Toilet lid: open or closed?

[AmyMCGS]

The thread on cleaning toothbrushes reminded me of a seminar I attended, where the speaker went on and on about all the germs that are sprayed into the air when you flush the toilet. 

In our house, we always keep the lids closed-- both for the germ factor and to keep our cats from drinking out of the toilets.  I've noticed that most people leave the lids open, though.

What do you do in your house?

[3-boys-4-me]

I prefer them closed, but the boys always leave them up. Drives me insane.

[Mamawolf]

Closed since we read the same thing in a speed cleaning book. It doesn't eliminate ALL the spray, but it does the majority of it. We HATE public restrooms now, thinking about this nasty volcano of fecal matter being sprayed in the air everytime the toilet flushes!

[Pepper]

Ours are always left up. I had never thought about the spray, but I'm going to go close the lids right now!!

[Kimberlina]

Okay, well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...

We always keep ours closed- close it before we flush and all.

But just last weekend I watched a show on Discovery Health Channel- the something or other Doctor. It was like Myth Busters meets the MD. He actually tested bathrooms for germs and also tested the lid open/closed theory.

Closing the lid does keep the germs from spraying all over the place...for now. But he said that the germy air is swirling around just waiting for the lid to be opened for up to four hours. He showed the air flow (by using some smoky thing or other) after the lid had been closed for a long time and then was opened up again. It swirled up and all over the plave once the lid was re-opened. So he said that just closing the lid wasn't going to do the trick.

However, he also tested toothbrushes, and found that they weren't too germy, and he said it was because the brushes are dry the majority of the time and the germs can't live on them. I personally try to put my brush in a drawer. However, I guess the lesson here is that if you are going to brush AND use the toilet, brush afterwards so that the brush is wet aster the flushing happens.

And FYi, he also found that WOMEN's restrooms are more germy than men's. He theorized that it was because women are more likely to take children in with them and they touch more surfaces. And, last little piece of extraneous info here, they also tested how much bacteria gets through your toilet paper to your hands. Folding the paper (which is apparently more common among men) isn't all that effective- scrunching is more effective, but bacteria got through in all their tests, which were- ahem- less vigourous than an actual person trying to clean themselves might be.

So the lesson there is always, always, always, always wash your hands. (Like we didn't all already know that!) Then don't touch anything!

[baxjul]

I like them to be closed, buy no one ever closes them!

[madhen]

I close them when I flush, but then open them again the next time I'm passing by - I have NO idea why. :-)

[madhen]

When I was going through Master Food Preservers (MFP) training, they also talked about toilets and germs. Got me to use one of those little plastic covers on my toothbrush, so I think it is usually pretty safe.

MFP has a twenty-second rule. You should wash your hands with warm to hot water AND soap for a minimum of 20 seconds, then dry with a disposable towel (and use the towel to open the door of the bathroom before disposing) to minimize any risk of spreading germs on your hands to the food you are preparing. When I prepare items for cooking/preserving, I wash my hands multiple times throughout, pretty much every time I touch anything new (i.e, meat, wash hands, celery, wash celery, then wash hands, cut celery, etc.)

During MFP training, you are required to wear a hair net, then wash your hands (20 seconds), then put on a pair of disposable or rubber gloves, then wash your hands AGAIN, with the gloves on, for another 20 seconds, before you can handle any food. They also give you lots of horror stories about people scratching at a pimple or pustule then making deviled eggs for an Easter brunch and hundreds of kids ending up hospitalized....

[marym]

Always closed. The dogs think it's their water bowl ewwwwww!

[FrugalMomof3]

Our are usually up but when I notice it up I go close it.

[celina]

well i'd love to say closed...but our dearly departed cat loved to drink out of it...i kept it spotless then...now i have a dd4 who waits till the last minutes and actually sat down and peed with the lid closed..shes not very observant.....

so now lid open and as we enter potty training my son...it ll be open for awhile...i can just hope he keeps the seat down at least...

in general i hate bathroom...they're icky..even clean you know they're icky....germy messes.....esp with men in the house.....the bowl should be a bigger target i guess

[HandyMom]

The lid is down ALWAYS. My sister even remarked that she noticed that DD and I always put the lid down even at her house. It's a good habit to get into, for many reasons.

[halloweenfreak]

down ever since that episode of mythbusters. ewww

[slowtypinwoman]

Closed so the dogs don't use them as a water bowl.

[Cele]

Always closed.

I do know DH leaves the seat up in his bathroom when I'm traveling on business. I'm sure he thinks he's being sneaky, but I know about it. As long as it's down and closed again before I get home, he stays out of trouble.