Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bathroom

I'm _____, I need to poop NOW

XQUZYPHYR — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:05:42 -0800

Is there a legitimate, non-slang word for the need to go to the bathroom? By that I mean a singular adjective, i.e. "nauseous," but for, well, pooping. Attempts to Google yield only annoying links to Urban Dictionary, etc.

No it doesn't leak like that, it leaks like this.

fiercekitten — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:05:54 -0800

PlumbingFilter: My google-fu is failing me and need help finding directions on fixing our bathroom sink faucet. It only leaks when it's turned on and not from around the handles. Most of the internet directions are for fixing faucets that drip all the time or stopping a leak around the fixture handles when it's turned on. Maybe my problem is like one of these two, but the symptoms are completely different and I'm not a plumber. The upper part of the fixture (where the handles are) remains completely dry when it's turned on, but there's a steady leak on the underside of the faucet when you turn the hot or cold on. It drips down the piece connecting the drain pull to the drain plug, so it seems to be coming from the place where the water comes out (the stem?). It's a compression faucet (I was able to figure that much out), doesn't drip when it's off and doesn't leak around the handles at all when it's on. It looks like this, only not in pieces.

I'm sure it's an easy enough fix and since I have all the time in the world at the moment, I want to have a go at it. If we have to replace the fixture, that's OK, but if it's just a washer or some plumber's tape I would feel dumb replacing the whole thing.

But what's it there for? Do you actually sleep on it?

lunalaguna — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:37:30 -0800

Little known facts about men My boyfriend was shocked (shocked!) recently when I told him that many women's bathrooms have couches or chairs in them. I was surprised no one had ever told him this before, or that he'd never been in a women's bathroom. (I've had jobs where I've cleaned men's bathrooms, so that world is no secret to me.)

It got me wondering whether there are certain facts about men or common experiences they have that I'm totally unaware of as a woman. Guys, are there things you encounter pretty regularly that a women would know nothing about? Girls, have you ever learned something about men that's both common and surprising?

soundproof bathroom

neelhtak — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:42:20 -0800

How to best soundproof an existing downstairs 1/2 bath with hollow core door? The downstairs is one large room with the door to the br in the dining room. The use of that area as dining area not changeable.

Would a solid core door help? Cork on one side of existing door? something to block the 1/4" space @ bottom of door? Exhaust fan not an option. Some sort of white noise machine? Is there one that's battery operated?

Just want to know what would work the best before onslaught of holiday company. I usually send people upstairs for privacy, but that trip is getting hard to manage for some of the elders.

Help me identify these ceramic wall tiles...

momentofmagnus — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:08:09 -0800

Help me identify these ceramic wall tiles... Was looking at a ridiculously expensive bathroom supplier catalogue (Boffi). Can't afford the bathtubs, but rather liked the wall tiles you can see in this image. There's another shot I couldn't find on the web which shows them from a different angle - looks like they're quite reflective, and each tile is a little irregular in surface, i.e. not entirely flat.

Oh wonderful hive mind, do you have any ideas where I might find such things?

The Mold Creatures. What ARE they?

lipsum — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:53:12 -0800

Hello. A weird one: In my bathroom there's some mold. I clean it up once a while, but it's kinda there. Anyway, from time to time I can see some bugs running through it. Little bugs, coming out where there's running water, and disappearing, once the water's out. They're *tiny*. Real tiny. Smaller than an ant. Anyone has any idea what I'm talking about? Can anyone direct me to any information regarding these bugs? Thank you!

Help Me Find a Cabinet Please

tk — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:19:20 -0800

What cabinet would best fit this space? We just moved. The bathroom, while still very small, is of such a configuration that our storage units don't work. We need to buy something new. Here's what I've been fruitlessly searching for all week:

A freestanding cabinet with shelves, and these specs:
--doors, preferably sliding
--depth not more than one foot, MAYBE 13 inches would be OK
--width less than 2.5 feet
--height less than 3.5 feet

I saw this one at Target, but it looks like a piece of junk and the baskets aren't great for our 13 month old kid.

Anyone have any ideas for me? I couldn't find something shallow enough at Ikea. I looked at Lowes, Home Depot... I'm out of ideas.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

sneaky little bathroom flies

KateHasQuestions — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:02:41 -0800

Little flies coming into the house through the pipes in the bathtub - how to get rid of them? My parent's apartment has flies that they have seen come out of the drain in the bathtub. They're bigger than fruit flies but smaller than regular flies. How can my parents get rid of them? Other than putting a plug/stopper/whatever-they're-called into the bathtub drain when they're not showering and then cross their fingers and hope the flies don't come out of other pipes while trying to escape, anything they can do to kill them inside the pipes? Would it keep the flies from coming back? This is an apartment building in Brooklyn, if that makes any difference.

