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Boeing's Self-Cleaning Aircraft Bathroom Lets You Use Loo Without Touching Anything

Posted by timothy on from the infomercial-in-the-making dept.

coondoggie writes: With barely enough space to um, sit, and with high capacity usage, the commercial airline toilet perhaps is an engineering marvel but little else. Boeing however is looking to that notion with a self-cleaning aircraft bathroom -- known as the Fresh Lavatory -- that the company says uses ultraviolet (UV) light to kill 99.99% of germs in the loo -- and even puts down the toilet seat lid. "We're trying to alleviate the anxiety we all face when using a restroom that gets a workout during a flight," said Jeanne Yu, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Director of Environmental Performance in a statement. "In the prototype, we position the lights throughout the lavatory so that it floods the touch surfaces like the toilet seat, sink and countertops with the UV light once a person exits the lavatory. This sanitizing even helps eliminate odors."

6 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. It doubles as a tanning booth by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's a dessert topping AND a floor wax.

  2. Loo? by msauve · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can see Boing (a US company) calling it a bathroom, a restroom, a toilet, or a head. But loo? That's Airbus territory.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    1. Re:Loo? by msauve · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah. Damn muscle memory in my fingers sometimes gets in the way of spelling. Probably less of an issue for someone who hunts and pecks. Glad you were able to figure it out though.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  3. Speak of the devil by mdsolar · · Score: 3, Funny

    News for plumbers--stuff that flushes.

  4. Re: Article title by Type44Q · · Score: 4, Funny

    Seriously. If I don't touch anything, I'm liable to piss all over myself.

  5. Re:UV light =/= self cleaning by NotQuiteReal · · Score: 4, Funny

    You have to drop one euro in a slot to get in, but it gives you a receipt that gets you your money back if you buy anything.

    What would I want to buy from the toilet?

    --
    This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.