Cultures That Don’t Use Toilet Paper | House Caravan (2023)

FAQs

Do Italians not use toilet paper? ›

But when faced with the prospect of a shortage, Italians knew there were alternatives. After pooping, Italians use toilet paper on their butt, but not obsessively so. The person will get themselves clean enough then slide themselves from the toilet seat to sit on the bidet and get extra-specially clean.

Yet 70% of the world's population doesn't use toilet paper at all. Big areas of southern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia use water instead.

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.

Toilet paper is used in Japan, even by those who own toilets with bidets and washlet functions (see below). In Japan, toilet paper is thrown directly into the toilet after use. However, please be sure to put just the toilet paper provided in the toilet.

In Mexico, if there is a septic tank, it is probably far smaller than those in the United States—especially if it is in rural areas. Therefore, flushing toilet paper in Mexico would require the septic tank to be cleaned more frequently.

So, why can't you flush toilet paper in Greece? Well, the country's plumbing system is not designed to handle large amounts of paper. The plumbing pipes are narrow, and paper or other waste materials would clog most Greek toilets, including those at rooms, hotels and restaurants.

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.

"Sandpaper"-like toilet paper is still in use in some toilets in Russia and Eastern Europe. Yes, the soft stuff is available for general purchase. The gray-to-brownish Soviet-issue toilet paper is as bad as the stereotype - to varying degrees.

Unlike in developed countries, most public toilets in China do not provide toilet paper onsite and users must bring their toilet paper. Moreover, an open waste bin is placed in each user's cubicle to collect used toilet paper and tissues.

Millions of Muslims and Hindus around the world were bowled over by this need to buy toilet paper since they typically wash their backsides with water. According to Sahih al-Bukhari, one of the six significant Hadith collections in Sunni Islam, the left hand should be used for anal ablution after defecation.

Why do Americans still use toilet paper? ›

In America, we use toilet paper for our hygiene, like cleaning up after using the bathroom, cleaning and clearing our noses, and more. Toilet paper is cheap, useful, and practical in our culture.

If you were 'today years old' when you learned that the French people prefer their toilet paper pink, you're not alone. But why is pink such a popular choice in France, I hear you ask. Well, if we rewind a little, to around the 1960's, France started using recycled paper to manufacture their loo rolls.

Filipinos use the tabo in addition to or instead of toilet paper to wash after using the bathroom. Not all toilets in the Philippines have an automatic flush, so instead, a timbâ (generally a plastic pail with a metal handle) and a tabò kept floating inside it is used.

Do they use toilet paper or water in Korea? The people of this culture use water to clean themselves when necessary. China, Singapore, Thailand, Korea, and Taiwan: In most Asian countries, it is very difficult to find toilet paper, even in stores. Some hotels may have it available in the guestrooms.

A new study has revealed that the average Canadian uses 630 km of toilet paper in their lifetime, putting the country in 11th place when it comes to global TP usage.

Modern Egyptian Toilets

Today, you'll find modern squat toilets, but instead of toilet paper, rinsing with water is the norm. In fact, using toilet paper is seen by many to be unsanitary, as the paper can stick to you and do a poor job of cleaning things up.

In the majority of Asian countries, the water management process is not as nice as compared to the West. Due to the sanitary issues it may cause, flushing toilet paper should be avoided. This is the result of why people there commonly use water bowls, bidets, or bidet showers in place of paper.

Can you flush the toilet paper in the Dominican Republic? No! This is probably the hardest thing to get used to when you are visiting the DR. Because the septic system cannot handle the toilet paper, you will clog the pipes if you accidentally flush too much of it (definitely not a good plan!).

Bidet. France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain all use bidets, they'll often have toilet paper available in public spaces for tourists, but homes would all have bidets installed. Japan is the one Asian stand-out in that they adopted bidets rather than other ways of washing the bum.

Many locations will also not have a high standard of running water. You will not necessarily be allowed to flush toilet paper or have taps to wash your hands. It's advisable to carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitiser wherever you go.

Can you flush toilet paper 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.

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.

Because of this you are not permitted to flush anything that did not first pass through your body down the toilet. This includes, but is not limited to: toilet paper, tissues, condoms, your dead fish, and vomit (because technically it didn't pass through).

The norm in Romania is toilet paper in the trash bin.

Squat toilets in India don't use toilet paper. Instead, they use water to rinse areas that come into contact with waste. Because toilet paper isn't used, you'll typically find a spray hose or a bucket of water in its place.

Do they use toilet paper in Australia? Because despite Australians' newfound passion for TP, it's actually pretty gross when you think about it. Yes, we're all used to our Western method of post-bathroom cleansing, which involves large wads – folded or scrunched – of this increasingly rare commodity.

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.

In the UK, most people use toilet paper to wipe themselves after they use the toilet. If you use toilet paper, only use what is necessary to clean yourself. Do not take reams and reams of toilet paper because it is wasteful and it can block the toilet (see below).

