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Flush toilet.
Flush toilet. A flush toilet or Water Closet (WC is a Toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location
Early 20th Century outhouse, preserved at a ghost town in the Arizona Desert.
Early 20th Century outhouse, preserved at a ghost town in the Arizona Desert. An outhouse, usually refers to a type of Toilet in a small structure separate from the main building which does not have a flush or sewer attached A ghost town is a Town or City that has been abandoned usually because the economic activity that supported it has failed or due to natural or human-caused

A toilet is a plumbing fixture and disposal system primarily intended for the disposal of the bodily wastes: urine and fecal matter. A plumbing fixture is a device which is part of a system to deliver and drain away water but which is also configured to enable a particular use The excretory system is an organ system that performs the function of Excretion, the bodily process of discharging nitrogeneous wastes Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the Kidneys by a process of filtration from Blood and Excreted through the Urethra. Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the Anus The word "toilet" can be used to refer to the fixture itself or to the room containing the fixture, especially in British English. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the There are two basic types of toilets: the dry toilet, and the wet toilet - the latter being the most commonly known and producer of blackwater. Blackwater is a relatively recent term used to describe water containing fecal matter and Urine. The dry toilet needs no plumbing for water input or evacuation, but is often coupled with some ventilation system. A composting toilet is any system that converts Human waste into an organic Compost and usable soil through the natural breakdown of organic matter into its essential

The ancient cities of Harappa[1] and Mohenjo-daro[2] which are located in present day India & Pakistan had flush toilets attached to a sophisticated sewage system[3] —and other forms of toilets were used both in the time of the Romans and Egyptians as well. Harappa ( Urdu:, Hindi: हड़प्पा) is a City in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about 35km (22 miles southwest Mohenjo-daro (موئن جودڑو موئن جو دڙو मोहन जोदड़ो Mound of the Dead was one of the largest city-settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and A flush toilet or Water Closet (WC is a Toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location Urban areas require some methods for collection and disposal of Sewage. [4] Although a precursor to the modern flush toilet system was designed in 1596 by Sir John Harington,[5] the toilet did not enter into widespread use until the late nineteenth century, when it was adopted in English upper class residences. A flush toilet or Water Closet (WC is a Toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location [6]

Nearly 40 percent of the world's population lacks access to toilets. [7]

Contents

Types of toilets

Squat toilet as seen in some parts of Europe and Asia.
Squat toilet as seen in some parts of Europe and Asia. A squat toilet (also known as an Eastern or floor-level toilet is a Toilet used by squatting, rather than sitting.

There are also many different ways to clean oneself after using the toilet. A lot depends on national mores and local resources. Mores (ˈmɔːreɪz are norms or customs Mores derive from the established practices of a society rather than its written Laws. The most common choice in the Western world is toilet paper, sometimes used in conjunction with the bidet. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Toilet paper is a soft paper product used to maintain Personal hygiene after human Defecation or Urination. A bidet is a low-mounted Plumbing fixture or type of Sink intended for Washing the Genitalia, inner Buttocks, and Anus. (See Toilet paper and Anal cleansing for a discussion of the many alternatives used through history and in different cultures. Toilet paper is a soft paper product used to maintain Personal hygiene after human Defecation or Urination. Anal cleansing is the important hygienic practice of cleaning the anus after defecation ) In the Middle East and some countries in Asia, and South Asian countries such as India and Pakistan, the custom is to use water, either with or without toilet paper. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Traditionally, the left hand is used for this, for which reason that hand is considered impolite or polluted in many eastern countries.

The most common type of toilet in modern cities is the flush toilet, in which water takes away the waste through sewers to a waste treatment plant. A flush toilet or Water Closet (WC is a Toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing Contaminants from Wastewater, both Runoff ( Effluents In rural areas where sewers are not practical, septic tanks may be installed instead. Description A septic tank generally consists of tanks between the size of 1000 and 2000 gallons (4000 - 7500 litres which is connected to an inlet wastewater pipe at one end and

The most common design in first-world countries is the sitting toilet. Some other countries use the squat toilet. A squat toilet (also known as an Eastern or floor-level toilet is a Toilet used by squatting, rather than sitting.

