When the COVID‑19 lockdown hit, shoppers went wild, and the top 10 crazy buys that dominated Amazon’s charts (excluding the infamous toilet‑paper frenzy) reveal just how inventive and resourceful consumers became.

10 Elastic

When quarantine first rolled around, the nation was split on face‑mask etiquette. Celebrities flaunted N95s, while frontline workers sometimes went without any protection at all. Early medical guidance even warned against mask use for the general public, only to reverse that stance later and urge shoppers and essential‑workers alike to wear them.

Because basic masks vanished from shelves, a DIY revolution erupted. Social‑media feeds flooded with “how‑to‑make‑your‑own‑mask” tutorials, showing crafty folks fashioning coverings from bandanas, scarves, old t‑shirts, socks, and even bra cups. The common thread tying all those makeshift masks together? A good length of elastic to keep everything snug.

The shortage didn’t stop at personal use. Volunteers rallied, with Joann stores launching a massive “Masks for America” drive that amassed over 114 million elastic‑based masks. Fashion designers and hospitals received donated sewing machines to keep the production line humming, ensuring a steady flow of homemade protection for those on the front lines.

Unsurprisingly, elastic now reigns supreme on Amazon’s arts, crafts, and sewing bestseller list. After all, a mask without elastic simply won’t stay put, and the demand shows no sign of waning.

Why These Top 10 Crazy Items Became Must‑Haves

9 Baby Wipes

When hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes disappeared from aisles, many turned to baby wipes as a quick‑fix sanitizing solution. Over half of Amazon’s best‑selling baby items are now wipes, a stark shift from pre‑pandemic trends where disposable baby products were on a decline due to falling birth rates. (Who knows? Maybe a few weeks of lockdown will spark a baby boom nine months down the line!)

It’s worth noting that most baby wipes aren’t formulated to fight coronavirus. To truly act as a sanitizing wipe, a product must contain at least 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Savvy shoppers might get better results by soaking paper towels in a bleach‑water mixture held in a coffee can, creating a DIY disinfectant that actually meets the required potency.

8 Yeast

SSA & Company, a global management consultancy, estimates that 35‑40 percent of Americans are cooking at home for the first time thanks to lockdown restrictions. This shift sparked a massive surge in baking supplies, with yeast leading the charge.

During the latter half of March, baking yeast sales exploded by a staggering 647 percent—outpacing every other consumer‑packaged‑goods category. Even spiral‑cut hams saw a 622 percent jump, buoyed partly by the approaching Easter holiday.

Amazon’s grocery and gourmet division saw a 77 percent rise in sales during the first week of April compared with two months earlier. Meanwhile, the Walmart Grocery app outperformed Amazon by 20 percent, hitting an all‑time high; daily Walmart Grocery downloads surged 460 percent from January to early April.

7 Kitchen Scales

Food scales quickly climbed the bestseller ranks as more people embraced home cooking. Shoppers discovered that precise measurements make a world of difference, and kitchen gadgets like instant pots, air fryers, and waffle makers all saw a 7 percent uptick over the previous April. Other “non‑essential” helpers—rice cookers, vacuum sealers, and soda makers—also found a place on the shelves.

6 Portable Ice Makers

Consumers continued to stock fresh meat and produce, yet they also sought items that could extend shelf life. Frozen‑fruit sales grew nearly five‑fold compared with fresh fruit in the first quarter of 2020, reflecting a clear desire for longer‑lasting provisions.

Chest freezers topped Amazon’s appliance bestseller list during the first month of quarantine, driven by fears that grocery stores might run dry—especially for meat. These freezers also serve as perfect companions for the growing volume of home‑cooked meals, and a vacuum sealer (see #5) makes a logical add‑on.

With freezers in place, portable ice‑maker machines have become the star of the appliances category. Unable to visit bars or drive‑through iced‑coffee spots, shoppers are now crafting their own chilled beverages at home, turning a simple appliance into a pandemic‑era essential.

5 Eyebrow Razors

While overall beauty‑product sales fell about 50 percent year‑over‑year, remote workers still needed to look presentable for Zoom calls. With salons and barbershops shuttered, consumers turned to DIY grooming tools.

Hair‑clipper sales surged 166 percent, and hair‑color purchases rose 23 percent. Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon noted, “People are starting to need a haircut. You see more beard trimmers and hair‑color… It’s interesting to watch the dynamic play out.” Women’s eyebrow razors now rank among Amazon’s top five beauty‑and‑personal‑care items, while men’s nose‑and‑ear‑hair trimmers peaked and are now on a gentle decline—good news for those slow‑growing whiskers.

4 Ping Pong Paddles

After satisfying immediate protection, food, and grooming needs, shoppers searched for ways to fill idle hours at home. Puzzles, colored pencils, and classic board games like Jenga and Connect 4 were already popular, but ping‑pong paddles stood out with an 89 percent sales increase.

As spring warmed, outdoor‑friendly items such as bubbles, wading pools, and sidewalk chalk flew off shelves. Exercise apparel and equipment also rose in demand, and even bird‑watching supplies—seed and feeders—saw a 91 percent boost in early April.

3 Tailbone Relief Cushions

By late March, roughly 16 million U.S. knowledge workers had shifted to remote work, converting kitchen islands and dining tables into makeshift home offices. As the trend grew, so did the demand for office essentials.

