remember the last time you entered that bathroom only to be knocked backward and unconcious by the horrific odour that was lurking in there? now you can have advanced warning so that you can be prepared. a sensor in the bathroom would determine the quantity of pollutants in the air and relay the information to a small panel just outside the door. a green light would indicate that it's safe to enter, and a red light would tell you to "give it a few minutes".
-- mihali, Apr 06 2001

Smelly flush http://www.halfbake...idea/Smelly_20Flush
Similar idea... [pnewp, Apr 06 2001, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Excellent idea. Without meaning to be sexist though, I think this will only appeal to the females of the household.
-- baby_steffee, Apr 06 2001


Eau contraire, mon steffee! I just happen to be male and would quite appreciate such a device for the office.
-- absterge, Apr 06 2001


that's actually where i got the idea in the first place, but i figured it would be just as useful in the home.
-- mihali, Apr 06 2001


This would be handy throughout the house. If you've been sitting around the house and gotten used to the lingering smell of the last thing cooked and uncleaned catbox, it could give you a warning before guests arrived.
-- djymm, Apr 07 2001


what are you doing baking bread in the bathroom!?!?
-- mihali, Apr 07 2001


and you photograph it too?!?!

are they posted anywhere?
-- mihali, Apr 07 2001


There's a newsgroup.

You could paint this device yellow and market it as 'The Canary'. Or you could think of a good marketing idea and use that instead.
-- Monkfish, Apr 08 2001


so how would you market the bathroom bread maker? i can't see it going over too well with the baking public. or the bathroom-going public either for that matter.
-- mihali, Apr 08 2001


Great idea. I think the sensor would have to allow for the size of the bathroom though (bad smells are worse in small bathrooms). Or perhaps a readout indicating the perils within? Many times I've had problems with bathrooms where the bad smell wasn't from people's bodies, but from hairspray, perfume, cigarettes, etc.
-- kitsune, Apr 10 2001


What'a wrong with the standard extractor fan?
-- rayfo, Jul 01 2001


It just can't seem to fan fast enough.
-- The Military, Jul 01 2001


Hey, [rayfo], you could suggest the 'Bathroom Extractor Fan' as a new idea! :-) <thinks> I hope his sense of humour is as good as I think it is.</thinks>
-- angel, Jul 02 2001


What about a simple emergency fan? When you encounter a super stinky, hit the emergency button and a large fan sucks the mal-air from the room in fewer than 15 seconds... Then the fan turns off to conserve energy and reduce noise levels. This is better than those slow, steady extractor fans that let the stink linger for half an hour or so.
-- LeBain, Sep 20 2001


excellent!! the thing is, everyone should have one on their front door. a warning to all door-to-door salespeople and carollers.
-- threelittleduckswentoutoneday, Dec 17 2002


Great idea! +
-- energy guy, Mar 02 2005


Good for choosing a less stinky outhouse at a concert or event.
-- Giblet, Mar 03 2005



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