iLoo - the app that helps you find a lavatory

Where to go: Toiluxe gives directions to the nearest public lavatory using the iPhone’s GPS
12 April 2012

Worrying about being caught short while shopping in London could be a thing of the past.

After seeing people struggling to find a convenience, two London entrepreneurs have invented a lavatory finder application for the iPhone.

"It is a problem everyone has faced," said inventor Jason Dunn.

If the location is in a hotel, it even offers tips on how to get past the doormen. "The only hotel that wouldn't let me in to use the toilet was actually the Ritz," said Mr Dunn. "However, for every other hotel we offer advice on exactly where the toilet is, so you don't have to ask for directions, and whether there is a dress code."

According to a study by City Hall, there has been a 40 per cent decline in public lavatories in London since 1999.

Boris Johnson has launched a scheme to work with supermarkets to open their facilities for the public. Mr Dunn and his business partner spent seven months collecting data on more than 300 publicly accessible lavatories. Toiluxe uses the iPhone's inbuilt GPS software to locate the user, then shows a map of their nearest loos, complete with directions.

"I used to work for a website called netdoctor, and we were inundated with people who suffered from incontinence," said Mr Dunn. "Seeing the distress they were in made me think what a useful app this could be for everybody."

Donald Strachan, who helped develop the 59p software, said: "I have young daughters, and it can be really difficult to find somewhere if they need the toilet."

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in