In the latest ‘we can’t believe someone is being paid to study this’ news, US scientists have developed a super-slippery spray-on coating for your loo that will help usher on any stubborn excrement on its way.
The coating – known as a “liquid entrenched smooth surface” and slipperier than Teflon – has been shown to reduce stuck-on faeces by up to 90%, and the benefits are more than just having a cleaner toilet.
The researchers from Penn State University say the coating – which takes just five minutes to apply – could save on household water usage and prevent odours and bacteria building up in toilets – important in developing world countries where access to hygienic toilets can be difficult.
The team certainly ‘took one for the team’ in its development, testing it first with synthetic faeces mixed with a fluorescent dye to measures how much water it took to dislodge, before moving onto the real thing sourced from three anonymous donors (we wonder who put their hand up for that job?)
While this story gave us a giggle, it does have a serious note – with over 141 billion litres of water used to flush toilets around the world every day, nearly six times the water consumption of Africa, it could save a lot of much-needed water from going down the drain.
It’s also welcome news for those of us with a partner who struggles to take the loo brush out of its holder when required.