Main designs Specialty designs
  • Toilet with built-in bidet
  • Chemical toilet
  • Dry toilet (i. A flush toilet or Water Closet (WC is a Toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location A squat toilet (also known as an Eastern or floor-level toilet is a Toilet used by squatting, rather than sitting. A urinal is a specialized Toilet for urinating only generally by men and boys A urinal is a specialized Toilet for urinating only generally by men and boys A bidet is a low-mounted Plumbing fixture or type of Sink intended for Washing the Genitalia, inner Buttocks, and Anus. A chemical toilet is a Toilet using chemicals to deodorize the waste instead of simply storing it in a hole or piping it away to a sewage treatment plant e. no water used for flushing)
    • Pit toilet: very common in camping grounds in the United States. A pit toilet or compost toilet is a method of collection of Human waste used for Composting controlled decomposition, or Waste disposal Definition Camping describes a range of activities Survivalist campers set off with little more than their boots whereas Recreational vehicle travelers arrive equipped Also known as an outhouse in the U. An outhouse, usually refers to a type of Toilet in a small structure separate from the main building which does not have a flush or sewer attached S.
    • Composting toilet: Very commonly found in camping grounds in Europe, and large climbing parks. A composting toilet is any system that converts Human waste into an organic Compost and usable soil through the natural breakdown of organic matter into its essential Definition Camping describes a range of activities Survivalist campers set off with little more than their boots whereas Recreational vehicle travelers arrive equipped A park is a protected area of Land and Water, usually in its natural or semi-natural (landscaped state and set aside for some purpose often to do with human Also found in some modern ecologically designed buildings. [1]
    • Urine-diverting & dry composting: a source-separation toilet that keeps urine and feces separate and simplifies the composting process. Can also be called an eco-san (from ecological sanitation) toilet, and is a viable alternative to flush sanitation in urban areas [2]. Ecological sanitation, also known as ecosan or eco-san, is a new paradigm in sanitation that recognises human excreta and household wastewater not as waste but as
    • Incinerating toilet
    • Tree bog, a system for converting human faeces to biomass
  • Head: a toilet on a boat, which has a pump to bring cleaning seawater in and pump waste overboard or into a holding tank. An incinerating toilet is a Toilet that burns the excrement instead of flushing it away with Water. A Treebog is a form of Compost toilet which has Willows Nettles and other nutrient-hungry plants planted around it Biomass refers to living and recently dead Biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production The head (or heads) is a Ship 's water closet or Toilet. The term derives from Sailing ships in which the toilet area for the regular sailors For information on Wikipedia project-related discussions see WikipediaVillage pump.

Public toilets

Main article: Public toilet
A portable urinal in the Netherlands.
A portable urinal in the Netherlands. See also Toilet A washroom, public toilet, public convenience, comfort room, toilet room, bathroom, water closet A urinal is a specialized Toilet for urinating only generally by men and boys
Portable toilets for a pop concert
Portable toilets for a pop concert

Public toilets, public lavatories, or public conveniences are toilets that are accessible to the general public with common access from the street. Conveniences being the collective term for male and female designated toilets, convenience (singular) usually acquiring a gender attribute. In linguistics grammatical number is a Grammatical category of nouns pronouns and adjective and verb agreement that expresses count distinctions (such as "one"

A public toilet may or may not cost money to use; for those that do, see "pay toilet". A pay toilet is a public toilet that requires Money Payment of any individual to use Between the categories of outright free and outright pay toilets, there is a grey area of toilets where a fee is expected, but not enforced. A charge levied in the UK during the mid-20th century was one British penny, hence the generally adopted term "spend a penny" meaning to use the toilet. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the Public facilities often have several toilets partitioned by stalls (US) or cubicles (UK). Facilities for men often also have separate urinals, either wall-mounted fixtures designed for a single user, or a constantly-draining basin or trough for collective use. Wall-mounted urinals are sometimes separated by small partitions or other obstructions for privacy, i. Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively e. , to keep the user's genitals hidden from public view. A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute

An automated Sanisette outdoor toilet
An automated Sanisette outdoor toilet

Outdoor public toilets (in the street, around parks, etc. Sanisette (saniˈzɛt is a registered trademark for a self-contained self-cleaning unisex Public toilet pioneered by the French company JCDecaux ) are a form of street furniture. Street furniture is a collective term for objects and pieces of equipment installed on streets and roads for various purposes including benches, Bollards Post For mixed sex arrangements, there are cubicles varying from simple devices with little or no plumbing to more luxurious versions that automatically clean themselves after every use (for the latter, see Sanisette). Plumbing, from the Latin plumbum for Lead, is the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and Plumbing fixtures for Sanisette (saniˈzɛt is a registered trademark for a self-contained self-cleaning unisex Public toilet pioneered by the French company JCDecaux Facilities without walls all around are typically for urination only, and for men only; although passers-by can see the urinating men from the back, they cannot see the genitals. Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, and more rarely emiction, is the process of disposing Urine from the Urinary bladder These street urinals are known as Pissoirs after the French term [3] (see Urinal). A urinal is a specialized Toilet for urinating only generally by men and boys

Some facilities are mobile, and can thus be put in place where and when needed, e. g. , for a weekend at an entertainment venue. Additionally, some can be sunk into the ground (and thereby made inoperable), for the periods that they are not needed. The idea behind this is that some people do not like the sight of a public toilet in the street, and they are more easily hidden than repeatedly moved. This type is typically installed in entertainment areas and made operational during weekend evenings and nights.

