Why do Italians stand on 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.

Why are there no seats on toilets in Italy?

Most Italian public toilets don't have a toilet seat.

This has to do with maintenance. Since public toilets are often less than spotless, people often climb with their shoes on top of them, not to sit on a potentially dirty seat.

What culture stands on the toilet seat?

Many countries in Asia such as Japan, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, North Korea, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Iran have held on to using squat toilets long after sitting toilets became widely used in Western countries the 1800s.

Why do Italian bathrooms have 2 toilets?

That's not a second toilet – it's a bidet, a place to clean yourself 'down there. ' Bathtubs aren't common. Showers are usually tiny.

Do they flush 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 do Italian toilets not have seats?

What is the string in the shower in Italy?

When you are traveling in Italy you will see strings hanging down the wall over tubs and shower stalls. This is actually an alarm system required by building code, especially for hotels and other places renting out rooms or apartments to travelers.

Why do hotels fold the toilet paper?

Hotels want to give their guests the confidence that the bathroom has been cleaned since the last guest has used the room. To accomplish this, the maid will fold over the last piece of toilet paper to assure that no one has used the toilet paper since the room was cleaned. It is subtle but effective.

Why should you leave the toilet seat up at night?

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. Nobody wants that! This easy fix not only works, but it also puts an end to the battle of up or down.

Why do people put bottles in toilet tanks?

If you take a plastic bottle, put a few pebbles or rocks in it, fill it with water, and then place it in the back of your toilet, you can save up to 10 gallons of water per day. By placing the bottle in the toilet tank, less water is needed to fill the tank and therefore less water is being flushed.

What culture does 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.

Do Muslims stand on toilet seats?

Islamic toilet etiquette, called the Qadaa al-Haajah, contains rules that predate the invention of toilet paper. According to the strict code, Muslims must squat or sit – but not stand – while relieving themselves. They also must remain silent while on the toilet and leave with the right foot while saying a prayer.

Are bidets a cultural thing?

Society and culture

The bidet is common in predominantly Catholic countries where water is considered essential for anal cleansing, and in some traditionally Orthodox and Protestant countries such as Greece and Finland respectively, where bidet showers are common.

Is a bidet required by law in Italy?

While today the bidet has somewhat fallen out of use in France, it has been adopted as fundamental part of life in Italy. In 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.

Do you have to pay to pee in Italy?

Pay to Pee in Public Bathrooms in Italy

When sprinting for a public loo, be prepared to hand a bathroom attendant or machine blocking the door 1€. Public bathrooms in Italy are not free. So pocket that change after lunch.

How do you flush a toilet in Italy?

Why western toilets have 2 lids?

But those lids are actually an important part of reducing the spread of bacteria and were designed to help keep your bathroom clean. While low flow toilets have greatly reduced this issue, every time you flush a toilet, germs can spread through the bathroom through micro-particles escaping into the air.

Do you put toilet paper in the toilet before pooping?

toilet before emptying to help mitigate the poop- splash & encourage flushing.

Should you flush the toilet every time you pee?

Letting pee sit makes it harder to clean your toilet. This is the best reason I can find for flushing every time you pee.

Why is there no longer colored toilet paper?

Apparently, doctors began warning people that the dyes in colored toilet paper could be harmful to their skin. And there were environmental concerns about the dyes, too.

Why do hotels put Bibles in the drawers?

These are not left there haphazardly, but rather they are distributed by an organization, The Gideons International, as a means of evangelism. The Gideons hope to spread the good news of their faith to weary travelers by distributing Bibles in hotel rooms.

What is the most common thing left behind in a hotel room?

1. Mobile Phones. It's sort of surprising that the item most frequently in our hands is one of the most left behind items in hotels!

Is there tipping in Italy?

If you ask locals “do you tip in Italy?”, they'll explain that while they sometimes leave a small tip, it's generally not necessary. In Italy, a tip (or una mancia, pronounced oo-nah MAN-chah)—whether given to restaurant servers or hotel employees—is considered a bonus for exceptional service.

Can you drink tap water in Italy?

The short answer is yes. Drinking water from the tap in Italy is considered safe. Tap water in the major cities and towns around Italy is safe for consumption, and there are thousands of old-style water fountains dotted around cities, like Rome, where you can fill up water bottles.

What is a Swiss shower?

Noun. A shower in which jets of water are sprayed onto the body from above, and also from numerous nozzles on the side.