Japanese toilets – equipped with music players, automatic flushes and heated seats – are clearly not afraid to make a splash with their innovative design.
But these cutting-edge seats have an unlikely enemy: toilet paper.
Toto, a leading Japanese toilet seat maker, said last week that consumers should refrain from wiping their seats with toilet paper because it risks creating micro-scratches on the surface.
The company's advice came after a series of social media posts complaining about scratches and discoloration.
A Toto representative told Japan's Mainichi Shimbun newspaper that its bidet toilet seats are made of plastic resin because of the material's “resistance to detergents and its ability to be molded into complex shapes.”
However, wiping the seat with toilet paper or a dry cloth can cause small, invisible scratches where dirt can accumulate, causing discoloration.
But Toto is not the only manufacturer to have advised consumers not to use toilet paper to wipe toilet seats.
Similar recommendations have already been issued by cleaning experts and published on lifestyle sites.
Instead of dry toilet paper, people recommend using a soft cloth soaked in tap water or detergent. They also advise against using thinners, nylon or metal scrubbers or abrasives – all of which can damage the surface of the toilet seat.
The company said that while it is looking into more scratch-resistant materials, “there are no plans to change the material at this time.”
Washlet, Toto's flagship toilet bidet, includes features such as an automatic lid, air dryer and pressure control for the bidet's water jet.
Japanese toilets, with their thoughtful design, seen as an extension of the country's culture of hospitality, have become an incredible tourist attraction for foreigners and a source of pride at home.