From ancient customs and awkward etiquette to zoning math, plumbing codes, and surprisingly exact standards, toilets have inspired some of history’s most bizarre rules. Here’s a tour of the strangest toilet laws, regulations, and practices.
- In Singapore, it’s actually against the law to fail to flush a public toilet. Rule 16 of the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations states: “Any person who has urinated or defecated in any sanitary convenience with a flushing system to which the public has access shall flush the sanitary convenience immediately after using it.”1
- Toilets require legroom and elbow room. In modern building codes — residential and commercial — a toilet generally requires at least 15 inches from its centerline to any side wall or fixture and at least 21 inches of clear space in front.2
- In ancient Rome, public toilets were a social space. Roman latrines were part of Roman urban life, with rows of seats side by side and very little privacy. It was considered normal to chat with whoever happened to sit next to you.
- Ancient Rome also taxed urine. Around 70 AD, Emperor Vespasian imposed a tax on the distribution of urine from Rome's public urinals, which was sold as an ingredient for tanning, wool production, and toga laundering. Fun fact: Public urinals in Italy (vespasiano) and France (vespasienne) still reference Vespasian's name.
- Bathrooms and kitchens don’t mix. Many codes prohibit toilet rooms from opening directly into a room used for preparing food for service to the public3, and some residential contexts prohibit a toilet room or bathroom from opening onto a kitchen or kitchenette.
- Many Japanese homes use separate slippers just for the toilet area. Foreigners usually know they’re supposed to change from outdoor shoes to slippers when entering a home, but many make the classic visitor mistake of wearing the same slippers to go to the bathroom. If you don’t have special restroom slippers, it’s okay to simply remove your slippers when you go.
- Urinal privacy wings are highly regulated. Lots of men’s rooms don’t even have urinal privacy wings — but if they do, they’d better comply with regulations. They have to start no less than 12 inches from the floor and rise to at least 60 inches, and extend from the wall surface at least 18 inches or at least 6 inches past the outermost front lip of the urinal.4
- Many cultures discourage calling a toilet a toilet. In medieval castles they were called “privy chambers,” “necessariums,” or even “Golden Towers.” Victorians coined the phrases “water closet,” and “powder room.” Even today, Americans prefer “restroom.”
- There are no laws prohibiting pressure-assisted toilets. Pressure-assisted toilets — sometimes known as power flush toilets — are a powerful alternative to gravity toilets that virtually eliminate clogs. They force water into the bowl with compressed air to create a 233% waste-extraction advantage using the same amount of water. And they’re legal in every commercial and residential setting.
Pressure-assisted toilets can help any residential or commercial restroom save water, eliminate clogs, and maintain a cleaner appearance. Talk to the experts at Flushmate to learn more.
1—Singapore Statute Online
2—Building Code Trainer, “Minimum Toilet Clearances per the Residential Code”
3—Illinois Building Code 2021
4—2021 International Building Code with Massachusetts Amendments