How eco-cube works

Water creates an ideal environment for odour-producing bacteria

Excessive flushing with water creates permanently damp surfaces on which odour producing bacterial colonies can grow. The huge volume of water often used to flush urinals adds to the problem by depositing calcium, salt, silica and lime scale (water scale).

Lime scale from the flushing water coats these bacterial colonies into a protective shell. Like a coral formation. Odour producing bacteria and lime scale continue to build up until they form virtually insoluble lumps of uric scale, which is the chief source of offensive odours in urinals. Uric scale also creates unsightly stains and can grow large enough to block pipes.

Water is the culprit

Surprisingly, urine itself is not the main source of the problem. Large amounts of fresh water flushing is! The problems begin when bacteria bind with the solids found in urine and start forming insoluble scale build-up which forms inside pipe work and on unclean and regularly used damp surfaces.

The offensive smell we associate with urinals occurs when faecal bacteria digest uric proteins to give off toxic ammonia-based gases and humans have a poor tolerance to the smell of ammonia, even at low concentrations.

Washrooms can be covered with odour producing bacteria originating from faecal matter and when faecal bacteria become airborne when urinals are flushed, the odour producing bacteria can settle on washroom surfaces and form bacterial colonies wherever there is a wet or damp environment and a food source.

However, there is a natural solution and it comes in the shape of a cube. Each eco-cube contains a formula of 8 billion friendly bacteria that use the latest in microbial technology to interfere with the (bad) bacterial digestion that produces those unpleasant odours often emitted from urinals and troughs – all without the requirement of regular flushing water. Friendly bacteria found in eco-cube, get the job done swiftly and they work 24 hours a day in keeping pipe work clean and urinals free from malodours.

Microbes get to work

Uric scale (above) is insoluble in water and difficult to remove. It collects on the internal surfaces of urinals and pipe work, in particular urinal traps and outlets. When uric scale is combined with lime scale (arising from calcium and magnesium carbonates present in most water supplies) there is the potential for both bad smells and blockages. The usual solution is to try to flush the deposits away with water.

However frequent flushing with water exacerbates the problem of lime scale and uric scale build up. Frequent flushing with water is also expensive and unsustainable. The average urinal uses 151,000 litres of fresh water a year. Even with urinal controls fitted, water usage is reduced but the build up of uric scale and lime scale becomes inevitable.

No more hazardous chemicals

Traditional ways of dealing with uric scale is to use powerful chemicals such as bleach, disinfectants or other corrosive chemicals. Bleach and disinfectants give temporary relief to malodours but do not remove uric and lime scale deposits. Strong acids are hazardous to health, pollute the water systems and are a large cost on the environment.The new Europrean REACH regulations that are now coming into force are helping to prevent the use of these unneccesary toxic chemicals, especially when it comes to cleaning urinals!

Natural microbial activity is the most efficient way of removing both uric scale and lime scale. The unique consortium of beneficial microbes found in eco-cube are released slowly down the waste pipes, triggering a natural breakdown of lime scale and uric scale matter right inside the drain.  The scale matter is removed from the pipes and stays removed as the friendly microbes found in eco-cube digest all new uric salts (found in urine) before they have a chance to form hard scale.