My Latest Pet Peeve - automatic faucets

[Amy]

So at my work, we moved into this brand new building about a week and half ago. Very spiffy - it's a "green" building, energy efficient and all that stuff. Self-flushing toilets and automatic faucets. (There are also 6 sinks in the ladies room but only 1 paper towel dispenser. Go figure.)

Anyway, I'm having a problem. I brush my teeth after lunch, but I'm having a tough time dealing with the automatic faucets. I have no problem with not letting the water run when I'm brushing, but when it's time to spit and rinse, I just can't find the "sweet spot" to keep the water running to rinse everything down the drain! The toothbrush isn't fat enough to trip the sensor, and with moving my hand back and forth, my hand doesn't stay in the right spot to keep the water running. So frustrating!

You DIS folks are pretty smart - have any of you figured out a way to deal with this?

 

[laurie31]

Are you using a cup to rinse? You could collect water in the cup and use it to rinse the sink as well.

Kudos to you for brushing at work, btw.

 

[dismom2]

I really wish I knew the secret, too. Some of those automatic things in the bathroom drive me nuts, especially the toilets that keep flushing over and over while you are on them. I wonder if someone can adjust it for you?

 

[All American]

Sorry, I'm no help. I actually dread washing my hands at those types of faucets because of an episode on one of those hidden-camera type shows. They had rigged the automatic faucets so that they could control them. Whenever someone would go to wash their hand, it wouldn't turn on, but the one two faucets away would. The "victim" would go to the working faucet only to have it turn off and a different one turn on.

So frustrating, and everytime I am in the bathroom trying to wash my hands, I can't help but wonder and wait for someone to jump out and say, "Smile! You're on candid camera."

 

[Amy]

Are you using a cup to rinse? You could collect water in the cup and use it to rinse the sink as well.

Duh - why didn't I think of that!! That would probably work. No cups in the ladies room, so I'll have to detour via the kitchenette on my way to brush my teeth. Of course, that'll mean throwing away a paper cup to clog the landfills when I really wouldn't need to if the faucet would just stay on. So much for being a green building!

So far we've been pretty lucky that the toilets don't keep flushing and flushing. Of course, the building's only been occupied for 2 weeks - give us some time! Although I have noticed that some of the stalls take longer to flush, and some stalls flush the minute you stand up. Kind of scary!

 

[BunsenH]

I also dislike doing the "Hand Jive" trying to get a fussy faucet to trigger.

And don't get me started on the blow dryers for your hands that sound like the "Blue Angels" at an air show.

 

[crashbb]

Duh - why didn't I think of that!! That would probably work. No cups in the ladies room, so I'll have to detour via the kitchenette on my way to brush my teeth. Of course, that'll mean throwing away a paper cup to clog the landfills when I really wouldn't need to if the faucet would just stay on. So much for being a green building!

Couldn't you just bring a cup from home and reuse it? Just rinse it out after you use it and store it where you store your toothbrush.

 

[DVCLiz]

Or just take a bottle of water in with you and rinse the sink with it. You can refill the bottle from a faucet outsdide the bathroom if you have one handy or refill it at home.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

So far we've been pretty lucky that the toilets don't keep flushing and flushing. Of course, the building's only been occupied for 2 weeks - give us some time! Although I have noticed that some of the stalls take longer to flush, and some stalls flush the minute you stand up. Kind of scary!

Stick a little post-it note over the sensor until you're done - just like we do at Disney to keep my little ones from getting freaked out by an unexpectedly flushing potty.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

At our office they replaced the sinks with the new automatic sinks with the low flow nozzles. It was taking me a freakin' half an hour to fill up a pot for coffee.

So I uncrewed the nozzle at the end of the sink and the water flows out much faster. You can wash your hands, brush your teeth (although I'm only part time so I'm hardly there), and fill up a pot of coffee in a reasonable amount of time, even with it shutting off.

Just remember to screw it back on when you're done. And try not to drop the rubber gasket down the drain when you do, otherwise the water sprays everywhere.

Oopsie!