Telecommuters quickly exhausted supplies of copy paper and printer ink, prompting a surge in purchases of reams, envelopes, high‑yield cartridges, packaging tape, Sharpies, and—surprisingly—tailbone‑pain‑relief cushions. These ergonomic aids rounded out the top‑ten list, helping workers stay comfortable during marathon video calls.

2 Sticks, Switches, and Dots

Stuck at home, people turned to home‑entertainment gear to keep boredom at bay. Boy Genius Report (BGR) surveyed its readers and discovered a surge in demand for “new toys” while sheltering in place.

Streaming media players—commonly called streaming sticks—emerged as the clear winner, topping charts from the start of the lockdown and maintaining their lead. Affordable options like the Roku Streaming Stick and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K can be snagged for under $50, providing endless binge‑watching possibilities.

The Nintendo Switch Lite, briefly off the bestseller list only due to stock shortages, reclaimed its spot as the top handheld gaming device, available in a rainbow of colors (though many are pre‑owned). Meanwhile, the Echo Dot, a voice‑activated smart speaker, solidified its place as one of Amazon’s all‑time best‑sellers, letting users check weather, play music, set timers, and even control smart‑home devices—all with a simple voice command. Multiple Dots in a household turned every room into a personal assistant hub.

1 Poop Bags

Many animal lovers never adopt because a busy schedule makes pet‑care challenging. Lockdowns, however, gave people the time and space to welcome new furry companions.

The Los Angeles branch of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported a 70 percent jump in animals entering foster care. New York City shelters experienced a tidal wave of adoptions and fosters, with organizations like Muddy Paws Rescue and Best Friends Animal Society nearly running out of cats and dogs as applications surged ten‑fold by the end of March. “For the moment, we definitely don’t have any dogs left to match,” said Muddy Paws marketing director Anna Lai, noting the “great problem” of overwhelming demand.

While the broader stock market struggled, pet‑focused companies such as Chewy Inc. and PedMed Express Inc. thrived, each climbing 7 percent by the end of Q1. Chewy’s home‑delivery model, perfectly suited to lockdown life, drove a 35 percent sales increase, underscoring the recession‑proof nature of pet supplies like food, litter, and accessories.

On Amazon, pet‑care items—including nail clippers, flea medication, fur trimmers, and—yes—poop bags—ranked among the top sellers. After an initial spike in April, sales leveled off as households exhausted their panic‑stockpiles, yet the items remain solid performers.

Let’s hope that the new foster parents keep their adopted companions once life returns to normal, ensuring the pandemic‑induced pet boom isn’t just a fleeting flash.

Top 10 Unsolved Mysteries Of The COVID‑19 Pandemic

Do you recall the curiosity that sparked the infamous question: what really happens when you flush something down a toilet? If you ever tried a cheeky experiment—tossing a toy or a trinket into the bowl—you probably learned the hard way that most things vanish forever. This article walks you through the top 10 weirdest items that have actually disappeared down the drain, each with its own outrageous back‑story.

From tiny goldfish that grew to monstrous sizes to a live World War II bomb that almost blew up a whole neighborhood, the stories below prove that the humble toilet can be a portal for the most unexpected objects. Plumbers worldwide swear they’ve seen it all, but even they get surprised when they pull a mystery out of a pipe.

So buckle up, keep your seat‑covers on, and get ready for a wild ride through the most bizarre flushes ever recorded.

Why the Top 10 Weirdest Flushes Matter

Understanding these oddball incidents isn’t just about satisfying curiosity—it also highlights why flushing the wrong thing can cause costly damage, environmental harm, or even legal trouble. The next time you reach for the flush, think twice about what you’re sending spiraling away.

10 A Goldfish Grows to the Size of Its Tank

All kids who watched Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” (2013) learned that every drain leads straight to the ocean. As adults we know that reality is far less glamorous. When fish owners panic about unwanted pets, some mistakenly decide to send a goldfish down the toilet.

A surprising investigation by Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper revealed that a goldfish flushed into the sewer system actually survived and astonishingly grew to about 14 inches—far larger than its typical size. The nonprofit highlighted this bizarre transformation, noting that the fish thrived in the harsh pipe environment.

Despite its unexpected growth, the goldfish’s survival underscores that flushing a living creature is a terrible idea. The experiment demonstrated that the sewer isn’t a humane place for a pet, and disposal should be handled responsibly.

9 Counterfeit Poker Chips Worth $2.7 Million

If you’ve ever felt the rush of a casino floor, you know the thrill of a big win. In 2014, a daring fraudster tried to cheat the system at an Atlantic City poker tournament by using counterfeit chips valued at a staggering $2.7 million.

The schemer managed to win about $6,814 with his fake chips before panic set in. In a desperate attempt to hide the evidence, he flushed the chips down the toilet in his hotel room, believing the plumbing would swallow the crime.

Instead, the chips clogged the pipes, prompting hotel staff and police to intervene. The frantic flush backfired, leading to his capture and a reminder that even the most creative cheating can be undone by a simple bathroom fixture.

8 Man Caught Trying to Dump Drugs Down the Toilet

In movies, police raids are frantic affairs where crooks scramble to destroy evidence. In Auburn, a raid uncovered a suspect trying to flush his stash—mushrooms, fentanyl, Xanax, and cocaine—down the toilet.

