Netherlands Toilet Shelf

One of the most surprising things across the world is the Netherlands toilet shelf. Yes! There, people mostly refer to it as an “inspection shelf.” It may seem simple when go to a US public toilet, sit down, do what you want, and leave. But if you’ve been to the Netherlands and had to use a public toilet, you may have discovered that nothing here is easy!

Why Netherlands Toilets Are Unique

The Netherlands bathroom is the tiniest room that any man has ever known. We are talking about the small space that would make even the smallest elf feel claustrophobic. There is barely enough room to sit down or turn around in these small bathrooms. Before you clumsily try to look for a place to sit cozily, take a good look around. It will not take long to discover the unique features of the toilet.

So, if you’re planning to take a tour or take your friend to the Netherlands, here are the unique features of the toilets with a shelf that you need to know in advance:

  • Presence of an inspection shelf.
  • The absence of windows or other forms of ventilation.
  • Air freshener to reimburse for the inadequate air ventilation in the toilet (you will most likely find a spray version in the bowl)
  • The ubiquitous birthday calendar – Why not include everyone who has a birthday in the room you visit most of the time? People in the Netherlands have a habit of going to the bathroom to make sure that their birthday is included on your calendar.
Netherlands Toilet Shelf
Netherlands toilet calendar

Netherland people believe that having options is an excellent idea; hence, their idea also applies when flushing their toilets.

Therefore, you’ll require to familiarize yourself with:

  • A rope, string, or chain;
  • A button fixed on the toilet’s side or at its top;
  • A push panel designed behind the toilet’s wall (One featured for flushing no. 1 and the other for no. 2);
  • The foot pedal.

Even the tanks on the toilet get fancy: some are located over the toilet, others behind the toilet, and sometimes are hidden behind the toilet.

Advantages Of Netherlands Toilet Shelf

Are you wondering how toilets with a shelf may be important and why they are considered essential in the Netherlands? First, you’re offered the opportunity to look at the poop your body has expelled from you before sending them to the sewer. While this view is disgusting, it is very practical.

Many health conditions can be identified simply by examining the poop. You can tell if you are drinking adequate water by examining your urine color as you do your business. Similarly, you can determine if you have other dietary requirements and if you’ve food surpluses by peaking at your stool.

Even though this flachspeuler-designed toilet may be unpleasant to some people, the Netherlands people love it because there are barely any splash back experiences upon using the bowl. It keeps their bum free and dry from toilet water splash.

The third reason Netherlands toilets with a shelf are advantageous is their water-saving flushing mechanism. That implies that they’re eco-friendly.

Netherlands Toilet Shelf
Dutch toilets

Cons Of the Netherlands Toilet Shelf

As a rule of thumb, everything with advantages has its disadvantages. So, what are the shortcomings of these shelf-featured toilet designs?

Mostly, the Netherland toilets with a shelf have two issues:

Problem With the Smell

You can smell disgusting things when you doody in these toilets. This is different from other states where you can feel more comfortable because there is always a huge, clean, apparent water abyss that reduces the strength of the foul smell of poop. When the doody is about to leave your body and eventually falls on the toilet’s shelf, the smell of foul urine and poop will spread quickly throughout the bathroom.

If you’ve never smelled your crap before until that moment, you’ll feel like suffocating. Even if they’re equipped with air fresheners, you’ll smell stinky before it’s covered up within a few seconds.

Problem Of Flushing Poop Off the Toilet Shelf

When you poop on a shelf, a lot of force must be applied to push it off the shelf and into the sewer. Dutch toilets have very tall tanks, and their water could exert a small force. Sometimes your poo remains stubbornly on the inspection shelf and doesn’t want to flush off the shelf.

But, you can always do something to avoid such a scenario. Consider putting a piece of toilet paper on the shelf before you poop. This way, you’ll have poop floating on the raft and can easily be flushed off the shelf by the water into the sewer. You should do a quick double-take to ensure all the traces of your shitty experience are flushed down the sewer because you don’t want your friends, family, or flatmates to find it on the shelf. It will be shameful!

Netherlands Toilet Shelf
A man inspecting a Dutch toilet after “answering a long call”

FAQs

Dutch toilets are pretty weird! But why?

One of the most alarming features is the shelf in the Dutch toilet bowl. It is incredibly bizarre to have a toilet with a toilet built like that. Dutch engineers designed the toilet bowl with a plateau that rises well above the water level. People must be comfortable with themselves and their poop on the inspection shelf.

Do Dutch people have Bidet toilets?

The answer is Yes! Bidet toilets have become more popular in the Netherlands over the last decade.

How do I poop in the Netherlands toilet with a shelf?

Here is a short video to demonstrate.

Wrapping Up

If you just arrived in the Netherlands and you’ve begun adapting to the language and the new environment, one thing you’ll also have to adapt to is their toilets with shelves. It might be weird, but these toilets have their own advantages.

They help you cross-examine your poop or urine and rule out any health conditions. Also, you can quickly know if you require to add some food to your diet since it allows you to examine your urine and poop color. If you haven’t been to the Netherlands before, it’s your turn to pay a visit and explore your curiosity. You’ll be shocked!

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