Squatty Potty

S.M. came across this article yesterday about squatting toilets, or the “squatty potty,” which are apparently common in parts of Asia and the Middle East. This is essentially just a hole in the ground that you squat over to do your business. There is no flushing mechanism. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a bucket of water sitting next to the hole to help clean up after yourself! (Does this remind anyone else of a Port-o-Potty…minus the bucket of water, of course?)

The article went on to describe the proper way to use the toilets; proper squatting technique, how to clean yourself only with your left hand (and how not to eat with that hand later), how to properly dispose of your toilet paper, etc.

I realize that here at work we don’t have squatting toilets, but I figured the same technique could be applied to a normal toilet. It would just take achieving the proper balance while standing up there on the toilet seat. I discovered that is not as easy as you might think. For one thing, you are limited in the width you can spread your feet apart, since the toilet seat is only “so” wide. And for another, it is doubly hard to squat, keep your balance, and still have your hands free to play Midnight Pool on your cell phone.

I don’t think the “squatty potty” will catch on here anytime soon.