How to use a Squat Toilet correctly.

[stoneyboy]

Don't forget it's highly popular to squat on the western toilets as well,give that a try.

[A1Str8]

Maintain a neutral spine. Arch your back, head straight, looking forward. Position your feet slightly outward and start the squat movement.

[tw25rw]

I can't use them as my knees can't take it..

My girlfriend's grandmother is in her 90s and can't get around so they got her a bucket to squat over.. I bought a 'commode chair' off Ali Baba so she can sit there all day, but I suspect she doesn't use it.

I honestly think that for these developing rural countries, composting toilets are the answer.

[Liquorice]

petedk, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:52, said:

elliottm, on 04 Nov 2014 - 17:43, said:

Faz, on 04 Nov 2014 - 15:19, said:

elliottm, on 04 Nov 2014 - 14:57, said:elliottm, on 04 Nov 2014 - 14:57, said:

May I ask a question about use of the bum gun and how you gargle without using your hand. I've tried the gun and then paper but end up using more having to dry first then clean. Any direction appreciated.

It was tongue in cheek expression. If you hold the bum gun to far away it splashes and has no effect at cleaning. Hold it to close and I feel I'm going to start gargling soon, as I do with the Listerine. (Gargle that is, not wash my backside).

I have one western, one squat toilet at home. I use either to urinate, but only the western to defecate. I take a shower after the latter.

On a trip, I carry a pack of the moistened baby wipes. Cleans without leaving your backside wet through or feeling chapped.

Thanks Faz, do you manage to clean with the gun entirely without using your hand?

Surely that depends on the pressure of the water.

Some nearly blast the hemorrhoids away while others hardly have enough pressure to wet the bum. Tip: Always check the pressure first!

Thanks Pete, you answered elliottm question for me.

A bum gun will never totally clean in my opinion. As stated before I use the baby wipes to thoroughly clean, or if at home I shower.

[Gonsalviz]

I feel a little sick after that.

I have a real issue with public toilet door handles.

OCD are you?

[DogNo1]

Speaking of Asian toilets - In Japan, we have "washlet" toilets with seats, with a nozzle under them that comes up and sprays your backside with warm water at the touch of a button. After you finish the job with toilet paper and flush the toilet, water comes out of a curved spigot and runs into a little basin on top of the toilet which drains into the toilet tank. This allows you to wash your hands before you touch anything else such as your clothes and the door to the toilet. I'd like to see more of the washlet toilets throughout Asia!

[champers]

I feel a little sick after that.

I have a real issue with public toilet door handles.

Same same. You give your hands a good wash and dry then you've got a tacky door handle with god knows how many germs from unwashed hands. Yuk!! I always open the door with my little finger (now I know it's not completely useless).

[orchidlady]

This topic brings back memories or horrors. First time I (female) had to use one was at Siriraj. I didn't roll my pants down far enough and i can't squat that deep...pissed all over my pants.The nursing staff got a good laugh out of that. I too avoid them like the plague. At least in Thailand there is usually a door knob or something to minimally hold onto with maybe a finger.

When traveling to national parks/nature areas in China most had no door handles many not even a door.The bowls were usually filthy and smelled putrid but sometime you just have to deal with it. I had to try to balance with both hands on the opposite sides of the wall holding toilet paper on the walls first.

One time on the tour,the toilet was so raunchy, I had to put toilet paper in my nose to try to block the foul smells. Then I squatted so low that with my knee problems I had trouble get back up. I was first in to use the toilet and then last out. They took off without me. I had about 90 minutes of stress considering tour guide had our passports to get tickets for various things, no usable cell phone there, can't speak the language and as I went with group of Thais "everyone looked alike" including the rented parkas most wee wearing. I on the other hand was tall and blonde so eventually they found me. I lambasted the tour guide for not taking a count of the people in the group when leaving/returning to the bus.

