Yes, people in Russia today generally use toilet paper, which is widely available in stores. The market for toilet paper in Russia is significant and growing.
France, Portugal, Italy and Japan.
Instead of toilet paper, people from these countries usually have bidets in their bathrooms. A bidet looks like a toilet but also has a spout that sprays water like a fountain to thoroughly cleanse you.
You might think that it's a cold country and that's totally fine, but shaking hands with gloves on is considered to be extremely impolite. Be ready to take your gloves off if you're about to be introduced to someone. Another 'handshake rule', never shake hands over the threshold if you're in Russia.
TIL The first toilet paper factory in the USSR was built in 1969, 8 years after they went to space. : r/todayilearned.
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.
It's perfectly acceptable to wear jeans in Russia. Denim is enormously popular among Russians and you will be allowed into museums, churches and restaurants wearing jeans. However, Russians love to dress up, so wear smarter clothes for upmarket restaurants, nightclubs or the theatre.
A lighter version is “Пока-пока!” (paka-paka). It appeared in the 90s of the last century under the influence of English “Bye-bye!” Pronounce it like [пак̀а / pak̀a]. The English equivalent is “Bye!
In many Amish homes, rags are a common toilet paper alternative. These rags are typically old clothes that have been worn out. After simple processing, they become practical cleaning tools. After use, they are washed clean and can be reused multiple times.
Cultural Differences in Toilet Paper Usage
In Asia, bidets are a popular alternative to toilet paper. In the Middle East, water is used for personal hygiene after using the toilet. In Africa, the usage of toilet paper is not as common and many people resort to alternatives such as wiping with water or cloths.
Countries where you can't flush toilet paper
In Europe, you cannot flush toilet paper in Greece, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Turkey and Ukraine. Around the world, you are not allowed to flush toilet paper in Egypt, China, and rural South America either.
Tissues: Egyptian people do not typically use toilet paper, and you often will not find it in bathrooms. Instead, they use a bidet, which is much more hygienic, and in my opinion, far superior to toilet paper!
In order to undertake the required personal washing when away from home, some people will fill whatever container they can find (often a cup or water bottle) with water and take this to the privacy of a toilet cubicle to undertake this personal ablution act in private.
Muslims are encouraged to perform ablution (Wudu) before prayers, which involves washing the face, hands, arms, feet, and rinsing the mouth and nose. This practice is based on the Hadith: “When you stand for prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows…” (Quran 5:6, Sahih Muslim 244).
Russia's 2018 pension reforms, which raise the retirement age from 55 to 60 for most women and from 60 to 65 for most men, have created an unusual situation: in 2025, basically no one will qualify for age-based retirement.
Post-Soviet era
The biggest factor contributing to this relatively low life expectancy for males is a high mortality rate among working-age males from preventable causes (e.g., alcohol poisoning, stress, smoking, traffic accidents, violent crimes).
In Russia, it's illegal to brush your teeth more than two times a day. How many times a day do you brush? I brush exactly twice a day.
According to Gallup's 2023 Global Emotions Report, Indonesia has been named the country that smiles the most, showcasing the nation's warmth and optimism even amid global challenges.
Kissing in greeting:
In Russia, kissing on the cheek when meeting or saying goodbye is quite common, but it depends on the level of closeness between people.
The 3-3-3 Rule in Fashion means choosing 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 pairs of shoes that can mix and match easily. These 9 pieces create a “mini wardrobe” that still gives you many outfit choices without feeling boring.
Throughout its existence (1922 to 1991), criminalisation of homosexual relations shifted. After the October Revolution of 1917, homosexuality was decriminalised in Soviet Russia with the repeal of the legal code of the Russian Empire, and this decriminalisation was confirmed with new criminal codes in 1922 and 1926.
In North Korea, fashion isn't about style, it's about state control. Citizens are banned from wearing blue jeans, which leader Kim Jong Un considers a symbol of Western imperialism. The government also prohibits ripped denim, branded T -shirts, piercings, and spiky hairstyles.