Who doesn’t love a good game of trivia? Perhaps you crush the competition in all things pop culture. Or maybe geography is more your jam. Then there are those whose brains are filled with dozens of seemingly useless and random facts, like the inventor of the whiffle ball (David N. Mullaney), the number of muscles in a cat’s ear (32), or the name for the blob of toothpaste that sits atop a toothbrush (nurdle).
To help boost your trivia knowledge, we’ve dug up some interesting toilet facts. Sure, most people don’t spend too much talking or thinking about toilets – unless yours isn’t working or you happen to be a plumber. But this humble but welcoming throne has quite the interesting past, as you’re about to see.
Ever wonder why we refer to the toilet as “the John”? Rumor has it’s because the first flushing toilet was invented by Queen Elizabeth’s I godson, Sir John Harrington. That could also explain another common nickname, i.e., “the throne.”
The siphon flush system we use today was perfected by Thomas Crapper. Can’t make this stuff up.
Did you know that your dish sponge and cutting board harbor far more bacteria than your toilet seat?
King George II of Great Britain died of a stroke while sitting on the toilet in 1760.
Nearly 40,000 Americans suffer toilet-related injuries each year.
The average person spends about 3 years of their life on the toilet.
The Scott Paper Company is responsible for making the first toilet paper in roll form in 1890.
The great debate: flap in or flap out? Turns out that three out of four people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap facing out.
Putting the toilet lid down before flushing helps reduce the number of germs and bacteria that can become airborne.
In public restrooms, the first cubicle is the least often used, meaning it’s also the cleanest.
Over 2.6 billion people do not have access to clean toilet facilities.
World Toilet Day was created in 2001 and is celebrated yearly on November 19 to bring attention to the billions of people worldwide who lack access to home sanitation.
If your john, throne, or crapper are driving you bonkers (where did that word come from?), contact Pann Home Services today for fast and thorough with your satisfaction guaranteed.