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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to shut off downstairs toilet

197 replies

Daisydu · 18/03/2023 10:07

It’s next to the kitchen. You have to walk through the kitchen to get to it. I hate it. I’ve tried telling everyone in the house it’s not to be used for no2s because I think it’s bloody gross. But the kids don’t always listen and quite frankly I just don’t want it there anymore. We have a perfectly good bathroom upstairs. 9 people in our house though which does make me question in a bit. We’re renting so can’t get rid of it altogether but we also have zero storage in this house so we could use it for that. What do you guys think? Would I be silly to just shut it off? Honestly the fact it’s next to the kitchen winds me up

OP posts:
JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 18/03/2023 10:08

Mad to close it off with 9 people in the house. Also think it's worse for guests to have to traipse upstairs to use toilet.

PuttingDownRoots · 18/03/2023 10:08

How many other bathrooms?

9 people trying to get out the house with one toilet could be tricky. We struggle sometimes with 3 people!

Original poster
Daisydu · 18/03/2023 10:09

Yeah this is the thing. But I really hate it 😩

OP posts:
Original poster
Daisydu · 18/03/2023 10:10

PuttingDownRoots · 18/03/2023 10:08

How many other bathrooms?

9 people trying to get out the house with one toilet could be tricky. We struggle sometimes with 3 people!

Just one upstairs and one downstairs.

OP posts:
QuickNameChangeForMeToday · 18/03/2023 10:12

i agree it’s a gross location for a bathroom but can’t imagine 9 people getting ready in the morning with 1 bathroom.

LittleBearPad · 18/03/2023 10:13

9 people, one loo?

It’s not going to work, is it

Badbudgeter · 18/03/2023 10:14

9 people sounds a lot for one loo. We have 2 for five and even then there’s a wait in the morning sometimes. I assume there is no window? Leave extractor fan on. I’d concentrate on getting them to clean the loo afterwards. A squirt of toilet cleaner a swirl round with a loo brush and a second flush helps minimise nasty whiffs.

Busybody2022 · 18/03/2023 10:14

9 people and 1 loo is a recipe for a nightmare. I'd just get a door that auto closes so the smell is contained.

MaryShelley1818 · 18/03/2023 10:16

Sounds ridiculous to shut off a toilet when you've only got 2 for 9 people.
We've got 3 for 4 of us. There's no way I wouldn't have a downstairs toilet.
Also the location sounds normal, why on earth does it matter if someone walks through the kitchen on the way to the toilet and back? Ours is through the kitchen and utility room, same as our last house.

LadyHaHaHeeHaw · 18/03/2023 10:18

Can you put a defuser thingy in there? That usually soaks up any smells or keep some matches nearby as lighting one takes the smell away

Original poster
Daisydu · 18/03/2023 10:22

Yes there is a window but can’t leave it open as it will be freezing in there and also the bloody cat will keep coming in when we want him to stay out. No extractor fan in there. A diffuser a good idea though I’ll look into it.

can’t change the door as we rent.

yes you’re all right 9 people and one bathroom would be a nightmare.

i just hate that the bathroom is directly next to the kitchen, i can’t explain why but it grosses me out.

OP posts:
WinterMusings · 18/03/2023 10:24

I know you're renting, but would it be physically possible to change the entrance to off the hallway/another room?

if it is you could ask permission to get it done.

one toilet for 9 people would be ridiculous.

if you can't move the entrance then I think you just need to keep reminding the kids it's for wees only (unless someone is unwell upstairs)

how old are the kids?

id hate it to, but 9 people, you're just going to have to find the best solution to keep it useable.

keeping the lid closed will help, look at a soft closing seat. If they can
just set it to close it tends to get closed more than if they have to actually put it down.

LakieLady · 18/03/2023 10:29

Not ideal, OP, but I'd never get rid of a downstairs toilet. Supposing someone gets a bad sprain or broken leg, or you have a guest who struggles with stairs?

I'd love a 2nd WC downstairs, and I live on my own. It would be so handy, especially when I'm muddy from gardening and have to tramp through the house to go upstairs to pee.

