Most of us have a fairly normal, perhaps even mundane bathroom. Some locations, however, have taken bathroom design to a whole new level. Take a look at some of these weird and wonderful bathroom creations from around the world:

The Safe House in the American city of state of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a spy-themed restaurant which sounds like great fun. Getting around the building requires passwords and there are hidden rooms and disappearing ink. Could be a bit annoying if it’s the ink on the menus! Don’t leave it until you’re bursting though as the journey from table to toilet takes around 15 minutes as you navigate complicated mazes and a trick door.

The world’s largest restroom is located in Chongqing, China at a staggering 32,290 square feet. I wouldn’t want to clean it though as it has 1000 toilets! It can be found on ‘Foreigners Street’ and is designed with an Egyptian theme. The reason for its existence is the hope that it will attract tourism to the city. The bathroom plays calming music, has TVs and uniquely shaped urinals. Not sure the Great Wall has got anything to worry about just yet!

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Columbia Tower in Seattle, Washington boasts some of the highest toilets in the world and at the 76^th floor, each cubicle offers fantastic views of the Seattle Skyline. Imagine that as a view as you spend a penny? Your bathroom might not have that kind of view but you can still make the window a lovely sight to behold with new blinds. For Waterproof Blinds, visit http://www.ucblinds.co.uk/PVC-Waterproof-Roller-Blinds

The Bulletproof Bathroom of Beijing, China is a design that resulted in anti-terror feelings after 9/11. If you’re stuck in Beijing during any trouble then head for this loo in Zhong Guan Village Plaza as its most likely the safest one in the world. The toilet is immune to TNT and weighs 15 tonnes!

The Aquarium Bathroom in Akashi, Japan sounds delightful and you’ll want to take your time in this one. Found in the Mumin Papa Café, you can relieve yourself surrounded on three sides by a real aquarium. It cost a considerable $270,000 to construct and is for ladies only – apart from the male giant sea turtle!

Dolce and Gabbana’s Gold Room in Milan can be found in the restaurant ‘Gold’. Most of us will never relieve ourselves here as it’s more for the likes of stars such as Kylie Minogue and Paris Hilton. It is luxury itself, with marble counters, golden bamboo and giant mirrors. Rather bizarrely, the Bond theme ‘Goldfinger’ plays in every cubicle on a plasma screen!

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How about a bathroom that’s out of this world? Literally. The bathroom on the International Space Station has no gravity to keep the water in the toilet bowl so NASA had to build pumps and use airflow to create a usable, hygienic bathroom. It doesn’t sound very comfortable though as having the entire system reliant on air, creating a tight seal between the user and the toilet bowl is essential. Foot straps and pivoting bars anchor the astronauts to the ground, and an intricate network of tubes, pipes and ducts handles the waste.

When you think of silicone, you most likely think about the industrial uses such as sealants in plumbing and coatings for electronic components. Did you know that silicone is found in personal care products? They are widely found in skin care products, cosmetics and hair products.

Some silicones are great for conditioning purposes. They can improve the feel of hair, lessen frizz and make hair feel soft and smooth. The silicones that are used in hair products are called amines and are effective for use in dyeing industries. These amines are also found in many drugs in the pharmaceutical industry, including antihistamines, chlorpheniramine, clomipramine and desipramine. Controlled substances that contain amines include amphetamine, methamphetamine and opiates such as morphine, codeine and heroin!

Phenyltrimethicones are another family of silicones that are used in colour-correcting hair products as they increase shine and help to make the hair glossy. Shaving foam is another personal care product that contains this material. For Silicone Hose Manufacturers, visit https://www.goodflexrubber.com/pages/silicone-hose-manufacturer

In skin care products, the unique fluid properties of silicone give it a great feel and it can make skin feel like silk, increase emollience and acts as a good water-binding agent even when skin becomes wet. Leave-on skin care products and hair-care products use numerous forms of silicones. Silicones remain on the skin and the other active ingredients are able to seep through into the lower layers of the skin. Silicone forms the base formula in which other ingredients can be suspended and then absorbed. The creams don’t feel heavy or cloggy because of its molecular structure. Silicones have large molecules with wide spaces between each one which helps it to feel light.

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Silicones are also used in lubricants and greases for applying on things like cycle chains, engines and any other type of moving mechanism. It is great for this purpose as it evaporates after application and doesn’t attract dirt like other oil-based or wet lubricants. It’s also used in more personal types of lubrication! Silicone rubber is the best material for adult toys too as its soft, cleanable, durable and doesn’t degrade with the use of lubricants.

Silicone is also safe enough to be found in baby bottle teats. It offers cleanliness and is easily moulded into aesthetically pleasing shapes. As baby bottles need to be sterilized, silicone offers great resistance to high temperatures so won’t be damaged during the sterilization process. Teats come in different sizes and with differing flow rates based on the age of the baby. The teats either have more or larger holes as the baby gets older.

