However, while one of the systems most definitely is a toilet for human waste, the other serves a different purpose. The other "toilet" is in-fact a bidet. You have likely heard of bidet but may not have come across one in the UK, as they are not installed as standard in UK homes or even in most hotels.
What is a Bidet? A bidet is a small basin located near the toilet that you use to wash your private parts after using the toilet. So, instead of just wiping with toilet paper, you use soap and water to clean the area. You can also use a bidet to 'freshen up' and wash 'down there' as you feel necessary.
Modern models of bidets have a water spout or vertical water jet to get the water where it needs to go to do its job. Standalone bidets are more commonly seen in overseas countries due to plumbing laws to supply two plumbing setups for both a toilet and a bidet.
The “second toilet” is the bidet. We Italians use it to clean our private parts: it is not a toilet, but it is something you use after the toilet. After defecating, we use the toilet paper to remove the solid parts and then we clean our butt with water and the appropriate soap.
European toilets use less water (and may have the "dual-flush" option that lets users choose a lighter flush for liquid waste), and there's less splashback and less noise involved.
People stand on them because they are not kept clean enough to sit on. Eventually, after being broken repeatedly, they are no longer replaced for one of two reasons. Either the proprietors decide there's no point in continuing the cycle, so they consign their toilet to the ranks of the seatless.
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.
Indeed, French building codes require this separation. The location of French toilets is tied to a number of cultural issues, especially public vs. private space and concepts of clean vs. dirty.
Sure, you can wipe first, but most people who use a bidet find it easier and cleaner to just use the bidet. This is because the water pressure will adequately clean your bottom without the need for toilet paper. Some people like to wipe with toilet paper after using a bidet, but it's a matter of personal preference.
There are few reasons why most Australians do not use a bidet in their bathroom. The first reason is their geographic location. Australia does not get a lot of rainy days so water preservation is a must for everyone and so using a bidet could be seen as wasteful in times of drought.
It's clear that the widespread use of bidets in many countries has its advantages. The lack of popularity in the UK and US likely has to do with a combination of factors: unfamiliarity, lack of space, cost, and more.
Bidets haven't ever been widely embraced in American culture. A common origin story for this reluctance is that bidets were seen as lascivious because they were used in brothels as a form of emergency contraception.
In general, it is acceptable to dispose of toilet paper in the toilet in Italy. However, it's important to be mindful of any signs or instructions indicating otherwise, particularly in older plumbing systems or rural areas. Toilets in Italy are different than toilets in other places.
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.
If you were 'today years old' when you learned that the French people prefer their toilet paper pink, you're not alone. But why is pink such a popular choice in France, I hear you ask. Well, if we rewind a little, to around the 1960's, France started using recycled paper to manufacture their loo rolls.
France - Contrary to popular belief, many places in France have toilets that you can actually safely use and you'll be able to flush the paper.
The reason why you should not break pasta is that it's supposed to wrap around your fork. That's how long pasta is supposed to be eaten. You rotate your fork, and it should be long enough to both stick to itself and get entangled in a way that it doesn't slip off or lets sauce drip from it.
According to the data, part of a study published 2021 by @TheGlobal_Index, an account specialized in statistics, Italians are the cleanest in all of Europe (more than 95% of the population showers every day), followed by the Portuguese (between 85 and 94% do it) and the Spanish and Greeks (75-84%).
A Japanese toilet or smart toilet, as it's often referred to, is a toilet built with smart technology. Put simply, this means smart toilets can interact with their user via remote control access. With a press of the button, you can flush, spray and dry. As the name suggests, Japanese toilets originated in Japan.
The bidet is designed to promote personal hygiene and is used after defecation, and before and after sexual intercourse. It can also be used to wash feet, with or without filling it up with water. In several European countries, a bidet is now required by law to be present in every bathroom containing a toilet bowl.
An Italian shower, more commonly known as a roll-in shower, is simply a shower with no curb or step between the shower and the bathroom floor.