Is THIS why public toilet doors don’t touch the floor? TikToker claims he’s solved mystery puzzling US tourists
You’ve probably noticed that many public restroom doors don’t touch the floor.
Although public amenities vary around the world, the raised door is something that often baffles American tourists.
One TikToker, known for his facts and theories, claims he has solved the mystery.
In the video, captioned “And now you know,” user MattypStories proposed three explanations to his 903,000 followers.
A TikTok user claims to have solved the mystery of why American public toilets don’t touch the floor β and has offered three interesting theories
Popular TikToker Mattyptories said there are many ‘logical’ reasons why they don’t touch the floor, and one of them is in an emergency
He said: ‘You’ve probably wondered why bathroom doors don’t go all the way to the floor.
“But there are actually a lot of logical reasons why they do this.”
He continued, “First of all, if there is ever an emergency, it would be pretty easy to see what happened and get the person help.”
Secondly, him explained: ‘It makes them much easier to clean.
‘Public bathrooms are used quite often, which means they need to be cleaned several times a day.
“And the space under the door makes it a lot easier.”
Finally, he said, “It’s a lot cheaper to buy a door with part of it cut off than the entire door itself.”
Since the video was posted, it has racked up more than 31,000 likes and received hundreds of comments from users around the world, who claim their toilet doors are hitting the ground.
One person wrote: ‘This is definitely a North American thing – all you have to do is travel – full doors all over the world.’
Meanwhile, someone suggested, “You forgot that if the door gets stuck, you can crawl out.”
Another person added: ‘That’s why I don’t use them, it’s weird.’
Matty’s theories are echoed by the toilet installation company, Toilet partitions. The website suggests that the design makes it easier to clean and determine if the stable is occupied.
It says, βThe open floor plan makes it easy for janitors to clean the stables. A mop or high-pressure cleaner fits easily in the boxes and between the doors on the floor.’
Adding: ‘Rather than having to knock on the door to see if a toilet is available, an opening at the end of the cabin helps to determine whether the cabin is empty or not.’
Additionally, it suggests that they promote better air circulation through ‘natural airflow’ and provide adequate access for people in wheelchairs.
The website adds that it discourages inappropriate behavior and leaves room for emergencies because it provides “a quick way out.”