Some public toilets use blue lighting, to prevent intravenous drug abuse by apparently making it harder to locate the veins.[citation needed]
Some public toilets use blue lighting, to prevent intravenous drug abuse by apparently making it harder to locate the veins. Drug abuse has a wide range of definitions related to taking a Psychoactive drug or Performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect

A portable toilet is an outdoor public toilet with walls which can either be connected to the local sewage system or store the waste and be emptied from time to time. A portable toilet, also known as a 'porta-potty' is a modern portable self-contained Outhouse manufactured of molded Plastic in a variety of colors and are often Space shuttles empty waste out into outer space. Many toilets can be cleaned on the spot, or at a central location in the case of a mobile toilet or urinal. In Europe, public toilets are also set up for cities as a compensation for advertising permits. They are part of a street furniture contract between the out-of-home advertising company and the city council. Street furniture is a collective term for objects and pieces of equipment installed on streets and roads for various purposes including benches, Bollards Post The reason for this combination is the shortage in city budgets.

Terms used to identify a public toilet will vary from region to region. The Gents and The Ladies are commonly used British terms meaning the male and female toilet respectively. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the Some European public toilets may be marked "WC" (Water Closet); while in the Philippines the label "CR" (comfort room) is common. A toilet is a Plumbing fixture and disposal system primarily intended for the disposal of the bodily wastes: Urine and fecal matter. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP

Some public toilets have begun to be provided with flushable paper toilet seat covers which allow the user the comfort of knowing that they are not in contact with a surface previously used by a stranger. A toilet seat is the seat and lid of a Toilet bowl. It consists of the seat itself which is contoured for the user to sit on the toilet and the lid which covers There is however no medical evidence that these prevent the spread of disease. [8]

Toilets for people with disabilities

Some toilet areas (otherwise known as "stalls"), are specially adapted for people with disabilities. These are wide enough to allow the entry and use by a person in a wheelchair, and often feature hand-holds or grab bars bolted to the wall, enabling the person to maneuver onto the toilet, if necessary. A wheelchair is a wheeled Mobility device in which the user sits Grab bars are Safety devices designed to enable a Worker to maintain Balance by holding (" Grabbing quot onto each bar as he or she Some countries have legal requirements for the accessibility of toilets.

Further information: Accessible toilets

Gender and public toilets

Separation by sex is characteristic of public toilets to the extent that pictograms of a man or a woman are used to indicate where their respective toilets are. Public toilets and restrooms can present Accessibility challenges for people with disabilities, for example those in Wheelchairs. Sex segregation is the separation of people according to their Gender. A pictogram ( also spelled pictogramme) or pictograph is a Symbol representing a Concept, object, activity place or event These pictograms are sometimes enclosed within standard geometric forms to reinforce this information, with a circle representing a women's toilet and a triangle representing a men's facility. Pictograms depicting men and women in traditional dress (men in pants, women in skirts) have been criticized for perpetuating gender stereotypes. Standard gender symbols are rarely used. A gender symbol is a Symbol used to denote the Sex of a Life form or the Gender of a human being In restaurants, bars and night clubs, the identifications can be designed to match the decoration of the premises, using male and female figures or parts of the body, text, or even puns, making it difficult for some patrons to identify them[9]. Industrial design is an Applied art whereby the Aesthetics and Usability of mass-produced products may be improved for marketability and

Sex-separated public toilets are a source of difficulty for some people. For example, people with children of the opposite sex must choose between bringing the child into a toilet not designated for the child's gender, or entering a toilet not designated for one's own. Men caring for babies often find that only the women's washroom has been fitted with a change table. People with disabilities who need assistance to use the restroom have an additional problem if their helper is the opposite sex. An organism's sex is defined by the gametes it produces males produce male gametes (spermatozoa or Sperm) while females produce female gametes (ova or Egg cells; individual

Sex-separated public toilets are often difficult to negotiate for transgendered or androgynous people, who are often subject to embarrassment, harassment, or even assault or arrest by others offended by the presence of a person they interpret as being of the other gender (whether due to their outward presentation or their genital status). Transgender (trænzˈdʒɛndɚ from ( Latin) derivatives Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ ( anér, meaning man and γυνή ( gyné, meaning woman that can refer to either of two Transgendered people have been arrested for using not only bathrooms that correspond to their gender of identification, but also ones that correspond to the sex they were born with.

men's public restroom symbol
men's public restroom symbol
women's public restroom symbol
women's public restroom symbol
See also: SVG symbols of restroom symbols

Many existing public toilets are gender-neutral. Additionally, some public places (such as facilities targeted to the transgendered or LGBT communities, and a few universities and offices) provide individual washrooms that are not gender-specified, specifically in order to respond to the concerns of gender-variant people; but this remains very rare and often controversial. LGBT (also GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender / transsexual [4] Various courts have ruled on whether transgendered people have the right to use the washroom of their gender of identification. [5]

A significant number of facilities have additional gender-neutral public toilets for a different reason — they are marked not for being for females or males, but as being accessible to persons with disabilities, and are adequately equipped to allow a person using a wheelchair and/or with mobility concerns to use them.

