In case you didn't know, today is World Toilet Day - an official United Nations international observance day that celebrates toilets and aims to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.
We spend a quite startling amount of time on the toilet over the course of our lives, so it's inevitable that we've picked up more than a few bad habits along the way.
Now, the toilet being what it is means that most of us are fairly loathe to go into any great detail about what goes down in our *ahem* private time.
However, the good thing about discussing bad habits is that it means we can learn from our mistakes and improve.
So, in the spirit of entertainment, information and awareness, let's dive into the six most common bad toilet habits that most people would never admit to.
1. Disappearing down a rabbit hole on Instagram and realizing you've been sat on the toilet for 45 minutes
We've all been there. You're sat on the toilet having a jolly old scroll on your phone, when you notice your favorite fitness influencer has posted something new. Before you know it, 40 minutes have passed and you're watching a compilation of a kid learning how to backflip in 24 hours. Let's be honest, there are probably better and more fun things we could be doing with our time.
2. Wiping back to front
"Wiping back to front can theoretically spread bacteria from the anal area to the vaginal area, which can lead to urinary tract infections," Dr Lauren Ploch told Shape.com.
Need we say any more? We've all heard cleaning up from front to back is the way to go - so make sure you're doing it!
3. Using unsustainable toilet paper
Toilet paper has been getting less sustainable, according to research cited by the Guardian in an article last year. There many things we can do to reduce the impact of our lives on the environment, and choosing a sustainable toilet paper is one of them. The Cheeky Panda, for instance, uses toilet paper made from bamboo. Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant in the world, meaning it's extremely renewable.
4. Bringing our phones with us to the toilet in the first place
Quite apart from the endless hours wasted scrolling through social media while taking a poop, bringing our phones with us into the bathroom is not a particularly hygienic thing to be doing in the first place. It is surprising how many germs can live on bathroom sinks, and obviously on the toilet itself. If you put your phone on these surfaces it's sitting right on those germs, only to then be carried right out of the bathroom with you when you leave.
5. Using baby wipes that contain plastic
According to The Cheeky Panda, 90% of all baby wipes contain plastic. Indeed, many city sewage systems - including London's - found wetwipes to be one of the biggest contributors to clogging. The Cheeky Panda offers baby wipes that are 100% biodegradable and compostable, making them friendly both for your skin and the environment!
6. Sitting for too long on the toilet
We've already established that bringing your phone with you to the bathroom might lead to time wasted, but it could also be contributing to another bad bathroom habit. According to the Queensland Government's health page, sitting on the toilet for too long can lead to "excess time spent straining," which in turn can lead to hemorrhoids. Basically, once you've done your business, get up and out of there!
With a few simple changes, we can all make some positive changes to our toilet habits - and do our bit for the environment, too!
