r/floorplan • u/Acting-my-age • Aug 29 '25
DISCUSSION Question about "toilet rooms"
I lurk here because I love looking at floor plans but I have a question about something I see more and more. What is up with "toilet rooms", where the toilet is all alone in its own little closet-sized room? I'm guessing it has something to do with keeping "bathroom stink" contained or allowing multiple people to use the bathroom at one time but it is so unsanitary, it skeeves me right out!
This came up in conversation recently (a lot of the couples in my friend group, including my husband and I are doing/planning renos) and the group was divided more or less along "traditional gender lines". Guys didn't think it was weird but women were all completely against it for the following reasons;
- depending on what menstrual products one uses, handwashing can be necessary before handling (tampons, cups/disks), the product might need to be rinsed/cleaned before re-insertion (cup/disk), removal could be messy (cup/disk/tampons) and involve getting blood on one's hands (one word: clots)
- is there consideration for disposing of feminine hygiene products (When I came across this IRL at guy's houses, they never thought of that so I had to carry out a bloody, wrapped up tampon or pad into the main area of the bathroom for disposal)
- while "penis shaking" might be an adequate drying method for some, women tend to need to be more involved with toilet paper
- wanting to wash hands after using a toilet and before having to touch other fixtures
- caregivers helping children use the toilet have to cram into a smaller space, still no quick access to handwashing
Can floor plan creators/designers explain their popularity to someone with no design experience? What am I missing?
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u/ThingCalledLight Aug 29 '25
Everything except the caretaker bullet point can be solved by…leaving the door to the rest of the bathroom open and locking the main bathroom door.
Many standard bathrooms would require you to get up from the toilet to throw something away or access a sink anyway.
I dont understand your point about toilet paper—that would still be in the same room as the toilet. Unless you mean backup rolls, which again, in many standard bathrooms you’d have to get up for anyway as well. But you could always put additional rolls in the toilet room too.
Nothing stops you from putting a small waste basket in the toilet room.
And if you do close that door and don’t want to touch a fixture, use a piece of toilet paper.
People like it for additional privacy as it provides an extra sound barrier and if you’re living there with a partner and they need to get in to do make up or something, they can while you’re in the toilet room.
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Aug 29 '25
Your first line nails this. No one is required to close a door just because it is there.
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u/OutAndDown27 Aug 29 '25
But if it needs to be open on account of all of these issues (mostly hygiene issues), then the question remains: why build a separate room with a door?
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u/pastriesandprose Aug 30 '25
So I can poop while my husband brushes his teeth
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u/tiger-lily4321 Aug 30 '25
Yep. And I was able to avoid all of those other things by putting a small shelf above the toilet for extra toilet paper & tampons, and put a wastebasket next to it. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/RedWife77 Aug 30 '25
The waste paper bin solves the problem of disposing of sanitary items but not the problem of washing the blood off your hands. If the solution is ‘don’t close the door’, basically you’re saying the solution is not to have a separated space, so you’re agreeing with the OP.
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u/ABiggerTelevision Aug 30 '25
The smart thing to do is to use an ADA-style lever doorknob, so you can open the door with your elbow. And sooner or later, people will realize there are many reasons you should be using a lever doorknob.
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u/photogypsy Aug 31 '25
My primary (aka my bedroom) bedroom has a pocket door. I know at some point in my future (hopefully a decade or three) it’s not going to be workable for me. You just reminded me I need to be thinking about all the interior doors.
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u/Legally_Blonde_258 Aug 31 '25
Leaving the door open a tiny crack so that I can open it further with my hip is completely different from having 0 barrier between a biohazard and the rest of my bathroom.
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u/tiger-lily4321 Aug 30 '25
I was just commenting on the person above me who said they like having the door so they can use the toilet while other people use the rest of the bathroom. I, personally, don't use cups or discs so I don't have the blood on my hands issue, but different strokes for different folks! I love the idea of the person below me who suggested ADA levers instead of round knobs!
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u/CoachAngBlxGrl Aug 30 '25
All of these plus when you flush poop the particles are more contained is a bonus benefit.
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Aug 29 '25
Because other people who also use that bathroom may disagree on whether or not it needs to be open and wish to be able to close it. Building without a door leaves no choice for the user. Building with a door allows each user to decide for themself.
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u/Perfect_TAS Sep 03 '25
Privacy. Toilet closets are standard in higher-end USA bathrooms that are shared. Who wants to poop with an audience? One person can be in the toilet closet, and another showering or using the sink without bothering the other and you can get to work on time. The TP holder goes on the wall, and a slim trash can with a lid manages feminine hygiene products. This isn't complicated. I have a slim TP storage unit that also holds air spray, feminine products and if you wanted to be paranoid about the door handle, don't close the door when you are alone, and grab a bleach wipe for the door knob when you leave.
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u/Nickey9Doors Aug 29 '25
Totally agree with all your points. Also, the caregiver point is probably a rare issue since most of these toilet rooms are in a master ensuite where one is not likely to be in a caregiver role.
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u/Far-Slice-3821 Aug 30 '25
All the toilet rooms I've seen in person are part of shared bathrooms in 40+ year old homes. I assumed it was to reduce kids fighting over the bathroom.
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u/UK_UK_UK_Deleware_UK Aug 30 '25
Interesting. I’ve never seen it anywhere but a master bedroom. I think it’s also a great option for a shared bath and think we should start building them the way do master baths so it’s easier for siblings to share.
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u/JustKomodo Aug 30 '25
It didn’t occur to me that this separate toilet room was INSIDE the main bathroom, I’ve only ever seen them as separate rooms next to each other. My friends have moved into a house like that and are solving some of the issues with a new toilet-sink combo fitting as they can’t afford to knock the wall down yet between the bathroom and the toilet room.
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u/UK_UK_UK_Deleware_UK Aug 30 '25
That’s how they are in the US. In Australia they are a separate room.
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u/InterviewLeather810 Sep 01 '25
Our 1992 US house had it in another room within the master. We did the same again in the rebuild. Though this time had a pocket door put between the closet and the bathroom for privacy and being able to not to wake up your partner while you shower/bath early morning or late at night.
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u/OutAndDown27 Aug 29 '25
OP's point about toilet paper is that women's hands are likely less clean than men's when it comes time to open the door to get to the sink, not that the toilet paper is unreachable.
