.. I just got here, well, Wednesday to be precise. I managed to drive a Spanish car that isn't mine over the border without being charged - apparently this is a minor miracle. Anyway, what's this thing about the toilets? The person with whom I am staying for a few weeks says we can't flush the toilet between 10pm and 7am. Not so bad if you're living by yourself and sorry to introduce something so Californian but, eeeeewwwwww. On the web I see 11pm mentioned. I'm guessing someone here will know the rules and/or have an opinion. I'm guessing it's one of the 'it's Switzerland' things??

But I have to say in preparing to come here this forum has been utterly invaluable and I want to thank everyone for all the advice so far - not personal replies but that it's here to dig around in. Immensely helpful, thanks.

You can flush the toilet 24/7. However, if your neighbor is an embittered, svp-voting pensionist, she might send an anonymous letter of complaint to the property management.

Lol, read about this toilet flushing problem only on the forum, never heard it from anybody I know personally. I'd just flush and see whether somebody actually complains about it.

It happens in older apartments where noise travels and noise insulation is poor.

By the way, in many apartments in the States, one can hear the neighbours toilet flush as well.

7am is pretty late
Most Swiss get up @ 5am & start showering, sh**ing, grinding coffee, listening to radio news &&&
I used to live in one of those old city centre blocks with poor insulation & the first morning I thought my clock had gone wrong.

There is no general rule but often blocks of apartments have a set of rules which are usually pinned up in the entrance hall & lay out rules like toilet flushing, rubbish disposal etc.

In the old apartment where I used to live, the noise problem wasn't the flush, instead I was hearing the noise of the pee arriving in the toilet. Between that and the creaking floors, I had a regular 3am wake-up call

I've heard that some buildings have a rule that guys need to sit to pee, to reduce the noise - has anyone else heard that?

Swiss urban myth #1593

The time restrictions on toilet use are found in each apartment block's Hausordnung (house rules). As previously stated, you should be able to flush the toilet any time but if someone complains that you're contravening the house rules, you'll have to comply.

I haven't heard that, but men sitting down to pee is a very Swiss thing. I think it's all about hygiene -- not missing the porcelain. Possibly one of the most emasculating things I can think of (well, within reason), and there's no way on earth I am going to give up my God-given right and capability to stand, aim and shoot.

If you flush once or twice in that time you are okay. If you stand there flushing then waiting for it to fill up and flushing again you will get in trouble.

Just like you would for being noisy in any other way.

Ahhhh hygiene.... One of my most favourite topics being the mild OCD person that I am. My son will sit when he is old enough to go to the loo on his own.. I hope I'm not scarring the poor kid but I ain't cleaning no pee pee drop stained toilet!

Urine is sterile, there is nothing dangerous about it. Men have been standing up when peeing for millions of years and humanity still exists, im not sure why people think now is a time to change that.

I usually sit down to pee in my own place, but when I'm out, especially in a public toilet, I always piss standing up.

Well, this is an interesting bit of information to share; maybe I'll put it on my CV.

Not sure how that will go down with his mates when he is a big strapping rugby player later in life

We have a rule in our apartment building that you need to use the left hand. It says nothing about standing or sitting though.

I know it's sterile but it's not very pleasant to clean.

This is how it's done:


He can do whatever he wants outside of my home.

We need a vote,
always pees straight, never misses
sometimes pees straight when drunk
never bothers to aim properly
wets himself
nurse makes him sit down
sits down voluntary

No, I have absolutely never heard about such a rule

oh Wolli....

Like Zymogen, I've only heard of this bizzare rule on EF. I am willing to bet my left hand that there are no specific rules regarding the prohibition of flushing toilets after 10pm.

Its probably from a miserable git of a neighbour who complained about a fellow EFer making noise (ie flushing toilet) once upon a time..and the rest is history. As olygirl said, some older apartments are terrible with noise insulation - but I'll be damned if I allow some anal-retentive idiot to dictate when I can and cannot flush my toilet IN MY OWN HOME regardless of the time. Its not as if the sound is a constant irritation like a loud telly or radio. It lasts for 5 seconds - suck it up and live with it - and I'll like to see anyone try to evict me on the grounds that I've made noise, and disturbed the peace by flushing a toilet. Effing ridiculous.

The only time he'll pee sitting down is when you are there watching him!

Tom