# Automatic Toilet Flushing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501 "2014-05-02T14:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/1 "2014-05-02T14:13:34Z")
It seems that nowadays the only place I see auto-flush toilets/urinals are in airports and movie theaters. Even in the busiest of restaurants I don’t usually see them. 1. So why are auto-flush toilets so prevalent in airports? 2. What advantage do auto-flush toilets have over manual flush toilets, and why have these never caught on for residential use? I assume they would cost a lot more to buy and maintain, but if there is some kind of advantage why would that advantage not apply at home? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/2 "2014-05-02T14:28:24Z")
Amazon have one for home use - [http://www.amazon.com/AutoFlush-Automatic-Flusher-Toilets-Rubbermaid/dp/B006U0VRPQ](http://www.amazon.com/AutoFlush-Automatic-Flusher-Toilets-Rubbermaid/dp/B006U0VRPQ) My guess is that Airports and Movie theatres have a larger number of toilet users than most. I would expect the larger sports venues to have them as well. The advantage is that you wont find the previous user’s deposit in the bowl, and you don’t have to touch a handle to flush your own - a handle that was touched by any number of unwashed hands before yours. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/3 "2014-05-02T14:28:31Z")
Why would they be used in homes? At home, if you use the toilet and walk away without flushing, that’s your own business. In public restrooms, though, the next person who uses that toilet isn’t going to be you. ---
**Author:** ![icbm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@icbm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icbm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/4 "2014-05-02T16:52:01Z")
Urinals need to be flushed with water occasionally or else crystals made from the chemicals in pee will form in the pipes and clog them over time. Automated flushers probably go a long way to reducing the maintenance costs for any facility where you cannot count on the user to pull a handle. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/5 "2014-05-02T17:05:45Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > It seems that nowadays the only place I see auto-flush toilets/urinals are in airports and movie theaters. The installed them everywhere here at work, except the “Mahogany Row” area. Apparently, they don’t trust engineers to know how to flush. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/6 "2014-05-02T17:21:58Z")
They’re in one of the buildings at work here. Just don’t bend over to tie your shoe. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/7 "2014-05-02T17:28:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why would they be used in homes? A disabled homeowner? (justa guess) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/8 "2014-05-02T17:33:36Z")
They’re expensive and add to maintenance costs so unless your maintenance costs from unflushed toilets is greater than the installation cost there’s no reason to install them. We have them at work, even with fairly small bathrooms, two stalls, two urinals, but it was part of revamping all the bathrooms. Before that the old stuff had problems with not flushing at all or running constantly. I believe these are wired to a central location so building maintenance can see if one is stuck on or off. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/9 "2014-05-02T17:55:58Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > They’re expensive and add to maintenance costs so unless your maintenance costs from unflushed toilets is greater than the installation cost there’s no reason to install them. We have them at work, even with fairly small bathrooms, two stalls, two urinals, but it was part of revamping all the bathrooms. Before that the old stuff had problems with not flushing at all or running constantly. I believe these are wired to a central location so building maintenance can see if one is stuck on or off. Exactly. If you can’t save a bunch of money by using them (such as eliminating labor costs), they probably aren’t worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/10 "2014-05-02T17:56:30Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > The installed them everywhere here at work, except the “Mahogany Row” area. Apparently, they don’t trust engineers to know how to flush. We have them here, as well as auto paper towel dispensers and faucets. I assume it’s to avoid germ transmission so the entire office doesn’t catch cold at the same time. I see them in ski area, sporting arenas, and pretty much anywhere that there’s new construction or recent remodeling. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/11 "2014-05-02T18:01:36Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > We have them here, as well as auto paper towel dispensers and faucets. I assume it’s to avoid germ transmission so the entire office doesn’t catch cold at the same time. I see them in ski area, sporting arenas, and pretty much anywhere that there’s new construction or recent remodeling. We have those, too. Trouble is, they don’t work half the time. So we either have no hand towels, or we have to manually turn the roll, spreading our deadly pathogens onto the very thing we use to protect ourselves! Plus, executives are allowed to get sick, I guess.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/12 "2014-05-02T18:10:12Z")
