Bathroom Superstitions & Fun Facts you Didn’t Know

For a place that is part of our daily routine, bathrooms are riddled with a surprisingly high number of centuries-old superstitions, quirky traditions, and fascinating trivia you probably don’t know about! From ancient beliefs about mirrors and drains to strange toilet customs worldwide, the bathroom holds more mysteries than most people realize. Let’s look at the most peculiar and interesting bathroom-related lore!

Bathroom Superstitions & Fun Facts You Didn’t Know!

Mirrors: Portals, Spirits, and Bad Luck

One of the most well-known bathroom superstitions involves bathroom mirrors and their supposed connection to the supernatural. Many cultures believe that mirrors are portals to the spirit world. Breaking one inside a bathroom especially brings bad luck.

The old superstition of seven years of bad luck stems from the belief that a broken mirror damages one’s soul. It also makes a person more vulnerable to misfortune.

A darker variation of this superstition is the Bloody Mary legend. Chanting her name in front of a bathroom mirror is said to summon her ghostly presence. Whether this is childhood folklore or something more sinister, plenty of people still refuse to try it alone at night.

The Fear of Toilet Ghosts

In some parts of the world, particularly in Japan, there are legends of bathroom ghosts that haunt toilets. One of the most famous is Hanako-san. A spirit reportedly appears in school restrooms if someone knocks three times on the third stall and asks if she’s there. If she responds, let’s say it’s best to leave immediately.

Another eerie bathroom spirit is Kashima Reiko, a ghost who supposedly lurks in toilets and asks unsuspecting visitors questions. If they answer incorrectly, she punishes them. These stories may seem far-fetched, but they reflect a universal theme: bathrooms as liminal spaces where strange things can happen.

Toilets and Good Fortune Bathroom Superstitions

Believe it or not, many cultures have superstitions about toilets and financial fortune. In Feng Shui, it’s believed that leaving the toilet seat lid open allows wealth and positive energy to escape down the drain.

Many practitioners recommend keeping bathroom doors closed. They believe it prevents money from being metaphorically flushed away.

In some Asian cultures, dreaming of flushing money down the toilet means you might face financial loss. However, dreaming of a clean toilet symbolizes clearing out bad luck.

Whether or not you believe in it, a closed toilet lid at least keeps things looking tidy—and maybe this will encourage you to shut down that lid!

The Unlucky Number Two in Bathroom Etiquette

In Japan, the number four is considered unlucky because its pronunciation, “shi,” sounds like the word for death. However, when it comes to bathroom superstitions, the number two also has its place in folklore.

In some countries, using the second stall in a public restroom is believed to be bad luck. Others, however, claim it’s actually the cleanest option since most people instinctively avoid it. Whether or not that’s true, studies have suggested that the first stall is often the least used and, therefore, the most hygienic.

Gold-Plated Toilets and Unusual Bathroom Luxuries

Speaking of wealth, did you know there are gold-plated toilets in the world, toilets worth millions of dollars? The world’s most expensive toilet, made entirely of 24-karat gold, was installed in Hong Kong’s Hang Fung Gold Technology showroom. This over-the-top toilet is valued at over $5 million.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Lenin’s Soviet-era spacecraft featured a solid gold toilet in Russia. The reason is that luxury was a priority, even in space.

If you think that’s excessive, consider the Toto Neorest NX2. This high-tech Japanese toilet cleans itself, plays music, warms the seat, and even analyzes your health metrics. Who knew bathroom technology could be so advanced?

Toilet Paper History and Cultural Differences

Toilet paper may be an everyday essential now, but it wasn’t always available. Ancient civilizations cleaned themselves using sponges on sticks (Romans), corncobs (early Americans), and even stones (ancient Greeks). Joseph Gayetty introduced the first commercially produced toilet paper in 1857. However, people did not widely adopt TP until the early 1900s.

Even today, not every country uses toilet paper the same way. In many parts of Asia and the Middle East, bidets or water sprays are the norm, while in some European countries, bathrooms have both a toilet and a bidet for extra cleanliness.

Public Bathroom Phobias: The Fear of Flushing the Toilet

Ever hesitated before flushing in a public restroom? You’re not alone. Some people suffer from paruresis (shy bladder syndrome), making it difficult to use public restrooms when others are around. Others have a fear of high-powered toilet flushes, especially in airplane or train bathrooms, due to the loud, vacuum-like sound they make.

Interestingly, some old myths suggest that flushing while sitting on the toilet could cause a sudden drop in air pressure, pulling a person into the pipes. While entirely unfounded, this is undoubtedly an unsettling thought!

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