10 FUN FACTS ABOUT TOILETS: THE HISTORY YOU NEVER KNEW
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Dealing with a leaky, clogged, or backed-up toilet is never fun. However, learning a few interesting facts about toilets can make the situation a little easier to stomach.
At Conway Services, we know toilets inside and out. We established our business to be a breath of relief for busy homeowners and landlords who need maintenance, repair, or new installations.
If you want a plumber to check out your toilet, we’re ready to help. Give us a call and we’ll be happy to fix the problem. In the meantime, enjoy a little toilet and bathroom trivia to impress your friends at your next get-together!
10 INTERESTING TOILET AND BATHROOM FACTS
When friends and family gather around the dinner table, certain topics are best saved for another time. For some, it may be hot-button issues like politics or religion. For others, it’s their spouses’ cooking.
Why not go for something everyone can relate to and share some interesting facts revolving around the bathroom instead?
While toilets are not usually what people want to hear about in between hearty bites of beef stew, there are still some fascinating facts that may grab everyone’s attention. Not only will you learn a few tidbits about history and technology, but you’ll gain a whole new appreciation for your bathroom.
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” was the first film to show a toilet being flushed, resulting in several complaints about indecency.
It is said that the first toilet cubicle in a row of public toilets is the least often occupied.
Elvis Presley, Top Gun producer Don Simpson, and comedian Lenny Bruce are just a few of the famous people who have died in a bathroom.
It is estimated that each year, more than 40,000 people suffer toilet-related injuries in the U.S.
In 1890, Scott Paper Company introduced toilet paper in a roll.
The average person visits the toilet 2,500 times a year.
The plastic toilet brush was invented in 1932 by William C. Schopp and patented by the Addis Brush Company in 1933.
A kitchen sponge is 200 times dirtier than a toilet seat.
More toilets are flushed during the Super Bowl half-time break than any other time of the year.
Ancient Roman societies viewed relieving oneself as a communal activity.
FAST TOILET TRIVIA: THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD
The word ‘toilet’ comes from an old French word ‘toilette’, referring to a small piece of cleaning cloth. That said, it may also connect to the French word ‘toil’, which refers to trapping something.
As often happens in English, the word got tweaked after entering everyday English vocabulary and now means something quite different. A word that originally referred to a cleaning cloth eventually came to mean cleaning one’s rear after going to the restroom.
TOILET TIMELINE: HOW THE PORCELAIN THRONE CAME TO
BE
Toilets aren’t as modern as you may think! The history of waste management and plumbing dates back to ancient Mesopotamia (over 5,000 years).
Before you start exploring your toilet issues, let’s dive into even more facts about toilets by going on a little journey through human civilization.
PIT TOILETS
The history of toilets begins in the city of Uruk in Mesopotamia. There, a pit toilet (or pit latrine) was a fancy title for a communal hole in the ground where the village would take care of business. While the oldest toilet may not seem like much, it was crucial in reducing the spread of disease throughout clustered populations.
SEWER CHUTES
Toilets started to evolve throughout the Middle East and Southern Asia, manifesting as sewer chutes connected to people’s houses. After a person relieved themselves, their waste would travel down the chute and into a public street drain or cesspit. Workers would clean these cesspits on a regular basis to make sure they didn’t leak or overflow.
PIG TOILETS
When it came to waste management, many societies learned to work smarter, not harder. Take Ancient Chinese societies, for example, which would set up an outhouse over a pig sty. Since pigs can easily digest many things humans find unsavory, it was seen as a win-win for everyone involved.
CHAMBER POTS
These toilets look similar to the ones you know today. Ancient Greek societies sometimes brought chamber pots or clay pots with them to relieve themselves while participating in meetings or gatherings.
THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS (AND STRANGEST) TOILETS
One of the great facts about toilets is that they can blend form and function. Check out some of these interesting, world-famous toilets to see a whole new side to this everyday staple.
The Hundertwasser Toilets: These toilets are a public art installation in New Zealand, crafted by artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. This bathroom is famous for its colorful tiles, unique sculptures, and off-kilter visual style.
The NASA Space Toilet: In 2020, NASA introduced an advanced, zero-gravity toilet for their space crews to use while out among the stars. It has an improved ability to recycle urine for drinking due to limited resources aboard the ship.
Solid Gold Toilet: This famous toilet is made of pure gold and is valued at $3.5 million. It resides in Hong Kong and achieved the Guinness World Record for the world’s most expensive toilet.
Got toilet issues, Schedule an appointment with Conway Services to have your bathroom inspected by an experienced plumber.
4 QUICK TOILET MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTION TIPS
Now that you’ve picked up a little toilet trivia, why not reduce the need for constant plumbing calls? Reduce clogged drains and sudden breakdowns with these easy prevention tips.
Check Your Flapper Valve Yearly: Your flapper valve is crucial for controlling how much water is released from the tank into the bowl. If it shows signs of cracking or warping, you should replace it with a new flapper to avoid the risk of leaks.
Be Mindful of What You Flush: A lot of people don’t know you shouldn’t flush paper towels or baby wipes. Make sure you’re only ever flushing waste and toilet paper!
Keep an Eye Out for Leaks: Want a quick hack for discovering if you’ve got a leak? Drip a few drops of food coloring into the tank, then wait for half an hour. If the water changes color, you likely have a leak and need to call a plumber.
Use Gentle Cleaners for Clogs: To avoid damaging your pipes, stay clear of harsh, chemical-based cleaners. Look for enzyme-based cleaners designed to gently and gradually break down waste.
WHEN TO CALL CONWAY SERVICES FOR PLUMBING HELP
Few things are more annoying than dealing with a toilet that doesn’t work. The normally simple and convenient act of relieving yourself now takes the form of visiting a friend’s house or using a public restroom.
If you’ve tried using a plunger or toilet clog remover to no avail, let Conway Services help.
We’ve been assisting homeowners and landlords with their plumbing fixtures and toilets since 1990. We also help with clogged sewer lines and sewer replacements to make sure you’re always using your plumbing safely and reliably.
CALL CONWAY SERVICES TO FIX YOUR TOILET
Of course, no amount of interesting facts about toilets will make a dysfunctional toilet work again. If you’re dealing with a clog, leak, strange odor, crack, or an aging toilet, we can fix it.
You can count on Conway Services for prompt service and dependable results, seven days a week. Call us today to schedule an appointment or get plumbing maintenance tips to avoid a future pain in the rear.