Wiping buttocks by hand

In the Republic of Sudan, a Muslim country in eastern Africa 10,000 kilometers away from Japan, it is common to wash hands before 5 daily prayers, after a meal and during excretion. During excretion, the left hand is used to wipe the buttocks.

This is a particular problem on the Sabbath – Judaism's holiest day running from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. Orthodox Jews are forbidden from doing anything that's considered work – even using a deodorant. And that makes Sabbath prayers in packed synagogues a very smelly affair.

Why can't Indians use toilet paper? ›

India: Tourists are often surprised to learn that toilet paper is not easily accessible here. While you may find toilet paper in hotels and some stores in tourist spots, most homes and public places don't have them stocked. The people of this culture use water to clean themselves when necessary.

One of the reasons some countries have always favoured toilet paper, it appears, is the climate. Most countries in Northern Europe are cold for a good part of the year, and although we live in the 21st century and water heating is available today, it's just a habit that's been passed down the ages.

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.

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.

In most places throughout Greece you can't put toilet paper down the toilet. Instead, you must put your toilet paper in the bin beside the loo. So long as the bins are tightly closed and emptied daily, the health risks are minimal to anyone who uses this method.

Usually, public toilets in Italy have toilet paper and soap holders but they tend to be empty as not replenished nearly as often as needed.

Advantages: Energy costs in Germany are much higher than in the United States, which includes the cost of water. Therefore, the shelf toilets were designed to use much less water than their American counterparts - hence the shelf.

You have to flush toilet paper. It's water-soluble so there's no need to worry about clogging. But other bathrooms in restaurants and cafes usually ask people to throw toilet paper into the trash can due to low water pressure. You can often see a notice on the bathroom walls.

FYI, toilet paper is preferred across Europe, USA and many East Asian countries. Most countries in Southeast Asia, as well as parts of Southern Europe, favour the use of water.

They were invented in 1857 by a New York entrepreneur named Joseph Gayetty, who claimed his sheets prevented hemorrhoids. Gayetty was so proud of his therapeutic bathroom paper that he had his name printed on each sheet.

Which countries use squat toilets? ›

Squat toilets are common in many Asian countries, including China and India. They are also widespread in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Iran and Iraq. They can be found in nations like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore.

3 Don't Flush Your Toilet Paper

For many westerners, flushing the toilet paper in the toilet is just a given. But there are several countries throughout the world where that luxury is just not an option due to older-style plumbing systems. If you flush your toilet paper in South Korea, you risk clogging the toilet.

The same applies in Vietnam, where you'll often see a sign in toilets asking patrons not to flush toilet paper down the toilet. Primarily attributed to the inadequate plumbing systems and the threat of blockage, there will be a bidet shower (or bum gun) on hand to wash your derriere.

When you first use a bidet, clean off with toilet paper first before attempting the bidet spray. You don't need to use soap to use a bidet. Some people do use the bidet like a mini-shower after a bowel movement, sexual intercourse, or for freshening up, but it isn't a requirement.

Face forward and try to let your pants down while ensuring that the ends aren't touching the floor (hopefully you've rolled your cuffs.) There are grooved places for your feet on either side of the toilet. Try to get somewhere in the middle, feet flat on the floor, and aim for the potty. Just like that.

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.

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.

If you see an wastebasket near the toilet with used toilet paper in it, that's a sign that the sewer system isn't up to snuff. Put your used TP in the wastebasket instead of flushing it. (The rule of thumb in those places: Don't put anything in the toilet unless you've eaten it first.)

"Sandpaper"-like toilet paper is still in use in some toilets in Russia and Eastern Europe. Yes, the soft stuff is available for general purchase. The gray-to-brownish Soviet-issue toilet paper is as bad as the stereotype - to varying degrees.

Advantages: Energy costs in Germany are much higher than in the United States, which includes the cost of water. Therefore, the shelf toilets were designed to use much less water than their American counterparts - hence the shelf.

Is there toilet paper in Portugal? ›

Founded in 1939, Renova is a Portuguese brand that has transformed the way we look at toilet paper!

Unlike in developed countries, most public toilets in China do not provide toilet paper onsite and users must bring their toilet paper. Moreover, an open waste bin is placed in each user's cubicle to collect used toilet paper and tissues.

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.

It's standard practice in the Muslim world to wash yourself with water after having gone to the toilet, rather than using paper, which is why in the Middle East you'll find TP a rarity.

They are there to replace soap, paper towels, maintain hand dryers, clean and sanitize fixtures and doors. So, leaving space for custodians and maintenance crews makes them happy. These openings also allow for air circulation in the restroom. With all the cleaning products, this may not seem like a big one, but it is.

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.

“The U-shaped seat in public restrooms is a requirement of IAPMO's Uniform Plumbing Code. ... The design “eliminates an area that could be contaminated with urine” and also “eliminates the user's genital contact with the seat.” There is a sensible exception to the Uniform Plumbing Code requirement.”