We spend a considerable amount of time in the bathroom and I am sure we do not often reflect about that, it is such a familiar space that we don’t stop to make great observations. But that’s back at home, because if there is a place where you will 100% sure get cultural shocks when moving to Germany, then that place is the bathroom.

The washing machine in the bathroom. Foto: LauraV

Probably the first thing to ever weird me out about a German bathroom was the presence of a washing machine inside it, now I know it’s Ok to have a washing machine either in your bathroom or kitchen but back then that was photo-worth material. Thing is, washing machines are a huge luxury here and square meters in an apartment are a huge luxury as well. Washing machines in kitchens and bathrooms are the result of such conditions.

I know having more than one bathroom is not an alien thing, however, in Germany is almost a rule. Only in extremely small apartments will you come across a single facility, everywhere else, you will find a “guest bathroom” and the house bathroom. The guest bathroom will be just a toilet and a sink and the house bathroom will be larger and come with a shower and bathtub. By the way, it is totally normal that the bathroom doors are signaled as “BAD” (for the full bathroom) and “WC” for the guest toilet.

Toilet brushes are religion in Germany and Germans do not appreciate it when there’s no toilet brush if they go somewhere to visit or on holidays -in France they are prohibited for sanitary reasons and Germans can’t cope with it. You will find a toilet brush next to every German toilet and you shall use it. I am serious. For more information about toilets and dirty business, read about them here.

Glass-paneled showers are very, very popular (second place is for the plastic curtains) and they are not advised for those of us who are lazy because you have to clean them up thoroughly every time you take a shower. You think a quick 10 min shower is possible? it is, but you have to add up some other 10 or 15 minutes for the cleaning up of the shower afterwards.

But let us forget the showers because the real star in German bathrooms are the bathtubs. It does not matter if the bathroom is so closet sized your knees touch your chin when you sit on the toilet, there will be a bathtub inside it. When Germans must choose between the shower and the tub, they will choose the tub and shower on top of it when needed. I don’t know how old I was the first time I saw a bathtub, back in my home country I do not know anyone who has a bathtub at home and for me they were always a luxury associated with holidays and staying at good hotels. Here they are an everyday thing and I have to admit I get a kick from trying out all the different scents, oils, salts, bombs and foams I come across.

This reminds me of making a note about how solid soap is highly unpopular here. You have no problems finding it in every store, but the variety is rather small and you don’t see soap bars when you visit either public or private toilets, also not for bathing purposes (that I can tell so far, but sure someone uses them or they would not sell them, I guess), liquid soap rules in Germany for washing your hands and “Duschgel” (shower gel) is the bath-time ally.

The mytical Waschlappe. These are simple but people go over the board with embroidery and decorations for a customized cleaning experience. Foto: LauraV

While you can certainly find loofahs and body scrubs and bath brushes, that’s not what Germans traditionally use to clean themselves -they find the scrubbing to be aggressive with the skin.They rather use what they call “Waschlappe”  (something like wash cloth) and the best way I can describe it is as a hand-sized bag that you can`t zip made out of towel fabric. You put your hand inside like you would do with a glove and wet the cloth, apply soap and you are ready to wash yourself. I am still trying to come to terms with this but I accept they make up very well for a shower when you want (and can allow yourself) to avoid it. Don’t judge me, winters are cold!

Speaking of aggressive scrubbing, I had a terrible time trying to find a toothbrush that could make me feel like I had brushed my teeth, I must have bought ten different brushes in my quest and all to no avail because I resorted to being sent toothbrushes from the other side of the world by my best friend. Toothbrushes here are ridiculously soft and I have always used a medium or hard toothbrush to clean my teeth, so when I tried the German brushes I felt like I was caressing my teeth instead of cleaning them. When I complained about this out loud I was promptly informed that it is prohibited to sell harder toothbrushes here to prevent people from damaging their gums.

It IS true, you live and learn!