How should I fix this towel bar?

Bokononist — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:11:44 -0800

How should I fix this Towel Bar that's coming off the wall in my bathroom? I think the linked picture pretty much poses the question. Here's another one that's closer up (it could be used as one of those "what is this a way-too-close-up picture of?" puzzles). There's a plastic anchor it's coming out of the wall, I have to carefully hang all my towels on the other side. Eventually I'm sure the whole thing is going to come crashing down in a towel bar disaster! So please help.

How do I figure out how scorpions are invading my bathroom fixture.

snoelle — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:52:50 -0800

Help me figure out how these scorpions are getting inside the bathroom light fixture. We moved into this house about 6 years ago. We have 2 1/2 baths in the house. In the downstairs bathroom off the master bathroom, we keep getting scorpions in the bathroom globe. The scorpion will be alive a couple of days, and then die, because it can't get out of the glass globe. So I take down the globe, clean it out real well, and put it back up. Maybe within 3-5 days, another scorpion is back in the globe and the process repeats again. There has never been more than one at a time in the globe.

When we moved into the home, we had a few scorpions, and bugs, but we hired an exterminator who treats the house monthly. Since we have had the exterminator, there have been no problems within the home.

So help me solve this mysterious entry route to the bathroom globe. No other fixtures are affected. The house is a brick house, and all outside areas are sealed, at least all I can see, but some how they keep coming back one at a time.

Bathroom History

AsRuinsAreToRome — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:35:48 -0800

At what point in history did men and women get their 'bathroom rules'? Specifically, I'm wondering why men have public urinating and women have their own stalls always. What determined this? For instance, in a men's bathroom there are urinals. This involves going pee in the presence of other men. Also, at many gyms and in movies where they show boys locker rooms, they is one big shower with lots of heads and guys shower 'together'.

Women on the other hand have separate toilets always (I'm aware urinals wouldn't work and that men also have separate toilets for pooing), and separated shower stalls (in my experience).

Why?

Adding a bathroom from scratch?

kmz — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:49:52 -0800

Adding a bathroom to an old house from scratch? My fiancee and I recently bought a 1925 Craftsman bungalow that had been completely renovated. New plumbing, electrical, roof, etc. We love it, but it only has one bathroom. We originally thought this would be OK, and it is in general, but we're starting to think about adding an additional one.

Reading online, I've only seen people mention converting existing rooms and spaces to new bathrooms. We don't really have any space we can afford to convert at the moment, but there is gap formed by the exterior walls of the master bedroom, existing bathroom, and second bedroom, and we were thinking of using that to create a new bathroom. Would this be feasible at all? The foundation is pier and beam. Both the foundation and roof would have to be extended, plus all the other work generally associated with adding a bathroom.

I'm sure we'd also need to get special permits since we're in a historical overlay, but I'm not as worried about that right now. It's going to be a future term project anyway but I wanted to get an idea of how manageable it would be.

What is the name of this short film?

flod logic — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:48:09 -0800

What was the name of this short art film about a guy getting trapped in a bathroom? In the early 90s I remember seeing a short art film (5-10 minutes long) that involved a man getting stuck in a bathroom and eventually locked in a stall as it flooded. There was no dialogue. When I saw it, it was used in part of a sales training video and I'm sure it wasn't something made by the company themselves - it was an art film just used for the humor value. My dad is pretty sure it was French and that the title was shown briefly at the end.
Any ideas?

I want to make it warmer, but how?

buttercup — Sun, 17 May 2009 07:03:38 -0800

I'm in the midst of a bathroom remodel and about to insulate and close up the walls. I'm a little confused on the best way to insulate the exterior walls of my 80-year old house. A diagram of the existing wall can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctracey/3538183459/ I've checked a lot of online resources and books, but few of them deal with a wall construction such as this. From the outside, there is: a layer of brick, a 1/2" gap, a layer of tar paper placed over, some 1x10 pine boards, and finally 2x4"(ish) studs. I am using hardibacker as the wall material (tile and plaster on top) and denim insulation. Everything I have read says to put a layer of tarpaper or other moisture barrier behind the hardibacker, but that may only apply to tub installations where water may seep through. The tub is all on inside walls.

