People Were Astonished to Discover at Last What the “WC” Toilet Sign Means…
The initials WC are often seen on signs directing people to the restrooms in public areas, but how many of us are truly aware of what they mean?
Many issues in life remain unexplained, like why pizzas come in square boxes or where in the world those missing socks go.
Or am I the only one who thinks that?
Nevertheless, I’m happy to inform that we are going to address one of the most widely wondered-about queries out there: what does the WC toilet sign actually mean?
Therefore, certain abbreviations are a little more difficult to understand even if the majority of us are familiar with the most common ones, such LOL, WTF, and LMAO.
People Were Astounded to Discover at Last What the “WC Toilet Sign Means”
Consider the letter WC, which is frequently seen on bathroom doors.
However, because the space is typically referred to as a “bathroom” or “restroom,” what does WC mean?
It turns out that the meaning of those two letters is “water closet,” and the name has a very valid explanation.
All of this dates back to a period when, after centuries of going outside to spend a coin, indoor plumbing was invented.
Since bathtubs were already common indoor fixtures in homes, they naturally had a designated area for them: the bathroom.
However, they needed a place to dispose of their beautiful new indoor toilet.
Nathan (@itsnathannyc), a TikToker, provided an explanation of the term in a video when someone questioned him: “Oh, you sweet young thing! WC is an acronym for “water closet.”
“Your bathtub was really located in the bathroom before indoor plumbing was installed.
However, the spout was external. It required you to bring in buckets of water, warm it up, and then fill the tub with it.
“Indoor plumbing appears; they already have the bathroom and this chamber with the bath. Where is the toilet located?
“You simply placed it in a closet. It was a simple location for a toilet. The water closet, then.
“It was the only room in the house with water running through it.”
A number of other TikTokers said that they had never understood what WC stood for or the reason behind it. One user wrote, “I’m glad someone asked because I’ve been wondering about this for years but never googled it.”
“I never actually thought about this,” remarked another person.
“I was 23 y/o when I learned that WC is called a water closet,” another person said.
“Can’t believe I’ve been living with a WC sign and had no idea why it was called WC,” said the fourth person who spoke up.
Here’s a more thorough history of the common water closet for those who enjoy learning about the past.
According to Old House Online, most people in the 1870s either used a chamber pot (typically hidden in a “commode,” “cabinet chair,” or box-like “close stool”) or a hole in the ground to do their business as infrequently as possible. Originally referring only to a dressing table or washstand, the term “toilet” was later dropped when water closets took on the same meaning.
The first flushing toilets were designed to look like commodes and chamber pots in the 1880s. But people quickly found out that wood, water, and other (um) substances didn’t mix. The magnificent bathrooms found in Gilded Age homes were breathtaking to watch, but they were also extremely difficult to maintain. By the late 1880s, “open plumbing,” which included porcelain fixtures that were visible, was becoming popular.
Thus, even if the outdated, claustrophobic, and secretive design of the water closet vanished over time and was replaced with the roomy, tiled bathrooms we use today, the term “water closet” has endured and can still be found on signs across the globe.
You know, you learn something new every day?