The man was caught red‑handed, mid‑flush, as officers burst in. While drug flushing rarely clogs pipes, experts warn it contaminates waterways, harming aquatic life and polluting drinking water.

This incident adds another cautionary tale: the toilet isn’t a safe disposal method for illegal substances, and the environmental fallout can be just as severe as legal consequences.

7 Millions, or Maybe Billions, of LEGO Bricks

Kids love to experiment, and the toilet is often their favorite testing ground. A 2016 UK survey estimated that British children have flushed over 2.5 million LEGO bricks down drains.

The study revealed a nationwide pattern of mischievous youngsters sending their colorful blocks into the plumbing. Plumbers worldwide confirm that unclogging toilets frequently uncovers a treasure trove of lost toys, from LEGO to action figures.

These vanished bricks illustrate the universal fascination with watching objects disappear—until they reappear, clogged and soaked, in a plumber’s hands.

6 Golden Wedding Ring Encrusted with Diamonds

Rings symbolize love, and losing one can be heartbreaking. In New Jersey, Paula Stanton’s diamond‑encrusted gold wedding band vanished during a bathroom cleaning routine.

The ring slipped from her fingers and plunged into the toilet, prompting a frantic but fruitless search. After giving up and buying a replacement, the couple thought the ring was gone forever.

Miraculously, nine years later a plumber discovered the ring 400 feet away from the house, reuniting it with its owner. Paula remarked that the ring seemed reluctant to leave her family, proving that some treasures find their way back.

5 French Queen’s Hairpin

Royal artifacts are rarely associated with modern plumbing, yet a 16th‑century hairpin belonging to Queen Catherine de Medici turned up in a Parisian palace’s communal toilet.

The 9‑centimeter pin, bearing the queen’s interlocking “C” monogram, was uncovered by custodians during routine cleaning. Its discovery marked the first time a personal item of the French queen was found at Fontainebleau Palace.

Finding such a priceless relic in a toilet underscores how history can surface in the most unexpected places, offering a glimpse into centuries‑old royal life.

4 Live World War II Bomb That Was Ready to Explode

Imagine a spicy meal turning into an explosive adventure. Residents of Stockport, Manchester, discovered a live World War II mortar bomb lodged in a toilet.

After a passerby reported a “strange device,” police and a bomb squad secured the area, evacuated nearby residents, and carefully retrieved the three‑inch explosive.

The device was then detonated in a controlled setting, neutralizing the threat. This close‑call reminded everyone that historic ordnance can linger in the most mundane locations.

3 Woman’s $8,500 Rolex Went Down the Drain

Luxury watches tell time, but they can also tell a tale of loss and recovery. In Chino Hills, California, a woman’s $8,500 Rolex vanished with a loud “plop” as she flushed the toilet.

Initial searches by plumbers turned up empty, and the owner resigned herself to the loss. Eighteen months later, the same plumber, working miles downstream, spotted the Rolex among debris and recognized it.

He contacted the owner, who was overjoyed. After a thorough polishing, the watch was as good as new, missing only a single stone—proof that even expensive timepieces can make a comeback from the depths.

2 Janitor Found Loads of Money on the Toilet

Money doesn’t grow on trees, but in Australia it apparently sprouts in toilets. While on his routine rounds, a janitor uncovered bundles of cash—$50 and $100 notes—sticking out of a toilet’s trash can.

Police investigations revealed that an unknown individual had dumped a total of $93,000 down the bowl. When authorities could not trace the source, a judge awarded the diligent janitor $76,000, with the remainder returning to the state.

The incident sparked debate about honesty and reward, leaving readers to wonder what they would do in the same situation.

1 Kid Used a Toilet Bowl as a Jacuzzi for His Puppy

Ever thought a toilet could double as a tiny jacuzzi? Four‑year‑old Daniel Blair from Middlesex, London, decided his muddy‑covered puppy needed a quick bath, so he filled the bowl with water.

During the rinse, the enthusiastic pup slipped and was inadvertently flushed down the drain. A plumber, using a specialized camera, tracked the pup through the piping and rescued him safely.

The daring rescue left both boy and dog with a newfound respect for the toilet—now forever off‑limits as a pet spa.

When you think of famous bathroom fatalities, Elvis is the first name that pops into mind, but history is littered with a parade of notable figures who met their end while answering nature’s call. Below we count down the ten most striking cases of 10 people who died on the toilet, ranging from ancient Chinese dukes to European monarchs.

10 People Who Took Their Last Seat on the Privy

10 Duke Jing Of Jin

Duke Jing ruled the powerful state of Jin from 599 BC until his untimely demise in 581 BC. Legend has it that he suffered a foreboding nightmare, after which his personal shaman warned him that he would die before he could even finish a fresh grain harvest.

Being a superstitious man, Jing fell ill at once and summoned a physician. Further dreams suggested that the source of his ailment – personified as two boys – lay somewhere between his diaphragm and heart. When the healer arrived, he confirmed the ominous diagnosis foretold by the duke’s visions.

Determined to outwit fate, Jing ate the new grain before it was ripe, felt invigorated, and even executed the shaman who had warned him. Unfortunately, the unripe grain fermented inside his stomach. In a frantic rush to the privy, he slipped into the pit below and drowned in the foul slurry that awaited him.