[fey]

personally i would prefer an isolated forest evacuation any day over public toilets of any kind.

how would i do that? well for a number one i would just cast and wail one. for the rest i would squat, dump and reach over for some leaves and be done with it.

most of the hesitation about squat toilets is squatting where 'other men have been before', not squatting per se.

squatting down for a dump where 'no man has gone before' is a perfectly natural endeavor and not challenging or dangerous, unless you run into 'cling on's'.

how is using a bum gun hygenic? splashing brown water and peoples hands have been all over that thing and it's not cleaned or used once like toilet paper.

throne toilets you use a seat cover which is used once then discarded. nobody sits directly on public toilet seats, it's either hover or cover. i prefer hover.

with a bum gun your risking contaminated water or ecoli getting flushed with pressure into your orifice, or stuff getting sprayed around and left for the next user. if your cleaning your bum with water and your hand, then use the gun, think about it.

fact is, it's not ideal or hygenic. it's just people earning their stripes doing what they have to do because they must evolve and adapt if unable to afford good sanitary facilities. do you think mr spock had to use a squat toilet, of course not.

Edited November 4, 2014 by fey

[Thongkorn]

what a shit thread.

[smokie36]

Haha so few understand the truth of the left hand rule....and its solo easy.

[ezzra]

Rule of the thumb, if you haven't soiled your shoes/feet while doing the business, you're doing it right....

[abhaya]

Handiwipes- never leave home without them.

[MediaWatcher]

Faz, on 04 Nov 2014 - 16:41, said:

draftvader, on 04 Nov 2014 - 15:57, said:draftvader, on 04 Nov 2014 - 14:57, said:

It took me a while to get them right on first getting into Asia. However enough time travelling on long train and bus journeys through China taught me everything I need to know. Yes, pockets aren't good. You should always try to wear pockets with a button, better are trouser leg pockets like you find in cargo trousers. I personally put them round my ankles then hold them forward with one hand whilst doing my business. The real trick is the squat type. The correct squat type is the one you see every day in Thailand where you sit on your heels. This way EVERYTHING is below the trousers so no chances of slippage. The hand being forward holding the trousers also helps as that provides balance in this situation. The standard Asian eating/cleaning/don't want to stand squat is the one you want.

Washing your behind is quite personal. I prefer the bum gun to the mandi but either is good really.

Think about this.

Western toilet

Urine on seat, bits dangling too low find water, splashing dirty water when poo-ing and then smearing faeces around with paper

Squat toilet

No seat, your shoes stop you touching anything left over, everybody washes it down anyway. Bits dangle as low as they want as it is easy to control height. No splashing dirty water and then you get to clean off your bum properly. Would you swap your shower for a roll of toilet tissue?

As a final point there are health benefits. The Western toilet puts a strain on the muscles in the colon causing piles whereas the squat toilet allows nature and gravity to do its bit. Most importantly think of this squat toilet users squat every day of their lives 2-3 times so by the time they are 80 they are more likely to be able to still do this. A small side effect but you've all seen K Yai squatting happily for hours cooking dinner or eating....mostly eating!

Sadly I have 3 Western toilets in my house (Hi-So landlady...lovely bird....don't let her hear me saying that!). I would love to have 1 Western and 1 Squat to give me the choice.

Thanks for your serious answer draftvader.

I still question whether one should remove one's trousers completely.

Usually someone before you has washed down with the pan and the floor becomes soaked.

My first experience, the bottoms of my shorts got wet through which is rather embarrassing. I nearly lost my balance and ended up down the toilet trying to keep my shorts pulled forward.

Second experience, I managed a little better, but then my wallet fell out of my back pocket straight into the bowl. Talk about handling dirty money..ugh!

Since then, I've totally removed shorts/trousers but unless there is a hook available, then where do you put them.

Though draftvader is correct the fact that there are millions of happy "western" toilet users around, would lead one to say, in a minority of cases draftvader is correct...but one must also mention that for elderly, and those with physical issues, eg arthritis, squat toilets are damn hard, if not impossible to use, unless you have someone to help, I remember within the last 12 months, one of the former government ministers advocated all new buildings should have western toilets.