Amnesty International includes segregated toilets among the measures to ensure the safety of girls in schools[10]

Family restrooms

Another recent development in public toilets is the "family restroom". Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to Family restrooms are unisex bathrooms that contain multiple stalls designed for maximum privacy and a communal washing area for use by both genders. The family restroom is designed so that a parent with a young child of the opposite gender can bring the child into the restroom with them without the concerns associated with single-gender restrooms. Family restrooms have started appearing in newly-built sports stadiums, amusement parks, shopping malls, and major museums. A modern stadium (plural stadiums or stadia in English is a place or venue for (mostly outdoor Sports Concerts or other events consisting A park is a protected area of Land and Water, usually in its natural or semi-natural (landscaped state and set aside for some purpose often to do with human A shopping mall or shopping centre is a building or set of buildings that contain Retail units with interconnecting Walkways enabling visitors A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the

Toilets in public transport

There are usually toilets in airliners, regional rail trains, and often in long-distance buses and ferries, but not in metros, school buses, trams, and other buses. An airliner is a large Fixed-wing aircraft with the primary function of transporting paying passengers Various terms are used for Passenger rail lines and equipment See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway A school bus is a Bus used to transport Children and Adolescents to and from School and school events A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train Many newer trains have a waste reservoir, but, in older trains and still in some newer ones, the contents simply fall on the tracks, hence the notice which appears in many train toilets: "Please do not flush while the train is standing at a station".

Lavatories on aircraft consist of a sink, a waste bin, and a toilet. On many newer aircraft the toilet does not flush with water; rather, suction removes the waste into a collection bin below cabin level. This type is generically known as a vacuum lavatory. Older aircraft use a lavatory tank below the toilet (normally hidden by a hinged "flapper valve" at the bottom of the toilet bowl) and a pump to filter and recirculate lavatory fluid to facilitate flushing.

See also: Passenger train toilets

Private toilets

Toilets in private homes are almost never separated by sex. In Rail transport, many passenger Trains (usually medium and long-distance have Toilet facilities on board However, the size of a home or facility bears on the availability of options. Small facilities are limited by their space to the toilet options they can offer; it is more common to find a higher number of choices in a large facility. The same is true for homes; in more affluent households in the USA, where the homes are usually larger, bathrooms are also often more spacious than average, and more numerous. In such homes, bathrooms (especially master bathrooms) are increasingly being designed with a small adjoining room exclusively for the toilet, as well as separate washing basins. This makes it easier for couples who share a bathroom to maintain their desired level of privacy and personal space. In Australia, it has long been the case that the toilet is in a separate room from the bathroom.

"High-tech" toilets

Advanced technology is being integrated into toilets with more functions, especially in Japan - see Toilets in Japan. There are two styles of Toilets commonly found in Japan. The oldest type is a simple Squat toilet, which is still common in public conveniences. The biggest maker of these toilets is TOTO. This article is about the Japanese toilet manufacturer For the American pop/rock band see Toto (band; for other uses see Toto. Such toilets can cost anywhere from US$200 to $5,000. The features are operated by control pads (sometimes with bilingual labels), and even hand-held remote control devices. Some of these features are

"Lo-tech" toilets

According to The Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000 by the World Health Organization, 40% of the global population does not have access to excreta disposal facilities, mostly in Asia and Africa. There are efforts to design toilets that are easy to build and maintain with simple materials, that are also hygienic. The World Toilet Organization has created some designs. About WTO World Toilet Organization (WTO is a global non-profit organization committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide

See also: Outhouse

Toilets on fire-resistance rated floors

Toilet flange firestopping versus mechanical pipe firestopping.
Toilet flange firestopping versus mechanical pipe firestopping. An outhouse, usually refers to a type of Toilet in a small structure separate from the main building which does not have a flush or sewer attached A firestop is a Passive fire protection System of various components used to seal openings and joints in fire-resistance rated wall

