Why We Should Always Put the Toilet Lid Down When We Flush

On average, people spend 3 months of their lives in the bathroom. Like it or not, going to the bathroom is a huge part of our everyday life and yet there’s one hygiene mistake that’s surprisingly common.

We at Bright Side have studied how to flush the toilet safely and why it’s so important.

Avoid a germ cloud from developing in your bathroom.

Researchers have found that when you flush the toilet, fecal matter and germs fly up to 15 feet. Scientists often refer to this aerosol effect as a “toilet plume.”

The research showed that if we flush with an open lid, all the surfaces in the bathroom get coated with infectious material. So we hope you either close the lid or use a toothbrush cover, otherwise, it becomes a home for bacterial organisms.

The reason why toilet plumes are so dangerous

It’s not just about hygiene, our health is threatened too. Among all the germs that our toilets get contaminated with, E. coli bacteria is the most dangerous one. It can infect anyone who enters the room in the next 4-6 hours. Some strains of E. coli can cause diseases that result in diarrhea and vomiting.

Chemicals won’t remove toilet plumes.

Cleaning all the surfaces after each flush might be a possible solution. But unfortunately, it’s not only time and money consuming, but the cleaning chemicals are even more dangerous than the toilet plume itself. When overused, they can irritate the lungs, and burn the eyes and skin.

How to fix it

Following 3 simple rules will help you to save your health, money, and time.

• Always close the lid before flushing the toilet.
• Keep your toothbrush and other personal hygiene products away from the toilet bowl.
• If you’re using a restroom, try to exit during the flush.

Bonus: other mistakes we make in the bathroom

• After using your toilet brush, make sure to dry it. The limited air circulation inside the holder is a great environment for germ growth. So after each use, place the brush under the lid to dry.
• Disinfect your toilet brush twice a month.
• Try not to spend too much time on the toilet as doctors warn it might provoke hemorrhoids. It happens because when you sit on the toilet, your veins may fill with blood and feel immense pressure.

Do you close the lid before flushing the toilet? What are some other hygiene rules that you recently discovered?