In Brazil it's pretty standard to have a waste paper basket beside the toilet for throwing away toilet paper. Hotels and restaurants will have signs asking you to not flush toilet paper. In the USA and Canada nobody worries about flushing toilet paper.
You typically shouldn't flush toilet paper in Turkey, Greece, China, Montenegro, Egypt, and rural areas throughout South America.
Turkey: Much like Greece, Turkey's plumbing system isn't equipped to handle toilet paper. In most Turkish bathrooms, you will find a small bin for the disposal of toilet paper. Egypt: In Egypt, flushing toilet paper is frowned upon, as the sewage system also can't cope with it.
In South America, particularly in countries like Brazil and Argentina, the bidet is a common bathroom fixture, reflecting European influences.
Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and Jordan. In these countries, they also use water for cleansing during toilet use, although the “restroom” is not so much a toilet as a “hole” in the floor.
Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and other countries will use a small shower for rinsing off after you do your business. Most of these cultures believe that you can get your bum cleaner with water than you can with toilet paper which is why they chose that option.
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).
Homes are not Currently Plumbed for Bidets.
Before the advent of bidet seats and hand sprayers, installing a bidet was often too expensive, difficult, often impossible due to space issues. Installing a completely new fixture can be expensive, depending on the current layout.
Differently from some countries, where you have two flush buttons – one that spends more water than the other, depending on the need –, in Brazil there is only one flush button for every situation. It can be placed in the wall, behind the toilet, or in the own toilet tank, on top of it or in its side.
GENTLE READER: Unless you are on a train and stopped at a station, Miss Manners can think of no reason why flushing should be suspended. The shock of any late-night noise will surely be far less offensive than that of waking up to refuse that has been lingering overnight.
Beware of Missing Toilet Seats
Toilets in Mexico often feature only a cold porcelain rim to sit on. Seats and lids are easy to remove and we suspect many are borrowed at an alarming rate. Equally, we suspect many toilets have never seen a seat, just to prevent them from being taken in the first place!
Don't use the bidet as a toilet: It's designed for post-toilet cleaning, not for the disposal of waste. Avoid using too much toilet paper: It can lead to plumbing issues, especially in areas with sensitive systems. Watch the water pressure: Start low to avoid splashing or discomfort.
Public restroom cleanliness varies widely by country; Japan and Singapore rank high, while India and Egypt may have more hygiene challenges.
The washlet can replace toilet paper completely, but many users opt to use both wash and paper in combination—although use of paper may be omitted for cleaning of the vulva. Some wipe before washing, some wash before wiping, some wash only, and some wipe only—each according to their preference.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages all Americans to only flush toilet paper, not disinfect wipes or other non-flushable items that should be disposed of in the trash.
Backflow Prevention: Bidets and shattafs pose a high risk of backflow, which can lead to contamination of the main water supply. These devices are classified as fluid category 5, the highest risk level for cross-contamination.
It's important to follow usage instructions, though, particularly with jet stream pressure and water temperature. “But if it's working properly and you clean and sanitize it regularly, a bidet is a good alternative option for many people,” says Dr. Lee.
The German poo shelf
It prevents splashing during your visit for a number two, unlike in standard toilets today, where splashing can be common, or toilets in the United States, where the toilet bowl is typically almost full. It helps you keep track of your remains for health reasons.
In Brazil, state water and sanitation companies serve up to 75% of the population that have access to water. But the territory is still poorly covered: only 54% of the Brazilian population had access to a sanitation service in 2020, and only 49% of wastewater is evacuated before discharge into the natural environment.
Having an open container is legal in Brazil. Drinking publicly is legal and socially accepted.
A squat toilet (or squatting toilet) is a toilet used by squatting, rather than sitting. This means that the posture for defecation and for female urination is to place one foot on each side of the toilet drain or hole and to squat over it.
Baby wipes
Some people may prefer them to toilet paper because they feel cleaner after using them. Adult wet wipes are virtually identical to baby wipes and work just as well. People who cannot find baby wipes or adult wet wipes can try clean-up wipes instead.
Developed countries like the US, UK, Germany, France, and Australia commonly employ toilet paper. In these countries, toilet paper is readily available in stores and is considered a necessity in households. The usage of toilet paper in these countries is so common that it is considered a part of their daily routine.