9 Facts About Toilets You Didn't Know

We gathered the facts about this familiar piece of bathroom furniture: 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 watchmaker

In 1775, a Scotsman named Alexander Cumming in England created and patented a design with a drain that became the basis for modern toilets. Before this time, 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 be refined for another century, and by the 1870s it transformed into the classic toilet with a tank on a spout and a "pull the chain" system.

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 proudly named unitas — meaning "unity" in Latin. As you can see, the word has firmly entered common usage.

Design: Patio 10, Jacob Delafon

Mass production of toilets started in the 1900s

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

The history of the Jacob Delafon brand began in 1880 in Paris. Initially, its founders, the brothers Jacques, produced chimney tiles and flues for fireplaces and covered ceramic pipes with glaze. Eight years later, the brothers expanded their production to white glazed ceramics and joined forces with Maurice Delafon. The Jacob Delafon brand started manufacturing 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 the latest technology, and kilns by Dressler were installed for the highest quality ceramic firing at that time. New factories were established, and new production methods were introduced. The first mechanized production lines appeared in the factories. In the 1970s, the brand's development expanded beyond France. Offices of Jacob Delafon were established in Spain and Morocco. In 1999, the last Dressler kiln was replaced with a technologically advanced one. 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

Eventually, porcelain “won” — such bathroom fixtures are the easiest to clean.

Design: Nouvelle Vague, Jacob Delafon

Porcelain and faience are made from the same material

It is white clay. But why are toilets made of faience more expensive and of better quality than those made from porcelain? Unlike porcelain, clay for faience includes quartz and feldspar. The material becomes dense and resists water absorption, which damages the product, thus making it more durable.

The firing process also plays an important role in toilet longevity. Porcelain items are fired once, while faience is fired twice, making the latter nearly 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 eases the life of homeowners. However, these coatings have their lifespan — usually several years. But this is not a reason to avoid them: "smart" coating can extend the life of a toilet and make cleaning easier, at least for 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 a toilet.

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

This historic event happened in 1960. The film director Alfred Hitchcock received backlash from conservative audiences at the time: many were offended by such intimate detail down to the soul.

Still from the movie "Psycho", 1960

World Toilet Day is celebrated on November 19

This date was introduced at the initiative of the United Nations during an international conference in Singapore in 2001, dedicated to sanitation issues.

The problems are indeed serious: according to the United Nations, over 2 billion people live without adequate sanitation services. Many homes do not even have a toilet: one in ten inhabitants of the planet relieve themselves outdoors. Such conditions lead to diseases, often with fatal outcomes.

Worldwide, November 19 is traditionally used to draw attention to hygiene issues as much as possible. On this day, awareness campaigns, discussions, and radio and television programs are dedicated to unsanitary conditions.