9 Facts About Toilets You Didn't Know

We gathered the dirt about the familiar bathroom fixture: who and when invented the toilet, why it was given such a name, when World Toilet Day is celebrated, and how accessible toilets are around the world. Let's test your knowledge: do you know these facts?

The prototype of the modern toilet was invented by a clockmaker

In 1775, in England, a Scotsman named Alexander Cumming created and patented a design with a drain, which laid the foundation for modern toilets. Before that, Europeans used chamber pots, and contents were dumped straight onto the street! And yes, Cumming was a clockmaker by profession.

The prototype would continue to evolve for another century, and by the 1870s had transformed into a classic toilet with a tank on a spout and a system of "pulling the chain".

The word "toilet" means unity

The compact toilet, or a single unit consisting of the bowl and tank, appeared ten years later in England. The novelty was proudly named unitas — meaning "unity" in Latin. As you can see, the word has firmly entered everyday language.

Design: Patio 10, Jacob Delafon

Mass production of toilets began in the 1900s

By that time, other countries had also joined the British. In Paris, the first batches of Jacob Delafon toilets were launched: a well-known brand of bathroom fixtures stood at the origins of toilet development. This year, the company celebrates its 130th anniversary.

The story of the Jacob Delafon brand began in 1880 in Paris. Initially, its founders, the brothers Jacques, produced tiles for chimneys and flues for fireplaces, coating ceramic pipes with glaze. Eight years later, the brothers expanded production to white glazed ceramics and joined forces with Maurice Delafon. The Jacob Delafon brand started producing metal bathroom fixtures, plumbing fittings, toilet tables, and furniture for ceramic basins. Soon, the brand opened more factories and began exporting its products. Each factory was equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and kilns from Dressler were installed for the best possible quality firing of ceramics. New factories opened, and the team introduced new manufacturing methods. The first mechanized production lines appeared in the factories.

In the 1970s, the brand’s development expanded beyond France. Offices of Jacob Delafon were opened in Spain and Morocco. In 1999, the last Dressler kiln was replaced with technologically advanced equipment. In 1994, the first shipments to Russia began. Today, the highlight of the Jacob Delafon bathroom fixtures is elegant French-style baths.

The first toilets were made from cast iron and enameled steel

But in the end, porcelain won out — such bathroom fixtures are easiest to clean.

Design: Nouvelle Vague, Jacob Delafon

The same material is used for sanitary porcelain and sanitary faience

And it's white clay. But why are toilets made from sanitary faience significantly more expensive and of better quality than those made from sanitary porcelain? Unlike sanitary porcelain, white clay for sanitary faience includes quartz and feldspar. The material becomes denser and absorbs less water, which damages the item, making it last longer.

A vital role in the durability of toilets is also played by firing. Sanitary porcelain items are fired once, while sanitary faience is fired twice, making the second option nearly immune to moisture and virtually indestructible.

All "smart" coatings for toilets wear out over time

Water-repellent and anti-stain coatings for toilets, washbasins, or shower glass — a useful feature that makes life easier for homeowners. However, such coatings have their own shelf life — usually a few years. But this is not a reason to give them up: the "smart" coating extends the life of a toilet and makes cleaning easier—at least for a while.

The most dangerous toilets are in Australia

Be vigilant when visiting Australia: deadly poisonous spiders often hide under the rim of local toilets. Recently, a woman staying with relatives in Brisbane was bitten by a python hiding in the toilet.

The first flushing of a toilet in cinema history was shown in the film "Psycho"

This historic event occurred in 1960. The director of the film, Alfred Hitchcock, received a strong backlash from conservative viewers: many were offended by such an intimate detail down to the deepest parts of the soul.

Still from the film 'Psycho', 1960

World Toilet Day is celebrated on November 19th

This date was introduced at the initiative of the United Nations during an international conference in Singapore in 2001 dedicated to the issue of unsanitary conditions.

The problems are indeed serious: according to UN data, more than 2 billion people live without quality sanitation services. In many homes, there is no toilet at all: every tenth inhabitant of the planet uses open-air facilities. Such conditions lead to diseases, often with fatal outcomes.

Worldwide attention is traditionally drawn to sanitation issues on November 19th. On this day, campaigns and discussions are held, and media programs dedicated to unsanitary conditions are aired.