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Original poster

Toilet separate to the bathroom

108 replies

Eatthecakes · 14/03/2023 09:53

I’m downsizing to a 2 bedroom now it’s just me and one child left.
Every property I have viewed so far has a bathroom with a separate toilet. Ok, useful if someone is in the shower. But, why is the sink in the bathroom and not the toilet room?
So you do your business and leave the toilet room to go into the bath/shower room to wash your hands. Or to the kitchen if someone is using the shower.
Is this a normal set up or am I just being ott in thinking it’s very unhygienic?

OP posts:
Spidey66 · 14/03/2023 11:03

My mum had this in her house (1940/50s semi). She knocked the loo and bathroom into one. I think in slightly older houses hand hygiene wasn't such a thing. I can see the benefit of a separate loo but wouldn't like a loo without a sink easily available.

Polis · 14/03/2023 11:09

I've done a fair bit of travelling and the UK/America are the only countries that out a toilet in the bathroom

Despite what some other posters have said, in my experience, it’s not uncommon in Australia too. In fact, thinking about it, I have rented and stayed in houses in other countries that have loos in the main bathroom.

It certainly isn’t just a UK/US thing.

Xant · 14/03/2023 11:11

Having no sink at all is beyond gross, especially if guests use it.

Just put a sink in, even if you have to have one of these

welove.co.uk/products/deus-500mm-toilet-and-basin-combination-unit-gloss-grey?variant=38652983836841

Xant · 14/03/2023 11:12

Polis · 14/03/2023 11:09

I've done a fair bit of travelling and the UK/America are the only countries that out a toilet in the bathroom

Despite what some other posters have said, in my experience, it’s not uncommon in Australia too. In fact, thinking about it, I have rented and stayed in houses in other countries that have loos in the main bathroom.

It certainly isn’t just a UK/US thing.

Well I’ve travelled in 25 counties and the vast majority had a sink in the same room as the toilet.

No idea what you’re talking about, sinks near toilets are not a UK/US invention, perhaps you were in budget accommodation.

Fromwetome · 14/03/2023 11:12

@CrunchyCarrot

Another Aussie here, yep I have the same problem with it, in a one bathroom house currently and I don't think I'll never get used waiting for whoever is in the shower to get out so I can get in there for a number 2. Exactly the same when the situation is reversed and showering in the stink is also depressing.

In fact I don't think I will ever get used to a one bathroom house ever, even when I was dirt poor in Australia most houses have 2 loos at least.

Led9519 · 14/03/2023 11:13

We knocked the wall down and rearranged the bathroom. Then added a downstairs loo anyway in case someone was in the bathroom!

Giggorata · 14/03/2023 11:14

We installed one with a sink over the cistern and it is brilliant.
I bought a tiny handbasin, with taps, for £10 from eBay to go in the outside loo.

greenacrylicpaint · 14/03/2023 11:15

we have that.
we put a sink in. was not a big job.

in our previous house we had those toilets with sink on the cistern. they were fab but not always easy to come by.

ViscountessBridgerton · 14/03/2023 11:16

We have this (30s house). Not what I would have chosen but wasn't going to let it put us off the house. Not even an issue now, and funnily enough we have survived germy door handles for 2 years now 😮

magicthree · 14/03/2023 11:17

Fromwetome · 14/03/2023 11:03

I've done a fair bit of travelling and the UK/America are the only countries that out a toilet in the bathroom. Most countries are separate and it's not a big deal, brand new houses are being built with them both separate so must work well enough. Yeah you go into the bathroom and wash afterwards or you go to the kitchen.

So if you visit someone's house and their bathroom and toilet is seperate then...SHOCKINGLY they will have left the toilet and walked to the bathroom/kitchen with toilet hands!! And we are all still alive and well. Whole nations are still alive and well. 😆

I'm in NZ and some places have a toilet in the bathroom. I agree with your last paragraph, it's really no big deal, and yes we are alive and well - thriving even!!!!

pansiesinmygarden · 14/03/2023 11:17

PuttingDownRoots · 14/03/2023 09:58

You can get toilets with a sink over the cistern. (Waste water then used to flush the toilet)

I didn't know this existed. It's fantastic

slowquickstep · 14/03/2023 11:17

I lived in many MQ's with that sat up, it isn't a problem, used hand gel.

Faircastle · 14/03/2023 11:22

How are you supposed to navigate this set-up if you use a menstrual cup?

LlynTegid · 14/03/2023 11:23

Normal set up- worth keeping soap by the kitchen sink so you can wash your hands afterwards.

Pootles34 · 14/03/2023 11:24

My parents have just put in the loo mentioned above with the handwash over the cistern - it's genius! Definitely recommended.

Polis · 14/03/2023 11:27

No idea what you’re talking about, sinks near toilets are not a UK/US invention, perhaps you were in budget accommodation.

I have no idea why you are telling me this. There is nothing in my post that even hints at sinks near toilets being a US/UK invention.

SmallElephants · 14/03/2023 11:28

Common in France and Austria
can’t use a mooncup with this setup!

CryptoFascistMadameCholet · 14/03/2023 11:31

This is very common in 30s-50s semi detached layouts.

I’d probably have one of those teeny tiny mini sinks people have in understair cupboard loo conversions installed, or if the loo room is too small to
move with a sink on the wall and as there are only two of you, knock through and make it one bigger bathroom (bigger budget and more mess required).

Ringmaster27 · 14/03/2023 11:34

I lived in a house like this for 6 years…on an estate full of other houses with separate toilet/bathrooms.
Me and a few of my friends used to joke about the absurdity of the sink and toilet being in separate rooms and how that forced us to do the “mooncup waddle” from toilet to sink 🤦🏻‍♀️😂😂

Original poster
Eatthecakes · 14/03/2023 11:39

Very impressed with the cistern sink toilet, I didn’t know they even existed!

OP posts:
WhereYouLeftIt · 14/03/2023 11:45

We have a toilet like that. The cistern needed replaced, so we replaced the entire toilet with one with a washbasin integrated. The waste water from the handbasin empties into the cistern. It works well for us! You don't need to do any pipework.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 14/03/2023 11:50

We had that but my Dad moved the bucket closer to the water butt outside and it solved the problem.

NotDavidTennant · 14/03/2023 11:51

This kind of arrangement is mainly found in mid 20th century houses. It was a step up at the time as a lot of older houses would still have had an outdoor toilet. But as you say it doesn't meet modern standards of hygiene.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 14/03/2023 11:57

We've just moved into an Edwardian House with this set up. Presumably when it was built it was the only loo in the house, so good to have the loo and bathroom separate. Now. there's also a downstairs loo (with basin) and an en suite.

There's no room to fit in even a tiny basin. When we have some money, we intend to knock the loo and bathroom together but it's not straightforward as the loft hatch access is in the corridor outside the loo, so it's quite a big job.

I've just put a bottle of posh hand sanitiser on the cistern, then people can go into the bathroom to wash their hands properly. It's no different to a public loo where you have to come out of the cubicle to wash your hands

MrsMoastyToasty · 14/03/2023 12:02

DSIS had this in her first house. She knocked the 2 rooms into one and blocked one of the doors up. It created an extra corner which allowed for a separate shower cubicle.

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