People Are Just Now Understanding the Signage on the WC Toilet
People are only now starting to realize what the letters “WC” on a toilet sign actually imply.
Public bathrooms are referred to by a variety of terms in the US. Some refer to it as the restroom, others as the throne, and still others as the lavatory.
The “WC” sign is used to identify most public restrooms, but no one seems to know what it means.
However, now that we are aware.
The internet is a wealth for this kind of obscure but oddly fascinating information.
You learn something new every day from spending a lot of time online, whether it’s the practical use for shopping cart hooks, the significance of M&M initials, or the correct way to utilize the fourth side of a cheesegrater.
But a recent finding about restrooms has people on the internet perplexed.
“I’m glad someone asked because I’ve been wondering about this for years but never googled it,” one person comments.
“It’s unbelievable that I’ve been living with a WC sign and didn’t know why it was called WC,” another person remarks.
Another person says, “I learned when I was 23 years old.”
“I know, but don’t use it (don’t use the word—do use the WC),” a fourth responds.
Some, on the other hand, find it astounding that people have gone their entire lives without realizing what ‘WC’ actually means.
Another individual asks: “What?!?” Who is unaware of this?
“Surely everyone is aware of the meaning of ‘WC’?” asks a third.
When you break it down, the true meaning of “WC” really makes perfect sense.
The origin of the name is rooted in the history of toilets.
When homes started to install indoor plumbing, a lot of people turned their clothes closets into tiny spaces fitted with toilets.
The house only had flowing water in a couple of these spots.
These days, a lot of people name the chamber holding the toilet the bathroom.
But historically, a bathroom was a room containing a bathtub that was wholly distinct from the toilet.
In a now-deleted TikTok, @itsnathannyc explains: “Before indoor plumbing, we actually had a room for the bathtub, a bathroom. But the spout was outside. You had to carry water in with a bucket, heat it up, and pour it in the tub.”
“Indoor plumbing comes along, and there is already a room with a bath, the bathroom, so where do you put the toilet? Just put it in a closet; it’s the easiest location to put a toilet.”
They eventually gained the term “water closets” since they were among the few locations in the house with running water.
“To start, WC is an abbreviation standing for ‘water closet’, a name used in the 1900s for a toilet, due to most being fitted in a spare closet or cupboard. According to Plumb World, “the term WC has become synonymous with a room that has a toilet but no bath over time.”
Then, the TikToker explains that WC is an acronym for “water closet.”
