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A Bathroom That Cleans Itself
FiReaNGeL writes "Researchers at the University of New South Wales are developing new coatings they hope will be used for self-cleaning surfaces in hospitals and the home. It's made of a special nanoparticle coating that absorbs ultraviolet light below a certain wavelength and gives the particles an oxidizing quality stronger than any commercial bleach. Say goodbye to tedious bathroom cleaning!"
What is this "bathroom cleaning" you speak of? I'm intrigued and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
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... for the mothers of most slashdotters.
This seems much better than my idea of putting a big drain in the floor and using giant sprinklers hanging from the ceilings to clean my house; sort of like living in a giant dishwasher. Probably easier on the electronic devices too.
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Will it sweep up stray hairs after I have shaved my shoulders before a hot date?
It's the stuff people see that bothers them the most, in my experience :)
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I never exactly said "hello" to tedious bathroom cleaning, as the watermelon-sized bacteria in there can attest to.
They should just install 3 sea shells in each bathroom. That will make a cleaner society for us all.
People (at least the ones I know) do not clean their bathroom for health reasons. They do it because it's it's visually discusting. Now matter how healthy this new substance is, it will NOT get rid of the yellow stains on and around the toilet.
Life is not for the lazy.
I'm not sure if I want to have that. I think "germs" and my cells aren't all that different in their ability to resist being killed. In fact, I think some germs can outlast my cells so intuitively, I don't think this idea is very safe. Maybe the right solution isn't to kill every thing but learn to live with bacterias, etc. Plus, it's not so much the micro-organisms that worry me but just rather bits of dust and hair that start to collect in some areas that bothers me and this idea doesn't really provide a solution to that.
On the other hand, I've always wanted a titanium (not titanium oxide) clad bathroom that I can just torch or something to clean it the same way my oven does. When I first read the title, I thought someone figured out a smart and economical way of doing this.
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How much UV radiation do I get in my bathroom to activate this with?
Are they expecting me to hang UV Elvis Felt Paintings and install UV lamps?
I predict the bathrooms needing this the worst will be the ones getting the least UV radiation.
Why do you say that? Perhaps you should read up to find out what oxidation actually means. Just because it has that "ox" in it doesn't mean that it's directly related to Oxygen.
Anyway the answer to your question is no, it won't be floating in the air, it'll be coated on the toilet.
It will be stuck to the tiles and sinks. It will have an effect similar to oxidizing the biological stuff (germs, viruses, fungi) that contact it. The harmess gunk that remains will easily wash off.
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Note to self: NEVER accept an invitation to go to this guy's house...
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As a janitor, I can tell you that this will not eliminate the need for cleaning staff. The most important thing we do is replace supplies. The next biggest thing we do is fix unusual problems before they get to be a serious problem (lady flushes sanitary product, someone shits all over sink, etc.). As far as sinks and counters go, we polish mirrors, and then get hair and soap off of sinks. The most important thing is to have the bathroom look good. This might help with getting black gunk and algae out of toilets or sanitizing fixtures, but the important things will still require janitors. People never seem to realize the amount of critical thinking required. You can't replace cleaning staff with untrained or stupid people or machines unless you want problems. We notice things that a machine wouldn't notice and clean or fix. Paying attention to small things can really save your ass sometimes. For instance, if the tone drops on the vacuum cleaner, you have a slipping belt. If you ignore it, you get melted rubber all over the floor. An untrained person doesn't notice this, and has to pay to replace burned carpet. A machine has similar problems. You can't simply automate cleanup crews.
Better yet, a keyboard made out of it, so that we don't have to put up with lame-ass stories about how there are so many bacteria on our keyboards compared to a toilet seat.
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As long as it doesn't bleach my ass, I'm okay with it. It's white enough from lack of sunlight as it is, thank you very much.
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There are times throughout the day when I must 'hit the can'.
A strange light inside the restroom, seems to make my skin turn tan.
Now I'm feeling ill from restroom visit number four.
If I do not get out of here, I'll faint upon the floor.
Ooohhhhhh, SuperHydroPhiliciticexpialidocious.
Just the very sound of it, makes me feel quite atrocious.
The chemicals inside this stuff, just burns my lungs ferocious.
SuperHydroPhiliciticexpialidocious.
There's test results that say that female parts will grow precocious.
SuperHydroPhiliciticexpialidocious.
Skin cancer from the lights will make your final days atrocious.
SuperHydroPhiliciticexpialidocious!!!!
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Give me a C, a bouncy C.
Just because it has that "ox" in it doesn't mean that it's directly related to Oxygen.
Actually a large ruminant enters the bathroom and tramples the bacteria.
... because this is the best answer I have ever seen to the question "So what do you do that cannot more profitably automated or outsourced to $COUNTRY_WITH_LOWER_STANDARD_OF_LIVING?" and it was posted by a janitor.
Help poke pirates in the eyepatch, arr.
Mom said: "toothbrush in MOUTH, Billy. Not THERE. BAD BOY!"
The Slashdot Hygiene Squad is very, very cross with you.
Actually, the word oxidation does come from oxygen, stemming from the fact that oxidation requires oxygen. Or at least, we thought it required oxygen, but it is possible to oxidize something without oxygen, something discovered will after oxidization got its name.
;)
Chemistry is full of misnomers, oxygen itself is another, from oxy (acid) gen (generator) because it was thought that oxygen was required to create acids.
So don't blame the guy for assuming oxidation requires oxygen
being vague is almost as cool as doing that other thing...