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
There are two types of toilet in China, the western style” throne” and the squat toilet. The squat toilet is basically a elongated hole in the floor, with footrests on each sides, and sometimes a splash guard at one end.
China. Many areas in China have traditional squat toilets instead of sitting toilets, especially in public toilets. Nevertheless, sitting toilets have increasingly become the norm in major urban areas and cities.
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 Chinese prefer the squat-method, forgetting toilet paper as well. If the Western throne is available many still elect to squat, therefore standing on the seat. Leave your modesty behind, because many bathrooms are typically unisex and bathroom stalls or cubicles often do not have doors and walls are usually short.
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.
There is lower water pressure in Asia, and it is easy for the toilet pipes to clog. That is why they throw toilet paper in a wastebasket instead of flushing it down the toilet.
In China, many people use what's called a "chamber pot". This is a small pot that you can use to urinate or defecate in. After you're done, you simply empty it out. They also use bidets in China.
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.
There are two types of toilets in Japan: Japanese-style and Western-style. Public washrooms are often equipped with both toilet styles, although some older facilities might have only Japanese-style toilets, while many newer facilities have only Western-style toilets.
In mainland China, the top-tier cities of Beijing and Shanghai also have gender-friendly toilets.
In the thirteenth century the Japanese, who were largely a farming people, began to use the waste taken out of these toilets as fertilizer. Traditional Japanese toilets consist of a hole or basin in the floor and are not made to sit on but to squat over.
Over the past 20 years, China has engaged in what is possibly the largest program to build wastewater treatment plants in history. Despite the substantial achievements of this program, many challenges remain. Achievements Until the early 1980s, there was not a single municipal wastewater treatment plant in China.
In ancient China and today, bathing has always been more than just a way of getting clean. China's centuries-old bathing traditions have become a part of culture, with the North and South of the country developing distinctive bathing customs over the years.
In Japanese homes, the toilet, sink, and shower/bathtub are all in separate designated areas. The toilet will be in its own room, and the sink will be separated from the bathing area by a door creating a barrier between the “wet” area and the “dry” area.
There are few reasons why most Australians do not use a bidet in their bathroom. The first reason is their geographic location. Australia does not get a lot of rainy days so water preservation is a must for everyone and so using a bidet could be seen as wasteful in times of drought.
Bidets, which originated in France in 1600 as an upper-class way for personal hygiene, are quite popular in parts of the Middle East, Europe, Australia, and Asia & have now turned out to be a popular installation across the world.
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.
Many places that use squat toilets may not use toilet paper, using instead a sprayer or a pot of water and your hand. Look around the squat toilet to find which method has been made available to you. Most pots of water will have a small ladle. Splash water using the ladle while wiping the area with your hand.
Bring your own toilet paper.
In some places where squat toilets are common, free toilet paper isn't. There might not be a trash can for used toilet paper, and squat toilets aren't designed for anything but bodily excretions. Even if you don't bring toilet paper, for first times bring something to dry off with.
Can you flush toilet paper? Yes! Toilet paper is designed to breakdown quickly once it's flushed!
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.