We are all familiar with sweating. You don’t have to be an athlete or an active person to experience this natural occurrence regularly. Going for a walk can make us sweat or eat a meal that is too spicy. You can also easily sweat in a gym, at the peak of the summer months, or when someone is under a lot of pressure. Sweat comprises 99% water and 1% fat, and salt.
It is predominantly made up of water and tends to occur due to our bodies’ overheating. Sweat is a mechanism for cooling when our body temperature starts to rise. It does take energy for sweat to evaporate off our skin. The concept of sweating in humans is understandable as we all have first-hand experiences. Did you know toilets also sweat? Let’s quickly explore the idea of sweating toilets.
The meaning of toilet sweat
Toilets do not have to run a marathon or consume highly spicy food to perspire. These facilities usually sweat when their cold surface comes in contact with humid or warm air in the bathroom. Condensation is often formed, which aggregates in the form of droplets.
Common reasons why a toilet sweats
1) Warm shower: A warm shower is always welcome in the cold season. Our bathrooms can easily sweat after we’ve just enjoyed a warm shower, and the heat generated can thus lead to condensation
2) Longer shower: We spend varying degrees of time having a shower. Some people spend longer while others are business-like. The average time it takes to shower is approximately 8 minutes. Consuming more than this amount of time could easily contribute to a sweating toilet.
3) A closed-door after a shower: it is essential to have an open-door policy after having a shower. It helps the dissipation of fumes and condensation. Toilet sweat or condensation is bound to linger on longer when the lavatory doors are constantly shut. You can also implement this policy in a less busy public facility.
4) Leaving the bathroom window open when humid: Humidity usually pertains to atmospheric moisture. Keeping the toilet window open in moments of high humidity can also contribute to toilet sweat. Paying close attention to the humidity levels at given periods is critical to determine if it is better to keep the windows open or shut
How to prevent toilet sweat from taking place
In the case of public toilets, you do not have the power or right to mitigate or prevent toilet sweats from taking place. The obligation lies with the venue management or toilet hire company to figure out an appropriate solution in fixing the toilet sweat situation.
For private toilets, we wrote an article on the benefits of toilet vents. These vents or exhaust fans are significant in extracting the condensation and keeping the bathroom cool and dry. Another form of dehumidifier like an air conditioner can also serve the same purpose. These dehumidifiers can be in-built or portable. Toilet sweats are usually expected to happen, but having the appropriate extractors in place will ensure you do not suffer from a mould problem