RegainingTheWill2023 · 18/03/2023 10:32

I understand its not everyone's first choice to have toilet off the kitchen but it's really not unusual. I've lived most of my adult life in houses with this layout.
Your reaction is quite extreme and 9 people using 1 toilet is far worse in my opinion .
You need to identify what exactly your issue is so that you could try and resolve that or reframe your thinking.

ObamaLlamas · 18/03/2023 10:36

You can shut the window 'on air' though can't you? It doesn't need to be shut completely. And it's not exactly cold anymore in the UK at the moment so you won't freeze.

LakieLady · 18/03/2023 10:38

Badbudgeter · 18/03/2023 10:14

9 people sounds a lot for one loo. We have 2 for five and even then there’s a wait in the morning sometimes. I assume there is no window? Leave extractor fan on. I’d concentrate on getting them to clean the loo afterwards. A squirt of toilet cleaner a swirl round with a loo brush and a second flush helps minimise nasty whiffs.

It's hard to have too many lavs imo.

My BIL built a house that had 6: 2 en suites, one in the annexe, a bathroom and separate shower room upstairs for use by the other 3 bedrooms, and one off the hall. At the time, I thought it was OTT for a household of 3, but it came in very handy over the Covid Christmas, when I was already staying there and MIL came to stay too.

Everyone had their own designated toilet and that still left one for anyone else.

When they sold it, the number of prospective purchasers who were really attracted by the number of bath/shower rooms and WCs surprised everyone. It was a huge selling point, apparently.

latetothefisting · 18/03/2023 10:41

But it's really really common to have a downstairs bathroom accessed via the kitchen, particularly in older houses.

There are building regs in place now that mean there has to be at least one other door between the kitchen and bathroom but they aren't backdated so there are millions of houses with a bathroom after the kitchen.

I think you just have to get over this. As long as people are washing their hands and the door is closed what's the issue? The alternative of having 9 people using 1 bathroom when you have another one available is ridiculous.

Original poster
Daisydu · 18/03/2023 10:44

WinterMusings · 18/03/2023 10:24

I know you're renting, but would it be physically possible to change the entrance to off the hallway/another room?

if it is you could ask permission to get it done.

one toilet for 9 people would be ridiculous.

if you can't move the entrance then I think you just need to keep reminding the kids it's for wees only (unless someone is unwell upstairs)

how old are the kids?

id hate it to, but 9 people, you're just going to have to find the best solution to keep it useable.

keeping the lid closed will help, look at a soft closing seat. If they can
just set it to close it tends to get closed more than if they have to actually put it down.

No it’s like an extension off the kitchen so unfortunately not…

kids range from 15 down to 2! We want to move house but where we live it’s a nightmare finding anywhere.

OP posts:
KimberleyClark · 18/03/2023 10:44

Our downstairs loo is off the utility which is off the kitchen. I’d rather it there than off the hall where people could hear you using it in the living room.

SquashPenguin · 18/03/2023 10:45

1 loo for 9 people! We have three for just the two of us and I still wouldn’t get rid of any of them! I think if you blocked off you’d notice very quickly how handy it actually was.

WeCome1 · 18/03/2023 10:46

Keep the window open a crack. Doesn’t need to be so much that it’s freezing or the cat gets in. (Poor cat!)

ReadersD1gest · 18/03/2023 10:46

Can you change the access from the kitchen, even if it means building on a corridor alongside?

Bunnyhascovidnoteggs · 18/03/2023 10:48

Our downstairs loo was a shoe cupboard for years. During Covid when we were all stuck here (8) I decorated it. Filled it with loo freshener and sprays!
Still as a few resident spiders in so just me and dh use it! Wees only!

ttacticall · 18/03/2023 10:49

So you don't want the cold air to get in but you're forcing your poor cat to stay out there when it's freezing? Seriously?

Glitteratitar · 18/03/2023 10:49

I agree, I absolutely hate it when the toilet is through the kitchen. When we were looking for a house I refused to even see any where you had to walk through the kitchen to get to the toilet.

But there are 9 of you. You need more than 2 toilets as it is. To block of one is bonkers I’m afraid.