Do you often flush the toilet without putting the lid down? If this is you, there’s a risk you’ve been contaminating the surfaces in your bathroom – but you’re not alone
The average person flushes their toilet five times a day, so they’ve had a lot of practice – but apparently most people are doing it wrong.
Scientist Shalini Guleria has urged people who flush the toilet with the lid open to “stop right there” – and there’s a pretty grim reason why. Taking to Instagram, Shalini asked: “Did you know that when you flush with the lid open you’re actually releasing a fine mist of water and bacteria into the air?”
According to the scientist, “every time you flush tiny droplets containing bacteria like e-coli and and other nasty things shoot up to up to six feet in the air”. And even if you can’t see them “with the naked eye”, they are “still there”.
Shalini cited research that found that these droplets can contaminate surfaces nearby – even your toothbrush and towels, as well as the air you breathe. “And also viruses like norovirus, which causes the stomach flu, can survive in the air for hours after a flush.” So if you want to remain healthy, the scientist urges people to “always remember to close the lid before you flush”.
And it turns out many people didn’t know, with one person commenting: “Wow I’m gonna close the lid from now on.” Another simply said: “Thank you so much for this fact,” followed by crying emojis. A third added: “Wow I learnt something new.”
In 2019, researchers at University College Cork assessed the airborne particles in a shared loo over a week. They found that closing the toilet seat reduced the number of both visible and smaller droplets during and after flushing by 30-60%.
Keeping the lid closed whilst flushing can quicken the build-up of mineral deposits, also known as limescale. While this isn’t harmful to health, it can look unsightly and stain your seats a yellow-brown colour.
