Forcing guests to close toilet lid before flushing

[MerryBlimminXmas]

In our house, we close the toilet lid before flushing. Reason being is that the poo/wee water spray will go absolutely everywhere if the lid is left open (lots of videos available online if anyone is interested).

The issue we have is that pretty much ALL guests don’t do this. Now, I don’t mind what people choose to do in their own homes and appreciate that the majority of the population are happy for everything in the vicinity of their loo to be covered in urine and faeces don’t bother to close the lid. However, I would much prefer it if they closed the lid before flushing in our house.

How can we make it happen? In a previous home, the flush button was literally behind the toilet lid, so it should have been easy to close the lid just to get to the button and people STILL left the lid up every time.

Don’t really want to put a sign up (would be annoying the majority of the time when we don’t have guests), nor to speak to people about it (cringe). Any ingenious ideas that could work? Surely we’re not the only people who prefer the lid closed - how have others made it work with guests?

How long do these guests stay? Are they daytime visitors popping in for a cuppa or are they staying overnight? In the first instance……how many times do they ‘go’ but overnight guests are a different matter altogether.

How about a little sign on the cistern explaining what happens when anyone flushes and gently encourage that they follow your example……no need to to make a big thing of it nor make anybody feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.

Alternatively, put up with it and wipe all surfaces once they’ve left…….simple.

Who said they were one and the same?

I was merely pointing out that the reason there is a lid is the same reason that we have doors on wardrobes/cupboards. It looks nicer when closed.
Why do you think there is a lid??

So if you don't want a sign and don't want to talk to them about it, your options remain:

1. Telepathy
2. Self-closing lid on the toilet (may or may not exist?)
3. Make the toilet out of order when you have guests
4. Set up a compost loo in the garden
5. Stop overthinking about poo and wee going "everywhere"

😂

No, because a bin is expected to be full of rubbish and potentially smelly. A toilet left for the next person is expected to be clean and full of nothing but clean water.

A closed toilet lid makes me think it's got something to hide in it. A closed bin lid I know is hiding something but that's ok because it's not meant to be empty.

well yes, i always put the lid down when I leave a toilet/bathroom.

But unless someone specifically asked/told me to put lid down then flush it wouldn't occur to me.

You could, of course, make sure all your toothbrushes etc are in a cupboard? most people i know have lived entire lives, up to nearly 100 in some cases and have never yet died of people not shutting the toilet lid before they flush.

Can we have more threads like this please, I’m peeing myself reading the replies. No pun intended.

My sympathies!

Our guests also leave the loo door open all the time, which is annoying - it was shut before you went in, why would you leave it swinging open after you’ve left? Especially when we had toddlers running around. It’s quite easy to make the door shut on its own though, which we’ll look into when doing the refurb.

There must be a way of redeploying the old strong spring technology that they used to use in old-fashioned non-humane mouse traps.

It would have the added benefit of making the toilet appear to be acknowledging its gratitude for your kind donations - in the same way as a dog will enthusiastically clamp its mouth around a steak that it manages to sneak off your plate.

Maybe you’ve found a new market for a fairly standard looking toilet that is triggered to flush by you closing the lid. It’s the kind of thing I’m sure a significant minority of people would like to have.
You are likely right that if you said anything about it to people about it they’d see it as implied criticism &/or just think you are a bit overzealous about germs. A solution that forces it to be done the way you prefer definitely seems better.

Just dont have guests over. You dont want signs or any other kind of instruction, and this really bothers you, so just stop allowing people over. It doesnt bother most people. The toilet seat issue is relaly only an issue in bathrooms where toothbrushes are. If you have a downstairs loo, then restrict guest use to that, and then clean when they leave. If you dont have a downstairs loo, then maybe clear toothbrushes away before guests arrive. Or dont have guests. Your updates make you sound a bit anal (pun intended) about guests. Surely the point is to just enjoy seeing people you like, rather than overly worrying about what they are doing in the toilet?

In our house, we close the toilet lid before flushing
OP - are you an escapee from Royston Vasey?

@MerryBlimminXmas I couldn't care less how many videos there are online which increase your unnecessary anxiety, OP. I'd rather rely on real science, like a large, detailed study published in the American Journal of Infection Control last year which stated:
"Contamination of household restroom surfaces was also evaluated after flushing with the toilet lid up and down. The floor and the walls of the restroom were contaminated after toilet flushing, but no significant differences were observed between the contamination occurring with lid position up or down. Wall contamination was minimal, regardless of lid position, and there was no significant difference in contamination level between the surfaces assessed, but data indicated that the trajectory of the aerosol plume contamination may have changed. Floor contamination was not found to be reduced consistently by toilet lid closure prior to flushing. However, averages for the left side and front floor contamination levels were higher if the toilet lid was closed prior to flushing, while right floor contamination levels were lower in that case."
and concluded:
"Our study demonstrated that lid position (up or down) prior to flushing of household or public toilets of United States design ... had no significant effect on the (bacterial) cross contamination of household restroom surfaces. (Bacteria) was recovered from all restroom surfaces tested, and lid closure had no impact on the results. The most effective strategies for reducing restroom cross-contamination associated with toilet flushing include the addition of a disinfectant to the toilet bowl before flushing and the use of disinfectant/detergent dispensers in the toilet tank. To reduce the risk associated with exposure to contaminated fomites in the restroom, regular disinfection of all restroom surfaces following toilet brushing, and/or use of a disinfectant that leaves residual microbicidal activity is suggested."
In short, OP, put a block disinfectant into your loo cistern which will be more effective and cheaper than any "engineered solution" to have your loo lid down before flushing! 😂

We put the button for the flush on the wall above the loo. You can't flush it without putting the lid down. Works every time.

I guess you have a choice :
A little note by the flush;
Move all your toothbrushes and give the bathroom a good clean when they leave ;
Chill !
Or a mixture of the three .

Again, why the need for snarky answers?
Why do you think there is a lid?
Do you also not close bin lids, cupboard doors, etc? Or not make your bed? Personally I like my house to look nice and tidy and this includes looking at closed lids/doors instead of looking at what is inside.
What about making beds?

Wins the thread!

Or you just get people leaving it unflushed and shouting "Oi, Sandra, your bog flush isn't working properly!"

Apparently according to some new reports, even closing the lid doesn't stop bacteria from sprayed faecal matter etc going everywhere. So, YABU.

Sorry, I know it isn't AIBU but you are still BU

Maybe we should all be regularly running the family toothbrushes through the dishwasher - next to the toilet brush?

🤣

Toddlers excepted, most people feel the need to go looking for the flush button 😃

I totally agree with you. I wouldn't leave my kitchen bin lid open, so why would I leave my loo lid open? Closed lids on loos look neater. 😊

I mean, this. Or put the toothbrushes away. This is a you problem, and if you don't want to tell people, then you live with it. I hope you never handle money without washing your hands right after.