Why do Italians have no toilet seat?
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.
You'll hear Italians call the bathroom the WC, toilette, or bagno. What are the bathrooms like in Italy? Public bathrooms in Italy usually have seatless toilets and you usually have to pay a small fee for the service.
Italian bidets are basically used to keep yourself extra clean, and they even prevent infections. I promise that, after trying one, you'll look back on your previous bathroom rituals with mild displeasure.
The kind where a floor pan with a hole between footplates is built directly into the floor. Be sure to be on the lookout for a button or pull cord because most squat toilets in Italy actually do flush. Even Italians roll their eyes at this one. That's just one of the charms of Italy though.
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.
You will often find that bathrooms in Rome don't have any toilet paper. In general, when sight-seeing in Rome, I'd suggest always carrying pocket kleenex packets, some cleansing wipes, and hand-sanitizer.
There were still some toilets with no seats but the porcelain is actually more hygenic than plastic. It was obvious from the shape of some that they were manufactured to be without seats. There were lots of the self-contained, self cleaning type, especially in Paris and free to use.
Italians, on the other hand, use their bidets constantly. Although invented, named, then largely abandoned by the French, they've become a symbol of Italian hygiene supremacy. There's even a building law stating that every home must have one.
Bidets 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.
- Metal or plastic push button on the top of the tank.
- Step-on button on the floor near or behind the toilet.
- Round push button positioned at waist level on the wall.
- Pull up metal tab on the top of the tank.
- Pull down metal tab on the bottom of the overhead tank.
How does a woman use a bidet?
How To Use a Bidet - YouTube
You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions for medical reasons, for example certain amounts of powdered infant milk, infant food, or pet food required for medical reasons. Check the rules about taking food and drink into the EU on the European Commission website.
And please, do not burp or fart in public, it is considered extremely rude. Also, loud swearing and drinking alcohol from a bottle while walking the street, is frowned upon. Most Italians like some alcohol, but usually avoid to get drunk. Public scenes of drunkenness are much less tolerated than in other countries.
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.
One room that most of us couldn't imagine living without these days is the bathroom or bagno in Italian (plural: bagni).
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.
Arguably the most alarming feature of a Water Closet is the infamous Dutch toilet bowl. Dutch engineers have designed the bowl itself to contain a plateau set well above the normal water level. To say the least, one must be very comfortable with themselves and all their excrements on the display shelf.
Most public restrooms in China do not provide any toilet paper, while others provide a common roll for visitors to use. According to a China Radio International report, the Temple of Heaven Park has supplied toilet paper in its public toilets for the last 10 years, but found that supplies were quickly exhausted.
After the recycled paper was used, it looked greyish. So it appears it needed more bleaching or more dyeing. But the grey toilet paper looked less appealing at the end. There is nothing special about toilet paper being pink in France as it is a regional preference.
Free since 2006, Paris's 400 public toilets are available in every part of the capital. These sanisettes, designed by Patrick Jouin, are mostly open from 6am to 10pm, except for 150 of them on main roads, which are available 24/24. Please note: all these toilets are accessible to people with disabilities.
Do Italians have good hygiene?
research. Italians wash kitchen and bathroom floors at least four times a week, Americans just once. Italians typically iron nearly all their wash, even socks and sheets. And they buy more cleaning supplies than women elsewhere do.
If you press the 'Dry' button, provided there is one, the air dryer will dry the area. If you are using the traditional bidet, you can dry using toilet paper or a towel. In most public toilets with bidets, towels are provided on a ring next to it. However, using a paper towel is a more hygienic and safe option.
Use a bidet after you poop, but before you wipe.
Some people like to wipe with toilet paper after using a bidet, but it's a matter of personal preference. The bidet should do a good job at cleaning your bottom, so toilet paper isn't necessary.
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.
Tips for use
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.
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.
There's no space or additional plumbing setup for bidet fixtures. But the biggest reason it hasn't caught on comes down to habit. Most Americans grew up using toilet paper. And many might not even know there's an alternative way to stay clean.
What is the minimum drinking age in Italy? The drinking age in Italy is 18 years old. However, it is not strictly enforced. We recommend to always carry a photo ID to prove your age.
First off, tipping in Italy is neither mandatory nor expected, but if you do decide to do so, the gesture is a very clear indicator that you appreciated the service provided.
You can wear shorts in Italy and look perfectly normal.
Why do French toilets not have seats?
There were still some toilets with no seats but the porcelain is actually more hygenic than plastic. It was obvious from the shape of some that they were manufactured to be without seats. There were lots of the self-contained, self cleaning type, especially in Paris and free to use.
With this variety, many users don't sit on the bidet at all but hovers over it. Hence, a seat isn't needed. Because the water is shot up in a straight line from the center bottom of the basin, simply straddling the bidet wouldn't allow for the accuracy needed to clean the desired area.
Italian Word of the Day: Gabinetto (toilet)
Squat toilets are generally non-existent in Northern and Western Europe. France and Italy are an exception and have some squat toilets remaining in old buildings and public toilets because they used to be the norm there in the early 20th century.
Most public restrooms in China do not provide any toilet paper, while others provide a common roll for visitors to use. According to a China Radio International report, the Temple of Heaven Park has supplied toilet paper in its public toilets for the last 10 years, but found that supplies were quickly exhausted.
Arguably the most alarming feature of a Water Closet is the infamous Dutch toilet bowl. Dutch engineers have designed the bowl itself to contain a plateau set well above the normal water level. To say the least, one must be very comfortable with themselves and all their excrements on the display shelf.
After the recycled paper was used, it looked greyish. So it appears it needed more bleaching or more dyeing. But the grey toilet paper looked less appealing at the end. There is nothing special about toilet paper being pink in France as it is a regional preference.
How To Use a Bidet - YouTube
A bidet feels like a gentle spray of cool or warm, depending on what you set the temperature to. For some people, it may feel slightly strange at first, mainly because it's not a sensation they're used to. However, most bidet users describe it as an overall pleasant and refreshing experience.
Straddle the bidet, sitting on the rim and align the anus with the column of spray water. Note that most bidets don't have seats, but are still meant to be sat upon; you just sit directly on the rim. Gradually open the spray valve until adequate pressure is achieved to flush the remaining feces from the anus.
Do you need the toilet in Italian?
Le serve il bagno?
Learn Italian Fast Phrases - I need to use the restroom! - YouTube
You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions for medical reasons, for example certain amounts of powdered infant milk, infant food, or pet food required for medical reasons. Check the rules about taking food and drink into the EU on the European Commission website.
