Random Weird Things You Didn't Know About Bathrooms In Countries Other Than The US (18 items)

(#5) Please Don't Flush Toilet Paper In Mexico

It's important to remember that while many places have incredibly modern plumbing systems that can handle pretty much whatever gets thrown at it, there are a lot of countries where this luxury is not available. For instance, in Mexico it's completely against the rules of bathroom politeness to flush toilet paper. The lack of a modern sewage system in Mexico means that it's harder to filter out toilet paper if it makes it into the toilet, and the pipes themselves might not be able to handle the excess material. You could clog up whereever it is that you're going to the bathroom if you're not careful. Keep that in mind next time you go south of the border.
(#9) In Scotland It's Customary To Let Strangers Use The Facilities

While it's been reported as a law, it's actually an old Scottish custom to allow anyone who knocks on your door to use the bathroom. This likely sprung from an old law that gave free passage through someone’s land and morphed into the tradition of letting drunk folks (this is Scotland after all) take a load off in your toilet. That being said, now that you know it's not a law you don't have to let anyone into your abode, even if their bladder is about to have a wee blow out.
(#6) If You're In Sweden, Get Ready to Pay To Pee

While traveling in Sweden you should keep in mind the fact that it's important to use the bathroom before traveling outside of your hotel room (or wherever it is that you're hanging your hat for the evening). The larger cities in Sweden have a pay toilet system, which means that every time you need to go to the bathroom while you're out enjoying their pristine roadways and construction you'll be spending some much needed Krona. The money goes into upkeep of the bathrooms, and there's the thought that if you're spending the money then you'll be taking better care of the facilities.
(#1) France Introduced Open-Air Urinals To Combat Public Urination

Paris, France, slowly started introducing open-air urinals in August 2018 to curb public urination. The urinals, which look like bright-red mailboxes, line the Seine River near the Notre Dame Cathedral and are peppered throughout the city.
The new devices, called "uritrottoirs" (blending the French words for "urinate" and "pavement") are easy to access for men. They have a layer of straw and sawdust inside to keep odors at bay, and the straw can then be used as compost.
As green and eco-friendly as these new urinals are, some people are not digging them. People were quick to point out the inherent sexism of the devices, while others feel they tarnish historic areas of the city.
(#4) Make Sure You Face The Right Way On The Toilets In Japan

Before you go to Japan and ruin all of their public toilets, make sure you read up on exactly how you're supposed to use each bathroom. In Kyoto especially, tourists have been making a mess of the city's pristine toilets and the people who have to clean up after everyone aren't happy about it. One of the biggest problems is that people are squatting over the toilets backwards, which is leaving a huge, smelly mess. In 2015 the workers of Kyoto began posting stickers across the city to make sure that the influx of visitors would understand how to correctly use their facilities.
(#2) In Cuba, You Have To Bring Your Own Toilet Paper

While Cuba has finally opened up for tourism (thanks Obama!) it hasn't yet made the amount of money that allows for a crazy amount of paper products to be readily available at the drop of your pants. The country is woefully under-prepared for an influx of people, and when Marketwatch covered the filming of a House of Lies episode in Cuba they noted, "There [are] not hammers and toilet paper, and things that people need.”