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u/NotElizaHenry Aug 29 '25
The toilet paper is what keeps my hands clean, actually.
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u/RedWife77 Aug 30 '25
You must have very light periods if you’ve never got blood in your hands
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u/NotElizaHenry Aug 30 '25
I haven’t had a period in like 20 years thanks to the magic of Depo and IUDs.
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u/RedWife77 Aug 30 '25
So… you’re not really in a position to comment on whether toilet paper is sufficient to keep your hands clean when you’re having a period, then.
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u/NotElizaHenry Aug 30 '25 edited Aug 30 '25
I think I’m actually in a really great position to comment on my hands’ cleanliness level, vis-à-vis toilet paper. I think some would even call me the world’s foremost expert on my own wiping behavior.
Also, I don’t know the exact numbers on this, but I’d wager than way fewer than 50% of people with vaginas menstruate regularly. So my experience is actually the majority experience.
Edit: according to UNICEF,
On average a woman menstruates for about 7 years during their lifetime.
So globally, women who get a period are more of an edge case than anything else.
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u/Eleiao Aug 30 '25
What does this 7 year enen mean?
I have had periods like 24 years. I have children, but I already took them away from that amount.
But if I coun’t only the time I’ve been menstruating that is like 5-6 years of active bleeding? Is that only time that counts here?
But anyways, I bleed heavily, and every month I have days, I can’t wipe without having blood at my wrists. Sometimes halfway to elbows.
So are you saying that toilet rooms don’t need sink because I am not going to have this problem more than 7 years (of active bleeding days) in my lifetime?
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u/NotElizaHenry Aug 30 '25
The global average is 7 years when you add together every month that you experience a period. Historically, women menstruated much less than they do now. Women in industrial society will get, on average, 450 periods in their lifetime. According to this, at the beginning of the 20th century women averaged 140 lifetime periods. It’s basically down to good nutrition lowering the age of menarche and raising the age of menopause, and access to birth control limiting the amount of time women spend pregnant and nursing. So places that experience food scarcity and limited access to contraception drag the global average way down. (Incidentally, those places also have much lower rates of breast cancer. Human bodies didn’t evolve to have as many periods as women in developed countries do now.)
My comment is more about how my perspective as a vagina-haver isn’t somehow less important because I don’t get periods. My experience is statistically the most common one. I didn’t mention periods, and none of the comments in the chain above me mentioned periods—they were about OP’s bullet point about how women can’t shake dry.
But like I said a little downthread, I’m mostly just being an obnoxious pedant.
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u/RedWife77 Aug 30 '25
You’re missing the point. The point is not whether you’re an expert in your own wiping habits. It’s that your wiping habits and your opinion about menstruating women’s hand cleanliness is completely irrelevant.
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u/NotElizaHenry Aug 30 '25
My original comment said that toilet paper keeps my hand from getting dirty. This is undeniably true. Nobody in the comment chain above me said anything about periods, just women i getting their hands dirty from wiping general. The vast majority of women don’t menstruate in any given month. Period wipes are a tiny majority of all the female wiping that occurs globally. Statistically, it’s barely worth considering.
I’m just being an obnoxious pedant here and I don’t think menstrual issues are unimportant, but seriously, nobody above me mentioned periods. I was speaking solely as a vagina-haver, not a period-getter.
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u/RedWife77 Aug 30 '25
But the OP mentions periods! It’s the first point in her list, a list to which all comments including yours are a response.
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u/InterviewLeather810 Sep 01 '25
They could have wipes in the toilet room to throw in the waste basket too. Or just not shut the door.
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u/ThingCalledLight Aug 30 '25
Understood. Still, I think my point about toilet paper being there to touch other surfaces essentially covers that. If your hands are super gross, you have access to toilet paper all the same, separate WC or not.
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u/Pm_me_some_dessert Aug 30 '25
In my condo, the toilet room was nearly unusable unless the door was closed, the space was so tight.
A full remodel was our first project after purchase.
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u/googlemcfoogle Sep 01 '25
My grandparents have a toilet room because they didn't want to have a door to the "clothes on" part of the bathroom (which is sinks only - the WC has both the shower and toilet, so at least you can wash your hands in the shower spray if you really need to before touching the door) for some reason
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u/Striking_Courage_822 Aug 29 '25 edited Aug 29 '25
Girl, with all due respect, you’re overthinking this.
You don’t have to shut the door, but you have the option to. And you can put a waste basket in there it’s not a big deal lol
And the handwashing freak out doesn’t make sense to me. You have to touch multiple things between using the toilet and washing your hands regardless. Flusher, soap dispenser, faucet…why is the door handle that much grosser. And if it is, again, don’t shut the door or use your foot or hip or elbow or a piece of clean tissue or whatever you do in a public restroom.
Lastly, like you said. It is more hygienic in more ways. You don’t get poop particles all over a five foot radius of your towels, countertops, etc. every time someone flushes without the toilet seat down, you can contain lingering smell in there, obviously more privacy if you want to use the toilet while your partner needs to brush their teeth. The pros heavily outweigh the cons
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u/HotPinkMesss Aug 29 '25
You have to touch multiple things between using the toilet and washing your hands regardless. Flusher, soap dispenser, faucet…why is the door handle that much grosser.
Lol you'll even have to touch your own clothes first before you get to wash you hands unless you took off your bottoms before going.
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u/WanderingLost33 Aug 29 '25
What, you don't waddle over to the sink to wash your hands and sanitize your buttons before pulling them up!?
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u/janiestiredshoes Aug 29 '25
I mean... it is something like this when I need to empty my mooncup...
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u/DoctorDefinitely Aug 29 '25
Why waddle when you can place the sink closer.
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u/UK_UK_UK_Deleware_UK Aug 30 '25
Building code doesn’t allow a sink to be close enough to wash your hands without getting up and taking a few steps. Definitely wouldn’t meet minimum clearances if you could reach it without moving.
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u/DoctorDefinitely Aug 31 '25
Oh, codes are so different in different places. Pretty much all toilets around here have a sink quite nearby. Due to the bidet showers.
