Today, a majority of public toilets in China — both in the north and in the south — are squat toilets. This is mainly because squatting toilets cost less to build and maintain than seated ones.
Chinese-Style Toilets
Chinese toilets are normally squat style, which admittedly take some getting used to. However, comfort yourself in the knowledge that using a squat toilet means you don't touch anything and you don't have to cover the toilet seat with paper before you can sit down.
Squat toilets are common in many Asian countries, including China and India. They are also widespread in Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Iran and Iraq. They can be found in nations like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore.
Squat Toilets Defined
Using a squat toilet is a little like peeing in the woods, only with walls, a door (sometimes), and a ceramic hole in the ground that flushes.
If you are new to squat toilets, it can be a good idea to fully remove your pants and underwear. If you are comfortable with squatting, you can try to leave your pants on, simply lowering them to your ankles.
There are two styles of toilets commonly found in Japan; the oldest type is a simple squat toilet, which is still common in public conveniences. After World War II, modern Western-type flush toilets and urinals became common.
Squat toilets often are cleaned by simply hosing out the area, so floors of squat toilets will almost always be wet and possibly muddy. Before you enter it's best to roll up your pants or, once inside the cubicle, delicately remove them entirely to avoid them getting dirty.
Research indicates that people who squat report less straining and take less time to go (Sikirov, 2003). Other studies have shown that adopting a squat position when pooing lowers abdominal pressure, suggesting this position requires less effort for bowel emptying (Tashiro et al, 2020).
If you didn't know, you do now – you cannot flush toilet paper in China, even in western toilets. This is mostly due to the older sewage systems and piping. There are some more modern areas and hotels where you can, but unless you're sure, it's better to just toss it.
They make all the sense in the world - the bidet shooting a stream of water at our private bits to wash them after we relieve ourselves. But, like in the US and UK, bidets aren't commonly used here in Australia. We've never developed a culture of using them, instead opting for multi-ply toilet paper instead.
Today, a majority of public toilets in China — both in the north and in the south — are squat toilets. This is mainly because squatting toilets cost less to build and maintain than seated ones.
The Korean toilet bowl is not exactly what you would expect. Instead of having a toilet seat, you'll have to use a squatter toilet. It is essentially a porcelain hole in the floor. These are traditional Korean bathrooms that have been leftover from before the whole country underwent rapid modernization.
A Japanese toilet or smart toilet, as it's often referred to, is a toilet built with smart technology. Put simply, this means smart toilets can interact with their user via remote control access. With a press of the button, you can flush, spray and dry.
Toilet Paper and beyond in China
These are wooden – often bamboo – sticks vaguely shaped like a spatula. People would wrap a cloth around the end before they scraped/wiped. Along with these wooden sticks, the Chinese were the first people to use toilet paper.
What Did People Use Before Toilet Paper? Paper itself is said to have contributed to a Golden Age in China, with the pulp making process attributed to a chap called Ts'ai Lun (pictured right), a Chinese court official who mixed mulberry bark, hemp, and rags with water.
Squat pan toilet keeps clogging. Clogging the pipes, which keeps occurring in many sewer pipes, is one of the most common problems with squat pan toilets.
Pathogens are not transmitted via skin contact
Even if many public restrooms do not look inviting - sitting on toilet seats cannot transfer germs if the skin is intact. Admittedly, sanitary conditions are not inviting in many public restrooms.
After sorting through descriptions of more than 1,000 bowel movements, the researchers found that 90% of people who used a Squatty Potty strained less, and 71% had faster bowel movements. Fewer users also reported feeling like they still had to go after using the bathroom.
Another big disadvantage is that squat toilets may often smell bad, as their traps design does not allow for a complete flush.
Many sanitation systems are not designed to handle paper, but a square or two per flush is okay. MORE THAN THAT IS NOT because most squat toilets (even the flushing ones) will get clogged.
Unlike their sitting counterparts, squat toilets allow for quick and easy bowel movements, as leaning forward in a squat with the legs apart exerts minimal pressure on the intestines and rectum. The difference in posture also shortens the time spent in the stall, speeding up the turnover rate in public restrooms.
Pat dry with toilet paper
Since you're already clean from your bidet, you won't need much toilet paper to do so–just enough to remove any excess water. Use a gentle pat-dry motion instead of a wipe to avoid any irritation. That's all there is to it.
Bidets haven't ever been widely embraced in American culture. A common origin story for this reluctance is that bidets were seen as lascivious because they were used in brothels as a form of emergency contraception.