text: do toilets in the southern hemisphere really swirl the opposite direction(of northern toilets) when flushed?   no, the swirling is caused by the direction that the water is shot into the basin.  it can be either clock-wise or counter clock-wise in either hemisphere.  the coriolis effect does not come into play; it depends on how the toilet is designed.  in many toilets outside the u.s., the water is not shot in a swirling motion and no noticeable coriolis swirling occurs.