# Please don't eat the urinal cakes: UL? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610 "2001-04-20T00:34:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/1 "2001-04-20T00:34:41Z")
I just happened upon a site where I saw people talking about eating urinal cakes. My interest naturally piqued, I did a search for “eat urinal cakes” and came upon many many links where people were talking about signs they had seen in public restrooms that warned patrons not to eat the urinal cakes. I have to think that this is an urban legend, but none of the links I checked offered no debunking or even skepticism. I have been in a few public restrooms in my time, and would think that if this were true, I would have seen such a sign posted in at least one. Strange that nobody mentions whether or not it’s safe to drink the water from the urinal. I would think that would be more of a problem than eating the cakes. Waddayas think? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/2 "2001-04-20T01:34:51Z")
Please! They are properly called “pee pucks.” Seriously, though, they are quite tasty served with a side of silica-gel packets. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/3 "2001-04-20T01:40:04Z")
I just wanted to mention I **have** seen signs warning not to drink toilet water. The actual wording was “Water in toilets is for flushing only” and had a drawing of a cup full of water, along with a slash through it. Don’t know anything about the cakes. ---
**Author:** ![fenrir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/43a26b/32.png) [@fenrir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fenrir)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/4 "2001-04-20T02:18:02Z")
My grandfather told me when i was about 6 or so they were called piss mints.Maybe because they are called cakes or mints we must remind some people they aren’t food.And my thinking is. if someone wants to drink urinal water just keep them away from me. ---
**Author:** ![Ell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@Ell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ell)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/5 "2001-04-20T02:45:32Z")
If you ever see one of these signs please take it down. We could really get rid of a lot of stupid people. ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/6 "2001-04-20T05:10:58Z")
Do people eat urinal cakes? Well, they might if they were 12th-century French peasants transported to Chicago by a botched magical potion, you know. 🙂 “The forest is in a small wheel! Smell it!” ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/7 "2001-04-20T06:21:00Z")
When I read the OP, I thought you were referring to some sort of Underwriter’s Laboratory study. Time for bed. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/8 "2001-04-20T08:06:53Z")
Beavis says he tried one once, made his mouth pucker up. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/9 "2001-04-20T11:39:30Z")
ITURI makes a comment in one of the Straight Dope books about a sign in the men’s washroom warning “Do not eat the mints”. Swear to god, one of the funniest things I’ve ever read. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/10 "2001-04-20T13:47:14Z")
And how about those “Say No To Drugs” signs printed up on the bottom of the urinals? What…is…up…with that? 🙂 I always derive great enjoyment pissing on the public service announcements printed on the urinal liner. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/11 "2001-04-20T15:59:13Z")
I have a newsarticle somewhere that the gay bar in Monterey Calif (not there anymore) had this customer who kept taking urinal cakes from the bathroom. They never caught who it was though. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/12 "2001-04-20T17:13:58Z")
Why do you think sailors call them “marine mints?” ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-eat-the-urinal-cakes-ul/62610/13 "2001-04-20T17:27:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cabbage \* > \*\*I just wanted to mention I have seen signs warning not to drink toilet water. \*\* I remember seeing these signs on the Greyhound bus chemical toilets. As if bus travel doesn’t make one queasy as it is.