Dumb Question
- Thread starter lehighsail
- Start date
Agree that it would be more difficult to clean as compared to nonskid gelcoat.
Only positive is that is not slippery when wet.
It looks like that is a grate designed to keep you off the floor and allow drainage under the feet. Our boat is designed this way with a teak grate. The head is also a shower and the grate allows water to drain while showering.
We find that removing the grate gives a little more headroom since it lowers the effective floor a couple of inches. But, the plain white gel coat is kind of stark, always dirty, and cold under bare feet at night.
I've never done anything in the head that made me concerned about a wood floor grate being unsanitary.
We find that removing the grate gives a little more headroom since it lowers the effective floor a couple of inches. But, the plain white gel coat is kind of stark, always dirty, and cold under bare feet at night.
I've never done anything in the head that made me concerned about a wood floor grate being unsanitary.
That is there as a floor for a shower. There should be a drain in the floor, and a sump below that with a pump that sends the shower water overboard or to a holding tank. Owners that "cheap out" on this system may let that drain directly into the bilge, which is often a source of an unpleasant smell from the bilge that owners seem unable to rid from the boat. Even if you don't use the shower, having a drain is great to wash down the head, especially if you have guys aboard who won't sit down to urinate.
I'd pull it up, clean it with the 2 part teak Snappy Teak-Nu Two Step Teak Cleaning Kit. Follow the directions and your teak will be more beautiful than you could have imagined.
I'd pull it up, clean it with the 2 part teak Snappy Teak-Nu Two Step Teak Cleaning Kit. Follow the directions and your teak will be more beautiful than you could have imagined.
FOSWICK
I've never done anything in the head that made me concerned about a wood floor grate being unsanitary.
[/QUOTE]
During a flush or pumping out of the toilet, a plume of aerosolized particles and bacteria can be put into the air for several feet and will settle on all surfaces in the head whether or not the lid is closed. In such a close environment,
if not cleaned and sanitized regularly, this can pose health or at least distasteful (no pun intended) situation.
I've never done anything in the head that made me concerned about a wood floor grate being unsanitary.
[/QUOTE]
During a flush or pumping out of the toilet, a plume of aerosolized particles and bacteria can be put into the air for several feet and will settle on all surfaces in the head whether or not the lid is closed. In such a close environment,
if not cleaned and sanitized regularly, this can pose health or at least distasteful (no pun intended) situation.
I was just sort of trying to be funny. But, what you say is only technically and marginally true.
There is generally an inflated concern about aerosolization because of numerous studies that demonstrate the effect. The vast majority of those studies are based on commercial high-volume, pressurized land toilets and apply much less to an average household high-efficiency toilet (like orders of magnitude less) and certainly even less to most marine heads (though I know of no study that looked at that, specifically). The general consensus is that the main contributor to aerosolization is pressure. More pressure = more aerosols traveling farther. So, yes, it occurs with a marine head, but likely just barely.
Also, a teak grate is not exactly a petri dish. It is usually dry, exposed to light and air, and doesn’t provide a food source. Bacteria without a wet, nutrient-rich environment die quickly (often within hours). In fact, there is considerable evidence that microbes die out more quickly on wood than on many non-absorbent surfaces. (For example, read studies on wood vs plastic cutting boards. Also, similar studies demonstrate this in a medical setting - that wood can outperform steel, glass, and plastic.)
In practice, bilge pumps, wet foulies, and galley sponges are all much bigger vectors of “boat germs” than a teak grate in the head.
All I'm saying is that, if you are bothered by the science of it, then you probably should not be, because science doesn't support any elevated health/sanitation risk, as compared to the alternatives. But, the bottom line is that, if it bothers you, you should remove/replace it, obviously. Just understand that it is probably not in the top 5 pathogen vectors on your boat. If you are genuinely concerned about aerosols, the MUCH greater issue is anything you would touch with your hand.
The only thing that wouldn't make sense is to replace it with an absorbent mat/rug.
There is generally an inflated concern about aerosolization because of numerous studies that demonstrate the effect. The vast majority of those studies are based on commercial high-volume, pressurized land toilets and apply much less to an average household high-efficiency toilet (like orders of magnitude less) and certainly even less to most marine heads (though I know of no study that looked at that, specifically). The general consensus is that the main contributor to aerosolization is pressure. More pressure = more aerosols traveling farther. So, yes, it occurs with a marine head, but likely just barely.
Also, a teak grate is not exactly a petri dish. It is usually dry, exposed to light and air, and doesn’t provide a food source. Bacteria without a wet, nutrient-rich environment die quickly (often within hours). In fact, there is considerable evidence that microbes die out more quickly on wood than on many non-absorbent surfaces. (For example, read studies on wood vs plastic cutting boards. Also, similar studies demonstrate this in a medical setting - that wood can outperform steel, glass, and plastic.)
In practice, bilge pumps, wet foulies, and galley sponges are all much bigger vectors of “boat germs” than a teak grate in the head.
All I'm saying is that, if you are bothered by the science of it, then you probably should not be, because science doesn't support any elevated health/sanitation risk, as compared to the alternatives. But, the bottom line is that, if it bothers you, you should remove/replace it, obviously. Just understand that it is probably not in the top 5 pathogen vectors on your boat. If you are genuinely concerned about aerosols, the MUCH greater issue is anything you would touch with your hand.
The only thing that wouldn't make sense is to replace it with an absorbent mat/rug.
This is spot on!
Wood can outperform smooth surfaces such as mentioned above. Depending upon the species of wood - it can be MUCH better! I don't know where teak falls in the woods that studies have been done on, but the concern for sanitary on your grate is going to be minimal, if not even less...
dj
Is that a wet shower? It looks like water could drain down to a sump to be pumped out to the bilge or out of a through hull.
Yes it is a wet shower. Even without the wood floor the water would drain down to a sump, probably a lot easier and a lot more complete.
Usually the head is also a shower with drain to dedicated small bilge pump. The wood keeps your feet out of the soapy water below. I'm surprised at this incredibly naive question.
Why would you admonish someone for asking a question? Bad form.
OOF! that is the truth. Mine seems to take days to dry and gets absolutely horrid if i dont wring it out with soap after every use. My teak bathroom grate i never do anything to and recently took it out for varnish. Was no funk or anything.
To add, my nonskid gelcoat shower pan surface under the teak grate requires regular scrubbing and bleaching. Im in the process of sanding it smooth and re-gelcoating with a smooth finish to prevent it from getting gross. I'm glad i have a nice, varnished teak grate to keep my feet off of that surface.
I removed my wood grate, there is nonskid surface on head floor & a drain. I mostly shower outside, so it looks cleaner, less maintenance, works well & still looks bristol enough with an added teak toilet seat.