ESL Podcast 617 - Buying Bathroom Supplies

supply - something that is needed for a particular purpose or to do a particular activity

Each fall, families buy school supplies like pencils, pens, and paper for their children.

towel - a large, soft piece of fabric that absorbs a lot of water, used for drying one's hands, body, dishes, and more

Sandra uses two towels after a shower: one for her body and one for her hair.

bathmat - a large, soft piece of fabric that absorbs water and is placed on the floor of the bathroom to protect the floor from any water that falls from the bathtub or shower

Most bathmats have a little bit of rubber on the bottom so that they don't move around when people walk on them.

bathroom scale - a device placed on the bathroom floor that people stand on to find out how much they weigh

This morning he stepped on the bathroom scale and was surprised to see that he had gained 10 pounds, so he's going to start eating less and exercising more.

rubber gloves - a piece of clothing made of plastic, worn over one's hands with a separate area for each finger, used to keep one's hands dry while washing dishes or cleaning

Jin-soo wore rubber gloves while washing the dishes, because she wanted to protect her hands.

disinfectant - a cleaning product, usually a liquid, that kills bacteria, used to make surfaces cleaner and safer

Be sure to use a disinfectant to clean cutting boards after you work with raw chicken or pork.

bowl cleaner - a cleaning product used to clean the inside of a toilet, where the water is

If your toilet bowl is stained, try using a bowl cleaner with bleach.

plunger - a tool with a long wooden handle and a round piece of rubber at one end, used to push against drains in toilets and sinks to clear blockages

Do you have a plunger I can use? I think someone used too much toilet paper and now the toilet isn't working.

soap dish - a small piece of metal, plastic, or ceramic that holds a bar of soap next to a sink so that the sink or bathroom counter don't become covered in soap

They bought a beautiful soap dish that matches the colors they used to decorate their bathroom.

toothbrush holder - a metal, plastic, or ceramic stand with several holes in the top and a toothbrush can be placed in each hole, used to keep toothbrushes clean and dry

Five people use this bathroom, so we need a toothbrush holder with room for at least five toothbrushes.

trashcan - a small bucket that is used to hold garbage, usually placed on the floor or under a sink

If we use all of the toothpaste, we are supposed to put the tube in the trashcan instead of leaving it on the counter.

to go overboard - to do too much of something; to take something to an extreme

Marsha has always enjoyed gardening, but last year she went overboard, planting enough fruits and vegetables to feed an army!

toilet paper - very soft paper sold in a long roll that breaks into small squares, used to clean and dry the area between one's legs after using the toilet

The softest, strongest toilet paper is usually the most expensive.

Kleenex - facial tissues; a brand name for very soft, square pieces of paper that are used to blow one's nose or to dry the skin around one's eyes when crying

Lorraine always holds a box of Kleenex when she watches sad movies, because she knows they'll make her cry.

to live on (one's) own - to live independently, without one's parents; to live by oneself, without relatives or roommates

Edwin moved out of his parents' home when he was 18, but he hasn't ever lived on his own, because he has always had roommates. (number)-month supply - with enough of something to last a certain number of months

We got a great price on a 12-month supply of rice!

to go through - to use all of something so that nothing is left and one needs more

How did you go through such a big box of cookies in just one day?