Nature’s Calling And We Have The Answers
You took the World Toilet Day test, now it’s time to see how much of a toilet expert you really are. No matter what your results, the key is to be aware and help raise awareness. Because toilets matter. Toilets save lives. Human waste is one of the biggest spreaders of killer diseases – there’s a reason our bodies get rid of it! We need to work together to tackle the global sanitation crisis. The fact that more people have access to cell phones than to toilets (and clean, safe water for that matter) is as shocking as it is tragic.
Tell others to take the test!
The Answers
1) Who spends more time in the bathroom?
Perhaps surprisingly to some of our readers, men in fact spend more time on the toilet than women! A study revealed that while women spend a maximum of five minutes on the ‘john’, men spend 15 minutes! The number of minutes has likely gone up with digital devices and all the apps.
If you happen to be reading this while on the toilet, a word of caution. Be aware that more than seven million Americans have confessed to dropping their phones in the toilet! Hold on tight and then look at the answer to number 2 – you may want to wash your phone screen.
2) How much toilet water does a newer model toilet use?
While older style toilets use as much as seven gallons of water per flush, newer toilets use about 1.6 gallons. When you look at the average lifespan of a toilet, there are likely still a lot of old-school toilets in use. If you find a friend using one, suggest an upgrade. The world could use a helping hand.
Pssst: Your smartphone has about 20 times more bacteria than a toilet handle. After you wash your hands, wash your screen! (Disclaimer: you might want to google the best way to wash a screen to avoid damaging your phone).
3) How many times does an average person visit the toilet a year?
An average person visits the toilet 2,500 times a year. About six to eight times a day. We spend about THREE months of our lives on the toilet. Things like Instagram, Candy Crush, Twitter, Angry Birds aren’t helping at all. Studies show that the more features your smartphone has, the more time you are likely to spend on the toilet. You might want to consider leaving your phone in another room of your house – it will be motivation to get out of the toilet (with washed hands) quicker.
4) What is the average life expectancy of a toilet?
The average life expectancy of a toilet is 50 years. That sounds like a return on your investment if I’ve ever seen it. Actually, toilets are a great investment. Every dollar spent on sanitation will see a return of US$5.50.
5) How many sheets of toilet paper does the average person use every day?
The average person uses about 57 sheets of toilet paper every day. That’s a LOT of paper.
6) Which toilet cubicle is the cleanest in a public bathroom?
When people have a choice, they are less likely to choose the first toilet cubicle in a row so that means they are the cleanest! I guess in this instance, walking the extra distance actually doesn’t pay off.
7) True or False: Televisions are more common in Afghanistan than toilets.
Believe it or not, this is true.
8) Which way do most people put their toilet roll on the holder?
Most people put the toilet roll with the paper going over rather than under. How do we know this? Because over $100,000 US dollars was spent on a study to determine whether most people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap in front or behind. Money well spent.
9) Which country is home to the world’s largest public toilet?
That would be China. The facility was opened in Chongqing, south-west China in 2007. The building contains over 1,000 public toilets and covers an area equivalent to the size of half a football pitch.
10) True or False: Over 700 children die everyday from diarrhea caused by unsafe water, sanitation, and poor hygiene.
Tragically, this fact is true – Unsurprisingly, without toilets, deadly diseases spread rapidly. Over 700 children die every day from diarrhea caused by unsafe water, sanitation, and poor hygiene.
11) Which country commonly refers to the toilet as a dunny?
That would be in Australia! There are actually many different terms people use around the world to announce they are headed to the toilet. Here are a few: potty, privy, water closet, latrine, john, can, facility, restroom, washroom, powder room, lavatory, outhouse, convenience, bog, khazi, garderobe, cloakroom, throne room and many more.
12) What percentage of people wash their hands with soap after using the toilet?
30 percent! Can you believe it? While it’s true that 80 percent of people wash their hands, only 30 percent reportedly wash with soap. Water doesn’t kill bacteria or germs people.
You might also like to know that only 5 percent of people wash their hands for the recommended minimum of 15 seconds.