9 King Edmund II Of England

King Edmund II, better known as Edmund Ironside, held the English throne for a brief seven months in 1016, battling the Danish invader Cnut the Great. After a siege of London, Edmund was forced into a peace treaty that let him keep lands in Wessex, but his reign ended shortly thereafter.

According to the chronicler Henry of Huntingdon, Edmund answered nature’s call only to be ambushed by an assassin lurking beneath the toilet seat. The killer thrust a knife upward, piercing Edmund’s bowels and leaving the weapon protruding from the king’s rear as he tried to flee. The grisly scene was, by all accounts, excruciatingly painful.

8 Godfrey IV, Duke Of Lower Lorraine

In 1076, the formidable Godfrey IV—famously nicknamed the Hunchback—ventured to the privy for a natural break. A seasoned military commander serving Emperor Henry IV, Godfrey inevitably made enemies who plotted against him.

While he was rising from his seat, a concealed guard stationed beneath the toilet pit thrust a cruel pointed weapon—likely a spear or long sword—into his vulnerable backside. The duke lingered for a week, nursing his wounds before finally succumbing, presumably vowing never to answer nature’s call again.

7 King George II

George II ascended the British throne in 1727, though he was a German by birth and never truly beloved by his subjects. He clashed with his father, advisers, and even his own son, earning the nickname “the king who wasn’t there.” He did, however, cherish his wife, and after her death he never remarried, eventually being interred beside her with coffins altered so their remains could “mingle.”

Despite his cantankerous reputation, George II lived to a respectable age. In the weeks leading up to his 77th birthday, the monarch suffered an aortic dissection while seated on his “close stool,” the period term for a commode. He died quietly, his final moments spent on the very seat that would mark his unusual passing.

6 Catherine The Great

Although a toilet‑bound death might seem degrading, Catherine the Great may have welcomed the rumor that she died on the privy, as it was far less scandalous than the lurid gossip swirling through Saint Petersburg after her demise. She married into the Russian royal family in 1745, endured a rocky start, and for eight years failed to bear a child, fueling rumors that her husband was either impotent or unwilling.

When she finally gave birth in 1754, gossip claimed the father was a Russian soldier with whom she had formed a recent friendship—a story Catherine seemed to encourage. She later overthrew her husband within six months of his accession, forcing him to abdicate and seizing sole control of Russia. Some whispered that she may have even played a part in his murder.

Catherine’s reputation for granting lavish gifts to lovers made her a target for slander. Court enemies spread the sensational claim that she died while engaging in a sexual act with a horse—an absurd tale designed to tarnish her legacy. A more sober version suggests she suffered a stroke while on the toilet, though officially she died in her bed a day after the stroke.

5 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, born in 1835, founded the Ahmadiyya movement in India and claimed to receive divine revelations. By 1889 he announced that God had granted him the authority to accept the allegiance of his followers, positioning himself as a messianic figure.

His following grew steadily, but so did opposition from traditionalist Muslims. Ahmad proclaimed himself a Mahdi—a savior—and even claimed to be a reincarnation of the Prophet Muhammad, Jesus Christ, and the Hindu deity Krishna, a bold amalgamation of religious identities.

In late 1907, Ahmad reported visions foretelling his imminent death. In May 1908, a day before he passed, he penned his final tract, “A Message of Reconciliation.” Suffering from dysentery, he died in a friend’s bathroom from complications of acute diarrhea. Some disciples disputed this cause, arguing it conflicted with his prophetic visions and seemed an ignoble end for a claimed prophet.

4 Uesugi Kenshin

Uesugi Kenshin, a renowned Japanese warlord, met his end in 1578 after a storied career marked by a fierce rivalry with Takeda Shingen. The two clashed on the battlefield at least five times, eventually earning each other’s respect. Shingen even gifted Kenshin a prized sword, cementing a bond that evolved into a reluctant friendship.

Following Shingen’s death, Kenshin turned his attention to Oda Nobunaga, the era’s most powerful daimyo. Although he secured several tactical victories, his health deteriorated. While using the potty, Kenshin suffered a stroke and died a few days later, an anticlimactic conclusion for a celebrated military strategist.

Attempts were later made to embellish his death with tales of hidden ninjas, but the consensus remains that he succumbed to natural causes—a stroke that struck him at the most mundane of moments.

3 Edward II

King Edward II met a gruesome end at Berkeley Castle in 1327. Early in life, he was rumored to have enjoyed intimate relationships with a male court companion, a liaison that led his father to banish the lover for “undue intimacy.” The lover’s eventual murder spurred Edward into a series of retaliatory wars.

Edward’s wife, Isabella, grew dissatisfied with his behavior and conspired with her lover, Roger Mortimer, to overthrow him. Captured and forced to abdicate, Edward was allegedly murdered in the castle’s bathroom. Sources claim a red‑hot poker was thrust into his anus as punishment for his homosexuality, a torment so severe that his screams allegedly echoed for miles.

2 Wenceslas III Of Bohemia

Wenceslas III ascended the Bohemian throne in 1305 at just fifteen years old, already holding the Hungarian crown and eyeing the Polish throne. Though he relinquished his claim to Austria to avoid the appearance of greed, he was known for his love of drink and revelry rather than diligent governance.

In 1306, his rival, Charles Robert of Anjou, backed by the papacy, maneuvered to claim the Hungarian throne, leaving Wenceslas vulnerable. While staying in Olomouc’s deanery, he was reportedly assassinated by agents sent by Ladislaus the Short, king of Poland, who feared Wenceslas’s ambitions.