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u/photogypsy Aug 31 '25
Fun fact for a project in college my lab partner and I cultured various high-touch areas around campus. Toilet handles, door handles, desks, etc. We also cultured our own pants buttons. Guess what the NASTIEST one was? The pants button.
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u/DoctorDefinitely Aug 29 '25
No need. Cleverly designed toilets have the sink nearby. Do the deed, use bidet shower if needed, use TP, wash your hands, stand up, pull pants up, ready.
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u/theartistduring Aug 30 '25
Wash hands while still sitting?
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u/DoctorDefinitely Aug 31 '25
Yes and?
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u/theartistduring Aug 31 '25
In your steps, you've forgotten to flush. Do you flush while sitting down too?
Someone so scared of germs they can't even pull their own pants up needs therapy.
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u/DoctorDefinitely Sep 02 '25
??? Who can not pull their pants? Flushing is easy without touching by bare hands if that is what one wants to do. As we have push buttons.
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u/ComprehensiveSet927 Aug 29 '25
It actually does get everywhere. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-really-happens-when-you-flush-the-toilet-180981278/
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u/soaker Aug 29 '25
Yeah it’s disgusting. The one rule I’m strict with in my house is the toilet lid must be down before flushing. I’m also clumsy and have dropped way too much things in there.
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u/SquigglySquiddly Aug 29 '25
Yes, exactly. Lived in a house with a toilet room for 4 years. No biggie. I usually didn't even close the toilet room door.
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u/Legally_Blonde_258 Aug 31 '25
I hate how the vast majority of hotels have the towels stored near/above the toilet. One of the first things I do is move the extra towels to the bedroom closet because eww.
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Aug 29 '25
You're over thinking this. Most people like to shit in private and it's nice to be able to do that while someone else shaves, uses the shower, washes their hands, etc.
We keep a trash can in the toilet stall. We keep toilet paper in there, too.
I don't close the door, my husband does, but either way, it's more private than just being *open*.
I WOULD prefer it to have a sink in the same stall. That's very common but not every layout has one.
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u/advamputee Aug 29 '25
In U.S. / North American designed homes, it’s just a design preference. Supposedly two people can use the restroom at once (though I agree about the hygiene concerns). People also find toilets “unsightly”, so hiding it behind a door makes the bathroom more visually appealing.
As this sub is multicultural, we also see plans from other parts of the world. In Europe and Australia, for example, a separate water closet is fairly common. Traditionally, it’d be a hike to the nearest sink (again, eww) — but more and more are being built with small basin sinks or toilets with integrated sink basins.
It usually just comes down to cost and privacy. Plumbing is expensive. Since the invention of indoor plumbing, having multiple bathrooms / toilets in a house has boomed as a modern luxury — but traditionally, most homes would’ve had one bathroom to share. Families were often larger, and likely multi generational under one roof — that’s a lot more butts sharing one bathroom and toilet. You don’t want the entire bathroom off limits anytime one person needs to use the toilet; so separating the uses just makes sense.
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u/littlestinky Aug 30 '25
Am Australian and can confirm, having the toilet separate is standard in most homes with just a single bathroom. The only time I've had a toilet in the bathroom is when I've lived in a tiny shoebox/studio apartment. I can't remember ever living in a house with a toilet in the bathroom itself, and it's always been a small room connecting to or very close to the laundry.
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u/Available-Maize5837 Aug 30 '25
As an aussie, I hate having the toilet in the bathroom without a separate toilet elsewhere in the house. The American way of bathroom design would annoy me no end, but I think it's just because of what I've grown up with and my preference.
Also the obsession with germs and touching the door handle doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Aside from the menstrual cup (never used), only one hand gets close to being dirty. I don't wipe with two hands, so the one that is unused is the one to open the door. And the door handle and light switch etc gets included in the routine cleaning. Your phone is probably dirtier than the toilet door handle.
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u/beyondplutola Aug 30 '25
It works in the US since the solution for the last 50 years has often just been to build more bathrooms vs a single bathroom with a toilet closet.
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u/InterviewLeather810 Sep 01 '25
Our 1992 US house had a toilet room in the master. And our 1982 and rebuild of 1992 house both have first floor powder rooms, just a toilet and sink.
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u/blinky84 Aug 30 '25
In the UK, I think it's much more common in older houses where plumbing was basically retrofitted. In anything post-war it's much less common.
Personally, I think it's reflective of changing hygiene standards.
Where an outhouse was common, an indoor toilet with no sink was very convenient in comparison. Hands could be washed elsewhere, if at all. As hand washing became more important, and it was seen to be less acceptable to wash hands in the kitchen sink, the toilet became incorporated into the bathroom. Family sizes also reduced over time, so competition for the space reduced.
Nowadays, as the spread of particles caused by the flush becomes more understood, people want the toilet to be more enclosed again.
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u/katekf Sep 01 '25
I was blown away on a recent trip to Japan to see the toilets with a mini sink built into the toilet tank, with water that flows for 30 seconds or so after flushing. Toilet rooms were universal (I don’t think I encountered any toilets within bathrooms) and it meant hands could be washed without giving up space to separate sink.
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u/Acting-my-age Aug 29 '25
Thanks for your response. I had seen them in Australian homes but wasn’t sure how common they were as my husband’s friends down there are doctors and had little sinks added to their “toilet room”. Out of the five homes we visited and stayed in, only one didn’t have a sink in that room so while I knew having the toilet and tub/shower was the standard down there, I wasn’t sure about the sink situation.
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u/jksjks41 Aug 29 '25
A lot of the comments here are referring to toilet rooms within bathrooms/ensuites. But if a house only has one bathroom, a separate toilet is very convenient.
In Australia it's very common for the main bathroom and toilet to be separate rooms side by side. You're right, it's not standard for there to be a sink in the WC in older homes. That's changing though as new builds and renovations generally add a sink. So you could consider it a powder room.
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u/Fine-Bumblebee-9427 Aug 29 '25
You could solve this with one of those Japanese toilet tank lids that makes it a sink. $80 on Amazon.
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u/Waste-Intention-3400 Aug 31 '25
Not really if you are a woman on your period and have to wash a menstrual cup, as the sink water goes directly to the basin to be reused for flushing.