BTW: Trick for the auto paper towel dispensers. If you pull down on the tiny bit of paper towel dispensed you can get more to comeout by waving your hand in front of the optical sensor again. It won’t dispense more until it feels that pull, like you were actually tearing it off. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/13 "2014-05-02T19:13:24Z")
Do people actually _like_ using these things? Toilets, not urinals. The seem to solve that unasked question: why doesn’t the toilet randomly flush while I’m pooping? And if I am using a seat cover, I’d really like to experience getting half of it torn out from under me. Also, wearing shorts is an exercise in _shudder_. If you’re concerned with germs, the doorknob is probably a bigger issue. Airports solve this by having a winding corridor (that some guy in a hurry is always rushing blindly through) in lieu of a door. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/14 "2014-05-03T02:17:10Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Do people actually _like_ using these things? Toilets, not urinals. The seem to solve that unasked question: why doesn’t the toilet randomly flush while I’m pooping? And if I am using a seat cover, I’d really like to experience getting half of it torn out from under me. Also, wearing shorts is an exercise in _shudder_. > > If you’re concerned with germs, the doorknob is probably a bigger issue. Airports solve this by having a winding corridor (that some guy in a hurry is always rushing blindly through) in lieu of a door. Protip: Take a couple squares of TP and lay it over the IR sensor on the flush mechanism. The auto won’t flush until you are ready. Just remove the TP and swooooosh there it goes!🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/15 "2014-05-03T02:29:47Z")
Plus at home you’re highly likely to create a lot of “false positive” flushes simply by walking past the toilet in your (probably smallish) bathroom while doing everything else you do in there, or by having your kids wave at it just to see how little it takes to trigger the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/16 "2014-05-03T02:43:37Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Protip: Take a couple squares of TP and lay it over the IR sensor on the flush mechanism. The auto won’t flush until you are ready. Just remove the TP and swooooosh there it goes!🆒 How do you get TP to stick over a vertical sensor? Wait, maybe I don’t want to know the answer to this. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/17 "2014-05-03T05:03:27Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > How do you get TP to stick over a vertical sensor? > > Wait, maybe I don’t want to know the answer to this. Ha ha On the ones we have, the sensor is a separate metal box attached to the water pipe, where the flush handle used to be: [http://www.touchfreeconcepts.com/images/New\_Improved\_toilet.jpg](http://www.touchfreeconcepts.com/images/New_Improved_toilet.jpg) Just drape TP over the housing. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/18 "2014-05-03T22:22:20Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > We have them here, as well as auto paper towel dispensers and faucets. I assume it’s to avoid germ transmission so the entire office doesn’t catch cold at the same time. I see them in ski area, sporting arenas, and pretty much anywhere that there’s new construction or recent remodeling. We have these too. I see these everywhere in restaurants and fast food places – no-touch faucets and towel dispensers. I’m going to guess that it’s all part of the currently popular hysteria about germs. Likewise, all the supermarkets and many other stores have dispensers at the front door with those anti-bacterial pre-moistened hand-wipes. I think you’re supposed to wipe your hands and the handles of the shopping carts. ETA: Worth repeating in case anybody missed it above: > [@TriPolar](#): > > BTW: Trick for the auto paper towel dispensers. If you pull down on the tiny bit of paper towel dispensed you can get more to comeout by waving your hand in front of the optical sensor again. It won’t dispense more until it feels that pull, like you were actually tearing it off. Yes, I’ve discovered that trick too. It works. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/19 "2014-05-05T08:15:30Z")
Also, they tend to use more water than regular toilets. Besides the accidental triggering as you brush your teeth, exit the shower\*, etc., if you stand up to wipe, most of them will trigger a flush. Then after finishing wiping, you have to trigger a second flush to dispose of your used toilet paper. So often at least twice as many flushes as a regular toilet. And in a home, where you are billed for the amount of water you use, this can get expensiv (as well as being bad for the environment). \*An acquaintance of mine, a plumbing contractor, had a fancy one of these installed in his house, just to have the newest & greatest plumbing installation. After his wife reached out from the shower to get her shampoo and triggered a flush (with corrosponding effects on the shower water temperature), he was told in no uncertain terms to get that damn thing removed post-haste! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501/20 "2014-05-05T08:53:30Z")
It has never occurred to me to _stand up_ before wiping. Is this a thing with the youngsters these days? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-toilet-flushing/687501.md?page=2)