9 Facts About Toilets You Didn't Know

We gathered the details about this familiar piece of bathroom furniture: who invented the toilet and when, why it was given such a name, when World Toilet Day is celebrated, and how accessible toilets are around the world, as they may seem at first glance. Let's test your knowledge: do you know these facts?

The prototype of the modern toilet was invented by a watchmaker

In 1775, in England, a Scotsman named Alexander Cumming created and patented a design with a drain, which became the basis for modern toilets. Before that, Europeans used chamber pots, and contents were poured directly onto the street! And yes, Cumming was a watchmaker by profession.

The prototype would continue to evolve for another century, and by the 1870s it 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 combining the bowl and tank, appeared ten years later in England. The innovation was solemnly named unitas — meaning "unity" in Latin. As you can see, the word has firmly entered everyday usage.

Design: Patio 10, Jacob Delafon

Mass production of toilets started in the 1900s

By that time, other countries had also joined in. In Paris, the first batches of toilets from Jacob Delafon 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 started in 1880 in Paris. Initially, its founders, the brothers Jacques, produced tiles for chimneys and flues for fireplaces, and glazed ceramic pipes. Eight years later, the brothers expanded production to white glazed ceramics and joined forces with Maurice Delafon. The Jacob Delafon brand began manufacturing metal bathroom fixtures, plumbing fittings, toilet tables, and furniture for ceramic basins. Soon, the brand opened additional factories and began exporting products. Each factory was equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and kilns by Dressler were installed for the highest quality ceramic firing at that time. New factories opened, and teams introduced new production methods. The first mechanized production lines appeared in the factories.

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

The first toilets were made of cast iron and enameled steel

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

Design: Nouvelle Vague, Jacob Delafon

Faience and porcelain are made from the same material

And that is white clay. But why are toilets made of porcelain significantly more expensive and of better quality than those made of faience? Unlike faience, porcelain clay includes quartz and feldspar. The material becomes dense and water-resistant, which prevents damage to the item, thus making it last longer.

Important role in toilet durability is also played by the firing process. Faience items are fired once, while porcelain items are fired twice, making the second variant almost immune to moisture and virtually indestructible.

All "smart" coatings for toilets eventually wear off

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 lifespan — usually several years. But that’s not a reason to give them up: “smart” coating extends the life of the toilet and simplifies cleaning for at least some time.

The most dangerous toilets are in Australia

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

The flush of a toilet was first shown in cinema history in the movie "Psycho"

This historic moment happened in 1960. Director Alfred Hitchcock at the time received a backlash from conservative viewers: many were offended by such intimate detail down to the soul.

Scene from the movie 'Psycho', 1960

World Toilet Day is celebrated on November 19

This date was introduced by the United Nations at an international conference in Singapore in 2001 dedicated to sanitation issues.

The problems are indeed serious: according to UN data, more than 2 billion people live without adequate sanitation services. Many homes don’t even have a toilet: 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 hygiene issues on November 19. On this day, awareness campaigns and discussions take place, and media programs are dedicated to the problem of poor sanitation.