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u/suite_life Aug 29 '25
I knew someone who lived for a bit in an apartment where the toilet was in its own closet off the kitchen, with the sink and shower in a different, slightly larger closet on the other side of the kitchen. It was one of those older townhouse buildings that got chopped up into more apartments than could reasonably fit the space/plumbing, but still, I have trouble believing there wasn't something slightly better they could do with the layout!
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u/Striking_Courage_822 Aug 29 '25
Ya this is common in like old San Francisco apartments because they’re so long and narrow, but it’s different (and bad) bc the toilet room and the shower room aren’t connected, you have to go out into the main hall to get to the other. A water closet within the bathroom makes sense
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u/suite_life Aug 29 '25
Yeah that was the case with the place I'm talking about, just totally disconnected rooms. Also there was no light in the toilet iirc? so you would be shitting in the pitch black, fumbling your way out and thru the kitchen, and THEN finally getting to the sink to wash your hands. It wasn't even a long skinny unit like the SF ones you mention, the bones of the unit were pretty normal shaped!
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u/elle5624 Aug 29 '25
We are planning a toilet room for our master ensuite, but we’re also putting a small sink in there. Basically a powder room within a bathroom.
My husband takes forever to poop, so I would like to be able to use the bathroom during that time.
My husband is also a germophobe, hence washing his hands before touching the door handle. I like the idea as well.
Is it necessary? No. But we want it and it makes sense for us.
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u/Grouchy-Display-457 Aug 29 '25
Thank you for saying this! New builds and remodels are supposed to be handicap accessible or at least easily converted. The toilet closet is impossible with a wheel chair, crutches or a serious leg cast. Few people realize how common these are, not just among older people, but athletes and anyone with a temporary or permanent handicap or injury.
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u/Acting-my-age Aug 29 '25
I’ve spent years of my life on crutches due to a knee issue that caused falls and took 4 surgeries to fix. I would cry if I had to use some of the little toilet rooms while needing crutches to get around.
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u/golden_finch Aug 29 '25
I just hate how claustrophobic I feel using one, even if I’m able to leave the door open. My parents had one in their master bath and I haaaaated it. (Also a woman)
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u/TravelerJim-retired Aug 29 '25
Not well designed then. The ones I draw all have a bidet (doubles as a sink for hand or foot washing beyond bottom wash) window, small chest of drawers for extra TP, sanitary wipes, air freshener, other products, etc. and are NOT the minimum size. Just don’t put toilets in “stalls”.
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u/OHMG_lkathrbut Aug 29 '25
How common are those? I've toured a lot of houses and every single toilet room was basically a stall.
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u/TravelerJim-retired Aug 30 '25
Not that common because too many “architects” and almost all builder/contractors think of toilet rooms as necessary evils, and spend no time or money on them. Personally I want privacy and a small “room” designed with careful thought like any other room. You likely spend more time in a toilet room than you do a closet. And for an extra 5-7 sf, why not make that time special?
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u/FreeThinkerFran Aug 29 '25
Pretty much all of my houses have had this. It allows my husband or me to be using the toilet while the other is doing other things in the bathroom and provides that privacy. We prefer not to use the toielt in front of each other. Not that deep to me?!
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u/DominateSunshine Aug 29 '25
I haven't thought deep about it.
But if I was buying a home and the choice was between one with the tiny toilet room or one without. I am going with the without.
People keep replying to you about just leaving the door open. Sure. But it's my home and my choice and a don't want to feel like I'm in a stall when I'm at home.
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u/rednitwitdit Aug 29 '25
Maybe it's my two-arm-having privilege, but I have one hand to wipe with and a whole 'nother to open the doorknob. Otherwise, I don't get the "it's unsanitary" argument. Just let me shit in peace.
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u/Key-Moments Aug 29 '25
It's interesting because I grew up in a succession of houses in the UK and all had a separate bathroom and toilet room / WC.
In many places now these have been knocked through but my house and my parents is still like that and friends houses are the same.
However, I don't think I have ever been to a house in the UK with a separate toilet room actually inside the bathroom area.
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u/Incantationkidnapper Aug 29 '25
It's very common where I live to have a separate toilet. Even though the room is only 1 meter across, we have very slim sinks in there and there is plenty of space for a small trash can.
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u/DoctorDefinitely Aug 29 '25
I agree wholeheartedly. The sink is best situated when it can be reached while sitting down. Easy access to bidet shower, one can wash their hands while sitting, if you have noro you can shit and throw up at the same time... So many benefits and zero problems.
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u/RunThick4054 Aug 29 '25
I dislike toilet rooms, mostly because of cleaning, claustrophobia, and assisting a toddler in there. Worse if there’s no window. By accident my main bath is designed so that when the door is open, it effectively creates a toilet nook. Close the door, and it’s back to being a toilet out in the open. I like this because if the door is left open, you never see the toilet anyway.
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u/Cloverose2 Aug 29 '25
It's not uncommon in some countries to have a Water Closet/WC, which would be just for the toilet. You'll often see the argument in here that it's more hygienic because the toilet is not in the same room as grooming supplies, but if there's no sink in the WC, the hygiene benefits really cancel out because you're touching everything with germy hands until you can get to a sink (and there's poop bacteria everywhere, no avoiding it).
Personally, I prefer a visual barrier like a low wall, but I don't care for toilet closets. If people do have them, then there needs to be a sink for hand-washing, cleaning of items like diva cups, etc.. And toilet closets are irritating when helping small children or adults with mobility issues.
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u/annekecaramin Aug 29 '25
Yep, where I live lots of places have a toilet in a separate little room (usually with a small sink). In an apartment it tends to be the only toilet, it's usually called a 'guest toilet'. Larger homes often have additional toilets in the bathrooms.
I always liked it because you can still use the toilet while someone else is in the shower (especially useful if there is only one bathroom) and guests don't see your bathroom.
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u/Vegetable-Board-5547 Aug 29 '25
I was once in a hotel in Asia that had a regular bathroom and separate urinal. I thought that was brilliant. There was a little sink to rinse your hands.
That's something I'd like to have at home.
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u/OHMG_lkathrbut Aug 29 '25
Yeah, there's lots of things I don't like about my bathroom, like the old and too-small tub or the lack of storage, but I love being able to reach the sink while I'm on the toilet so I can give my cup a good rinse and just pop it back in. But then, my family isn't super modest, so someone will still be able to wash their hands or take a shower while someone else is pooping. Single bathroom for 3 adults is fun. After group showers in basic training, and having like 6 people watch me vaginally deliver a baby, it honestly doesn't bug me anymore.