The assassins found him seated in his garderobe—a privy that emptied directly into a lake below—and stabbed him to death. He was only sixteen at the time of his violent demise.

1 King Eglon

The biblical tale of King Eglon stands among the strangest of toilet‑related deaths. Though little is known about his reign, the Talmud describes him as the grandson of Moab’s King Balak, a man who allegedly plotted to destroy the Israelites by luring them into immoral behavior.

According to the Old Testament, the Israelites suffered under Eglon’s oppression until the judge Ehud delivered them. Ehud paid tribute to the king and later visited his “private chamber,” concealing a double‑edged sword beneath his robes. When Eglon rose from his seat, Ehud thrust the blade into his belly, driving the hilt deep into the king’s flesh.

Ehud fled while Eglon’s servants, detecting a foul odor from the chamber, assumed their master was merely attending to personal matters and left him undisturbed. While they waited, Ehud rallied his forces and slaughtered Eglon’s army, exploiting the king’s preoccupation with his bathroom business.

When you think about the solitary act of 10 times going to the bathroom, you probably picture a quiet moment of privacy. Yet history is littered with bizarre, gruesome, and outright absurd incidents that turned a simple visit into a life‑changing ordeal. Below, we dive into ten catastrophes that prove the throne can be a perilous perch.

Why 10 Times Going Can Lead to Unexpected Danger

10 Python in the Pan

Most people dread the thought of an inquisitive stare while perched on a public restroom seat, especially when the stall doors have gaping gaps that invite onlookers. Yet the true horror can come from the animal kingdom. Rats, squirrels, frogs and even spiders have been known to crawl out of U‑bends, but one Thai incident eclipses them all.

In 2016, Atthaporn Boonmakchuay felt a sudden, sharp bite on his genitals while using the toilet. Glancing down, he was horrified to see a massive 3.4‑meter (11‑foot) python clamped onto his member. Displaying astonishing composure, Atthaporn looped a rope around the serpent’s head and tied it to the bathroom door before calling for help. He soon collapsed from blood loss, screaming for his wife.

Emergency services arrived to find the python still wedged in the bowl. The creature had to be smashed out with hammers before it could be removed. After a full recovery, Atthaporn’s snake was released back into the wild, presumably seeking less lethal bathroom encounters.

9 Murdered Monarchs

In medieval courts, a ruler’s safety was guarded by a cadre of knights, making assassination a rare feat. However, moments of solitude—like a royal’s bathroom break—created a fleeting vulnerability.

Jaromir, Duke of Bohemia, endured a tumultuous life: exile, castration, blinding, and eventual restoration. While he was seated on the toilet, a hired assassin thrust a spear through his belly, leaving him to bleed out on the bathroom floor. Other sovereigns, such as Godfrey the Hunchback and King Edmund Ironsides, met similar fates; legends claim Edmund was struck in the rear by an arrow from below, the impact so forceful that no feather of the shaft remained visible.

These grisly accounts underscore how a throne can become a literal death seat for those in power.

8 Pop‑up Toilet

Disasters need not involve a seated victim; sometimes the very fixture itself launches an attack. In Amsterdam, a novel solution to nighttime public urination involves toilets that retract into the ground and emerge only after dark.

In 2014, a man riding a moped was startled when one of these pop‑up toilets erupted from the pavement with explosive force. Witnesses described the scene as an explosion, catapulting the rider and his moped into the air. He escaped with minor injuries, though his scooter suffered significant damage. Whether the sudden launch caused him to wet himself remains undocumented.

This incident highlights how innovative sanitation can sometimes backfire spectacularly.

7 Erfurt Latrine Disaster

Unexpected structural failures can turn a noble gathering into a nightmare. In 1184, German King Henry VI summoned his nobles to a fortress in Erfurt for a dispute resolution. The assembly took place in the fortress’s church, where the king presided from a throne of honor.

As the aristocrats settled into their seats, the wooden floor beneath them gave way, plunging the assembly into a massive latrine below. The sudden immersion in foul, stagnant waste led to drowning and asphyxiation from toxic fumes, claiming around sixty lives. King Henry survived only because he was seated on a stone slab that remained intact.

The tragedy, known in German as the Erfurter Latrinensturz, serves as a grim reminder that even sacred spaces can hide deadly hazards.

6 Eglon

Modern toilets often provide solitary privacy, but ancient Roman facilities required communal use on long benches with multiple holes, forcing users into cheek‑to‑cheek proximity.

The Biblical tale of King Eglon, as recounted in the Book of Judges, illustrates the lethal potential of such arrangements. God, displeased with the Israelites, installed the tyrant Eglon as ruler. The left‑handed judge Ehud concealed a sword beneath his clothing, then visited Eglon under the pretense of delivering a secret message.

When alone in the royal latrine, Ehud thrust the blade into Eglon’s massive belly. The king’s enormous girth sealed the wound, preventing removal. In agony, Eglon expelled his bowels and died. His servants, assuming a prolonged bathroom visit, delayed checking on him, allowing Ehud to escape.

5 Collapsing Toilets

The Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate the oddball side of scientific research. In 2000, the Public Health prize was awarded for a study titled “The Collapse of Toilets in Glasgow,” a tongue‑in‑cheek yet serious investigation into porcelain failures.

