Why do they put ice in urinals?

According to Esquire, establishments place ice in urinals as a cheap alternative to urinal cakes and other toilet cleaners. As the ice melts over time, the water acts to clean the toilet even if the urinal is rarely flushed.

Also, the ice serves to cool the temperature of the urine, which reduces offensive odors, as it does not allow bacteria to grow as quickly. Using ice is also much more cost-effective for the establishment, as ice is usually always on hand, so there is no need to wait for delivery of urinal cakes or deodorants to use in the urinal.