Chilling Bathroom Stories for World Toilet Day

Why is this year's World Toilet Day theme “Sanitation in a Changing World”? The idea is simple: it's meant to remind us that no matter how much the world changes, we’ll always need toilets. They protect us from disease, keep the environment clean, and uphold our dignity. But when toilets fail, things can go very wrong. Believe it or not, someone refusing to spare a square isn’t the worst that can happen.

So please grab a cup of tea and get comfortable for an evening of short toilet stories, as our team shares a few of their most shocking and downright uncomfortable bathroom experiences. Not for the faint of heart, but you might see yourself in a few of them.

Toilet Experiences That Still Haunt Us

When Paying Fees Doesn’t Guarantee Clean Toilets

By Paulson Kasereka

One of the most unpleasant toilet experiences I've had happened during a field mission in a large urban market, where I was conducting a project evaluation of WASH interventions. The market had public toilets that were originally built with donor funding years earlier. The structures themselves were solid and well-designed, but they had fallen into disrepair - lacking maintenance, cleaning supplies, running tap water, and a muddy environment. The only water source was a nearby borehole, and even that was barely adequate. The interior of the toilets was dark, dirty, and smelly. Despite this, the facility collected daily user fees, though the funds were not being reinvested in upkeep or hygiene. I couldn't use the toilets while working alongside the local management agents, which made the experience both uncomfortable and revealing. Access to safe, clean, and dignified toilets is not a luxury; it is a human necessity.

Images by: Paulson Kasereka

A Late-Night Bathroom Trip Gone Wrong

By Kimberly Worsham

One time, I was conducting fieldwork in a rural town, and in the middle of the night, I had to use the bathroom. Half asleep, I quietly walked over to where the toilet was. It was a squat toilet, and I was so tired that I started to doze off while using it. I lost my balance and scraped my arm against the rough concrete wall beside me. At first, I didn’t think much of it. But the next day, I noticed the scrape was getting bigger and redder. People started asking what happened, and I didn’t really want to admit that I’d gotten my arm infected in the bathroom. Luckily, I found a small hospital nearby with a pharmacy and bought the strongest antiseptic I could find—a bottle of iodine. Using it on my wound was not exactly safe, but I had no better option. Thankfully, my arm eventually healed, but it was a strong reminder of how easily unsafe toilet conditions can put our health at risk.

Image by: Kim Worsham/FLUSH

When A Bad Toilet Makes Grief Feel Secondary

By Betty Onyando

At a full-day burial, I came across a toilet that had clearly decided to retire early. The lock dangled as if it were hanging on for dear life; the floor was slick with puddles that raised more questions than answers, and the smell… well, let’s say it made grief feel secondary. I stood at the door weighing two bad options: risk my health inside or suffer dehydration outside. I chose the latter, clutching my bottle of water but refusing to take a drink. By midday, I had a pounding headache, a growling stomach, and the kind of crankiness you can’t blame on grief alone. It was a reminder of how one bad toilet can hijack an entire day, even a day meant for mourning. Toilets shouldn’t be terrifying side plots to important life moments. They should be safe, clean, and reliable because no one should have to choose between their dignity and their bladder.

Images by: Kim Worsham/FLUSH

A Toilet Should Not Steal Our Breath

By Robius Bagoka

My worst toilet experience dates back to high school, when we used basic pit latrines that were nearly unbearable. Before stepping inside, I would take off my school shirt to avoid carrying the overpowering stench back to class. Inside, the smell was so suffocating that breathing felt like a struggle. After using the toilet, I would often stand outside for five to ten minutes, airing myself out in the hope that the foul odor wouldn’t cling to me. Those moments were filled with embarrassment and anxiety; I dreaded the thought of walking back into class only to be met with jokes and shame. It wasn’t just uncomfortable; it was deeply humiliating. Toilets are not just facilities; they are instruments of dignity, health, and respect. No one should ever have to undress to use a toilet or step out, praying that a foul smell won’t follow them.

Image by: Kim Worsham/FLUSH

The Human Cost Behind Diarrhea

By Jennifer Barr

The first time I remember being truly sick from fecal-oral disease was during an undergraduate semester abroad. The illness took over my body quickly. After many days and several medications, I remember the first shower I took once I had recovered enough to do so. I stood in front of a steamed mirror in a hotel room, running my hands over a body I barely recognized. I had lost so much weight that my skin hung loosely off me. I know I was privileged in the resources I was able to access and afford--medications, a hotel room, a toilet, and cleaning facilities. But I was fairly young and still learning a lot about the world. It was my first visceral introduction to the way in which poor sanitation can wreck a body. The experience profoundly altered my perspective on water and sanitation around the world. Many fecal-oral illnesses have widespread recognition and media coverage, like cholera or polio. But the enormous range of diseases simply called “diarrheal” aren't counted or seen in the same ways.

Image by: Kim Worsham/FLUSH

So Why Did We Tell You These Stories?

We didn’t share these somewhat entertaining, sometimes disturbing, and occasionally horrifying toilet stories for World Toilet Day at random. Our team’s experiences—stressful, embarrassing, or even dangerous—show just how essential safe sanitation really is.

For millions of people around the world, toilets are often absent, unsafe, or frightening. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Improving access to clean and dignified toilets should be a global priority, and we appreciate World Toilet Day for reminding everyone that sanitation is essential.