The research examined three cases where toilets shattered during use, resulting in hospitalizations. Findings indicated that aging fixtures posed the greatest risk of catastrophic failure. The authors proudly accepted their quirky accolade, noting that their work was far from a fleeting “flash in the pan.”

This study underscores that even everyday bathroom fixtures can become hazardous when neglected.

4 Electric Throne

Michael Anderson Godwin faced the electric chair for murder and sexual assault in 1978, but a review cleared him of the assault charge, sparing him that fate. However, a different electrical peril awaited him in prison.

While watching television and using headphones, Godwin bit into the cable connecting his headphones to the TV. Sitting on a metal toilet, the accidental contact with live wires caused a lethal shock. The incident was ruled a bizarre accident, and Godwin succumbed to his injuries.

This tragic mishap demonstrates how even seemingly mundane electronics can become deadly in the wrong setting.

3 Explosions

When people speak of “explosions in the bathroom,” they often use it figuratively. In reality, toilets can and have exploded, especially during the Victorian era when sewer gases ignited, causing dramatic blasts.

One notable incident involved a lightning strike that ignited methane beneath a toilet, resulting in a violent detonation. More recently, high‑pressure flushing systems manufactured by Flushmate were recalled—in 2012, three million units, and again in 2018, 1.5 million units—because they could cause toilets to explode under pressure.

These events reveal that modern plumbing, while efficient, can harbor explosive potential if engineering flaws arise.

2 Trapped in the Loo

Most people know not to climb into a toilet, yet curiosity sometimes wins. In 2016, a Norwegian man dropped his phone into a public toilet while urinating. His friend, Cato Berntsen Larsen, sprang into action, leaping feet‑first into the bowl to retrieve it.

Larsen, an avid amateur diver, quickly discovered he was stuck in a tank that was only emptied once a year. Up to his thighs in sewage, he panicked, vomited, and required rescue. Firefighters cut open the toilet to free him, but the phone was lost forever.

This episode highlights how well‑meaning heroics can backfire in the most unsanitary of ways.

1 U‑boat Sinks

Most toilet accidents end in embarrassment, but a German U‑boat in 1945 turned a bathroom malfunction into a wartime disaster. U‑1206, a cutting‑edge submarine, featured a high‑pressure waste‑venting system designed for surface flushing.

Captain Karl‑Adolf Schlitt, unfamiliar with the system, asked an engineer for assistance. The engineer turned the wrong valve, causing a torrent of high‑pressure water and sewage to flood the cabin. When the seawater contacted the boat’s batteries, chlorine gas filled the interior, forcing the vessel to surface.

Surfaced and spotted, the U‑boat was attacked by the RAF and abandoned. Four crew members drowned; the survivors were taken as POWs. The captain’s simple mistake flushed the submarine’s fate away.

The escalating Coronavirus crisis has dominated world news for more than two months, and the scramble for bathroom tissue turned ordinary shoppers into accidental comedians. In this top 10 hilarious roundup we explore the most side‑splitting, eyebrow‑raising ways people responded to the great toilet‑paper shortage – from impromptu concerts in empty aisles to rolls being sold for the price of a diamond.

10 Sinking Supplies

Why This Is One of the Top 10 Hilarious Moments

That gut‑wrenching feeling you get when you race into the supermarket only to find the toilet‑paper shelves as barren as a desert is now a shared global experience. Some brave souls even set alarms to join the pre‑dawn queues, only to watch their hopes sink faster than a ship hitting an iceberg.

Two Los Angeles violinists decided to turn the tragedy into a theatrical performance. Donning life jackets, they marched into the gutted aisle and, without missing a beat, began bowing to the hymn “Nearer My God to Thee.” Their solemn rendition echoed through the empty rows, a parody of the iconic bandmaster scene from James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster “Titanic.”

The video went viral, capturing the absurdity of essential supplies disappearing as quickly as the RMS Titanic sank, and reminding us that humor can stay afloat even when the aisles are empty.

9 Toilet Paper Emergency

When the last sheet of loo roll disappears, panic can feel like a medical emergency. In Newport, Oregon, local police actually broadcast a public advisory urging citizens not to dial 911 for a lack of toilet paper, reassuring everyone that they could survive with good old‑fashioned alternatives.

The officers suggested improvising with newspaper or cloth rags, turning a modern crisis into a throwback to pre‑digital sanitation solutions.

Down under, Australian police took a more hands‑on approach, handing out rolls of toilet paper and paper towels at supermarkets to quell the rising “roll‑rage” and keep the public from turning grocery trips into battlefield skirmishes.

8 Pricey Roll

Whenever a shortage strikes, opportunists surface, and the toilet‑paper frenzy was no exception. Some clever sellers turned the crisis into a comedy act by posting absurdly priced listings on eBay.

In New South Wales, Australia, a man uploaded a generic two‑ply roll with a AU$1,000 price tag, expecting no one to bite. To his astonishment, a buyer actually hit “Buy It Now,” prompting the seller to exclaim that he never imagined anyone would even offer AU$10.

Meanwhile, in Queensland, a 24‑pack of Kleenex originally retailing for AU$15 mysteriously sold for AU$500. The transaction remains unpaid, leaving the buyer with a pricey reminder of how humor and greed can collide during a crisis.

