Add a Shower to your Toilet

Step 4 Using the Toilet Sprayer

With everything hooked up, turn on the main valve that comes out of the wall. Check to make sure there aren't any leaks. Now, turn on the valve for the sprayer and again check for leaks. Obviously, if there are any leaks you should track them down and fix them - usually by tightening things up a bit more.

Using the sprayer is pretty straight-forward. Simply hold the poopy diaper inside the toilet bowl and spray it off. Always aim downward, and work from the top to the bottom. You may want to wear gloves, but I don't. I just wash my hands after I'm finished.

When the diaper is rinsed off, plop it in a bucket with all the other rinsed diapers. Flush the poops down the toilet, and rinse off the sprayer head in the sink. Close the valve* for the sprayer each time you're finished using it.

And there you have it! No wiping, no scrubbing and no garbage bins filled with guacamole poop. Once the diapers are washed in the laundry machine, hang them outside to dry on a clothes line. The UV light from the sun helps disinfect them further, and the fresh air makes them smell fresher.

When your kids have outgrown diapers, simply remove the sprayer and donate it to a friend!

UPDATE: My wife has informed me that the sprayer is also great for cleaning out the catch bowl from our daughter's training potty, and for rinsing out the sink after it's been washed.

UPDATE 2: The sprayer came in handy today for rinsing all the little hairs out of the sink after shaving my face. Sweet!

*The valve is technically optional, though I do recommend it. If you have a toddler, they will almost definitely find the hose and try to use it. The valve will hopefully prevent them from filling the bathroom with a foot of water.

Comments

[Galway]

The lease expensive backflow preventer I can find is designed for use in drip irrigation. 3-10 dollar range. The problem is that it is sized for use on a garden faucet, 3/4 inch. If a person was going to install the on/off valve as well you could use an enlargement bell(s) to hopefully go up in size to 3/4 and then reducers to get back down to the 3/8 hose.

[mrsmlgn]

I wish I'd this 18 years ago! I'm passing this along to everyone! Great Idea!

[jeff-o]

You've got me beat: I wish I'd thought of this 18 months ago. ;)

[kkirkpat]

Jeff, that's pure genius. I love it. I would use this to rinse our jars of expired condiments to flush (so it doesn't clog my sink) before I recycle the jar :)

[Crispie J]

Yes!! Finally, a solution to those nasty half-full jars of semi-liquid contents that must be disposed of before recycling!

[jeff-o]

Thanks! I can't take credit for the genius bit though, since I did replicate an existing (though more expensive) commercial product. And yeah - I suppose this does have many uses outside of cleaning dirty cloth diapers!

[Caspar]

Seems we need an Instructable on making a cheap non-return valve. ;-)

[jeff-o]

No kidding, eh?

[mIIwaukee]

This is how I wash all our dishes... Just kidding!