Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with flush

Flush in the face = Give up the bottle?

Busoni — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:12:01 -0800

A somewhat recent NY Times article explains the connection between ALDH2 deficiency and throat cancer. Request for perspective on level of risk and appropriate response in extended. The article explains that people who become flush in the face after drinking are likely to be ALDH2-deficient, and are thus at higher risk for throat cancer.

But it is also possible for an ALDH2-deficient person to develop tolerance to the flushing effect, such that no flushing appears.

Questions:

1. If a person suspects that he or she belongs to the population just described (ALDH2-deficient with no signs of flushing), will the patch test (applying an ethanol-soaked patch to the skin for 15 minutes) described in the article be of any use? Could such a test be performed and interpreted by a non-professional at home, and if so, how?

2. Even if the risk of throat cancer is increased through drinking, is that enough cause to seriously curtail one's drinking, or even abstain altogether? What is the prevalence of throat cancer in the general population?

3. Is the risk increased significantly if the person is a former smoker (i.e. having quit)?

4. Are there any measures one might take to lower his risk, besides limiting his or her drinking?

Toilet works: slow flushing toilet

twistedmetal — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:42:38 -0800

My toilet is flushing slowly. Sometimes it takes 3+ flushes to completely remove waste. I have completely replaced all of the internals, and tried the CLR method. I have even manually cleared out the return / fill holes. It has helped some, but not enough. I think I need to use something stronger than CLR, like muriatic acid. The problem is I am on a septic tank and everything I read says do not use the muriatic acid method if you are on septic as it will kill all of the beneficial bacteria in the septic tank. So, my thoughts are to use the muriatic acid to clean out the bowl, but before the first flush, use baking soda to neutralize the acid as much as possible. Then flush. After about a week, add some RidX to help restore some of the lost bacteria and after another week or so, add another box of RidX. Is this a sound plan or should I abandon the muriatic acid idea completely?

Why do so many guys flush the urinal before they use it?

namewithhe1d — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:17:21 -0800

Why do so many guys flush the urinal before they use it? Honestly, I've wondered this forever. Is it a "visually stimulating" thing? Or do you just want to close your eyes and picture yourself in front of a waterfall? Or do you need to hear/see water flowing to actually go yourself? Seriously... Something like half the people around me at the urinal walls do this. Why?

flushfilter: why is my toilet having a hissy fit? video inside

razzman — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:58:27 -0800

All of a sudden my toilet hisses when I flush it. As well as being an annoying sound, it also refills the tank very slowly. I'm no handyman but I'm loathe to pay a plumber if it's something simple I can fix myself. In the video I push the float down to demonstrate what happens on flush. Any ideas? flush video

is that a hickey?

lisawin — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:23:23 -0800

So, I've got this red splotch on my chest. I've only had it since a sunburn last year, and it gets redder if I'm flushed. The sunburn I got last summer wasn't even that bad (I know that sunburns are bad regardless, but it wasn't to the point of blistering or peeling), and if I'm not flushed, its hardly noticeable, if at all. As soon as my face starts getting remotely flushed, this splotch makes its appearance. It's a very specific spot and shape, so its not like post-hot-shower kind of random splotching.

So. What gives?

Flushing before using the toilet?

agregoli — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 13:09:12 -0800

I've noticed some of the women in my office flush the toilet before they do any of their business. Does anyone know what superstition or purpose this is supposed to help with?

Flush, flush, flush...

wondercow — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 12:27:28 -0800

Why do toilets in private homes generally have a tank, whereas in most commercial/public/dormitory/stadium/etc. restrooms they do not have a tank? Google searches, Wikipedia, and a previous AskMe question provide lots of information on HOW the two types work, but this doesn't answer my question. I want to know WHY tanks are so ubiquitous in private homes and nearly unseen in public estabilshments with multiple stalls in a single restroom.

Long term side effects of using Pepcid AC to combat the Asian Flush?

MaverickX — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 18:36:34 -0800

Long term side effects of using Pepcid AC to combat the Asian Flush? This is a followup of sorts to this question posted awhile ago.

So I've been using this method for about a year now and it really does work. Take about 40mg-60mg of Pepcid AC Max Strength (2-3 pills) with water about an hour before food or drinks. It does prevent the redness from ocurring.

My question is, what are the long term side effects of taking this amount of Pepcid (famotidine) about 1-2 times a week? I've seen quotes of a study that said 300mg of Pepcid was being used to treat an ulcer with no real side effects - can that be trusted?

Any info, especially from doctors, would be greatly appreciated.

Toilets without Tanks: How Do They Work? Do They Clog?

WCityMike — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:10:25 -0800

PlumbingFilter: Help me understand my new tankless toilet with no shut-off valve. What do I do if it clogs? In my new apartment, I have a toilet that doesn’t have a tank and has a forceful jet-like ‘ka-WHOOSH!’ flushing action, which seems in all ways identical to the toilets you see in office buildings and most outside-the-home venues.

Please tell me, or guide me to resources about, how this system works. (I must not be using the correct search terms, as my Google-fu fails me. I located information about the systems airlines use -- vacuum drainage systems -- but I don't think this is the same, given that airline systems are, to the best of my recollection, nearly waterless and require the lid be closed.)

I’m interested in a general comprehension of how a tankless toilet system works, but also specifically interested in whether it could clog and overflow in the same way a toilet with a tank could, given the same circumstances (too much toilet paper or … er … ahem … material).

If so, in such a circumstance, how could I prevent the major flooding and water damage without access to the water turn-off valve one sees with toilets with tanks? Or do these toilets operate in a way in which overflowing becomes less likely or impossible? Or, in such a case, would I just be screwed? (And if so, why would they create a system with such an obvious design flaw?)

Red faced

reformedjerk — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 21:50:17 -0800

I have heard that some people have successfully used Pepcid AC to combat the effects of the so-called "Asian Flush"--the condition where an indivdual experiences severe flushing of the face after consuming a small amount of alcohol. What is the basis for this claim if any?

Fancy flushing toilets

ackptui — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 04:44:06 -0800

Autoflush-filter: My company's new building has fancy new toilets that are supposed to flush themselves. I get there early in the morning, and for a while, the toilets appear to be 'hyper', and will flush multiple times while on the throne. Later in the day, it's almost like they become 'fatigued', and sometimes fail to flush even once per use. I also seem to get them going when I wear striped or camo shirts to work. Anyone know how these little beauties work, and what might might be making for the variations noted?