Who do some restaurants place piles of ice in their urinals?

Question

Does this make it more sanitary or something? What's the deal?

Answer 1

To keep them "fresh"???  Something that is warm tends to emit more of an odour than something cold.  Kind of like the difference between walking next to a dumpster in the winter and on a really hot summer day.

Answer 2

I am a restaurant manager and that is done to keep the smell down plus the melting has the effect of a slow "flush". Most decent places would just get the urinal deodorizers.

Answer 3

As the ice melts, it slowly "flushes" the urine. It also keeps the temp of the urine down to reduce the smell.