So, I guess the question is whether or not I should place the hardibacker on top of another layer of tarpaper or not? If I did, would that create a trapped layer of moisture in the walls.

Bathroom renovation in Sydney

Admira — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:46:35 -0800

Gday, Can anyone recommend a company to do a bathroom renovation in the inner west of Sydney? Or any hints and tips on picking a company, costs etc? Convenience, time and cost are all (naturally) important. Thanks!

Toilet lid etiquette

dreamphone — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:52:56 -0800

Are guests rightfully exempt from lowering the toilet lid? Please note: In this question, I’m asking about the toilet lid (which essentially covers and “closes” the toilet), not the toilet seat. Don't worry - I’m not trying to initiate debate over which way of leaving it is most hygienic.

In our house, we always keep the lid on the toilet lowered when it’s not in use. I’ve noticed that when guests use our bathroom (most often, women), in most cases they leave the lid up. Because my guests are typically conscientious, considerate, and clean, I’m wondering if leaving it up is actually the “right” thing to do when visiting someone else’s house (i.e., they would be exercising their right as a guest to not unduly touch a toilet lid) rather than leaving it as they found it. This “guest option” occurred to me after using the toilet at someone else’s house – I was about to lower the lid after use, but found myself slightly reluctant to touch it. I went ahead and lowered it anyway, but am wondering if I could leave the toilet lid up at others’ houses and thereby still practice good etiquette?

I’m in the U.S., as that may matter.

FWIW, I asked one guest about it (the only one I really can, of course: my mother—who lowers the lid at her own house but leaves it up at mine). She apparently isn’t doing it intentionally.

Backerboard or Mold Resistant Drywall

chndrcks — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:34:05 -0800

Bathroom DIY Filter: Do we need to use cement board (backer board) for the walls around the bathtub/shower that we're going to retile? Right now the tile is attached directly to the dry wall. We were planning on replacing most of that drywall with the mold resistant dry wall (I think that's called green board), but Home Depot and Lowes keep pushing the cement board for the part that we're going to tile (around the tub/shower).

Is it ok to use that drywall instead of the cement board (backer board)? If we use it, should we put RedGard on it (it's supposed to make it waterproof)?

Tile over linoleum?

and hosted from Uranus — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:23:43 -0800

Can I lay tile over (real) linoleum? Maybe I should prime the existing floor first? I am remodeling a small bathroom and recently bought some reclaimed tiles for the floor. Around 2001, I had Marmoleum brand (aka the "real" linseed oil stuff) linoleum installed. (The existing floor seriously needed replacing and, since I was having the Marmoleum put into the kitchen I was doing at the time, I had them do the bathroom too, knowing I couldn't live with the color for very long.)

Can I put the tiles down on top of the linoleum? The plywood sub floor under the linoleum was new in 2001 and is in the pretty good shape, as is the linoleum itself. I don't think I can rip up the linoleum without ruining the sub floor. They're stuck together pretty good.

My thinking is that since the existing floor is basically water proof ... why not just tile over it? As long as the tile mastic adheres ok to the current floor, I should be good to go, right? Maybe giving the floor a coat of primer will help with the adhesion? Is there something basic I'm missing here?

I'd really like to avoid the expense, effort and environmental implications of buying new tile backer board unless it's really necessary.

Public toilets -- which is the cleanest and which is the dirtiest?

bondgirl53001 — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:33:57 -0800

I've always wondered which toilet is used the least and which one is used the most in a public restroom, especially a women's restroom that contains only stalls. I would imagine that statistically, the handicapped stall is used the least and that there is probably not a large difference in the number of times each other toilet is used throughout the day, provided they are all functional. I think this is due to the different personality types of their users and the varying degrees of cleanliness at any given time.

What are your thoughts?

no, I am not talking about bidets!

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:48:20 -0800

Why do public bathrooms in France commonly not have toilet seats on their toilets?

Help me shave without a sink!

indiebass — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:51:19 -0800

How do I shave without a sink? My bathroom sink won't drain at the moment. After a few seconds of water coming out of the faucet I have standing water that doesn't go down for a couple of hours. The landlord is coming out to fix this (supposedly) but it's been a couple weeks, and he told me he'd be here on Monday, but I don't think he was here Monday, and I need a shave today.

I use the badger brush and high quality soap as well as the double-edged single blade safety razor, so when I do shave I actually look forward to it and enjoy it a lot.