7 Prized Roll

A UK arcade proprietor got “loo‑crative” and swapped out plush toys for something far more coveted during the panic‑buying era: rolls of toilet paper. The claw machines, usually stocked with soft toys for a 30p fee, now offered shoppers a chance to snatch a roll with a single coin.

Visitors to the East Yorkshire arcade delighted in the novelty, spending a penny to win a practical prize rather than a fluffy bear. The concept spread, with other machines adding hand sanitizer to the mix, turning a simple arcade into a pandemic‑era treasure chest.

This playful twist highlighted the absurdity of the scramble, proving that even a vending machine could become a stage for social commentary.

6 Have Paper, Will Travel

When packing for a long journey, most of us remember toothbrushes and deodorant, but one savvy traveler on a Melbourne‑to‑Japan flight took preparedness to a new level by stashing an entire multi‑pack of toilet paper in their carry‑on.

The tweet‑storm that followed wondered whether the roll required its own ticket, underscoring how far people were willing to go to ensure bathroom comfort at 30,000 feet.

It’s a reminder that in a world where shelves are barren, a well‑packed suitcase can include the most unexpected essentials.

5 Precious as Gold

A Los Angeles jeweler decided that a roll of toilet paper was now worth more than a precious metal, offering a single premium roll for a staggering US$3,999.

The deal sweetened the bargain with a free one‑carat diamond ring, turning the purchase into a bizarre blend of hygiene and high‑jewelry.

While the price sounds astronomical, the promotion highlighted how the scarcity turned a mundane household item into a luxury commodity, rivaling even the most coveted gems.

4 Forgotten Loot

Hidden treasures are often uncovered when clearing out a relative’s estate, but few could have imagined stumbling upon a five‑year supply of vintage toilet paper.

In Sydney, a man rummaging through his late father’s storeroom uncovered 270 rolls of 1980s‑era toilet paper, a relic likely bought in bulk four decades ago and forgotten.

His Facebook post offering the stash to anyone in need went viral, demonstrating that even seemingly dull items can become community gold during a crisis.

3 Should Have Bought 2‑Ply

We’ve all seen shoppers load their carts with towering stacks of toilet paper, prompting the question: where will they store it all?

A UK driver, eager to capitalize on the frenzy, overloaded his van with rolls and paper towels, only to be stopped by police in Blackwell. The authorities discovered his vehicle exceeded legal weight limits, resulting in a £300 fine that sent his savings straight down the toilet.

The incident serves as a cautionary tale: perhaps two‑ply would have kept the load lighter and the driver out of trouble.

2 Floral Bouquet

Remember those premium toilet‑paper rolls that came printed with floral designs and scented bouquets? An Arkansas florist turned that concept into an actual bouquet – a luxurious arrangement of ordinary two‑ply rolls, complete with ribbons and greenery.

Priced at $75 US, the “floral” tribute offers a whimsical yet functional gift for anyone desperate enough to appreciate the aesthetics of bathroom tissue.

Born from the florist’s pre‑pandemic stash, the arrangement proves that when supplies run low, creativity can bloom in the most unexpected places.

1 Old‑Fashioned “Dunny Squares”

Australians are famous for their cheeky humor, and a Northern Territory newspaper proved it by handing out “dunny squares” – blank newspaper pages cut into strips for emergency bathroom use.

The NT News printed eight blank pages, each with handy cut‑lines, allowing readers to fashion makeshift toilet paper. While the gesture was undeniably witty, the free sheets arrived without disposal instructions, leaving users to figure out the cleanup on their own.

This playful solution highlighted the ingenuity and good‑natured sarcasm that surfaced worldwide as people navigated the great toilet‑paper shortage.

While toilet seats are infamous for being the breeding grounds for bacteria, there are many dirtier places in your house that you probably never knew existed. The following list shows common household appliances that are dirtier than your conventional toilet seat.

10. Ice

While ice would appear to be perfectly clean and unsuspecting, it is in fact a major breeding ground for organisms according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Ice can become soiled through being transported on dirty floors of freezing rooms, carried by soiled human hands, or exposed to unsanitary ice machines. If that wasn’t enough, a study found that 70% of the time, ice served in fast food restaurants across America had more bacteria than toilet water found in most households.  Furthermore, most restaurants across America tend to freeze water for ice out of tap water, leaving many unfiltered particles to remain and be consumed. For this reason, ice makes it to the tenth position on this list.

9. Tables and Desks

Whether being used for art and schoolwork for elementary school children or for important business meetings, tables and desks have on average more than 400 times more bacteria and germs than a toilet seat. This can lead to many serious illnesses, such as smallpox, measles, and the flu. Tables also attract more germs than toilets because of the amount of time hands are placed on desks. In fact, it was reported that the area in which your hands rest on tables and desks can have approximately 10,000 bacteria organisms growing. Furthermore, many office tables are often left unwashed for long periods of time, allowing for bacteria and harmful organisms to grow and develop before spreading. For this reason, tables and desks come in at number nine of this list.

8. Computer Keyboards

Because people tend to use computer keyboards throughout their daily lives, it is no surprise that these devices would make it on the list. Keyboards attract a great amount of bacteria because they are rarely wiped or sanitized on a regular basis. As a result, it was shown in a study by Master Cleaners Ltd that “Keyboards contain 70 percent more bacteria than a toilet seat.” Additionally, because keyboards are commonly used by more than one person in office and classroom settings, viruses and bacteria can move easily from person to person in a short period of time. For example, the Center for Disease reported that the first report of a norovirus was detected on a computer keyboard. The agency also revealed that the norovirus outbreak could have been entirely prevented if people simply cleaned their keyboards frequently and diligently to limit the spread of germs from one computer to another. As a result, computer keyboards are number 8 on this list.

