out and about.
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What countries can you not flush toilet paper?

While Americans in particular are used to flushing their used toilet paper down the pipe, they must break that habit if they are traveling to Turkey, Greece, Beijing, Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Bulgaria, Egypt and the Ukraine in particular. Restrooms will have special waste bins to place used toilet paper.
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Why do toilets have a poo shelf?

The purpose of the shelf is inspection. You're meant to look at the consistency, shape, color, abnormalities, etc. before flushing, and then hope that the rush of water cleans the shelf enough – otherwise, that's what the brush is for.
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Do Europeans use toilet paper?

While Europeans do use toilet paper, WCs may not always be well stocked. If you're averse to the occasional drip-dry, carry pocket-size tissue packs (easy to buy in Europe) for WCs sans TP.
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Why are there no public toilets in London?

The trouble has been caused by austerity-hit councils in the UK who are not legally required to provide toilets for the public and who have cut expenditure on them in order to protect services that they are obliged by law to provide for local people.
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Do girls poop?

We'll give you the TL;DR first: yes, of course, girls poop. Since they have the same number of chromosomes and basically the same digestive system as guys, male and female humans experience the same bowel movements. So, if you count pooping among your bodily functions, you can assume the women around you also poop.
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Why is it called Indian toilet?

Washroom and toilet are the two most common terms, with restroom coming in a distant third. There are two types of toilets in India – Indian and Western. Indian is the kind that is flush against the floor with a hole and two footholds (shown below). Western means a traditional commode with a seat.
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Why do French toilets have no seats?

There were still some toilets with no seats but the porcelain is actually more hygenic than plastic. It was obvious from the shape of some that they were manufactured to be without seats. There were lots of the self-contained, self cleaning type, especially in Paris and free to use.
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Is it more sanitary to leave the toilet seat up or down?

You want it down...all the way, every time you flush. If you leave the lid up when you flush, those germs can float around your bathroom, landing on any available surface, including towels, hairbrushes or even toothbrushes.
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Why are there no bidets in America?

So, why hasn't America embraced the bidet? Well, bathrooms in the US aren't really built for bidets. There's no space or additional plumbing setup for bidet fixtures. But the biggest reason it hasn't caught on comes down to habit.
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How do guys use a bidet?

How Do Men Use A Bidet? For men, using a bidet is simple. Simply sit down and do your thing, activate the posterior wash, pat dry, and get on with your manly duties. If you're suffering from jock itch, you could also wash the area more thoroughly and use the front wash before drying completely and applying medication.
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