The loo, or lavatory, comfort room, restroom, the abbreviation: CR – these are just a few of the names your toilet room is known for. Aside from these commonly known facts, did you know that in 1760 a very unfortunate event involving the toilet? King George II, the then ruler of the British Monarch, died in the said year, falling off the toilet during his early morning routine.
Below are some more interesting (and maybe weird) toilet fun facts that you may not have known or heard of:
1. World Toilet Organization
The World Toilet Organization is a non-profit committed to improving the conditions of toilets and sanitation worldwide. The organization aims to educate and train individuals, build marketplace opportunities, and advocate for clean and safe sanitation facilities in local communities.
2. World Toilet Day
Did you know there is also a designated date to celebrate World Toilet Day? The day of the foundation of the World Toilet Organization, November 19, 2001, is also the same day that World Toilet Day is held.
3. Alexander Cumming or Arthur Giblin
Arthur Giblin is acknowledged to have invented the first flushable toilet. Whereas Alexander Cumming is a Scottish inventor who was awarded the first patent for a flush toilet in 1775.
4. Invention of toilet paper 
An essential hygiene product, especially if we want to relieve ourselves. It is biodegradable and flushable, made from a combination of softwood and hardwood trees or virgin paper.
The invention of toilet paper dates back to the 6th century in China, as recorded in the discovered texts of scholar Yeh Chih-Thui. In the 14th century, toilet paper was manufactured by the Chinese at a rate of 1,000 to 10,000 sheets annually.
However, Joseph C. Gayetty invented the first commercial toilet paper. It remained and was known to be one of the few commercial toilet paper circulations for years.
5. Paper on a roll 
Scott Paper Company was established by brothers E. Irvin and Clarence Scott in 1879 in Philadelphia and is credited as the first to market toiled paper sold on a roll.
6. NASA Toilet
Have you ever wondered how astronauts in space use the toilet? NASA invested in creating a suction-style toilet for the International Space Station. It is a space or zero-gravity toilet used in a weightless environment. Airflow is used to collect and retain liquid and solid waste.
7. Injuries
King George II is not the only one prone to meeting accidents while in the toilet. In 2021, around 37,000 toilet-related injuries occurred in Queensland alone.
8. Visits in a year
Our gut is responsible for taking the trash out. A healthy gut can absorb all usable nutrients from our food, and the ones no longer needed are excreted. Each person is said to visit the bathroom around 2,500 times or more for those with stomach or bladder problems in a year.
9. Oldest functioning toilet 
If you want to look for the oldest toilet, you can find one in Knossos, Greece. There is a small castle where a 4000-year-old, still functioning toilet, is located.
Across the world, there are about 2.6 billion people who do not have access to a toilet. To help put things into perspective, it is estimated that about six times more mobile phones are used than toilets worldwide. Going to the lavatory is a major challenge for some people, but in other parts of the world, it’s only one of many things we take for granted daily.
Wanna know more random cleaning facts? Just visit Effly’s cleaning blog.
Julie is a passionate writer a mother of three kids and a dedicated cleaning enthusiast, eager to share valuable insights and practical tips on maintaining a clean and organized home. With a deep understanding of the challenges of maintaining a tidy living space, Julie has spent years honing its expertise in cleaning methods, organizing techniques, and sustainable practices.