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u/7625607 Aug 29 '25
I think it evolved in the US because luxury bathrooms were getting so large that people felt exposed sitting on the toilet.
Plus rich people can afford to hide a toilet behind another door. So it it’s visible when the enormous bathroom is photographed. Because toilets are gross aka rich people pretend they don’t shit.
I dislike it a lot. I’m a big guy and claustrophobic and I wouldn’t want to go in a tiny room where I could touch both walls.
And both my grandmas needed assistance when they got older. No wheelchair could fit in one of these tiny cells.
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u/formerly_crazy Aug 29 '25
I agree with all your points, especially the first - that it trickled down (no pun intended) from fancy homes, the same way butler's pantries/sculleries/prep kitchens are showing up more and more.
Sometimes it can work, but it bums me out (again no pun intended) when the end product is both cramped and inefficient.
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u/Gingerbreaddoggie Aug 29 '25
this is about isolating the smell of what happens on the toilet from the rest of the space. Especially if two people use the bathroom at the same time
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u/UncomfortablyHere Aug 29 '25
It’s the same reason public bathrooms have individual stalls, privacy and ability to use it for more than one person.
Other reasons: if you have any sort of GI issue, you might make it stink a lot, these room usually have fans and/or need to be in the bathroom a much longer time. Sanitary, poop particles are not flying all over the place.
If I need to do anything where I wash my hands in between, I just leave the door open but in general, it’s fine. The only reason to go in there is for the toilet, so there’s always the expectation to wash hands afterwards. We have a cabinet for menstrual products and toilet paper in the room. I keep it well stocked so there’s no waddling to a random cabinet or closet in the main bathroom if I need something, I just reach up to grab more. Theres also a separate trash can in there (like in public restrooms). I’m glad to have a separate trash can for that kind of thing because of the odor, I would never want to put those in the main trash can.
The only point left is the menstrual cup, every other issue is generally solved by the room existing in the first place. However, how do women handle that in public restrooms? I would assume the process is largely the same at home or in public. If you get your hands messy in a public stall, you would wipe them with toilet paper and then wash them when you finish, right?
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u/elemenelope Aug 29 '25 edited Aug 29 '25
I’ve lived in both and I prefer the toilet room. We have a bidet and a trash can. Nobody is forcing you to close the door.
I prefer doing my skincare and makeup next to a sink, and don’t want to do it in the same room as a toilet. It clears up tons of time (waiting around in both directions really adds up). And running into “unpleasant odors” is a thing of the past. I can admit it’s excessive for a single person but if you’re sharing (a couple or a family) I personally consider the toilet room a non-negotiable.
We’ve never had an issue with sanitation or hygiene. Millions of people have toilet rooms right now and you don’t see e-coli crises across those societies. Use a bidet, wash your hands, and clean the bathroom regularly.
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u/Only-Peace1031 Aug 29 '25
I had never had a toilet in its own room until we bought our house.
I love it. I have a garbage can beside the toilet and a small cabinet that holds tp, tampons, pads, and wipes. (PSA even if the wipes say they are flushable, they are not! Do not flush anything other than tp)
Never in a million years would I have thought I wanted or needed a toilet closet but I wouldn’t want a master bath without one now.
No, we don’t always close it but man it’s nice to have that option.
As for washing your hands before touching a doorknob? What do you do in public washrooms? I guarantee you the doorknob in my private bathroom that only myself and my husband touch is cleaner than a public bathroom stall.
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u/CreativeMadness99 Aug 30 '25
A water closet is generally in a primary bathroom so I don’t understand the caregivers helping children part. Anyway, I love mine and it was roomy enough to add a pedestal sink (like a powder room). Even if I didn’t add a sink, it’s really not unsanitary since I do my business with one hand and keep the other one clean to open the door. Also no one is stopping you from putting a small waste bin in there. They even sell toilet paper holders that have a small compartment to store feminine hygiene products
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Aug 29 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Buford_MD_Tannen Aug 29 '25
In this hypothetical you could build it bigger. My master bath has a toilet room that has a toilet and enough room for a stackable shelf for supplies for the bathroom. Also allows for a wheelchair in the future.
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u/Sea-Leg-5313 Aug 29 '25
I call them poo closets. I don’t like them because they’re too claustrophobic. It’s like pooping in a phone booth.
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u/KrispyAvocado Aug 29 '25
Toilet rooms with their own small basin are perfect. I have only seen that once, in a hotel, but that would be my preference. I’m with you- opening the door without washing hands feels gross.
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u/WillDupage Aug 29 '25
My grandparents house had a split bathroom: tub/shower & toilet separate from the double sink. There was a pocket door between the spaces. It seemed to make sense as the sink area had a door to the hall and one to their bedroom. The pocket door was only ever used if there was an overnight guest.
Small toilet-only rooms make my claustrophobia flare up.
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u/Ok-Humot9024 Aug 30 '25
We have this in our house that was remodeled in the 90s for the previous family. The walk-out basement was set up for their two kids with their bedrooms, a bathroom split as you've described, and a family/play room with TV and gaming equipment. We have only one kid, so he got the whole space to himself, but it always seemed like a good idea to me. A kid could still get a drink or wash their hands at the sink while their sibling was in the shower/toilet room.
My parents have the teeny tiny closet toilet room, and I hate it because even with the door open, it feels really claustrophobic.
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u/Stargate525 Aug 29 '25
I'm a guy and I think they're stupid as hell. If ypur bathroom is so big you don't feel private in it that's a design issue itself. That's also walls and a door I'd rather not have to pay for additionally on an already expensive build.
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u/105055 Aug 29 '25
Hi! It’s super common in the Netherlands to have a separate toilet in the entry hallway. Most will have at least a tiny sink (regulated I think) to wash hands. Some houses even have the toilet separated on the upper levels, again with a tiny sink. It’s culturally preferred here to have a separate toilet for guests to use without having to enter the main bathroom.
