For all the wonderful things the UAE has given me over the past decade, it has also introduced an unexpected downside: higher standards for women's public toilets
On a recent two-week trip across Europe, I realised just how much of a toilet snob I'd become. Before agreeing to use one, I found myself asking my friends: “Is it clean? Is it spacious? Does it smell OK?” If there was even the slightest hesitation or the answer was: “Well, it's good enough,” the horror on my face would be obvious. More often than not, I'd decide to wait it out instead.
Whether I was in restaurants, cafes or shopping streets, I found myself mentally comparing every bathroom to those back home. Overflowing bins, damp floors, missing soap, a lack of paper towels or doors that barely locked made me wish I were back home. It is part of a wider effort in the UAE where high levels of cleanliness and safety are the norm.
It’s interesting because when I still lived in the US, I doubt I would have thought twice about this. As long as a public toilet was reasonably clean, it was acceptable. But after years of living in the UAE, where spotless public bathrooms and well-maintained facilities have become the norm, my standards have quietly shifted. Now, it's become surprisingly difficult to settle for anything less.
Lack of cleanliness is not my only gripe. There are the toilet stalls themselves. Large gaps around the doors or wide spaces beneath them never used to bother me. Now they make me cringe.
After getting used to the privacy offered by many bathrooms in the UAE, I notice those exposed cubicles. And once you've become accustomed to having a bidet hose available, going without one feels surprisingly primitive.
I know this is an incredibly privileged complaint. There are far bigger problems in the world than whether a public toilet has clean floors or smells good. And yes, not every building has the luxury of spacious, modern facilities. But there is still a difference between a loo that's simply small and one that looks as though it hasn't been properly cleaned in weeks.
I have also come to appreciate something else the UAE excels at: accessibility. Whether you're in a mall, a petrol station or even at the beach, there's usually a clean option nearby. Better yet, the toilets are generally free, unlike in other cities where payment may be needed.
It may seem silly but it’s one of those everyday things that barely registers until you travel somewhere that doesn't offer the same availability.
In many cities, finding a public toilet can be surprisingly difficult. In 2021, a woman in New York created an Instagram account called Got2GoNYC, helping people locate free and accessible public conveniences throughout the city. It has attracted almost 350,000 followers.
There are also apps such as Flush, which maps nearby lavatories and provides details such as whether there's an entry fee or accessible facilities, and SitOrSquat, where users rate toilets as either clean enough to sit or so unpleasant you'd be better off squatting.
Of course, when you have to go, there isn't always the luxury of being picky. Sometimes you simply use whatever is available and get on with your day. But after more than a decade in the UAE, I've realised my expectations have been permanently recalibrated.
So now, every time I travel I'm reminded that perhaps I've been just a little bit spoiled when it comes to public toilets. But I'm not sure I can – or want – to go back.
