There are certain things in life that we often assume are common knowledge, like boiling an egg or getting dressed in the morning. However, there are instances when we realize that we’ve been approaching something in a unique way, only to discover that others do it differently.
An 18-year-old woman recently had this experience when she learned that she had been using public toilets incorrectly for her entire life. This realization came to her during a conversation with a friend. To her surprise, she had been flushing the toilet with her foot, believing that this was the correct method.
TIFU by using public bathrooms the wrong way for 18 years
by u/Imaginary-Quiet6526 in tifu
The anonymous woman shared on Reddit that she had been using public restrooms incorrectly. She attributed her unconventional approach to her mother, who she described as a “borderline germaphobe” and her primary source of life lessons, including how to operate toilet flushes. She explained the situation by stating, “You know how there’s usually a lever you need to push in order to flush? I was told to use my foot to push it, thus preventing any unnecessary touching. I’ve done this in Every Single public bathroom I’ve ever been to.”
This continued until a few months ago when, during a discussion about public restrooms, her friend mentioned flushing “with her hands.” She recounted, “I pulled a face and asked why. Then it was her turn to be confused and she said ‘because that’s how you’re supposed to flush it?’. She then proceeded to ask me how I flush and I said ‘by using my foot’. I was completely flabbergasted that she would use her hand and she was baffled and appalled that I’d been essentially kicking toilets for my whole life. Suffice it to say she gave me massive s**t for that and now my past actions haunt me every time I think of using a public restroom.”
The Reddit post garnered mixed reactions, with some individuals acknowledging that they also adopted a similar practice for hygiene purposes, while others found it puzzling. A commenter shared, “I also use my foot,” prompting the woman to respond with a sense of relief, “I’m not alone!”
Another user chimed in with an alternative approach, saying that he just scrunch up some toilet paper and use it to press the button/lever without touching it. Throw it in right away and it will flush too, or throw it in the bin if there is one. Much easier than using foot.
However, some individuals didn’t see a problem with using their hands, as long as they washed them afterward. One person commented, “Your cell phone is probably dirtier than a public toilet. Just wash your hands when you’re done and it will be fine.”