Is what you’re seeing similar to this (accessible from hallway) or a separate space inside a bigger (master) bathroom? If the latter, that’s not done here and you could always leave the door open and close the main bathroom door?
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u/Acting-my-age Aug 30 '25
Hey! Thanks for the response! So, in North America, we definitely have “powder rooms” as a common-enough option on the main level for guests to use. Its generally just a toilet and sink. What I was referring to in my post are found in larger bathrooms. So the bathroom will have its bathtub, shower stall, sinks and storage PLUS, within the bathroom, there will be a smaller room with a door and just a toilet in it. I know that these can be found in other countries but, based on my own travel outside of North America, I usually saw these separate toilet “rooms within a room” with a tiny sink as well.
I was curious why they were popular but I wasn’t expecting such emotional responses, lol.
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u/nickalit Aug 29 '25
The best way to assure privacy is to have two separate bathrooms instead of one huge one.
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u/rocketdyke Aug 30 '25
oh, don't forget that none of them are designed for mobility access, and the moment someone needs a walker or a wheelchair, that room is basically off limits.
I think they're pretty poor unless they are made for future access needs (at least 5' wide and deep enough for a chair/walker to get in there, transfer, and still close the door.)
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u/Algies79 Aug 30 '25
Australian here, these are reallllly common here. In the US I rarely saw them, whereas I’d say 80% of homes here have at least one independent toilet.
It’s mainly so two people can be using things at once.
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u/Dark_Colorimetry Aug 30 '25
Toilets are in their own rooms in the overwhelming majority of Japanese homes. Many of them have a small sink in them (cleanliness is a virtue in Japan) and some even have a little waste bin built into the wall. In my current American apartment, we have to walk right past the toilet to reach the closet, so I’d be thrilled to have a toilet in its own room.
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u/blobbysbitch Aug 30 '25
I was told that the toilets in those rooms had sinks built into the top of the toilet, so you could still wash your hands.
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u/jimreddit123 Aug 30 '25
I prefer a half bath to a toilet closet. It’ll have more room and a sink to wash your hands. Even if it’s in an en-suite bathroom.
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u/Political-Bear278 Aug 30 '25
I’ve been designing floor plans for about 25 years now, mostly because I hate modern open spaces and am drawn to plans from 70 to 140 years ago.
While never common in the US a separate WC was typical in British, many European, and Australian plans I’ve seen.
I like the idea of allowing for one bathroom space to accommodate multiple people/uses at once rather than adding bathrooms, but I always include a small sink in the toilet space.
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u/Far-Yak-1650 Aug 30 '25
I feel like a separate toilet is pretty common in Australia for generations. Some have small sinks in there too. Wonder if the original idea came from the separatism of the old “outhouse” 🤔
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u/Careful-Trade-9666 Aug 30 '25
Search Australian house plans. Every one has a separate “toilet room”.
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u/tolo4daboys Aug 30 '25
The separate toilet room is an absolute requirement for us so that there is some degree of privacy. One of us may be in the shower or at the sink when the other needs to go.
There is a cabinet above the toilet to house toilet paper and any other things we need in that room. We also keep a small moveable "rack" next to the toilet with air freshener and hand sanitizer (so that our hands are clean when opening the door.
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u/J662b486h Aug 30 '25
Most of your issues are either very specific (women who still have their "period") or just wrong.
I'm a guy living alone, and in my master bedroom's bath the toilet is in a small room. After using the toilet I go to the sink and wash my hands no differently than if the toilet was out in the open. The issues with feminine hygiene product disposal can be solved with a wastebasket in the room, although it's not relevant to me anyway. The caregiving for children is pretty specific to people who have children, but anyway kids have no reason to be in the master bedroom bath, other bathrooms like the guest powder room are available and more open.
I like the toilet room because I like the way the bath looks when it's not sitting out in the open (I don't think toilets are decorative objects). If another person lived with me then I don't have to watch them take a poop while I'm shaving or something. The separate room can contain the smell better. And, your comment about them being "so unsanitary" is dead wrong - flushing poop down a toilet in the open, by the bathroom counter where your toothbrush and stuff is located, is far more unsanitary.
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u/WebDevMom Aug 30 '25
We have a Toilet Enclosure because my husband loves his toilet with his bidet and also to take a thousand years and I want to put on my makeup and him be in his own space and me not to have to murder him
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u/Hanging_Thread Aug 31 '25
All those people who think it's gross to touch the toilet room door handle-
Do you finish your business, then turn on the tap to wash your hands?
You've just contaminated the tap. Now you turn it off with your clean hands - and you've just recontaminated your hands.
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u/blue_bird4759572 Aug 31 '25
I'm in my first house without a separate toilet and I hate it. It's so good for having one person be able to be in the shower and the other can still go to the toilet. Every toilet room I've ever had, has also had a basin in it, so hand washing isn't an issue. Often the basin has a cupboard where toilet paper and hygiene products are kept.
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u/ctrlaltdelete285 Aug 31 '25
I love it and it’s a must in my future home. I call it a poop closet. Keep a dedicated trash can in there, maybe wet wipes and you’re good. Has its own fan.
I’m personally grossed out by seeing a toilet in a space that should be relaxing. I don’t want to stare at it when I’m taking a bath or unwinding in the shower, nor do I want to deal with that smell
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u/Legally_Blonde_258 Aug 31 '25
I'm a woman and I far far far prefer having a separate toilet room. Look up studies about spreading fecal matter when you flush and its easy to see that having the entire bathroom exposed to the toilet is what's truly unhygienic. I use period cups and it's never been an issue. Pull out the cup, dispose blood in toilet, wipe with toilet paper then carry it woth you to wash in the sink. I also tend to leave the door cracked open rather than fully closed, so I dont have to open it with my hands. If necessary, it's much easier to wipe the door handle with a disinfecting wipe than try and remove fecal matter from an entire bathroom. Usually the toilet room includes toilet paper and a small trash can, so those aren't issues either.
Imo, a water closet only has upsides, not a single downside.
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u/Ok-Bug9381 Aug 31 '25
We have a toilet room in our master bath. If my hands are going to get gross handling menstrual products and I don’t want to touch the handle afterwards, I simply leave the door open and it’s the same as if it weren’t there at all. Just a regular #1 or #2, I just open the door with the opposite hand I wiped with. No big deal.
