# Universal practices that apparently aren’t that universal. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874 "2013-10-10T14:39:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/81 "2013-10-12T02:40:22Z")
> [@Gullible\_s\_Travels](#): > > Haha well yes, washing the floors by flooding is a bit over the top :D. But seriously, a floor drain in the bathroom is standard here. I’ve always thought it was a legal requirement. Where is here? And there are floor traps in homes in Australia? I’ve really never seen one. At least if I build a house I can request one and they won’t think I’m mad. Bathrooms are dirtier than other rooms. There’s spray and splash. You drip when toweling. Widespread use of emollients and surfactants. All these are best dissolved in lots of water. In fact, I just went at my bathroom floor with a brush on my power drill. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > people find it a bit industrial looking for their cozy home bathrooms. I read in a book a room described with tiled walls and floors, rings in the walls and a floor drain - it must be a torture chamber! No, it’s a bathroom -.- And yes, with a floor trap, your shower is basically as big as your bathroom 😃 I think some small bathrooms don’t even have dedicated showers. ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/82 "2013-10-12T02:51:20Z")
> [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > I can understand not having sugar. Many people don’t sweeten, and don’t bake, so they have no need for it. My wife bakes, so we always have it around, **but not in a readily accessible bowl** , > > snip snip Because that’s how we get ants Lana! My bolding…and thank you so much!😃 ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/83 "2013-10-12T19:43:28Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I think it is a legal requirement. I’ve never seen a bathroom without a floor drain, except for when we were in the US. My husband is in a wheelchair and the bathroom in the hotel where we stayed wasn’t very accessible, so he had to shower sitting in his chair (we’d done this at home for the same reason). I only noticed the lack of a floor drain when the flooding commenced. Fortunately, we had enough towels to mop up the excess. **Not sure what the domestic staff made of it all.** bolding mine I guarantee you, no matter how much of a mess you made, they have absolutely seen worse. ---
**Author:** ![Gullible\_s\_Travels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@Gullible\_s\_Travels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gullible_s_Travels)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/84 "2013-10-12T20:55:14Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > No, sounds like we share the same idea of what a bathroom is. Are all your bathroom floors concrete or tile? And are they sloped toward the drain? > > Like **Inner Stickler** says, that sounds rather industrial. Almost always tiled I’d say, everywhere I’ve ever lived has had a tiled bathroom floor, whether the house is on a concrete slab or has wooden floorboards on stumps. And yes, there’s supposed to be a slight fall towards the drain. Unless the tiling job is dodgy and the fall isn’t right, which apparently isn’t all that uncommon in do-it-yourself bathroom renos! Having a floor drain doesn’t look industrial to me, it’s looks normal. It would look odd if there wasn’t one. Just what you’re used to I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/85 "2013-10-12T21:34:08Z")
> [@Gullible\_s\_Travels](#): > > Haha well yes, washing the floors by flooding is a bit over the top :D. But seriously, a floor drain in the bathroom is standard here. I’ve always thought it was a legal requirement. I suspect this must be regional within Australia too. I live in inner Melbourne and the only time I can remember seeing anything like that is on campsite shower blocks, or where you have that style of shower where there’s no real rim around the bottom but the whole floor is tilted a tiny bit so the water runs down the shower plug. We did used to have a similar thing in our (concreted) back yard though. In hot weather you could plug the hole for a bit and fill up the whole area, make yourself a little wading pool. It was awesome 🙂 My contribution from the **other** side - salt and pepper shakers. It’s my impression that this is pretty much universal in the Anglosphere, if you’re setting the table fairly formally you have one of each as standard. Now speaking for myself, I don’t think I’ve put pepper on my food since … ummm … well, I’m sure some time in my childhood I must have tried it, thought “well, that was weird” and moved on. It’s not that I don’t get people liking pepper - everyone likes different stuff - it’s the ubiquity of it that I find strange. Salt’s obvious (though I don’t tend to use that at the table either), but what is it about pepper that raised it to parity? ETA: Just realised too - in our current house we’ve got ducted heating and there’s actually a duct **in the bathroom**. You’d be trouble if you flooded that! ---
