Ice in the urinal

[thestrangebrew1]

Went to a restaurant this morning for a breakfast meeting and excused myself to run to the john. As I approached the urinal, there was a pile of ice cubes in it. I thought it was kinda weird and wondered why it would be there, but continued to piss all over it. It was kinda fun watching the pure white turn a little yellow. While handling my business, I figured, it's been pretty cold here and maybe the ice, as it melts, helps keep the pipes from busting as it drains. I don't know too much about cold weather but I know it can bust pipes up so I fig'd this was a logical conclusion. When I was done, I walked out and passed an employee, in which I asked what was the deal. He told me it's to keep odors down in the bathroom. This perplexed me how ice could help mask the smell. Thoughts?

 

[Drako]

Ice melts.

 

[SandEagle]

some drunk took his drink to the john. tossed the ice. no big surprise here

 

[OOBradm]

Probably some dude was drinking a coke and finished while peeing and dumped his ice out. I've done that before.

It would be pretty ridiculous if the employees kept refilling the urinal ice every 10 minutes to keep the pipes from bursting lol.

 

[IronWing]

There is a convenience store near me where the employees keep the urinals on ice. I think it might be a failed attempt to control odor. Based on the smells my guess is that the trap isn't trapping.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

What, no Bear Grylls joke yet?

 

[KeithTalent]

Helps avoid splash-back.

Discussion comes up every six years or so:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=502597&highlight=ice+urinal
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=6108&highlight=ice+urinal

KT

 

[thestrangebrew1]

Splashback makes sense. I came out pretty dry. This is the first time I've seen this though. Thanks.

 

[Fenixgoon]

odor = particles diffusing. diffusion is slower when things are cold.

 

[yhelothar]

odor = particles diffusing. diffusion is slower when things are cold.

Yup I was thinking this too, specifically evaporation.

 

[BillGates]

Sometimes places don't have a water supply hooked up to the urinals, or have it shut off. The ice melts over time and when it is pissed on, so some (melted ice) water washes down the drain with it.

 

[Theb]

Serves as a slow continuous flush.
Cold air sinks, trapping smell.
Fun to melt, people will aim.
Cold discourages bugs.

 

[Scotteq]

Serves as a slow continuous flush.
Cold air sinks, trapping smell.
Fun to melt, people will aim.
Cold discourages bugs.

...also, the bartender can conjure generous tips simply with a meaningful look... D:

 

[KeithTalent]

odor = particles diffusing. diffusion is slower when things are cold.

Yep. Definitely helps minimize the stink of it all.

KT

 

[Slew Foot]

i like aiming at them and making them melt

 

[BladeVenom]

Don't get the lemon slush.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Well what did you think Mr Freeze pissed, liquid?

 

[Newbian]

Probably so people aim a bit instead of letting it go wild.

 

[Crono]

It would have been more fun if it was dry ice.

 

[Heller]

i worked at outback steakhouse as a busser before working my way up to
"togo orders" and then a server i was a busser for 3 years, and usually the dirty ice was thrown in the urinals, there was 2 soda dispensing machines and they constly had to be filled with a bukcket of ice, if you werent wearing resuturant slip proof shoes you would mosty likeley fall and bust your ass manuvering though the icemachine to the 2 soda dispensing machines, and with all the hired bussers coming and going so frequently before theyn learned about the slip proof shoes they wold bust there ass alot, it happen practly every other week, so what happens then? its picked up by a busser (me) and thrown down the urinal cause you couldn't throw it out, out back, cause when you went to take the garbage out as you closed up, it would be a slip and fall hazard, thus providing a nice workers comp issue that had happened more then once, its pathetic how hard people will go to get a workers comp check.

 

[sdifox]

Went to a restaurant this morning for a breakfast meeting and excused myself to run to the john. As I approached the urinal, there was a pile of ice cubes in it. I thought it was kinda weird and wondered why it would be there, but continued to piss all over it. It was kinda fun watching the pure white turn a little yellow. While handling my business, I figured, it's been pretty cold here and maybe the ice, as it melts, helps keep the pipes from busting as it drains. I don't know too much about cold weather but I know it can bust pipes up so I fig'd this was a logical conclusion. When I was done, I walked out and passed an employee, in which I asked what was the deal. He told me it's to keep odors down in the bathroom. This perplexed me how ice could help mask the smell. Thoughts?

less heat = less upward air flow = you smell less urine.