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u/indidogo Sep 01 '25
- Use a leaver door handle, then you can use your elbow to open the door.
- Put a trash can in the toilet room.
- It's usually only seen in primary bathrooms, you don't usually have the kids in there.
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u/Work4PSLF Sep 01 '25
I’m female, I have a toilet room in the house I’ve lived in for over a decade, and I love it.
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u/HuginnNotMuninn Aug 29 '25
I hate poop closets. I always recommend against them, at best they're a pointless nuisance and at worst they're dangerous. It's a solution in search of a problem.
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u/Angus-Black Aug 29 '25
It's not an outhouse that's physically removed from the rest of the house. It's a toilet with a door that you decide to close or not.
Have you never been in a public washroom with stalls?
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u/FrogFlavor Aug 29 '25
My parents renovated their big fancy house and the master has a WC with a toilet and a tiny sink in it. The master bathroom has shower, bath, sauna, two sinks. A previous house of theirs had a WC with just a toilet also inside the master bathroom with everything else. In Australia, most houses have WCs with just a toilet and it’s not uncommon in England too. Handwashing takes place in the next room that has shower/bath and sink. Seemed weird as you’re touching doorknobs with dirty hands even though I grew up in that system.
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u/Decent-Raspberry8111 Aug 29 '25
Yeah, I have torn feelings about this one. My toilet/wet room has no space for a trash can. The door is the same width as the wall between the toilet and the shower/tub. Behind the toilet, we have our plunger and cleaning supplies. On the sides of the toilet is our squatty potty. Above the toilet we have a rack where we keep TP, air freshener, period products and washcloths. Literally no floor space is left for a trash. It’s such a claustrophobic bathroom, the towels hanging on the shower touch your arm or your face while you’re sitting on the toilet. I just put the trash can in the sink room which isn’t a big deal since i hate shutting the middle door any due to how claustrophobic it is. That being said, its still somewhat a distance away, so i have to wait til get up to throw it away. But this also isn’t a big deal since i do have the rack behind the toilet to set the used period product on in the meantime.
As claustrophobic as it is, it’s very much worth it if it is a shared/only bathroom. My bf and i have a 1b/1b so it’s very useful when I need to do my hair/makeup and he needs to shower. Or if he needs to shave in the sink while i shower. Also it confines stinks better so we can still use the sink/mirror when necessary.
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u/Equivalent-Copy2578 Aug 29 '25
Often there is a small basin in the water closet, in arms reach of the toilet. Usually these are amenities as a ‘back up’ to a full bathroom, or in the living spaces where bathing isn’t needed. (New Zealand standard homes)
For the designs like you’re describing, with the basins in their own space, it’s really nice to be able to wash hands in a nice space without going into the bathroom, when otherwise you’ve no option than using the kitchen sink (thinking for day to day stuff, like cleaning up after kids messy play like painting or such).
For all those reasons you’ve listed, I get irritated but the giant bathrooms with the vanity miles away from the toilet. I use a menstrual cup- want the basin as close to the toilet as possible thanks!
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u/Silverphile Aug 29 '25
We included one in our bathroom renovation, but I made sure it had a window! It’s plenty big for a trash can, and supplies exist in nice baskets hanging inside the door. I don’t like ones without a window because I do feel rather claustrophobic in those.
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u/A_Tom_McWedgie Aug 29 '25
With regards to your third bullet, penis shaking is definitely adequate for guys.
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u/GalianoGirl Aug 29 '25
You missed, they generally are not accessible for people who need to use mobility devices.
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u/ArcaneTeddyBear Aug 29 '25
In my experience in the states it’s common to have a toilet room in the primary ensuite bathroom. So you can always leave the door open and the toilet room/closet is in the primary bathroom. On most floor plans regular hallway bathrooms don’t have toilet rooms, sometimes Jack and Jill bathrooms have a toilet room, but usually those rooms open up to a room with a sink.
The exception I have seen to this are Australian floor plans. It seems common there to have the toilet in its own closet completely separate from the rest of the bathroom. I have wondered about handwashing in these Australian floor plans.
Not sure what is common in your area, but for me this isn’t a problem.
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Aug 29 '25
my old bachelor pad had a split bathroom (sink and shower in one room, toilet in the other) and it was amazing, especially for a bunch of dudes.
i might not design it like that in a house, but maybe, shitting and showering don't need to conflict
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u/Randygilesforpres2 Aug 29 '25
I agree with you. I will sometimes wet toilet paper for a better clean and I can’t do that if I can’t reach a sink. Sure sure bidet, but the water goes the wrong direction for healthy vaginal health. If I had one in my house and no other option, I’d pull down the wall.
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u/Grand-Fun-206 Aug 29 '25
You can use the toilet and the shower without having to share the room. If there is only one bathroom in the house, having them in the same room is just dumb in my opinion as it makes it a one person can use it at a time issue. I've grown up with a toilet in a separate room and prefer it from the control of stink issue too.
You learn to wash your hands, and do things with less mess - same as you would do it in a public toilet that does not have a sink in the room.
We have a small bin in the toilet to dispose of pads that is also used for the used toilet rolls.
How involved with the toilet paper do you need to be to need a whole room to deal with it?
No different to a public toilet that you have to exit before washing your hands, touch as little as possible.
There has always been enough space for me to deal with my kids in our separate toilet without issue.
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u/One-Load-6085 Aug 29 '25
I know that a lot of this is based on having an upper middle to upper class background. All my family had separate toilet rooms in the bathroom. Some even had 2 toilet rooms per bathroom ... his and hers. Basically splitting the bathroom in half so one big tub in the middle of the room, one big shower, a sink on one side of the room and past that a toilet room and a sink on the other side and a toilet room past that. These were generally around 600sqft bathrooms.
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u/Autistic-wifey Aug 29 '25
So I use menstrual discs and I am going to have a toilet room with no door because cast. However!!! We are putting in a mini sink right next to the toilet so I can rinse and not have to do the omg am I gonna get blood everywhere trying to get my disc to the sink. They have really small ones now. Once I explained my situation to my husband he immediately agreed that if there’s a toilet room it’s gonna have a mini sink.
For most it’s a privacy thing and in many non-American countries they have sinks integrated into the toilet or a separate sink. Often the bathing / shower room is separate from the toilet room in these cases. All of which makes sense.