[nicoretteMan]

In the Philippines, with my xwife (avatar), back when we first met. At some point I touched my food with my LEFT hand. Wow the horror in her eyes! She explained her reaction, & I said, well I did wash my hands (with soap). Didn't really change her expression much. I realized that maybe not many people do wash their hands... So from then on I ate with right-hand only (& cringed a bit when people hugged my with both hands

[ExPratt]

My 10 point user method ,

1 Strip naked to avoid shitting in or on your trousers and undercrackers.

2 Look behind Kharzi to see if there are any pipes /brackets ect that you can use to support your body weight and give your thigh muscles a break.

3 Lay across the toilet with your arse somewhere over the water filled hole , not just over the pan as that can get messy.

4 Do your business ,

5 look for bog roll , cant find any ,

6 Jet wash brown eye ,which turns into a shower for the lower half of you body,

7 Dry the lower half of you body with your pants ,

8 Throw Pants away,

9 Put on trousers

10 Check for shit stains

Edited November 5, 2014 by ExPratt

[thaidrew]

Only one thing to add here,

Come in a rush, leave with a flush'

Regards td

[garrieoz]

I'm a great fan of the bum gun, and upon my return to Aus, found the use of paper quite foreign, BUT I did have a very sickening experience with a bum gun in a BKK pub toilet. The previous user must have inserted the nozzle right where the sun don't shine & it was an accident waiting to happen. I was so fortunate to have looked before I pulled the trigger, but the thought image still sickens me 5 years down the track.

Cheers,

[dotpoom]

If I had had a squat toilet when I first came to Thailand and was "sampling the delights" I could have answered your question with no bother....always amazed me how the ladies had no embarrassment what-so-ever about relieving themselves quite openly in front of you.

[bheard]

First of all, let's get this straight - THERE IS NO WAY TO USE A SQUAT TOILET CORRECTLY!

Nothing about the experience convinces me there is a correct way. There are a number of elements to a relatively pain free use. These need to be realised by the user, and will vary according to his/her own dress, physical flexibility, how much stuff you are carrying, what is your limit to being disgusted, etc.

No doubt about it, it's one of the worst experiences in Thailand, and I work hard to avoid ever having to do it.

For me the worst thing about experience is the (usual) way the Thais have of providing for user convenience. They don't do it. eg. Hooks to hang your bag? Nope. Hooks to hang your clothing? Nope. Handrail for older people to steady while squatting? Nope. Hose to squirt your arse? Nope. Non slip surface for your feet? Nope.

Last visit (6 months and just back from it) I prepared for this situation prior to leaving Aus: I took an 'S' hook (like a small butchers hook) to hang on the door so I could hang my stuff, and a couple of small plastic 'wedges' to go under my heels (in a sealable bag!). Like most caucasians my ankles don't bend enough to get my heels on the floor when squatting - the wedges enable my feet to give me the required stability (no handrails for help here). And of course I took a sachet of wet wipes to clean up afterwards. It worked!

EErrrrrr.

[Songlaw]

Don't forget it's highly popular to squat on the western toilets as well,give that a try.

That only works for the more diminutive among the Asians. There are some horrific injuries that happen quite frequently from imploding western toilets. As it turns out, the porcelain is not as "indestructible" as it appears. Also factor in that a fair number have probably been mishandled at some point in the manufacturing or installation process, further weakening them. Google "accidents squatting on western toilets" or something like that. It is not advisable for anyone to do this, but especially for us.

[naksap]

Get a metal "S" shape hanger.

Various sizes available. Not expensive.

in shops/stalls in Thailand.

Hook one end to the door (upper edge)

the other end becomes the hanger

for your pants etc

Hope this helps

naksap

[CaitlinHappyMeal]

First of all, let's get this straight - THERE IS NO WAY TO USE A SQUAT TOILET CORRECTLY!

Nothing about the experience convinces me there is a correct way. There are a number of elements to a relatively pain free use. These need to be realised by the user, and will vary according to his/her own dress, physical flexibility, how much stuff you are carrying, what is your limit to being disgusted, etc.

No doubt about it, it's one of the worst experiences in Thailand, and I work hard to avoid ever having to do it.