The other part of the problem is that I can't shave in the shower because there's barely enough hot water in this place to take a shower, much less shower + shave. (I live in a house that's been converted to two apartments, there's a family beneath me and basically a hot water heater big enough for one household, not two) So, overarching problems with the apartment aside, how can I shave without a sink?

Usually I run hot water, lather up the face, and after each pass of the blade, clean it with running water and put blade to face again. I tried keeping a mug of hot water next to the sink and rinsing the blade in it, but all the soap and hairs would float on the top after a couple passes, so I wasn't really cleaning my blade and everything was getting kind of gross.

So what's the solution? I know gentlemen have shaved for centuries without the benefit of running water, but how can *I* do it today? My google-fu has failed me spectacularly in this area. Thanks, as always, in advance! MeFi is the best.

Um, honey....

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:13:33 -0800

How do I tell my SO that he smells bad? My SO and I have been living together for nine months and are planning to spend the rest of our lives together. We have a great relationship and have no problem communicating about almost anything. But this is not "Honey I really don't like your mother" or "We need to talk about your bedroom skills." I get the sense that he's not very thorough with toilet paper in the bathroom and it makes his ass stink. He usually goes a couple of days without showering which would not be a big deal except for this issue. At times when we're sitting on the couch and he gets up, I smell something that is very unpleasant. Sometimes I can smell it on the couch cushions when he's not even home. I do his laundry and the stains in his underwear are beyond what I would think are normal "skid marks" and I've seen the same on his bathrobe. I brought it up several months ago, after I noticed his bathrobe the first time, and I mentioned that I sometimes smell something that I can't identify and wondered if it was related to the bathrobe stains. He didn't say much but said he would "work on it." At this point I was thinking about buying those moist wipes made for bathroom use and just put them in the bathroom where he'll see them. I just don't know how to say to him that I think he doesn't know how to wipe his own ass.

Do I need professional (plumbing) help?

sueinnyc — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:37:38 -0800

Bathroom plumbing (or at least sealing) question. My bath/shower recently started to leak through to the apartment below. I have insurance for water issues, and the insurance people eventually sent over a very grumpy plumber. He told me that the problem was a gap in the seal between the bathtub and the wall tiles. He said that it was not covered by the insurance – so he therefore couldn’t fix it – but offered to come back and fix it for a couple of hundred pounds. According to this guy, he would need to remove the seal, remove the bath taps, do some re-sealing, etc. etc.

I can see the gap in the seal. Do I really need a professional plumber to re-seal it, or should I be ok using some appropriately-labelled sealant and a sealant gun thingy and doing it myself? I’m not especially handy, so I recognise that it might not look pretty, but will it get the job done?

Right now I have the gap protected by a bin bag and duct tape (with a towel underneath for good measure). That seems to be working, in that the towel is staying dry. Intellectually, then, it would seem that using sealant would have the same effect, but with more elegance. Am I missing some fundamental part of the problem? Is it a lot harder than it looks? I’m happy to pay someone (not the guy who came before) a lot of money to fix it if that is really what I need to do.

It should only take a minute, really.

dhammala — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:25:14 -0800

BathroomFilter: Is it appropriate to give dietary suggestions to the person in the next stall or not? It seems to me that most people just don't understand the necessity of fiber in their diets. More often than not, I am disgusted by the sounds of evacuation produced by the person in the next stall -- that poor fellow has obviously been in that stall for some time and, judging by his heavy breathing and grunting, still has some time to go.

I really just want to be all 'Hey buddy, cut back on the dairy and meat and eat more veggies.' It is a faceless conversation, but is it inappropriate?

(And no, I don't think it is the same person every time. I think I would be fairly accurate in saying that 90% of the men in my office building need to wise up before they get colon cancer.)

The Blob

spamguy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:55:57 -0800

What is this orange goo dripping from my walls? I live in a well-maintained apartment complex. About a month ago I noticed a tan-orange waxy substance dripping from the top of some of my walls. It's limited to the areas closest to my bathroom door, heater closet, and thermostat. Under normal conditions the goo is waxy, solid and transparent, except for the bulbous end of the drip, which is opaque. When I take a shower, the goo is warmed up and becomes viscous to the point I could wipe it off without much effort. (I haven't yet.) It also speeds up its crawl towards the floor. It's extended its coat a few inches in the past month.

What is this stuff? I've reported it to my landlord, who is normally attentive to these matters, but I could detect the incredulousness in his voice.

If I had a camera not attached to my laptop I'd supply pics.