If you visit countries like France, Italy and Portugal, or venture further afield to East Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, you are likely to come across two toilets in the bathroom. However, while one of the systems most definitely is a toilet for human wastage, the other serves a different purpose. The other "toilet" is in-fact a bidet.
Do Italian bathrooms have bidets?
Italian bathrooms are small. Most Italian bathrooms have a bidet (nope, it’s not another toilet, or a drinking fountain, or a laundry-washing sink). Our toilet paper here isn’t soft and fluffy. Good To Know: Hotel bathrooms in Italy usually come supplied with mini-sized toiletries and hair dryers.
Are bathrooms and toilets in Italy becoming more accessible?
There has been some modernization of bathrooms and toilets in Italy to comply with accessibility standards. I am all for accessibility for the elderly and those in a wheelchair.
What happens when you go to the bathroom in Rome?
The whole situation makes going to the bathroom when you are out exploring Rome is truly a harrowing experience. You never know what you are going to find behind Door Number 1. 98% of the time, there will be no seat. 75% of the time there will be no toilet paper. Then comes the true fun of figuring out how to flush the thing. Button on the wall?
What are squat pot toilets in Italy?
“Squat Pot” Toilets in Italy. Many travelers associated squat pots with Asia and other developing regions. A squat pot involves a ceramic hole in the ground, with two spots on either side showing where your feet should be. You place a foot on each side, and precariously perch to do your business, squat style.
How do you use the 2nd toilet in Italy?
0:121:55How to use a bidet in Italy - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMen and women can do number two and then switch over to the day and clean their Netherlands which isMoreMen and women can do number two and then switch over to the day and clean their Netherlands which is more hygienic than using toilet paper in theory.
Why do European bathrooms have two toilets?
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.
What is the second toilet for?
A handheld bidet, also called a bidet shower or bidet sprayer, is a nozzle that stays attached to the toilet. This type of bidet is manually placed near your private area to clean your genitals and anus after using the toilet, sexual intercourse, or for freshening up.
What's the second toilet in Italy?
bidetIn fact the bidet is now so ingrained into Italian culture that it's a legal obligation to put a bidet in every bathroom that is built on domestic or hotel property. A bidet can still be filled with soapy water to wash, although with high water pressure most people choose to use soap and clean running water.
Why are there no toilet seats in Italy?
PECULIARITIES OF PUBLIC TOILETS IN ITALY 2 reasons: Hygiene – It's cleaner to avoid sharing a toilet seat with strangers. Replacement – They break often (people stand on them) and are difficult and expensive to replace.
Why are German toilets so weird?
Germans have a necessary obsession with energy usage and efficiency as energy costs are much higher in Europe. The extravagance of extra water literally equates to flushing money down the toilet. This is also more environmentally friendly which is sure to make any German happy.
Why does the US not use bidets?
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.
How do you dry your bum after using a bidet?
2:506:50How To Dry Off After Washing With A Bidet (2021) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut we also use bamboo to make our second drying method the tushy bun towels. Let's get to itMoreBut we also use bamboo to make our second drying method the tushy bun towels. Let's get to it tushy's reusable bump towels are my personal favorite way to dry off after getting a nice fresh clean from
What is the little sink next to the toilet in Italy?
BidetsBidets are found in pretty much every Italian home and hotel but are seen as a little too fancy for public restrooms. (Though even that is not unheard of). They are almost always standalone bidets, which are located next to or close to the toilet.
Can you pee in a bidet?
Whether you can pee in a bidet depends on the type of bidet that you have. Electronic bidets or bidet attachments that go on top of your toilet seat are designed so you can pee and clean yourself using the same appliance. However, you shouldn't pee in stand-alone ceramic bidets, although you technically can.
Do they use toilet paper in Italy?
France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain: Instead of toilet paper, people from these countries (most of them from Europe) usually have a bidet in their washrooms. A bidet like a toilet, but also includes a spout that streams water like a water fountain to rinse you clean.
Why are there no toilet seats in Rome?
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.
When was the bidet invented?
The bidet is believed to be a French invention, although the true origins of its creation remain unknown. It made its first appearance in the late 17th century and the first written account of a bidet appeared in 1726 in Italy.
Is a bidet a toilet?
However, while one of the systems most definitely is a toilet for human wastage, the other serves a different purpose. The other "toilet" is in-fact a bidet. You have likely heard of bidet but may not have come across one in the UK, as they are not installed as standard in UK homes or even in most hotels.
Can you use a toilet paper to dry your skin?
If you are in a public space and there is towel nearby make sure this is only used for your hands and not your rear! There is usually a built-in air dryer in the bidet you can use to dry your skin. If not, you may need to use a little toilet paper to dry yourself before getting up and organising yourself to leave.
Who invented plumbing?
The Romans invented plumbing, so at one time they were the world leaders. It has been all down hill since then. I have been amazed at the condition of toilets in Italy.
Where are squat pots?
A squat pot involves a ceramic hole in the ground, with two spots on either side showing where your feet should be . You place a foot on each side, and precariously perch to do your business, squat style. It takes some practice, but I have become an expert.
Why do toilet seats break?
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. Eventually, after being broken repeatedly, they are no longer replaced for one of two reasons.
Is it rare to have a five star toilet?
It’s sad to say but five-star toilets are still rarer than hen’s teeth in much of Italy, and one-star toilets abound. In the States these days you’d have to frequent an off-brand gas station in a desolate area to find a two or three-star toilet.
Is the bathroom in Italy immaculate?
It’s only fair to say that bathrooms in Italy in private homes are typically immaculate: they approach a standard of almost Germanic cleanliness. Bathrooms in public places, however, are an entirely different matter. With rare exceptions they range from inadequate to thoroughly disgusting. It’s a strange form of cultural schizophrenia.