Toilets in multi-storey buildings, located on fire-resistance rated floors typically require at least two through-penetrations, which can compromise the rating of the floor if left untreated. In Architecture, Construction, Engineering and real estate development the word building may refer to one of the following Any man-made A fire-resistance rating typically means the duration for which a Passive fire protection System can withstand a standard fire resistance test. A penetration, in Firestopping is an opening, such as one created by the use of a cast-in-place sleeve, in a wall or floor assembly required to have a One opening is for the fresh water supply to flush and/or fill the water tank. The other through-penetration is for the drain pipe. The fresh water supply line requires routine firestopping. The drain pipe, however, is exempt from firestopping in many building codes, particularly when noncombustible piping is used, because the penetration terminates on the unexposed side in a ceramic bowl filled with water, which can withstand significant fires. A building code, or building control, is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as Buildings and Nonbuilding For other uses see Pipe. Within Industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey Fluids ( Liquids and Intumescent firestops are often used, in the event plastic pipes are used for toilet drains, so that the melting plastic pipe is choked off in the event of an accidental fire. An intumescent is a substance which swells as a result of Heat exposure thus increasing in Volume, and decreasing in Density. Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products It is, however, customary to fill the metallic drain pipe annulus with rockwool packing. The Annulus, or annular space, is the space between a Penetrant and whatever surrounds it such as the sides of an opening or a sleeve, as the case Mineral wool, also known as mineral fibers or man-made mineral fibers are Fibers made from natural or synthetic Minerals or Metal Packing is the process and/or the materials used in filling both service penetrations and building joints with backer materials as approved components within Even with the best of intentions, it would be difficult for the firestopper to install a sealant, because he is not allowed or inclined to remove the flange, which is what is partially used to support the drain pipe below during the installation process. A sealant is a viscous material that changes state to become solid once applied and is used to prevent the penetration of Air, Gas, Noise, Dust

Grey water

See also: Greywater

In some areas with water shortage issues, in order to conserve levels of potable water, some installations use grey water for toilets. Greywater, also known as sullage, is non-industrial wastewater generated from domestic processes such as dish washing Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is termed potable water whether it is used for drinking or not Grey water is waste water produced from processes such as washing dishes, laundry and bathing.

History

Roman public toilets, Ostia Antica
Roman public toilets, Ostia Antica
La Toilette from Hogarth's Marriage a la Mode series, 1743.  A young countess receives her lover, tradesmen, hangers-on, and an Italian tenor as she finishes her toilette
La Toilette from Hogarth's Marriage a la Mode series, 1743. Ostia Antica was the Harbour of Ancient Rome and perhaps its first colonia. A young countess receives her lover, tradesmen, hangers-on, and an Italian tenor as she finishes her toilette[12]

According to Teresi et al. (2002):[13]

The third millennium B. C. was the "Age of Cleanliness. " Toilets and sewers were invented in several parts of the world, and Mohenjo-Daro circa 2800 B. Mohenjo-daro (موئن جودڑو موئن جو دڙو मोहन जोदड़ो Mound of the Dead was one of the largest city-settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization C. had some of the most advanced, with lavatories built into the outer walls of houses. These were "Western-style" toilets made from bricks with wooden seats on top. They had vertical chutes, through which waste fell into street drains or cesspits. Sir Mortimer Wheeler, the director general of archaeology in India from 1944 to 1948, wrote, "The high quality of the sanitary arrangements could well be envied in many parts of the world today. Brigadier Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler CH, CIE, MC, FBA, FSA ( September 10, 1890 Glasgow "

Nearly all of the hundreds of houses excavated had their own bathing rooms. Generally located on the ground floor, the bath was made of brick, sometimes with a surrounding curb to sit on. The water drained away through a hole in the floor, down chutes or pottery pipes in the walls, into the municipal drainage system. Even the fastidious Egyptians rarely had special bathrooms. This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group

Toilets appeared as early as 2500 BC. The people of the Harappan civilization in Pakistan and north-western India had water-flushing toilets in each house that were linked with drains covered with burnt clay bricks. The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Around the 18th century BC, toilets started to appear in Minoan Crete; Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs and ancient Persia. The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Pharaoh is the title given in modern parlance to the ancient Egyptian kings of all periods The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia In Roman civilization, toilets were sometimes part of public bath houses. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness Often the term public is misleading to some people as they will have restrictions based upon who can use the facility

Roman toilets, like the ones pictured here, are commonly thought to be used in the sitting position. But sitting toilets only came into general use in the mid-19th century in the western world. [14] Squat toilets are still used by the majority of the world's population. A squat toilet (also known as an Eastern or floor-level toilet is a Toilet used by squatting, rather than sitting.

Etymology

The word "toilet" came to be used in English along with other French fashions. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people It originally referred to the toile, French for "cloth", draped over a lady or gentleman's shoulders whilst their hair was being dressed, and then (in both French and English) by extension to the various elements, and also the whole complex of operations of hairdressing and body care that centered at a dressing table, also covered by a cloth, on which stood a mirror and various brushes and containers for powder and make-up: this ensemble was also a toilette, as also was the period spent at the table, during which close friends or tradesmen were often received. Haircut redirects here For the financial term see Haircut (finance. A mirror is an object with a surface that has good Specular reflection; that is it is smooth enough to form an Image. A bathroom is a room that may have different functions depending on the cultural context [15] The English poet Alexander Pope in The Rape of the Lock (1717) described the intricacies of a lady's preparation:

