Combination rinsing tub for toilet and trash receptacle

A combination rinsing tub and trash receptacle apparatus comprising:

• a rinsing tub comprising an upper opening that opens into an interior space that is defined by at least two side walls, each of the at least two side walls having a generally vertical upper side wall portion and a downwardly sloped lower side wall portion, the lower side wall portions converging toward and terminating at a drain port, wherein the interior space is sized to receive a soiled item for rinsing contaminants from the soiled item, wherein the drain port is located generally at a lower portion of the rinsing tub;
• at least two legs each projecting outwardly from one of the downwardly sloped lower side wall portions, each of the at least two legs located between the vertical upper side wall portions and the drain port, wherein the at least two legs allow removable installation of the apparatus onto a rim of a toilet bowl when the apparatus is being used to rinse the soiled item, wherein each of the at least two legs comprises an outer side that is oriented away from the rinsing tub and an inner side that is oriented toward the rinsing tub;
• wherein the inner side of each leg comprises a horizontal leg member comprising a generally flat bottom surface that is oriented downward and that is connected at a generally perpendicular orientation to a vertical leg member comprising a generally flat inner surface that is oriented inward facing in the direction of the drain port of the rinsing tub;
• wherein the generally perpendicular connection of the horizontal leg member and the vertical leg member stabilizes the apparatus for removably installing the combination rinsing tub and trash receptacle apparatus on the rim of the toilet bowl when the apparatus is being used to rinse the soiled item, wherein the bottom surface of the horizontal leg member rests upon an upper surface of the rim and the inner surface of the vertical leg member contacts a side surface of the rim thereby holding the apparatus in position over the toilet bowl during use;
• and
• wherein, the lower side wall portions extend downward a distance below each bottom surface of each horizontal leg member so that when the bottom surface of each horizontal leg member is resting upon the upper surface of the rim of the toilet bowl, (i) the lower side wall portions are positioned at least partially inside the toilet bowl;
• and (ii) the drain port is located at a position that is inside the toilet bowl and below the rim of the toilet bowl to minimize splashing as contaminants are rinsed from the soiled item and out of the drain port of the rinsing tub.

A method for rinsing contaminants from a soiled item into a toilet bowl while avoiding contamination of a user and surrounding surfaces by splashing, dripping, or leaking, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) removably installing a combination rinsing tub and trash receptacle apparatus onto a rim of a toilet bowl, wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a rinsing tub comprising an upper opening that opens into an interior space that is defined by at least two side walls, wherein the interior space is sized to receive a soiled item for rinsing contaminants from the soiled item, wherein the rinsing tub further comprises a drain port located generally at a lower portion of the rinsing tub;
• at least two side walls that define the interior space of the rinsing tub, each of the at least two side walls having a generally vertical upper side wall portion and a downwardly sloped lower side wall portion, the lower side wall portions converging toward and terminating at the drain port;
• at least two legs each projecting outwardly from one of the downwardly sloped lower side wall portions, each of the at least two legs located between the vertical upper side wall portions and the drain port, attached to the rinsing tub, each of the at least two legs comprising an outer side that is oriented away from the rinsing tub and an inner side that is oriented toward the rinsing tub, wherein the at least two legs allow removable installation of the apparatus onto the rim of the toilet bowl when the apparatus is being used to rinse the soiled item;
• and
• the inner side of each leg comprising a horizontal leg member comprising a generally flat bottom surface that is oriented downward and that is connected at a generally perpendicular orientation to a vertical leg member comprising a generally flat inner surface that is oriented inward facing in the direction of the drain port of the rinsing tub;
• wherein, when the apparatus is installed onto the rim of the toilet bowl, (i) the lower side wall portions are positioned at least partially inside the toilet bowl;
• and (ii) the drain port is located below the rim of the toilet bowl to minimize splashing as contaminants are rinsed from the soiled item and out of the drain port of the rinsing tub;
• (b) placing the soiled item into the interior space of the rinsing tub through the upper opening;
• and
• (c) introducing water via pouring or spraying onto the soiled item to remove contaminants, wherein the contaminants are carried by water to the drain port where the contaminants pass out of the rinsing tub and into the toilet bowl.