China Bathroom Survival Guide: Squat Toilets, TP & What to Always Carry (2026)
Honest guide to Chinese bathrooms. Squat toilet technique, the 'always carry your own TP' rule, how to find clean public toilets (star ratings!), bidets in luxury hotels, and what to pack.
Table of Contents
TL;DR: Chinese public bathrooms are an experience. Squat toilets dominate outside luxury hotels. The golden rule: always carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Clean bathrooms exist — look for the star rating (4-5 star public toilets have attendants, soap, and toilet paper). Malls and high-end hotels have the best bathrooms. You’ll be fine. Just come prepared.
Let’s talk about it. It’s the thing everyone Googles before going to China and no travel guide covers honestly. Here’s exactly what to expect, how to handle it, and what to carry.
The Squat Toilet: You Can Do This
The squat toilet (蹲便器) is a porcelain basin set into the floor. There’s no seat. You squat over it. It’s the dominant toilet type in China outside of international hotels and modern malls.
The technique:
- Face the hood (the raised curved part — usually toward the door)
- Feet flat on the textured footpads on either side
- Squat down — heels on the ground, not tiptoes
- Do your business
- Use your own toilet paper (there won’t be any)
- Put used TP in the bin next to the toilet — do NOT flush it. Chinese plumbing can’t handle toilet paper in many older buildings. The bin is there for a reason.
Why they’re everywhere: Squat toilets are considered more hygienic (no shared seat contact), easier to clean, and cheaper to install. They’re not a sign of a “bad” bathroom — even some nice restaurants have squat toilets by cultural preference.
The physical challenge: If you have knee, hip, or balance issues, squat toilets are difficult. Use disabled toilets (无障碍卫生间) where available — they usually have Western-style seats. Major airports, newer malls, and museums have them. Look for the wheelchair symbol.
Where to Find a Good Bathroom
The Best: 4-5 Star Public Toilets
China rates its public toilets on a star system. A 4 or 5-star public toilet (星级厕所) has: an attendant, soap, toilet paper, western-style toilets (at least one stall), and is cleaned regularly. Tourist areas, major parks, and airports have them. Look for the star rating plaque outside.
Good: Shopping Malls & High-End Hotels
Malls (especially newer ones) have clean, well-maintained bathrooms with Western toilets, soap, and toilet paper. When sightseeing, plan bathroom breaks around malls. Major international hotels welcome non-guests using their lobby bathrooms — walk in like you belong, the front desk won’t stop you.
Adequate: Museums & Modern Attractions
Major museums, newer train stations, and modern attractions have decent facilities. Western toilets are usually available. Soap and TP may or may not be present. Carry your own.
The Worst: Old Train Stations & Rural Attractions
Old train stations (especially smaller cities), rural tourist sites, and older parks have bathrooms that are… character-building. No TP. No soap. Squat toilets only. Sometimes no doors on stalls. Bring everything you need and don’t linger.
What to Always Carry
A small bathroom kit in your day bag:
- Toilet paper: A small roll or travel pack of tissues. Don’t count on finding any. This is non-negotiable.
- Hand sanitizer: Soap is available maybe 50% of the time. Sanitizer is your backup.
- Wet wipes: For when things are worse than expected. Small travel pack.
- A plastic bag: For used TP if there’s no bin, or for carrying out your own trash if the bin is overflowing. A zip-lock bag works.
Pack these on day one. Use them on day one. This will cost you ¥30 at a convenience store and save you more discomfort than you want to think about.
The TP-in-Bin Rule
In many Chinese bathrooms — especially older buildings, smaller restaurants, and traditional areas — you put used toilet paper in the bin next to the toilet, NOT in the toilet. Chinese plumbing in older areas uses narrower pipes that clog easily. The bin is emptied by cleaning staff.
In modern buildings (malls, newer hotels, airports), flushing TP is generally fine. When in doubt: bin, not flush. A clogged toilet in a small restaurant is worse than using the bin.
Bidets & Smart Toilets
Japanese-style bidet toilets (washlet, 智能马桶) are increasingly common in Chinese luxury hotels and some upper-mid-range hotels. If your hotel room has a control panel next to the toilet with buttons and icons: it’s a smart toilet. The buttons typically include: rear wash, front wash, water pressure, water temperature, seat heating, and air dry.
Don’t press buttons indiscriminately unless you want a surprise. The “stop” button is usually the largest one.
Menstrual Products
Pads (卫生巾) are available everywhere — supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies. Tampons (卫生棉条) are available in cities but with limited brand selection (mostly OB). Menstrual cups are rare. Bring your preferred products from home.
The Bottom Line
Chinese bathrooms aren’t as bad as their reputation. The worst ones are genuinely unpleasant — but they’re the exception in tourist areas, not the rule. Carry TP. Use mall bathrooms when possible. Appreciate the star-rated public toilets when you find them. And if you’re faced with your first squat toilet: feet flat, face the hood, you’ve got this.