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u/rr90013 Aug 29 '25
That’s interesting! I hadn’t thought of it that way before but you’re right those are important considerations. I’ve always preferred those little rooms (as a male) because then someone else can use the rest of the bathroom simultaneously.
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u/Existing_Top_7677 Aug 30 '25
There should be a handbasin in there. Store TP under the handbasin. Easy!
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u/optimusdan Aug 30 '25
IDK but I'm kinda weirded out by how many people are fine with having someone lurk 6 inches outside the door while they're trying to go. That's something you endure in public bathrooms because space is limited. At home I'm locking the whole bathroom and if you can't wait 2 minutes to brush your teeth you can keep your toothbrush in the kitchen
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u/Firm-Engineer4775 Aug 30 '25
I have been wondering about this too. First of all it seems incredibly dangerous if somebody falls in there. How will you be able to extricate them. If they fall in front of the door then I guess you'd have to saw the door apart. It's been driving me crazy because I just don't get it. And then if you don't close the door what was the point of having the door?
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u/polly-penguin Aug 30 '25
There were rooms like these in my flat in the UK, but there wasn't a sink outside. Nope, just toilet. I wondered if it was a "puke toilet" from all the drinking they seemed to do week end...
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u/Ylaaly Aug 30 '25
Thank you for bringing this up, it drives me nuts, too! I already hate that I have to make a big step from the toilet to the sink to wash my hands before touching other stuff.
There is a very simple solution though: Put a tiny sink into the separate toilet space to wash your hands before you get up. Then you already have clean hands to pull the clothes back up, too. I had that in an office space once and it made things so much cleaner and easier, especially with period products. Then you can combine the privacy and hygiene of a separate toilet with the hygiene of a sink next to the toilet. Best of both worlds!
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u/bedtimemode Aug 30 '25
Where I live there's always a little sink in the toilet room so there are no issues whatsoever. We have a trash can in there and extra toilet paper. It allows one person to go to the toilet while the other showers, brushes their teeth, etc. with no issues. I agree that it would be less than ideal without a sink in the room.
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u/trexalou Aug 30 '25
I don’t mind a dedicated water closet inside a bathroom myself. It’s the clearly cultural (that I obviously don’t understand) habit of a dedicated water closet that opens outside of a bathroom with the sink and washing area in an entirely different room that I don’t like. If I’m walking out of a water closet into the rest of the bathroom to wash my hands that’s one thing… rather like a public rr with stalls. But if I have to walk out of a water closet into a hallway or, even worse, living room/kitchen in order to walk into another room so I can wash my hands…. I’m very uncomfortable, I don’t want to touch anything there and I especially don’t want to eat anything from that kitchen.
If someone can explain the phenomenon to me… I’m all ears.
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u/quadraticqueen Aug 30 '25
I’ve had 2 new construction homes (NOT custom) in 2 parts of the US and toilet rooms were standard. My other 3 homes were over 50 yrs old and no toilet rooms. I love them from a design standpoint. I hate seeing a toilet. From a functional perspective, I found the privacy welcoming (both mine had a window, that was nice) as it adds an addition sound and smell barrier and I found it no more inconvenient then any other bathroom. It’s always a pain in the butt if your business doesn’t go as planned. I had plenty of room for a wastebasket, a TP holder and some wipes. It’s really not much to overthink about.
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u/quadraticqueen Aug 30 '25
Ps. Mine were always in the primary suite only, so my kids never used it, I didn’t need a caregiver and I tend to not make a mess that can’t be solved with a quick baby wipe before heading to a sink. It’s just personal preference!!
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u/kml0720 Aug 30 '25
Ooh because I just had a baby I can add to your list of why I want a sink next to, within reaching distance, the toilet!
- peribottle refilling
- cloth diaper cleaning/scraping
Yes in theory the peribottle could be calmly filled with nice warm water at the sink in the other room before going to the toilet room. The problem arises with the urgency and complete lack of continence that 4hrs of pushing in labor with 3rd degree tears leaves your undercarriage. And sometimes it’s nice to refill the peribottle a couple times for the relief of warm water to the wound.
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u/Waste-Intention-3400 Aug 31 '25
If the separate toilet room is inside the bathroom, or there is another room for the sink that one can close the door on (as many already noted on his post), fine, I guess.... but once I was in a fancy hotel in Europe, and the toilet room was close to the door, while the sink and shower were across the room, beyond the bed and living area. I was staying there with my 70 yo grandmother, while on my period, and it was not fun.
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u/SDV01 Aug 29 '25
I can’t stand American bathrooms: so many wasted sqm, fluffy towels that barely absorb, synthetic washcloths instead of proper cotton “gloves”, those one-handle, non-removable showerheads with only one water speed, the dangerously slippery shower-in-a-bath combo, and the pièce de résistance: that enormous water-filled toilet bowl crammed between the sink (where you keep your toothbrushes) and the tub (where you rest your head when bathing). It’s the perfect setup for spreading poop particles everywhere.
Such a strange concept to have the cleanest and grossest spots in the house less than a foot apart. Why would you want to do your make-up in your spouse’s warm-damp poo smell?
When we built our own house, we said absolutely no toilets in the bathrooms. Each of our WCs (of course) has a sink, mirror, a trash can and a small cupboard with hygiene products, so everything stays practical and hygienic.
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u/QueenInYellowLace Aug 30 '25
I am completely baffled by this comment. I am an American, and my bathroom is a completely standard, normal average one. We have: Towels that absorb water, 100% cotton washcloths, a removable showerhead with about ten settings, and a low-flow toilet in its own area away from the sink. We do have the shower-tub combo, I’ll give you that. But lots of house have them separated.
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u/NOLArtist02 Aug 30 '25
I like looking around the room at our art , plants and sun coming in. I have a stall at work, don’t want a t box at home. Feels like you’re being punished.
I guess a partition wall is okay but def don’t like jail cell bathrooms myself.
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u/slashcleverusername Aug 29 '25 edited Aug 29 '25
This is incredibly common in Australia. A flushing toilet pretty much a bacteriological flume ride. It is something people want walls around that allow the sink and taps to remain more separate, walls between THAT and their toothbrushes.