For me the worst thing about experience is the (usual) way the Thais have of providing for user convenience. They don't do it. eg. Hooks to hang your bag? Nope. Hooks to hang your clothing? Nope. Handrail for older people to steady while squatting? Nope. Hose to squirt your arse? Nope. Non slip surface for your feet? Nope.

Last visit (6 months and just back from it) I prepared for this situation prior to leaving Aus: I took an 'S' hook (like a small butchers hook) to hang on the door so I could hang my stuff, and a couple of small plastic 'wedges' to go under my heels (in a sealable bag!). Like most caucasians my ankles don't bend enough to get my heels on the floor when squatting - the wedges enable my feet to give me the required stability (no handrails for help here). And of course I took a sachet of wet wipes to clean up afterwards. It worked!

EErrrrrr.

You were obviously a Boy Scout with that much preparation....?

[Andrew65]

A western-style toilet.

"It's a lot less bovver than a hovver"

[attrayant]

Haha so few understand the truth of the left hand rule....and its solo easy.

Solo I couldn't get back up again.

Squat toilets are a necessity in underdeveloped places where the luxury of flush mechanics is not available (or where there is no desire, funding or ability to maintain/repair the mechanism when it fails). Whenever I enter a restroom that is totally filthy, flooded and reeking, I peek into one of the stalls and guess what? Yep - squat toilets. But when I walk into a restroom that is clean, dry and reasonably inoffensive as far as odors go, these rooms are invariable fitted with flush toilets. The rate of correlation is amazing. I think a research grant is needed.

In India many just relieve themselves alongside the road. The Indians seem to have a fascination with relieving at the roadside as they also build some with low level walls, so as you do your business you have a nice view of people walking up and down the street.

Well I won't ever be going to India, that's for sure.

[Andrew65]

Don't forget it's highly popular to squat on the western toilets as well,give that a try.

It's highly popular where I am now in the middle-east.

As is evidenced by:

Boot prints on toilet seats.

Broken toilet seats.

No toilet seats.

Also complaints from the natives about the lack of a bidet. I did suggest they go in the shower and do a handstand, went down like a lead-balloon!

[bluebluewater]

I get naked and then, with cheeks spread wide, I just BOMB the damn thing.

No way I can squat down there long enough to get the job done. If I even tried I'd end up tipping over and fall back in it.

I'm the Enola Gay of squat toilets.

[elliottm]

elliottm, on 04 Nov 2014 - 14:57, said:

May I ask a question about use of the bum gun and how you gargle without using your hand. I've tried the gun and then paper but end up using more having to dry first then clean. Any direction appreciated.

It was tongue in cheek expression. If you hold the bum gun to far away it splashes and has no effect at cleaning. Hold it to close and I feel I'm going to start gargling soon, as I do with the Listerine. (Gargle that is, not wash my backside).

I have one western, one squat toilet at home. I use either to urinate, but only the western to defecate. I take a shower after the latter.

On a trip, I carry a pack of the moistened baby wipes. Cleans without leaving your backside wet through or feeling chapped.

Thanks Faz, do you manage to clean with the gun entirely without using your hand?

Surely that depends on the pressure of the water.

Some nearly blast the hemorrhoids away while others hardly have enough pressure to wet the bum. Tip: Always check the pressure first!

Thanks guys. We installed the water sprays at a rented, 20+ year old townhouse this year which has toilet seats but no flush and the wife didn't want me to wash the paper away (I read something about smaller pipes blocking in older houses/away from the big cities - altho I think above someone suggets this just goes into the sceptic tank & shouldn't cause any probs?). I was hoping to sidestep storing used paper without using my hand, will experiment based on above adviice, thanks!

[NoshowJones]

OP, well done.

Loved your post, puts me to shame with mine.

A very good and informative topic.

Hope to hear from you soon again

The first time I saw this topic, I immediately thought "this is Costas", the OP of the topic is even as long as the one you had about farting a couple of weeks ago.

[maidee]

sorry but my knees and those of a lot of thais are too weak for this kind of exercise