# What's so special about waterless urinals? Why can't regular ones do the same thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2009, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367 "2009-03-05T07:11:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/21 "2009-03-05T19:48:08Z")
What an absolutely terrible and gross idea, I definitely hope the white house gets those first if Obama starts pushing for them on environmental grounds. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/22 "2009-03-05T19:49:39Z")
> [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](#): > > What an absolutely terrible and gross idea, I definitely hope the white house gets those first if Obama starts pushing for them on environmental grounds. Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I’ve seen a few of these in several high-use places around California and I’ve never noticed an unusual odor problem. If the odor can be properly controlled and they are indeed more environmentally-friendly (not sure about that oil…), then why not? ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/23 "2009-03-05T20:18:20Z")
They have these in the San Mateo City main library branch. I have never noticed a smell problem. I imagine that you need to clean them on a regular basis and replace the oil on schedule. Jonathan ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/24 "2009-03-05T21:29:51Z")
I’ve heard of people using a cup of water from the faucets to rinse out the bowl/pipes of a waterless urinal. Even if you do that, it’s still somewhat more efficient than a typical low-flow urinal. I haven’t seen them in action, though. And, let’s be honest, half the bathrooms that smell do so because of urine on the floor. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/25 "2009-03-05T21:42:54Z")
I have never seen one of these urinals. Are they only in the States? ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/26 "2009-03-05T21:44:18Z")
I only pee in sinks ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/27 "2009-03-05T21:51:29Z")
Grew up with them, they’re called trees. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/28 "2009-03-05T21:55:20Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I have never seen one of these urinals. Are they only in the States? The [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterless_urinal#Waterless_urinals) says Brisbane has some too. It also says there are oil-less units… I wonder if maybe those are the ones that don’t trap odor as well? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/29 "2009-03-05T22:04:47Z")
The low flow urinals flush half a gallon of water so a cup of water is still less. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/30 "2009-03-05T22:08:24Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > Grew up with them, they’re called trees. Are you calling my girlfriend a tree? This thread sure is going down the drain… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367/31 "2009-03-05T22:11:06Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I’ve seen a few of these in several high-use places around California and I’ve never noticed an unusual odor problem. If the odor can be properly controlled and they are indeed more environmentally-friendly (not sure about that oil…), then why not? Same here. They had them in the restrooms in [Muir Woods](http://www.nps.gov/muwo/), and it actually smelled _less_ like a men’s restroom than the restrooms at our AMC theater. The park was definitely getting their money’s worth; those things saw a lot of traffic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-special-about-waterless-urinals-why-cant-regular-ones-do-the-same-thing/488367.md?page=1)