And now, unveil'd, the toilet stands display'd

Each silver vase in mystic order laid. Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744 is generally regarded as the greatest English Poet of the eighteenth century best known for his Satirical The Rape of the Lock is a Mock-heroic Narrative poem written by Alexander Pope, first published anonymously in Lintot's Miscellany

These various senses are first recorded by the OED in rapid sequence in the later 17th century: the set of "articles required or used in dressing" 1662, the "action or process of dressing" 1681, the cloth on the table 1682, the cloth round the shoulders 1684, the table itself 1695, and the "reception of visitors by a lady during the concluding stages of her toilet" 1703 (also known as a "toilet-call"), but in the sense of a special room the earliest use is 1819, and this does not seem to include a lavatory. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English [16]

Through the 18th century, everywhere in the English-speaking world, these various uses centred around a lady's draped dressing-table remained dominant. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States In the 19th century, apparently first in the United States,[17] the word was adapted as a genteel euphemism for the room and the object as we know them now, perhaps following the French usage cabinet de toilette, much as powder-room may be coyly used today, and this has been linked to the introduction of public toilets, for example on railway trains, which required a plaque on the door. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track ( Permanent way) to transport freight or passengers from one place to another The original usages have become obsolete, and the table has become a dressing-table.

Vestiges of the original meaning continue to be reflected in terms such as toiletries, eau de toilette and toilet bag (to carry flannels, soaps, etc). Perfume is a mixture of fragrant Essential oils and Aroma compounds Fixatives and Solvents used to give the human body animals objects and living This seemingly contradictory terminology has served as the basis for various parodies e. A parody (ˈpɛɹədiː US, [ˈpaɹədiː] UK) in contemporary usage is a work created to mock comment on or poke fun at an original work its subject g. Cosmopolitan magazine ("If it doesn't say 'eau de toilette' on the label, it most likely doesn't come from the famed region of Eau de Toilette in France and might not even come from toilets at all. Cosmopolitan is the best-selling young women's magazine in the world This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ")

These modern facilities in the Selfridges department store are branded as 'Toilets'.
These modern facilities in the Selfridges department store are branded as 'Toilets'. Selfridges is a chain of Department stores in the United Kingdom.

The word toilet itself may be considered an impolite word in the United States, whilst elsewhere the word is used without any embarrassment. Politeness is best expressed as the practical application of good Manners or Etiquette. The choice of the word used instead of toilet is highly variable, not just by regional dialect but also, at least in Britain, by class connotations. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. Nancy Mitford wrote an essay out of the choice of wording; see U and non-U English. Nancy Freeman-Mitford, CBE ( 28 November 1904, London - 30 June 1973, Versailles) styled The Hon Some manufacturers show this uneasiness with the word and its class attributes: American Standard, the largest manufacturer, sells them as "toilets", yet the higher priced products of the Kohler Company, often installed in more expensive housing, are sold as commodes or closets, words which also carry other meanings. The Kohler Company is a manufacturing company in Kohler Wisconsin A Commode is any of several pieces of Furniture. The English word commode comes from French roots meaning "convenient" or "suitable" Confusingly, products imported from Japan such as TOTO are referred to as "toilets", even though they carry the cachet of higher cost and quality. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. This article is about the Japanese toilet manufacturer For the American pop/rock band see Toto (band; for other uses see Toto. When referring to the room or the actual piece of equipment, the word toilet is often substituted with other euphemisms and dysphemisms (See toilet humor). A euphemism is a substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the listener or in the case of doublespeak In Language, both dysphemism (from the Greek dys δύς "mis-" and pheme φήμη "reputation" and cacophemism Toilet humour, or scatological humour, is a type of off-colour humour dealing with Defecation, Urination, Flatulence, Vomiting As old euphemisms have become accepted, they have been progressively replaced by newer ones, an example of the euphemism treadmill at work. A euphemism is a substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the listener or in the case of doublespeak The choice of word used to describe the room or the piece of plumbing relies as much on regional variation (dialect) as on social situation and level of formality (register). A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of In Linguistics, a register is a subset of a Language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting

Lavatory

The term lavatory, abbreviated in slang to lav, derives from the Latin lavātōrium, which in turn comes from Latin lavāre, to wash. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It used to refer to a vessel for washing, such as a sink/wash basin, and thus came to mean a room with washing vessels. In Plumbing, a sink or basin is a bowl-shaped fixture that is used for washing hands or small objects such as Food, dishes In Plumbing, a sink or basin is a bowl-shaped fixture that is used for washing hands or small objects such as Food, dishes Since these rooms often also contain toilets, the meaning evolved into its current one, namely the polite and formal euphemism for a toilet and the room containing it. Lavatory is the common signage for toilets on commercial airlines around the world, see Aircraft lavatory. Signage is any kind of graphics created to display information to a particular audience typically Wayfinding information on streets outside and inside of buildings An airline provides air transport services for Passengers or Freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license An aircraft lavatory is an on-board Bathroom with a toilet and sink

