I remember the first time I encountered a squat toilet on my travels. It was in a small bar in Verona, Italy, where I studied abroad. The first thing I did was stand there in disbelief for five minutes before I realized that I had to squat to pee in this Western country's bathroom.
I was still new to overseas travel and thought that only the bidet was a unique toilet experience I would encounter in Italy.
I learned a lot that semester -- especially about the art (or the tragedy) of using squat toilets. That knowledge has grown through months of travel in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia.
In my Woman's Guide to Using Squat Toilets, I present some of the facts, questions, and tips I've acquired about squat toilets and female travelers.
Table of Contents
Where Squat Toilets Exist
Squat toilets are pretty prevalent around the world. They may be rare in North America and the Western world, but travel to the developing world — in Asian countries, the Middle East, Africa, South America, and even parts of Europe — and you will quickly be introduced to an experience or two of using a squatter in public toilets.
You're especially likely to find a squatting toilet in rural areas. If you spend an extended time outside cities, expect to get used to daily squatting on a squatting toilet, with no fancy toilets in sight in public places.
In recent years, popular tourist destinations and public buildings in big cities have begun to cater to the Western traveler, with hotels and expat locations installing the sitting-style western toilets with a toilet seat and flushing system.
Issues with Squat Toilets for Female Travelers
The main problem for women attempting to use squat toilets is the risk of getting urine on them and their clothing—especially their pant legs. The risk is combined with the stress of using new muscles in your legs to use the restroom.
Unlike men, who only have to use the squatting position for half of their squat toilet encounters, women will have to squat for 100%. It can make even the best of us shaky afterward, and I've heard many girls fear that they might fall over (or in!) a squat toilet.
Before You Go
There are a few things I like to have with me before venturing into a squat toilet:
- A small pack of tissues
- Light backpack
- Hand sanitizer
- Wet Wipes
- Ziploc bag
If you know you'll be traveling in areas with squat toilets, it's best to have these items with you.
1. Toilet Paper
Toilet paper is not a necessity in some cultures. Instead, you might be given a hose or a bucket of water, or the toilet paper might never be stocked. Toilet paper or a pack of tissues can save a girl a lot of trouble.
2. Backpack
A light backpack might seem like a bit much, but there are stuffable daypacks that can fit in your palm.
Throw one in your purse because when you get to a squat toilet with no coat hooks and a dirty floor, you'll want a place to hold the stuff on your body without getting in the way of "business."
3. Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is a no-brainer. This is always in my bag—even when I'm not traveling.
4. Ziploc Bag
A Ziploc bag is for when there is no trash can in your toilet, and you're in a country where you can't flush paper. If you are a paper-all-the-time kind of gal, put it in the Ziploc bag until you find a good trash can.
Related: Secret Items to Pack as a Woman
Best Way To Approach Using Squat Toilets
The basic rules for using squatters are as follows:
- Roll your pant legs up to your knees to minimize the risk of splashback hitting the bottoms.
- Place your feet hip-width apart on the foot grooves on the side of the toilet hole. Face the front of the toilet.
- Put your weight on the balls of your feet.
- Pull your pants down as far as you can comfortably go (preferably to the knees), but this will vary with the type of clothing you're wearing.
- Adopt a squatting posture to the point where you can squat no more.
- Just like the limbo, you'll want to go as low as possible to get your stream as close to the bowl as possible.
- Shoot for the hole, as hitting anywhere else on the bowl has a higher chance of causing splashback.
- Wipe or rinse according to what's on hand.
Optional
Many women claim that they can only get by in a squat toilet if they completely take off the bottom half of their clothing. Unlike men, it is harder to control the stream, so a woman might occasionally shoot sideways or get a splash from the toilet on their pant legs.
If you remove your clothing, you'll need to find a hook or place to hang it to keep it off the often questionable ground. This is where a daypack can save the day. It gives you a place to keep your belongings off the ground while also staying out of the way, unlike a side sling purse or bag. Trust me—I've been there, done that!
Wipe and Flush
All squat toilets are created differently. In one bathroom, you might have actual flushing toilets; in another, you might have to scoop buckets of water into the bowl to clean it for the next user.
One restroom might use toilet paper and expect you to place the paper in the trash bin, while another might require you to use a water hose to wash your backside down after use. Just remember to do what you do following the local criteria.
Extra Tips
Practice a squat before you go to destinations where squat toilets reign supreme in public restrooms. Do squat exercises to build up the leg muscles that are used.
A disposable female urine funnel can help the traveler who can't seem to master squat toilets independently. These are relatively inexpensive and can be tossed in the bin after use.
These tips are, of course, not always beneficial for disabled people and pregnant women who may rely on a conventional sitting position. If you're disabled or pregnant, you'll need to factor in your destination's potential lack of sitting toilet standards in Western countries.
If you know you'll be using public bathrooms, plan your toilet habits beforehand.
Further Reading
- Exercises for the Squat Toilet by Perceptive Travel Blog
