“The powder room”. Or what do you call it?

My grandparents said " going down the garden", as that is where their toilet was. Now, at home we say "going to the loo".

Loo or Lav.

My dad used to have variety of sayings, Going to see my Au tie, Going to see a man about a dog. Going there and back again to see how far it is.
Going to shake hands with the wife's best friend.

With family I usually joke about ‘using the facilities’. Otherwise loo.

Posh people don’t say toilet or anything that sounds French, which is why they say lavatory which I think is a horrible word.

Why do Americans say the bathroom? Is there a bath in there?
Or is it false modesty.

My dad also said “going to see a man about a dog”, so I used to say I was going to see a woman about a cat!

Going for a wizzy.

A boyfriend became my ex when he said "I'm just going to shake the dew off my lily."

I worked with a young girl in her early 20’s who told me she was ‘just dropping the kids off at the pool’ and ran out the door.

I didn’t have a clue what it meant and I was a bit miffed as we were working on an important project and she just bolted.

She wasn’t gone long, and I wondered how she’d dropped her kids off do quickly.

When she came back I said ‘oh how many kids have you got?’ And she burst out laughing.

She said ‘none yet! Dropping the kids off at the pool means I’m off for a number 2!’

Too much information right there huh?

In the city during the 80s, 'The Powder Room' meant that brokers were going into the gents to put something up their nose to keep working on a high!

When ours were young I used to say I was going for some peace and quiet, still do when with family. Gets odd looks from the in law families though.

Going to build a log cabin?

I can't remember what she called it but my Granny always asked "are there any men about?" as she couldn't possibly go if there were, even family members!

Going to the loo or ladies. If you ask in America for the ladies they look at you blank and when they say to me "You want the bathroom?" and I feel like saying "No I don't want a bath!" I remember the bogs as well, not heard that one for a long time and made me laugh!

We usually say going to the loo/toilet.
Rick Wakeman said "sending sausages to the seaside"! ? My daughters ex used to say just going to build a log cabin ! ? TMI! My ex when he couldn't answer his phone told me he was "cutting a stick"!
I think I prefer the word toilet!

Sorry Maw

Mostly say I'm going to the loo or with close friends/family going for a wee. In a pub/bar/restaurant I ask where the toilets/ladies are if it's not obvious.

DD as a small child always asked to go to the toilet if we were visiting friends/relatives, I think she liked to know where it was in case she needed to go

I have used "spend a penny" I'm old enough to remember the old penny in the slot (born 1955) & "bogs" at School.

I used to work for a company that delivered to sewage plants, and we knew the staff at the sewage plants. So we used to say "Ich schicke mal einen Gruß an den Klärmeister" which translates as "I'm off to send a greeting to the sewage plant manager".

In the UK I probably usually say "loo" but I will try to remember "the ladies" in future. (So long as we still have ladies' loos!)

My father would stop on the road on holiday go into the woods to see a man about a dog. I would then be jumping up and down expecting a new dog to arrive until I forgot about it.

An 83 year old friend always refers to it as ‘paying a call.’
I can’t ever imagine her calling it ‘going to the loo’!

I always say ''excuse me'' and just go, no other explanation needed.

'going to use the facilities' has become the norm to me.

I know some people who call it ‘the little boys room’. I just ‘go to the loo’.

My dad used to say that he was "going to park his bicycle" !

Depending on whose company I am in I either go to the loo or for a wee.

I was brought up to believe "toilet" was very non U.

My grandpa would torment me as a child with Going to see a man about a dog, or Going to see how far it is and back again.

My son, now in his forties, says he's Going for a waz.

I usually just say I'm off to the loo, or to pay a call.

The actual origin of the word loo is Garde a l'eau.

The more I read of this thread, the more I can’t understand why anyone has to announce what they are going to do .