Health Issues Flushing Your Toilet With Seat Up or Down?

[shyvas]

Having visited a few other homes these last few months, I've been surprised to see how many people keep their loo seats up. Don't they know that the lid is there for a purpose?

I keep my loo seat down before flushing and always afterwards.

It’s no secret that bathrooms are full of germs. We all regularly wash our hands after using the loo and have a host of powerful cleaning products to leave our toilets sparkling clean. But there’s one thing that not everyone may be on the same page about—whether you should close the lid before flushing the toilet.

Should You Flush the Toilet with the Lid Up or Down?

 

[beancounter]

I've always flushed with the lid down, but I never really thought much about it.

 

[Emma JC]

I put the lid back up after flushing as I don't like the moisture inside to build up and get mouldy and the seat can feel damp if the lid is left down.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Andy_T]

Same here, only flush with the lid down, but open it afterwards.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

What is gross is people that flush and then walk out. The last thing you do has to be look in the bowl and make sure it's clean.

 

[silva]

I've never understood the joke about men leaving the seat up when it's the LID that needs to be closed (and the seat goes down with it).
I guess when I was a kid it was a big deal to put the lid down so the dog wouldn't drink from it, but regardless of that, it's just disgusting to leave it open!
I've never had the seat get moist or worried about mold

 

[KLS52]

I really didn't want to get involved in this discussion because it's only going to make my aversion to public restrooms even worse. There are no lids. Unfortunately I need to use them frequently the older I get.

I had heard about this several years ago so I've been putting the lid down for awhile now. And the toothbrushes are put away in the cabinet. But for some reason, the lid thing wouldn't freak me out in my own home if I didn't put it down every time. It's pretty much habit to do it now though.

 

[KLS52]

How many of you knew about this? I sure didn't until a few months ago. Thank you TikTok. I do it once a week now. I'm so excited lol. I still remove the screws to clean but not as often.

If you haven't done it be prepared...of course if you live alone and don't have boys in the house it might not be an issue lol.
I'm not ashamed to say that, when I removed the seat the first time, I left it off and pretended to get distracted so that when my husband needed to use the bathroom he saw the seat was off and how dirty it gets in that area where the screws are. He was surprised and promised to try and do better . I did feel bad for him after that. But I would have felt more bad to just come out and say, dude, wth are you doing when you pee?

 

[shyvas]

I really didn't want to get involved in this discussion because it's only going to make my aversion to public restrooms even worse. There are no lids. Unfortunately I need to use them frequently the older I get.

I had heard about this several years ago so I've been putting the lid down for awhile now. And the toothbrushes are put away in the cabinet. But for some reason, the lid thing wouldn't freak me out in my own home if I didn't put it down every time. It's pretty much habit to do it now though.

I must say that I'm grateful for all of the public loos (restrooms) that you have both in the US and UK. Over here there are none; not even in parks. When I go out for a walk or into town, I don't drink beforehand.

 

[KLS52]

I must say that I'm grateful for all of the public loos (restrooms) that you have both in the US and UK. Over here there are none; not even in parks. When I go out for a walk or into town, I don't drink beforehand.

I’m glad they are available…they are just mostly gross.

This seems like such a funny topic, lol…but as long as we’re sharing, I don’t understand women when they use a restroom. No one wants to “sit” on the toilet because of the ick factor. But then they are going all over the seat and they don’t even bother to wipe it when they are done. Why not just lift the seat then if you’re going to hover? That way the seat will at least be dry for the next person.

 

[KLS52]

If I’m doing a road trip where I know I’ll be stopping at several rest areas, I bring a small tote with disinfectant wipes and paper towels. I take it with me at every stop, lol.

 

[Lou]

I was in a campground a while back and the "bathroom" had a stainless steel toilet. Probably the campground guy just uses a hose to wash the whole bathroom at once.
But it had no lid and no seat.
I wonder if they figured out that both of those interfered with sanitation. this way the guy doing the clean up doesn't even have to enter, just stand at the door with the hose on full force.

However not having no seat and being metal would mean that sitting on it is out of the question. Especially in the morning when it's freezing.

In another campground it had both a seat and a lid. And a little sign requesting campers to close the lid after using it - to keep the smell down.

Probably we need to form a blue ribbon commission to research this.

 

[Lou]

On a semi -related note.
A study was done on restrooms.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90620584/hand-dryers-can-spread-a-cloud-of-fecal-matter-around-bathrooms-why-are-they-still-everywhere

 

[Lou]

I'm old and having urinary issues. I have to go pee a lot.
Living in a state well known for droughts, and living all by myself, I've decided not to flush after every time I go #1.
Of course, I always close the lid.

Was that TMI?

 

[Emma JC]

On a semi -related note.
A study was done on restrooms.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90620584/hand-dryers-can-spread-a-cloud-of-fecal-matter-around-bathrooms-why-are-they-still-everywhere

and they are extremely noisy - it is hard to dry your hands and hold them over your ears at the same time...

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

I never use them. I just dry my hands on my shirt.
Hey, they are clean - just washed them.

 

[silva]

Since we're talking toilets--
I have this one. It works great, I have bidet towels for myself and son w our own colors. It comes off super easy to clean under

Amazon.com

We also don't flush every time we pee. Water costs are high here and sewer is double!

 

[KLS52]

I did hear that about the air dryers in restrooms. I don't use them if there's another option.

 

[Deleted member 3018]

I never use them. I just dry my hands on my shirt.
Hey, they are clean - just washed them.

I also do that.
But sometimes my shirt isn't clean.
Then I regrets.

 

[Blues]

I must admit I use muh foot to lift or lower the seat in public toilets.
No way will I be touching them .