Flushing with the lid down

[mightyducks]

Went to the gym yesterday and there was a sign on the back of the toilet door asking people to close the lid before flushing to help reduce the spread of covid 19, first time I’ve seen a sign saying this - not sure if it’s entirely true but if it could help it should be a basic public health message surely? Like washing your hands etc

@Babdoc

Sorry to be a dissenting voice, but 40 years ago, my professor of microbiology at medical school told us that toilet lids should be banned. He said studies showed that if you close the lid then flush, the force of air pressure through the narrow gap between lid and seat meant that the infected faecal aerosol actually travels further than leaving the lid open!

Yes I've read this a few times from scientists.

It makes sense.

We don't keep toothbrushes out, they go in the cabinet).

“Sorry to be a dissenting voice, but 40 years ago, my professor of microbiology at medical school told us that toilet lids should be banned.
He said studies showed that if you close the lid then flush, the force of air pressure through the narrow gap between lid and seat meant that the infected faecal aerosol actually travels further than leaving the lid open!”

Travels further in which direction? Toothbrushes and people’s noses are normally higher than the toilet, not horizontally distant from the level of the toilet seat. Would aerosolised faecal matter really be shot out with such force (bearing in mind the pathetically weak flush of a modern toilet) that it escapes the toilet lid sideways and then shoots straight upwards into the air sufficient to coat your toothbrushes and be inhaled by the unsuspecting toilet flusher ?

I don't get it. Surely then the lid has all the germs on it, and everyone has to touch the lid when it's their turn to flush?

Always flush with loo lid down..saw a TV show once where they stained the loo water and flushed with the life up and micro droplets went all over including toothbrushes in bathrooms ,,,.🥺

Had to,fight to get a lid for the staff loo at work !!!!

@DipSwimSwoosh then you wash your hands?

Yeah, I guess! This got me down a bit of a rabbit hole. More articles on why you should close the lid, some saying it really doesn't matter. Can find confirmation bias to justify your view as usual.

I have also heard that the aerosol travels further with the lid down. I kind of do a halfway house where I put the lid partially down and hold it while I flush, before putting it all the way down - typing that out has made me realise how mad that sounds .

Our toothbrushes are not kept in the bathroom - we all brush our teeth in the utility room!

My loo lid has a sort of lip, so it covers that gap and therefore on mine there is no extra expulsion due to the gap being smaller.

Obviously it's not 100% sealed, but putting the lid down doesn't create a gap (it does on the downstairs loo).

@DipSwimSwoosh

I don't get it. Surely then the lid has all the germs on it, and everyone has to touch the lid when it's their turn to flush?

You do your business, lid down, flush, lid up to check all is ok, wash hands.

I always put the lid down at home. My bathroom is very very tiny and the toothbrushes are close to the toilet.
The viral load in poo is huge apparently.

I don't get it. Surely then the lid has all the germs on it, and everyone has to touch the lid when it's their turn to flush?

That's what the sink is for - to wash your hands!