Toilet Sink

Did you know that an average commode uses approximately 6 gallons of water each time you flush? That doesn't even include the amount of water you use to wash your hands after each visit to the bathroom. That's a lot of water considering how many times you and each of your family members visits that special room each day.

Most commodes are structured to store the water that flows into the bowl in a tank behind the seat until it's needed. The water is completely clean until it hits the bowl. All that clean water just sits there used only to wash down the remnants of your last night's dinner. Wasteful, wasteful.

We reduced this water consumption in our home by installing a commode sink. It's the cutest thing. A little sink that sits on top of the tank of our commode. Each time you flush, water is routed directly from the outside pipe through the sink before going into the tank. After each flush, clean water automatically runs out of the little spigot until the commode tank is full. Plenty to wash your hands and all done without ever turning on the sink. It even has a soap dish. What an ingenious little device.

The commode sink usually causes questions when guests visit. Returning from the bathroom, they're likely to say, "What is that thing on the back of your commode? It looks like a little sink." "Well, that's what it is" I reply. "You're supposed to use it to wash your hands."

That's when the "oooooo-ing starts. Use water on the toilet to wash? I think not.

After assuring them it is clean water, most people think it's clever however some are completely grossed out. They just can't get their head around using commode water to wash with, even if it's "pre-bowl". Oh well, each to his own.

We love our little commode sink. It conserves water and it reminds us to conserve in other ways.

Now I wish we could somehow convert it into a bidet!