Loo

The sign for toilets ("loos...") at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
The sign for toilets ("loos. . . ") at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

The origin of the (chiefly British) term loo is unknown. The National Exhibition Centre ( NEC) is an Exhibition centre in Solihull, near Birmingham, England. According to the OED, the etymology is obscure, but it might derive from the word Waterloo. The first recorded entry is in fact from James Joyce's Ulysses (1922): "O yes, mon loup. James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 &ndash 13 January 1941 was an Irish expatriate writer widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the Ulysses is a novel by James Joyce, first serialized in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920 How much cost? Waterloo. Watercloset".

Other theories are:

WC

The WC refers to the initial letters of Water Closet, used commonly in France (pronounced "le vay-say" or "le vater") and Hungary (pronounced "vey-tsay"). A flush toilet or Water Closet (WC is a Toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location The term is also used in the Netherlands (pronounced "waysay"), Germany (pronounced "vey-tsay") and Poland (pronounced "vu-tse"). In Mexico, WC is very common to indicate a public toilet, although the majority of the people there do not know the meaning of the 'mysterious' letters on the door. The same can be said for Finland. Quite why the English expression should have become international is not clear.

Khazi

Lexicographer Eric Partridge derives khazi, also spelt karzy, kharsie or carzey, from a low Cockney word carsey originating in the late 19th century and meaning a privvy. A lexicographer is a person devoted to the study of Lexicography, especially an author of a Dictionary. Eric Honeywood Partridge ( February 6, 1894 – June 1, 1979) was a noted New Zealand / British lexicographer of The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations Carsey also referred to a den or brothel. For the 2008 film of this name see The Brothel. For the television series of this name see Cathouse The Series. It is presumably derived from the Italian casa for house, with the spelling influenced by similar sound to khaki. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Khazi is now most commonly used in the city of Liverpool in the UK, away from its cockney slang roots. [18]

Stringy-bark dunny, Walcha, NSW
Stringy-bark dunny, Walcha, NSW

Dunny

The Dunny is an Australian expression for an outside toilet. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. See outhouse. An outhouse, usually refers to a type of Toilet in a small structure separate from the main building which does not have a flush or sewer attached The person who appeared weekly to empty the pan beneath the seat was known as the dunnyman. The word derives from the British dialect word dunnekin, meaning dung-house. [19] It is now an informal word used for any lavatory and is most often used referring to drop or pit lavatories in the Australian bush. The bush is a term used for rural possibly lawless undeveloped land or country areas in many places such as Australia, New Zealand, Sub-Saharan Africa

Privy

The Privy is an old fashioned term used more in the North of England and in Scotland; "privy" is an old alternative for "private", as in Privy council. Northern England, The North, The North of England or (less commonly The North Country refers to the parts of England north of an ill-defined line Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A privy council is a body that advises the Head of state of a nation on how to exercise their executive authority, typically but not always in the context of a It is used interchangeably in North America for various terms for the outhouse. An outhouse, usually refers to a type of Toilet in a small structure separate from the main building which does not have a flush or sewer attached

Derivations of "house"

Standalone toilets has been variously known as backhouse, house of ease, house of office, little house, or outhouse. An outhouse, usually refers to a type of Toilet in a small structure separate from the main building which does not have a flush or sewer attached [20]

The "house of office" was a common name for a toilet in seventeenth century England, used by, among others, Samuel Pepys on numerous occasions: October 23, 1660: . Samuel Pepys, FRS (23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703 was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for . . going down into my cellar. . . , I put my foot into a great heap of turds, by which I find Mr Turner's house of office is full and comes into my cellar. [21]

Latrine

Latrine is a term common in the military, specifically for the Army and Air Force for any point of entry facility where human waste is disposed of, which a civilian might call a bathroom or toilet, regardless of how modern or primitive it is. A latrine (from Latin lavatrina a privy is a structure (usually small holding a single person for Defecation. The United States Navy and Marine Corps use the nautical term "Head" to describe the same type of facility, regardless of whether it is located on a ship or on the land. The head (or heads) is a Ship 's water closet or Toilet. The term derives from Sailing ships in which the toilet area for the regular sailors

Urinal toilet of Limbourg (Belgium).
Urinal toilet of Limbourg (Belgium). Limbourg ( Limburg in German and Dutch) is a Medieval City located in the province of Liège, Wallonia, The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those

Culture

Toilet training

An important part of early childhood education is toilet training. Early childhood education regards Education in Early childhood, which are the most vulnerable stages in a persons life Toilet training, or potty training, is the process of training a young child to use the Toilet for Urination and Defecation.