7. Cell Phones

Cell phones can be found nearly everyone traveling from outside their home or outside the country. For that reason, cell phones would naturally be festering with germs and bacteria. In a report by British newspaper Which?, it was reported that of a total of 90 devices tested, there were over six hundred individual organisms of Staphylococcus aureus found on the surface of a cell phone. The bacteria organism Staphylococcus aureus has been known to cause ailments ranging from respiratory tract infection to staph infections. Additionally, because phones are so rarely cleaned, they carry as much as 10 times as many bacteria than your household toilet seat. It is for these reasons that cell phones made the seventh spot on this list. Cell phones are therefore number seven on this list.

6. Kitchen Chopping Boards

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that kitchen chopping boards would contain some degree of bacteria left over from the raw meats sliced on them. However, what is surprising is that it was determined by the FDA that there are 200 times more fecal bacteria on cutting boards than on an actual toilet seat. This bacteria can be very serious to one’s health because it can cause many food-borne illnesses, including salmonella and campylobacter. Also, because kitchen chopping boards are often left out for hours on end, this provides a chance for bacteria to easily grow and spread in a warm environment. Because of this, it can be said that it is safer to prepare meats on a toilet seat than it is on an unwashed kitchen chopping board. For these reasons, kitchen chopping boards come in at number six on this list of top ten dirtier items than a toilet seat.

5. Toothbrushes

Toothbrushes have a bad tendency to stray too close to the toilet seat. Even at the furthest point in the bathroom from the toilet seat, a toothbrush typically wont be more than 4 feet away. Because of this, whenever a toilet is flushed, airborne feces particles get propelled up to 6 feet in distance, according to Chuck Gerba, PhD, professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. Additionally, toothbrushes on average contain around 10 million microbes, such as germs like influenza viruses, herpes, and even bacteria that can lead to gum disease and cavities. Another reason that makes toothbrushes dirtier than toilets is that the food bacteria can last for days, serving a perfect breeding ground for the microbes. In order to best limit these bacteria particles from harboring on the toothbrush, it is recommended to thoroughly rinse and disinfect toothbrushes often, as well as buying a replacement toothbrush every few years or so. Therefore, toothbrushes come in at number five on this top ten list.

4. Television Remotes

If you’ve stayed in a hotel room, you’ve probably held a television remote that had been held hundreds of times before you. Through a study by Katie Kirsch of the University of Houston, Kirsch and her team found that television remotes in hotels had an average of 67.6 colony-forming units of bacteria per square centimeter. These findings also proved to suggest that housekeepers and hotel maids spend only around 30 minutes per room in a typical shift, often neglecting to clean common items like remote controls. Even when they do clean items like remote controls, room cleaners often spend too little amount of time disinfecting to completely kill off the remaining bacteria growing on the remote. As a result, there is a significant risk for microbial contamination in hotel rooms, as well as spreading the bacteria to a home or office. Television remotes are therefore number four on this top ten list.

3. Mattresses

After ten years of use of a mattress, it has been shown that old mattresses will weigh more than twice the weight of what it was when it was first purchased. The reason? Dust mites and dead skin cells, in addition to bacteria and germs get buried deep into the mattress gradually over time. According to a new study conducted by Check Safety First, it was found that hotel beds are used by thousands of travelers and are never cleaned or disinfected after the high level of use. They reported that often hotels will only change and clean bed sheets and pillow covers, and leave everything else the same. Additionally, hotels often purchase reconditioned mattresses in an effort to save money. These mattresses, however, are often filled with high amounts of dust and flakes of skin, leading to illnesses not even a toilet seat would have. These combined reasons make bed mattresses number three on the list.

2. Money

In a study by Dr. Ron Cutler of the University of London, the biomedical scientist found that out of 200 bills of currency, 26 of the notes contained significant levels and concentrations of bacteria. Additionally, bacteria such as E. coli was discovered, along with Staphyloccus aurenus. Even more concerning, nearly 80 percent of the bank notes used in the study contained some traces of bacteria on them, significantly increasing the potential for  ailments and sicknesses. If that wasn’t enough, a study from the Melbourne’s Public Defender office discovered that a single note of currency had bacteria levels that were 6.4 times greater than readings from restrooms, leading money to be dirtier than toilets. For this reason, money got number two on the list.

1. Kitchen Sponges

The first place spot on this list belongs to the common household kitchen sponge. According to Roxanne B. Sukol, a medical director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Enterprise, kitchen sponges can contain as much as 10 million individual bacteria organisms per square inch of sponge. In other words, a kitchen sponge can be as much as 200,000 times dirtier than the surface of most toilet seats. The main reason why sponges are dirtier than toilet seats is due to the fact that the sponges are used to clean off food particles from unclean kitchen dishes. However, when the food particles are removed, they tend to stay attached to the sponges, festering bacteria and spreading the organisms to clean dishes. It is therefore best to replace and clean sponges thoroughly before use, decreasing the spread of germs and preventing future illnesses. As a result, kitchen sponges are the number one dirtiest items compared to a toilet seat.