**Author:** ![agnesnitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d78d45/32.png) [@agnesnitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agnesnitt)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/86 "2013-10-13T00:19:01Z")
I agree with the posters who commented on people who don’t have scissors. You can buy them in the dollar store. Don’t these people ever need to clip a thread on a dress? Or even clip off a plastic label from a new purchase? People who have no spices in their kitchens. This is just bizarre. I can understand not having cardamon, but not even italian spice mix or red pepper for pizza? How do you live? On the other hand, I have no coffee or tea or booze in my house. I’m sure that will raise some eyebrows. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/87 "2013-10-13T00:52:58Z")
I’ve never thought about it. With the exception of baking, if I’m adding salt to something, I’m adding pepper too. Huh. Personally, I think pepper’s great. Nice flavor with a bit of heat and really adds something to a lot of dishes. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/88 "2013-10-13T01:47:57Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > That was my surprise: that the landlord was willing to pull it out and put it somewhere for an extended period of time. > > Also, and I just learned this about myself, I have deep reservations about anyone who uses a stove so little they can replace it with bookshelves. And I was wondering who has bookshelves so small they’ll fit where a stove was. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/89 "2013-10-13T01:52:09Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > And I was wondering who has bookshelves so small they’ll fit where a stove was. Eh? Regular Sears steel bookshelves. 30 inches wide, and, in this case, there wasn’t a range-hood or light fixture or cabinet to be in the way, so I could go 7 feet up. It worked out great! (My current apartment has a range-hood there, and the stove is pretty much permanently fixed in place. Oh, well!) ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/90 "2013-10-13T02:26:52Z")
I won’t allow a TV in my bedroom. I’m not a huge snob about it, but my husband would watch it all the time. And I can’t sleep with lots of light on. Flashing lights from a TV would be way too much. Imagine my surprise to find that most of my friends have a television in their bedroom. When I was young, I remember not being able to fathom people drinking plain water. Diet coke used to replace almost all my liquids unless I was working out for volleyball. Now I can’t understand people drinking soda all the time. Oh, and the shoe thing - can’t imagine wearing them in the house, either. I also can’t imagine eating out all the time. I’m surprised how often people eat out. It’s not about health or money. I just like my food better usually, and eating out too frequently makes me feel like shit. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/91 "2013-10-13T02:59:14Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > In the last apartment I lived in, I had the manager take out the stove/oven. I put up bookshelves in its place. (Where I’m living now, the stove is pretty much fixed in place and can’t be removed.) What can I say? I don’t cook. [ul] [li] Unplug stove.[/li][li] Remove burners; stash in the oven.[/li][li] Obtain plywood (or similar) cover the size of stove-top.[/li][li] Voila! Extra counter space![/li][/ul] What I do. (ETA: In light of the subsequent remark by **Chronos** : I do cook, a little bit, occasionally, but all in a microwave. So that takes up about the same amount of counter space as I get by using the stove that way.) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/92 "2013-10-13T04:39:40Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > I won’t allow a TV in my bedroom. I’m not a huge snob about it, but my husband would watch it all the time. And I can’t sleep with lots of light on. Flashing lights from a TV would be way too much. Imagine my surprise to find that most of my friends have a television in their bedroom. \ We aren’t tv in the bedroom people, either. I put one in there recently, and I think we’ve turned it on once. I’m about to take it out again. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/93 "2013-10-13T22:16:29Z")
You people with drains in your bathroom floor? Do you not have rugs in the bathroom where you live? So when you get out of the shower you don’t have to stand in a puddle while drying off? There’s another possible universal that isn’t. They’re not just regular rugs if you’re blowing your mind at the idea, they’re specifically made for bathrooms, have a rubberized backing, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/94 "2013-10-13T22:38:31Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > Oh, and the shoe thing - can’t imagine wearing them in the house, either. Shoes? You mean FOOT PRISONS? That’s from The Office. And it’s how I feel about shoes. I won’t even wear socks in the house. If it’s really cold, then I’ll begrudgingly wear slippers. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/95 "2013-10-13T23:16:15Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > You people with drains in your bathroom floor? Do you not have rugs in the bathroom where you live? So when you get out of the shower you don’t have to stand in a puddle while drying off? There’s another possible universal that isn’t. > > They’re not just regular rugs if you’re blowing your mind at the idea, they’re specifically made for bathrooms, have a rubberized backing, etc. I don’t have a drain in the floor, but I would _never_ wall to wall carpet a bathroom, I use a microfiber machine washable and machine dryable bath mat bought from IKEA. Actually we have 2 of them, one hanging on the bar-handle of the shower door to be laid on the floor for after showering and one in the laundry or folded on the shelf near the rest of the towels. If I were to be lucky enough to have a deck drain in the bathroom, I could still hose the floor off and squeegie it into the drain as the bathmat hanging on the handle would still not get wet. I have always wanted an entire house with deck drains, and the ability to hose the floors down ad lib. ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/96 "2013-10-13T23:27:08Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > You people with drains in your bathroom floor? Do you not have rugs in the bathroom where you live? So when you get out of the shower you don’t have to stand in a puddle while drying off? There’s another possible universal that isn’t. > > They’re not just regular rugs if you’re blowing your mind at the idea, they’re specifically made for bathrooms, have a rubberized backing, etc. No drain in bathroom floor, although the hotel I stayed in on Thursday did. We have a bath mat, basically a heavy duty towel specifically designed for standing on when you get out of the shower or bath tub. Also, when standing at basin barefooted, shaving. The ones we have are in the same patterns as our bath and face towels, so you use one that matches and it goes in the wash with all your other towels. I don’t think many NZ homes have toilet plungers. The style of toilet pan used here does not block up in any meaningful way that would require the use of one. The outlet pipe is usually 100mm and the water trap in the bottom is plenty big enough for any contingency. Also, no danger of low hangers getting wet from high water levels as they never get above the level of the u-bend. We do have a sugar bowl as my husband takes three teaspoons in his coffee (shudder). Shoes are either on or off. Some people insist on taking them off even though we say to leave them on. We have wall-to-wall carpet in living areas, vinyl in kitchen and utility rooms, but also have door mats for wiping footwear. ---
**Author:** ![Gullible\_s\_Travels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@Gullible\_s\_Travels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gullible_s_Travels)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/97 "2013-10-13T23:43:02Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > You people with drains in your bathroom floor? Do you not have rugs in the bathroom where you live? So when you get out of the shower you don’t have to stand in a puddle while drying off? There’s another possible universal that isn’t. > > They’re not just regular rugs if you’re blowing your mind at the idea, they’re specifically made for bathrooms, have a rubberized backing, etc. Not large ‘rugs’, but yes we have bath mats to stand on when getting out of the shower :). I also have one in front of the basin, like **Kiwi Fruit**. My bath mats aren’t rubber backed, they’re thick towelling, but rubber backed bath mats are pretty common. I’d rather have the towelling ones, just throw them in the washing machine with the towels. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/98 "2013-10-14T03:23:17Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > I read in a book a room described with tiled walls and floors, rings in the walls and a floor drain - it must be a torture chamber! No, it’s a bathroom -.- > > And yes, with a floor trap, your shower is basically as big as your bathroom 😃 I think some small bathrooms don’t even have dedicated showers. That’s what the accesible-room bathrooms in [this aparthotel](http://en.allsuites-apparthotel.com/Our-Residential-Hotels/appart-hotel-dunkerque) are like: much bigger than the regular-room bathrooms, no shower or tub (tub in the regular rooms), the floor is patterned rubber (vs tile), and in one corner there is a drain, a telephone showerhead placed lower than usual and a folding seat. I loved the folding seat, if I ever have to renovate a bathroom I am putting one in the shower. ---
**Author:** ![Bibliothecarius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@Bibliothecarius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bibliothecarius)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/99 "2013-10-14T12:50:54Z")
So…in cultures where it’s a not a done thing to flush your TP, does that mean they have to go empty the bathroom trash every single time they go? Surely they wouldn’t leave it there stinking the place up. But what if it’s raining/snowing/in the middle of a storm? Isn’t that a terribly inefficient way of, well, taking care of business? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874/100 "2013-10-14T12:57:26Z")
There’s no more need to take that trash bag out every time than to take out every time the one in the kitchen; so long as you use a lidded can (worse solution actually) or make sure the bathroom has good airflow, it won’t smell. You take it out when you take out any other trash. Actually… are you male? Many public ladies’ bathrooms have lidded trashcans for personal hygiene products. Those cans stink to high hell, they actually smell a lot worse than an open basket, but not so long as the lid is closed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-practices-that-apparently-aren-t-that-universal/670874.md?page=6)