What do you think of squat toilets?
By jazzsue58
@jazzsue58 (2666)
August 21, 2011 9:40am CST
To me, "doing it" in a hole in the ground with a splash of water is something best reserved for country walks and camping trips. But then I'm a strait-laced Western girl with a need to perch on a cold slab of porcelain. The country way is kinda less relaxing (makes reading a newspaper difficult.)
Only, I'm writing articles for a British janatorial company and one of their products is a squat toilet. I was surprised these are so rare in the UK, though I saw an article where they've been installed publicly in a shopping mall with a high number of Muslim shoppers.
In malls, I ALWAYS squat over the pan - no knowing what germs I might catch otherwise! What's your take on this? Are you from a country where the squat position is normal, and the flushing version seen as somehow wrong? In Greece, a lot of loos were like this, and the only thing I missed was the loo paper - a quick splash of Evian isn't the same, and leaves me feeling, er, damp!!! Then again, Wiki says squat toilets have a lot of health benefits - for both Western and other users.
Come on, give me your views - me and Venesta-Armitage would love to know! 
2 people like this
14 responses
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
21 Aug 11
In Italy there are still many squat type loos but toilet paper is not an issue. It can be found there too.
When the need arises I go to whatever is available and though my preference would not be to squat, if that is all that can be found then so be it.
@jazzsue58 (2666)
•
28 Aug 11
In France I found them too. In a motorway caf. Gods, that was gross. The toilets were okay, I'm talking about the food ...
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
21 Aug 11
Now we're getting a little confused here as squatting and flushing are compatible, as you describe on your malls visits. And loo paper is another issue altogether!
Squatting is said to be healthier as it's a more natural position from which to evacuate the bowels, but I'm no expert on whether that's true or not.
My own no flush compost loo has a seat like any other. The only difference is that we're not contributing to that most illogical of habits, defecating in the drinking water.
1 person likes this
@jazzsue58 (2666)
•
28 Aug 11
That's true. In wiki there's a picture of a squat loo with an old fashioned overhead cistern. So you like, have to do a deep knee bend then a big tall reach - sounds a bit like exercise to me!
With splash marks. Eurrgh ...
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
22 Aug 11
I tried my first squat toilet in Laos, and I was won over immediately. It was in a small room with a tile floor and a reservoir along one side with a dipper floating in it. You placed your feet in the indents along the side squatted and did your job. after you were done it was easy to dip some water and pour it in the hole. It is much easier on water, and so easy to keep clean.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
21 Aug 11
no idea what you are talking about. you mean in UK they have a lot of holes you squat over? thats surprising. no toilet paper? i mean when i was a kid, some still had out houses in the country, but you sit on those also, the wood holes. i wish you'd put a pic up of what you are speaking of. 
i may have to look it up. 
@scjbxz (139)
• United States
22 Aug 11
It is physically impossible for me to use squat toilets. Like, no matter how hard I try, I cannot use them. I have to wait to find an actual toilet in order to be able to use it. Sometimes, it's a hassle, especially where squat toilets are the norm. However, thankfully I don't have to deal with squat toilets unless I go out of the country to travel.
When I use public restrooms, I just use seat covers or toilet paper to cover the seat. I heard that squatting on top of a toilet, or any other variation in order not to touch the seat cover, is actually more prone to germs than just sitting down on the toilet, so check up on that! haha (:
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
22 Aug 11
I have seen sqat toilet. They have them now in some airports. You can tell which ones they are because the door of the stall goes right to the floor whereas the regular toilets have a gap at the bottom of the door. I think it is a cultural preference. Myself I prefer the Western toilets because I am used to them. However, in my country we do have a problem in some schools and malls where people stand on top of the toilet and then attempt to squat making a gigantic mess. I wish people would use whatever toilet there is in a proper fashion.
I have friends from Middle Eastern countries and they are appalled by the amount of water we waste and by the amount of trees that have to be cut down to produce toilet paper, by the amount of chemicals that poison the rivers in the process of paper making and so on. They tell me in their country you have a little hose attached near the squat toilet which you use to rinse yourself off. I guess it is all what you are used to. They also tell me thy are revolted by the idea to sit on a toilet seat that other people have used. It is all in the culture I guess.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
22 Aug 11
I have used these in Japan and sub-Saharan Africa, no problem. It seems a bit prissy of you to avoid toilet seats in public toilets
all the best urban
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
22 Aug 11
In Denmark I have never seen a squat toilet, but I have used squat toilets in other countries. I prefer flush toilets, but I use the others if that is the only option. I still remember the first time I saw a squat toilet in another country. I was a child at that time and I was travelling with my parents. When my mother and I opened the door I looked at the room and told my mother "there is no toilet here" She laughed and pointed at the squat toilet. I didn't understand what she meant because the flush toilet was the only kind of toilet that I knew 
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
22 Aug 11
we used to have the squat toilet in the 80's. it was cheaper than the toilet bowl complete with tank and so it was all my father could afford to install in our toilet and much better than the wooden box we used to have in the 70's. it was certainly an improvement. there are a lot of disadvantages to using it though. my mother could not use it because of her arthritic knees and its especially hard to use it when were having stomach troubles and most of all its hard to read the newspaper while doing it on a squat toilet.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
22 Aug 11
Oh my you made me laugh and brought back the good old days!
My grandparents had an outhouse. no plumbing in the house back then.
So you would go to the bathroom whether it be the heat of the day or snowing and cold at the outhouse.
Grandma would get the Sears Magazines when they were once free! She would put that out there for toilet paper.
I was ok with the outhouse cause I grew up knowing that way.
But as you grow you become "aware" of your surroundings. I went to go to the outhouse and sat on the stool, and in the corner I saw a spider in her web.
I started thinking and I got off and looked into the old pot and sure enough there were webs with spiders.
Man I was outta there...I found a tree to squat behind.
Funny what we learn a year older in our thoughts!
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
21 Aug 11
jazzu: Pets also have problems when they go to malls just as human beings. Yes in USA normally they maintain good hygiene and neatness in toilets in malls and rest houses. The owner of the pet has to be conversant with how to use the toilets for pets properly/
1 person likes this
@gordyyyyy (13)
•
22 Aug 11
I've never used a squat toilet and until I read your description I'd never heard of one, so thanks for that I think. I don't think it's something I'd want to use but I suppose if I was somewhere where that's all they had I'd have to adapt.
