Differences between commodes and toilets

I often receive this question and many people will equate commodes to the same as toilets - but they are not. Although, you don't often hear people say where can I find the nearest commode (unless they've happened to learn all their English from an 19th century book).

As discussed in earlier posts a commode in Victorian times (and even today) is used to refer to a low-lying set of drawers or a portable washstand with a cupboard hidden beneath the counter top. However, for the purposes of this discussion we shall take the definition of the most commonly referred to definition a piece of portable toilet apparatus to collect stool and/or urine. The commode is basically a boxy structure which hides and supports a seat over a removable chamberpot or bedpan. It's often used for old age people who have perhaps mobility problems and can't get to a toilet or people with disability problems.

Do you think this blog needs a design overhaul? Celebrating Over a Year Blogging

So I've noticed that blogger now has some pretty cool template designs that you can easily switch to, which I've done for some of my other blogs. But, I've kinda grown attached to this template, after more than a years worth of blog posts.

Anyway I'd be interested to know what my readers think, (if they're still visiting my blog, I know I know I've been a bit slack on the updates last few months), so if you have any recommendations for which template designs I should use for my commode blog I'd love to hear from you. Put a comment and a link to your site, showing what design template you're currently using so I can get some ideas of how my blog could look!

Have a nice weekend!

A good article on how to repair a toilet/commode

Actually, i hate it when people use the same word for a commode when in fact they actually mean a toilet. But, this is still a good article for anyone wanting to save a bit of cash, and fix their toilet themself without calling out an expensive plumber:

http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-a-Toilet-/-Commode

Invitation for my readers to write about their commodes

An idea I'd like to test with this blog, is inviting you the loyal reader, to write about commodes you have, purchased, plan to purchase or commodes you have seen out and about that have got your attention. The stories you write can be based on modern commodes or the French meaning of commodes - i.e. chest with drawers. I'd like to engage my readers a bit more, and add some more interesting content to the blog as well. I'm going to keep this invitation open until the 30th March, and there will be an Amazon voucher prize for the best submission. Please send your submissions via email, and keep images under 50K - Thanks: Email me

Designing a Commode

To look at the commode on first glance, its seems a relatively simple design, and too many extents and purposes it is. But when one bears in mind, the extreme functionality of the commode has to have: it has to be hygienic - easy to clean, the components must be strong and durable, ideally materials should be used that don't rust easily, components must be adjustable to suit the user and so on. The problem with many commodes is that many commodes are made up of several parts, with tough to remove joints, and this makes them harder to take apart for dismantling or cleaning.

However, the design council has addressed this problem with some of their latest designs of commodes:

http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/Design-Council/Files/Landing-pages/Design-Bugs-Out/Commode/

The fact that there are fewer touch points between the patient and the commode is a particular attractive feature that reduces cross infection of nasty germs and bacteria. Its good to see that there's always scope for improving existing modern designs of commodes in line with functionality and health and safety aspects as well.

Happy New Year Year To All readers

Thanks very much for your blog comments, and all hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Now the turkey has well and truly been stuffed, and our waistlines have expanded, and we begin to think about how we're best going to implement our new year's resolutions, I thought for 2010 we'd start by looking at some of my resolutions for blogging generally:

1.I will try and provide more useful content for the readers, but you guys have got to help me out a little as well, and send me stuff you want to read about so I can get an idea if Im on the right track.
2. I will not be blogging as frequently due to starting at a new company and ha ving to work insane hours, thus my blogging alloted slots are somewhat limited. This shall mean few more infrequent posts, but hopefully ones of good quality rather than ones of rubbish quality.
3. Finally, I'm all for SEO and getting higher ranking in the search engines. This used to be my last job, so I know a bit about it. However, frankly time is a big factor, and I just dont have any of it these days even this early on. So if you want to help me out by linking to useful content on my post please do, and slip in a relevant keyword or two I'd be very grateful. Email me if you choose to do this, and Ill do something in return for you.

So here's to a great year ahead, and hope it's all you wish for and more!

Yahoo answers: Does putting a brick in your commode reduce EC/WC

With climate change talks happening in Copenhagen this week, I'd thought i'd have a little search and see what comes up with conserving water consumption when it comes to commode toilets and found this funny question:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070727053152AAuSvbW

I can't really imagine anyone doing this, actually putting a brick in their commode toilet, to reduce water consumption, lol. What about all the residues from the brick totally ruining your stylish commode. As pointed out in some of the answers, perhaps this was done in the 70's - but common it's 2009. The mind boggles. A far better solutions as offered by one of the readers is to install an adjustable flapper valve, which is very cheap and certainly less messy than putting a brick down there.