Toilet facts for kids
A toilet is a special device or room where people go to get rid of their body waste, like urine and feces. Most toilets use water to flush this waste away through pipes, which then goes into a sewage system. However, some newer toilets don't use water at all; these are called dry toilets.
The room where a toilet is located has different names. In the United States, it's often called a "restroom" or "bathroom". In other places, it might simply be called the toilet or a water closet (WC).
Toilets in Homes
Almost all modern buildings have at least one toilet. In a home, the toilet might be in the same room as a shower or a bathtub. Some toilets are found outside in a small building called an "outhouse".
In many developing countries, people do not have a toilet inside their home. More than 4.5 billion people around the world do not have easy access to toilets.
Public Toilets
A public toilet is one that anyone can use. Sometimes you have to pay to use them, and these are called "pay toilets".
Public bathrooms often have many toilets separated by walls. These private areas are called stalls in the US or cubicles in the UK. Bathrooms for men often also have separate urinals. Urinals can be on the wall for one person, or a long basin for several men to use at once. Wall urinals sometimes have small dividers for more privacy.
Outdoor public toilets are found in places like streets or parks. They are a type of street furniture. These toilets are usually in their own small cubicles. Some are very simple with little or no plumbing. Others are more advanced, and some even clean themselves after each use.
Some toilet cubicles can be moved easily. These are called "portable toilets". Portable toilets are often used at big outdoor events like concerts, festivals, or carnivals.
New Toilet Inventions
Toilets use a lot of water every day. About 141 billion liters of water are used globally just for flushing waste. Because of this, scientists are trying to create toilets that need less water.
In 2019, a group of scientists created a special chemical coating for toilets. This coating makes the toilet surface very slippery. This way, waste can be flushed away with only a small amount of water. The scientists hope their invention will help save water around the world.
Images for kids
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Flush toilet bowl
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Pit latrines are still used in rural areas of wealthy countries (Herøy, Norway)
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Pit latrines in Briqueterie - des latrines á fosses á la Briqueterie, Yaounde (3447843124).jpg
A poorly maintained pit latrine in Yaounde, Cameroon
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A line of portable toilets
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A bucket toilet
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Roman public toilets, Ostia Antica.
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Bourdaloue chamber pots from the Austrian Imperial household
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19th century thunderbox, a heavy wooden commode to enclose chamber pot
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Henry Moule's earth closet design, circa 1909
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In La Toilette from Hogarth's Marriage à la Mode series (1743), a young countess receives her lover, tradesmen, hangers-on, and an Italian tenor as she finishes her toilette
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Squat toilet as seen in some parts of Europe and Asia
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Squat toilet in Topkapi palace
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Porcelain squat toilet, with water tank for flushing (Wuhan, China)
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Old-style squat toilet (Hong Kong)
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Japanese style squat toilet
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Garderobe seat openings
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View looking down into garderobe seat opening
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Exterior view of garderobe at Campen castle
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Toilet in Rosenborg Castle Copenhagen
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Men's toilet designed by artist and architect Hundertwasser
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Toilet in Delftware style
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Toilet in Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, Croatia
See also
In Spanish: Inodoro para niños
