Washrooms around the globe have different names. In fact, in some places, they have more than one name. For example, in the United Kingdom, public toilets are known by various terms. Some people call them restrooms, while others prefer the term loo.
Interestingly, many public toilets in this island nation have a sign that says WC, but not many people really understand what that means. We might have never learned about it if it weren’t for a TikTok user who answered a follower’s question about what WC stands for. The video got over 3,500 views, and the user shared some helpful information with everyone.
The WC Toilet Sign- What Did It Stand For?
The TikToker shared, “Back in the day, before we had indoor plumbing, there was a special room for the bathtub, called a bathroom. But the water spout was outside, so you had to bring in water with a bucket, heat it up, and then pour it into the tub. When indoor plumbing was invented, there was already a bathroom with a tub, so where do you put the toilet? The easiest solution was to just put it in a closet, which is how the toilet ended up there.” The TikToker also explained that the sign for the toilet, WC, actually means water closet.
This interesting fact sparked a lot of conversations, with many people expressing their surprise, even though the term has been around since the 1870s. One user commented, “I’m so glad someone asked because I’ve been curious about this for years but never looked it up.” Another user said, “I can’t believe I’ve been seeing the WC sign and didn’t know what it meant.” A third user added, “I was 23 when I found out that WC stands for water closet.” This prompted another person to say, “I know what a water closet is, but I don’t use that term; I just say WC.”
Some users were shocked that there were people from different parts of the world who didn’t know what WC stood for. One user mentioned, “I’ve known this since I was 13!” Another joked, “I must live in LA because of the lack of common sense in the UK.” A third user exclaimed, “What? How can anyone not know this?”
Did you know what the WC toilet sign meant? Share your thoughts in the comments!
