Toilets in Turkey: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
- Martin
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
You probably don’t give it much thought until the door clicks shut behind you. But if it’s your first time visiting Türkiye, a trip to the toilet can come with a few surprises. Where does the toilet paper go? What’s the little water nozzle for? And what do you do if there’s only a squat toilet? Here’s everything you need to know - plus a few practical tips that can make your next bathroom break a lot less confusing.
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You usually don’t notice the differences until you’ve closed the door behind you.
Next to the toilet is a small waste bin. Inside the toilet bowl is a little water nozzle. And if you’re particularly lucky, the toilet seat more or less fits the toilet.
Using a toilet in Türkiye isn’t dramatically different from back home. It’s just… different enough that it’s worth knowing what to expect before you sit down.
Can You Flush Toilet Paper in Turkey?
The question most visitors ask is whether you’re allowed to flush toilet paper. As a general rule, the answer is no. Many sewer systems - particularly in older buildings - aren’t designed to handle large amounts of paper, so used toilet paper is normally placed in the bin beside the toilet instead.
Sometimes there’s a sign explaining this. Other times you’re expected to work it out for yourself, but if there’s a bin next to the toilet, that’s usually a fairly obvious hint.
And yes - the bin doesn’t always have a lid.
It can feel a little strange the first time, but in Türkiye it’s simply part of everyday life. Toilet paper isn’t actually intended to do most of the cleaning anyway. That’s what the water is for.
Why Do Turkish Toilets Have a Built-in Bidet?
Most Western-style toilets have a small built-in water nozzle inside the bowl. It’s controlled by a tap next to the toilet and sprays water upwards so you can wash yourself after using the toilet. You then use toilet paper to dry yourself, and the paper goes into the bin.
In other words, it’s not an extra luxury feature for adventurous travellers. It’s how the toilet was designed to be used.
One word of advice, though: open the tap gently the first time. Water pressure can range from a gentle trickle to something resembling a municipal pressure washer, and that’s probably not where you want your next surprise to come from.
Washing with water is closely linked to Islamic hygiene traditions, but it’s also common in many other parts of the world. So the idea that Muslims don’t use toilet paper isn’t really true. Most people use both water and paper - just in the opposite order to what many Northern Europeans are used to.
When you’re finished, it’s also worth turning the tap off again. If you leave it open, the nozzle remains under constant pressure, and an old hose or fitting may eventually start leaking. It only takes a second to close the tap, but it can save you, your host and possibly the downstairs neighbour from a rather unpleasant surprise.
Alaturka vs Alafranga Toilets
You’ll also come across two different types of toilets in Türkiye. An alafranga is the familiar Western-style sitting toilet, while an alaturka is a squat toilet built into the floor.
Alaturka toilets are still common at motorway service stations, markets, older buildings, mosques and some public toilets. In many places you’ll find both options, and most visitors don’t spend long deciding which one to choose.
Beside or behind an alaturka toilet you’ll usually find either a small plastic jug with a water tap or a handheld bidet spray. It may look slightly intimidating at first, but people who grew up using this type of toilet would probably argue that we’re the ones making the whole business far more complicated than it needs to be.
Using Public Toilets in Turkey
Public toilets are easy to find throughout Türkiye - at metro stations, ferry terminals, parks, markets, tourist attractions and mosques. Some are free, while others charge a fee. Standards vary considerably, from modern, spotless and attended facilities to places where the main objective is to hold your breath, avoid touching anything and get out as quickly as possible.
For that reason, it’s worth carrying a small pack of tissues or toilet paper in your bag. Not every public toilet provides paper, even though they still expect you to use it. A small bottle of hand sanitiser can also prove to be a very useful travelling companion.
Even when you’ve found a regular sitting toilet, there may still be surprises waiting. Remarkably often, the toilet seat doesn’t quite fit the toilet. It may be too big, too small or so loose that it starts sliding around the moment you sit down.
At that point, keeping your balance becomes surprisingly important, because even an ordinary visit to the toilet can suddenly turn into an event worthy of the World Surfing Championships.
Once you’ve experienced it a couple of times, though, the whole routine becomes perfectly straightforward. Wash with water, dry with toilet paper, put the paper in the bin, flush, turn off the tap and wash your hands.
It may feel a little unfamiliar at first, but most people quickly get used to it. In fact, people who have lived in Türkiye for a while often find themselves wondering why toilets in Northern Europe are still sold without that little built-in water nozzle.
*The article illustration is AI generated