Graffiti

Public toilets have been associated with graffiti, often of a transgressive, gossippy, or low-brow humorous nature (cf. Graffiti (singular graffito; the plural is used as a Mass noun) is the name for images or lettering scratched scrawled painted or marked in any manner on property Gossip is idle talk or Rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others toilet humour). Toilet humour, or scatological humour, is a type of off-colour humour dealing with Defecation, Urination, Flatulence, Vomiting The word latrinalia --from latrine 'toilet' and -alia, signifying a worthless collection--was coined to describe this kind of graffiti. A famous example of such artwork, was featured on the album cover of the satirical Tony-award Broadway musical Urinetown, using felt tip pen scribblings.

Popular culture

In November, 2007, the twelfth restaurant in a toilet-themed chain opened in Taipei. [6]

How toilet cisterns work

Prison cell toilet with built-in washbasin
Prison cell toilet with built-in washbasin

Cisterns are either lever or push button operated. A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of Cisterns operated by a push button are available in single (6L) or dual flush (3L/6L) depending on the range. The majority of cisterns are now internal overflow; this means in the event of a failure, the water will be contained within the unit. A flushing trough is an apparatus which serves several WC pans from one long cistern body. A flushing trough is a long cistern which serves several WC pans It is designed in this way to allow more frequent flushing. These can be found in schools, colleges and public toilets although are becoming less common.

How they are made

Pottery is made by a blend of clays, fillers and fluxes being fused together during the firing process. A white or coloured glaze is applied and is fused chemically and physically to the clay body during the same firing process. The finished product (vitreous china) has a very hard surface and is resistant to fading, staining, burning, scratching and acid attack. Due to the firing process and natural clays used, it is normal for the product to vary in size and shape, and +/- 5mm is normal.

Manufacturers

List of manufacturers of toilets and fixtures:

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Bathing Area, Mohenjo-daro, Sindh
  2. ^ Toilet Museum
  3. ^ Tampereen yliopiston sähköiset julkaisut
  4. ^ Who invented the toilet
  5. ^ A History of the flush toilet
  6. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Poop-Culture-America-Grossest-National/dp/193259521X Poop Culture: How America is Shaped by its Grossest National Product by Dave Praeger ISBN 1-932-59521-X
  7. ^ Nearly two-thirds of Africans have no toilets - CNN.com
  8. ^ MIT medical Ask Lucy archive on paper toilet seat covers. June 28, 2006
  9. ^ Operators shouldn't get potty over bathroom symbols, Nation's Restaurant News, Sept 13, 1999 by Jane Michael, Michael Stern. Michael Stern may be Michael Stern (politician (born 1942 British Conservative Party politician Michael Stern (conductor (born 1959
  10. ^ Six steps to stop violence against schoolgirls, Amnesty International, Document ACT 77/008/2007, November 2007. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to
  11. ^ TUCSON LAWMAKER WANTS TAX CREDITS FOR WATER-CONSERVING TOILETS. Cronkite News Service. Retrieved on 2008-03-12. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving
  12. ^ See Egerton op cit
  13. ^ Teresi et al. 2002
  14. ^ A History of Technology, Vol. IV: The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1850. (C. Singer, E Holmyard, A Hall, T. Williams eds) Oxford Clarendon Press, pps. 507-508, 1958
  15. ^ National Gallery Catalogues (new series): The British School, Judy Egerton, p. 167, 1998, ISBN 1857091701, describing the famous Hogarth painting The Toilette from the Marriage A-la-Mode series. This article is about the play by John Dryden; Marriage á-la-mode is also the name of a series of pictures by William Hogarth.
  16. ^ All OED (1st edn) for "toilet". The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English The sequence of recorded first use may not exactly match the sequence in which they actually came into use
  17. ^ The original OED regards the use for a room including washing, bathing and/or lavatory facilities as "in U. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English S. esp. "(ecially), and does not produce a quotation for the restricted sense as a lavatory, referring to "Funk's Standard Dictionary". OED Ist Edn "Toilet"
  18. ^ "Why Do We Say?" (1987) by Nigel Rees
  19. ^ dunny - Definitions from Dictionary.com
  20. ^ Ward Bucher (1996) "Dictionary of Building Preservation", ISBN 0471144134
  21. ^ "The Diary of Samuel Pepys", Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, Richard Griffin (1892) p. 245

See also

External links

Dictionary

toilet

-noun

  1. (archaic) Personal grooming; washing, dressing etc.
  2. A dressing room.
  3. A room or enclosed cubicle containing a lavatory, e.g., a bathroom or water closet (w.c.).
  4. A lavatory or device for depositing human waste and then flushing it away with water.
  5. Other similar devices, such as squat toilets, as in Japan or the Middle East.
  6. (figuratively) A shabby or dirty place, especially, a lounge/bar/pub/tavern.
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