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The properties that allow silicone to be used for so many different applications include:

• Low toxicity
• Ability to repel water and form water tight seals
• Low chemical reactivity
• Low thermal conductivity
• Does not support the growth of microbes
• Resistant to UV light
• High gas permeability (useful in medical applications but not for anything requiring a gas-tight seal)

Thankfully such a useful material is also safe for the environment. There have been no findings of silicones causing a harmful effect on organisms or the environment.

Nearly 85% of Brits have visited a car boot sale in the last 12 months. What is it about car boot sales that we love so much as a nation? Many people opt to forgo their weekend lie-in to get up at the crack of dawn in the hunt for a bargain. Whether you’re looking to buy or clearing out your unwanted goods, there is clearly money to be made here.

Many people enjoying car booting as a hobby and it seems to offer something more than just a money saving or money making activity. It’s a great way to recycle items as something that you might think should be headed for the landfill, could be another person’s treasure! Recycling and upcycling are the latest trends, which make sense in a cash-conscious time. It’s also far better for the environment too.

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It is believed that car boot sales were brought to the UK in the 1970s by Father Harry Clarke, a Catholic priest from Stockport. He had seen similar events in Canada and decided to try one of his own as a charity fundraiser. A love affair had begun! Indeed, the thrill of the chase for a bargain is enough to spur many people to regularly attend car boot sales most weekends. We are definitely a nation of bargain hunters and there are plenty of daytime TV shows dedicated to bargain hunting too. So, clear out your garage and make some extra cash. It’s also a great excuse for a bit of life organising. For Garage Shelving, visit https://www.garage-shelving.co.uk

Top tips for car boot sales

• Make sure you get there super early. If you’re not there by 8am then you run the risk of missing the very best bargains.
• Bring plenty of small change whether you’re buying or selling as people will undoubtedly have just got notes from the cash machine.
• If you’re selling then make sure your items are clean and presentable – you’ll make more this way.
• See if you’ve got these items lying around your home as they are the best sellers:

DVDs and box sets

Plants

Books

Tools

Children’s toys

Prints and pictures

Collectible toys

Board games

Video games and consoles

Gardening items

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• Be prepared to haggle and be prepared to accept a bit less than you originally asked for. You’re not running a shop and people are looking for a good deal.
• Come ready for all weathers. Wellies and cardboard to stand on are great for muddy fields and some waterproofs and sheets to cover your goods are perfect for our very changeable British weather!
• If you’re a buyer then don’t be afraid to politely haggle. If there is no budge by the seller, consider returning towards the end of the sale to see if the item is still there.
• Know what you’re looking for and don’t just buy things because they are cheap. Have a plan.
• Keep an eye out for things of value that look like junk. Developing an eye for these things can mean grabbing a bargain and selling on to the right buyer.

A restaurant owner is responsible for a lot of different things. They are responsible for ordering the right amount of food and making sure that the food is prepared and cooked properly, and they also need to make sure that the premises are always hygienic and clean.

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Some of the responsibilities are very specific, such as cleaning the restaurant grease trap. The grease trap must be cleaned on a regular basis; if it isn’t, the restaurant may face unnecessary interruptions, and it is also more likely that the restaurant will become unsafe for customers and employees.

Here’s everything you need to know about cleaning your restaurant grease trap.

Why You Need to Clean Grease Traps

According to Small Business, the kitchen is one of the most important areas in the restaurant to keep clean, as it is exposed to a wide range of contaminants. A grease trap can quickly start to harbour contaminants, so you should make sure that it is always clean and not clogged up.

Cleaning Your Grease Trap

Some restaurants produce a large amount of grease in a short amount of time, and if the grease isn’t removed it could potentially end up closing your restaurant due to hygiene standards.

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If your restaurant deals with large amounts of grease, oils and fats, it is important to make sure that you clean your grease trap at least once a week to avoid a build-up of grease. You can check on the grease levels every day by simply inspecting the grease trap for build-up.

If you want to buy new grease traps for commercial kitchens, check out websites such as http://www.ukgreasetrapsdirect.co.uk/.

Of course, not every restaurant deals with a large amount of grease. If your restaurant only produces a low amount of grease, you can check the trap every week for build-up instead. You should also arrange a monthly cleaning system to make sure that the grease trap is cleaned. If you think you may forget to clean the grease trap, try creating a restaurant cleaning rota.

You can clean the grease traps yourself by unclogging the drain with heavy-duty cleaning products. You may also need to physically remove large chunks of grease and fat, as they could damage the drains. However, it is recommended that you hire a cleaning team if the drains are badly clogged.