Why do toilets in Germany have a shelf?

Instead of excretions making the plunge straight into the water, this toilet has a prominent shelf midway to catch everything. The natural question is why, oh why!, would Germans create this? And Germans have a practical, disgusting answer. I m told that the shelf is indeed to catch one's leavings for examination.

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What is the purpose of a shelf toilet?

Well, we can thank the Germans. The purpose of the shelf is inspection. You're meant to look at the consistency, shape, color, abnormalities, etc. before flushing, and then hope that the rush of water cleans the shelf enough – otherwise, that's what the brush is for.

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What is up with German toilets?

There is however another design for the toilet bowl that is often found in Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands. This design is called “flat bottom toilet”. Yes, it is true that German toilets have an "examination plate" where feces drops.

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Why do toilets in Germany have a flat bottom?

It is So you can inspect your poop!! ( For Blood, or worms, etc.) The flat bottoms of toilets help you to observe the quality and quantity of your feces: Is blood present in it?

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Are toilets different in Germany?

If you've ever been to Germany, you've probably encountered them before: Many German toilets will have a step inside so that excretions don't land in the water directly. They just kind of sit there. It's like a little display area, in case you want to admire what you've done before you flush it.

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POOP SHELVES?! German vs. American Bathroom Differences | Feli from Germany

19 related questions found

Why do Europeans not flush toilet paper?

No one wants to be that person. And some countries do not have systems that can break down toilet paper easily, so it's customary not to flush.

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Why do German toilets have two buttons?

To further facilitate saving water, there are usually two buttons to start the flow – one smaller embedded button for less water for number one and a larger push button for more water for number two.

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Do Germans use toilet paper?

Unlike Americans, lo and behold, 60 % of Germans use toilet paper to wipe their noses. They also learned that 8% use TP to remove make up, 3% to clean children's faces and hands, and 7% to clean mirrors.

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Why do toilets in Italy have no seats?

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.

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What is considered disrespectful in Germany?

Basic Etiquette

It is rude to chew gum or keep one's hands in one's pockets whilst talking with someone. Cross your legs by putting one knee over the other. It is impolite to rest your feet on furniture. Tight punctuality (Pünktlichkeit) is expected in most professional and social situations.

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Are toilets free in Germany?

Toilet Fact 2: You will probably have to pay to use a public toilet in Germany. Even in train stations and department stores there's usually an attendant or a coin-operated turnstile. The normal rate is 50 euro cents, but some places charge up to a euro. Airports are the rare exception to the pay-to-pee rule.

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Why do Dutch toilets look like that?

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.

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Why are Australian toilets different?

Toilets In Australia

y, Australian toilets have a similar shape to American toilets but they have a different way of flushing. When an Australian toilet is flushed, the water swirls down the opposite direction as it would in America.

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Do Germans use bidet?

The Germans are progressive - but not in everything. Bidets are (still) rare in German bathrooms.

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Why do European toilets have two buttons?

The toilet has two buttons on the cistern rather than the single-flush one; one button delivers a lesser amount of water (eg. 3 litres) and the other a greater amount (eg. 6 litres). It also uses a larger 10 cm trapway in the bowl, allowing for water to come out faster and clear the bowl efficiently.

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Why is French toilet paper pink?

It is said that pink was the regional preference at the time; how they came to this conclusion, is a mystery! It is thought that this colour was selected to compliment the bathroom décor – pink bathroom anyone? Of course, white toilet paper is available in France (it's also cheaper), it's just much less common.

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Why are toilets separated in Japan?

Given the way Japanese homes are built, there are several reasons for this preference. Unlike many places in the world, even larger homes with 3-4 bedrooms will still only have one sink, one toilet, and one bathing area. By separating the spaces they can be used simultaneously by different people.

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Which country has no toilet paper?

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.

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Do Germans wear deodorant?

This graph presents the results of a survey among singles in Germany on the frequency of their deodorant use compared to the population in 2021. That year, 65.4 percent of singles up to 49 years of age used deodorant daily, compared to 62.4 percent of the German population.

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How did cavemen wipe their bum?

Not much is known about how cavemen wiped their butts. But it stands to reason early humans used whatever was on hand. Leaves, sticks, moss, sand and water were common choices, depending on early humans' environment. Once we developed agriculture, we had options like hay and corn husks.

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Do Germans use water in toilet?

The bathrooms in Germany have water on tap and water flushed toilets like all the other countries in Europe. In fact, the bathrooms in Germany are probably amongst the best.

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Why do Australian toilets have two buttons?

IT IS FOR WATER CONSERVATION: The larger lever is to flush out around 6 to 9 liters of water, whereas the smaller lever is to flush out around 3 to 4.5 liters of water. Clearly, the larger one is to flush solid waste and the smaller one is to flush liquid waste.

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