It’s called toilet plume.
A toilet plume is the invisible to the naked eye, cloud-like dispersal of raw, infectious sewage particles as a result of flushing a toilet. Flush particles rapidly rise out of the bowl and several feet into the air after flushing. Aerosolized droplets can remain suspended in the air for tens of minutes between users, posing an inhalation risk. These invisible particles go on to coat and spread onto surfaces like floors and counters or objects like hand towels, bathmats, or even toothbrushes.
I’ve been inhaling the shit plume for thirty years and I’m not about to stop because of Wikipedia.
Mythbusters.
Do whatever you want, indoor plumbing means there is shit everywhere, closing the lid has little to no effect. This is just life, get over it.
Different is between a fart of poo water and a small geyser.
One goes upwards, one goes outwards, it’s the same mass and it travels the same distance, closing the lid is a placebo, but if it makes you feel better then go for it.
Thats what I am saying.
I’m happy to see the top comments are from rational people.
I’m 60, the last time I was sick was when my son brought covid home from his work. Before that, it was when he was in kindergarten and first grade and brought home god-knows-what from school.
If a germophobe ever saw how I live, they’d run away in horror. I swear not being fastidiously clean is what keeps me healthy.
should I leave my face in the facehole before closing to ensure I’m in the splashzone?
YSK that your toilet lid isn’t a gasketed seal.
https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(25)00630-3/abstract
Putting the lid down does reduce the amount of shit mist, but it does not even get close to eliminating it.
I’d much rather have something fall onto the toilet lid than into the toilet. That alone makes closing it worthwhile.
Got me there, but not really relevant to the subject here. Maybe make your own YSK post?
Kinda is tho: We’re discussing closing the toilet lid, so… yeah.
I like toilet lids with the soft close option so they don’t slam. That way I can close them quietly at night with a minimum of effort.
Soft close is mandatory in my house haha
YSK to not be scared of every little mundane thing in life. It will paralyze you
Agreed. Obviously there are some things that, as we acquire new knowledge that may change daily behavior, need to be reconsidered, but this is not one of them. People will look for the dirty hypodermic in the haystack of swords.
There’s so many other things to care about more. In the age of information, our mental health depends on conscious gate keeping of what we allow to concern us and modify our behavior. Everyone needs to decide their own path but if you don’t and just scroll the feed you’ll go mad.
true, but if I gotta close the lid anyway to stop the cats from drinking from it, I may as well do it before flushing rather than after
…did you stand there and wait until the flush completed to close the lid before?
I wouldn’t consider being cautious about having literal fecal matter in my toothbrush mundane, but you do you.
Everything everywhere is covered in fecal matter. Mythbusters did an episode on it and their control toothbrush in the office had plenty.
Well you should be far more worried then. Because closing the lid or not won’t matter. Your toothbrush is covered in it anyway. Unless you’re covering your toothbrush when you’re not using it.
I keep it behind the cabinet mirror, I’m sure over time that’s better than in a cup next to the shitter. If you’re comfortable keeping your toothbrush out and near the toilet than more power to you.
Unless it’s air tight and you’re 100% clearing out the air… then it’s doing nothing. Things in your kitchen are likely getting shit on them as well. It’s basically a placebo effect.
deleted by creator
Don’t forget to put on your armor where in bed with someone, too.
You close the lid to avoid a plume of fecal particles. I close the lid because otherwise my dumb cat jumps directly into the bowl. We are not the same.
I keep the lid open to watch the poop circle the drain, very satisfying
My cats LOVE the taste of toilet water.
Here’s a question: Do they go straight for it, or do they only seem to go for it when the toilet hasn’t been flushed (but unused) for a while?
There may be some truth to the idea that cats can taste the additives that are put into municipal water (in developed countries anyway), and it takes a while for those to dissipate once the water is out of the pipe.
Often, the only significant quantity of water that has sat for long enough is what’s found at the bottom of a toilet.
Alternatively, if you have a water filter for drinking water, and that makes it into your cats’ bowl(s), it might be imparting a flavour onto the water that you can’t taste but your cats can. Chances are your toilet doesn’t have the same filter.
The “cure” might be to provide water that’s not straight from the tap (faucet) or filter, and maybe in a different bowl/location in case they’ve developed a negative association with either of those.
But yeah, keep the lid closed on the toilet regardless.
TL;DR decoy toilet
A cat fountain speeds up the process by exposing more surface area to the air. Lots of cats also appreciate moving water, based on instinctual understanding of the safety of running vs stagnant water.
Also, the cat bowl tastes like cat spit and this is unacceptable. The toilet gets freshened more often.
I never would have thought the toilet water tastes better….
The invisible particles that spread by air are not generally able to transmit disease because of their size, low concentration, and the short lifespan of pathogens surviving the airborne journey.
However, when you flush under a closed lid a MUCH higher concentration and long-lived pathogenic layer is deposited on the underside of the lid.
When you then sit down to shit, your shirt brushes against that moist underside of the lid behind you and THAT is much more dangerous as it moistens your garments and follows you back to your couch or bed.
I’m appalled that you just assume it’s normal for your clothes to rub up against the toilet lid at all or that its position when you flush can make that not gross.
I only shit naked, so take that you shirted cock swabbler.
You shit and then pull your pants up by your belt.
You have never once washed your belt - anyone who says they have is coping.
Can’t tell if sarcasm or…
Tight seal brass seat cover?
I just recycle it instead. You get used to the taste after a few cycles.
Been doing it for years
People are fascinating.
There are people who follow the “10 second rule”, i.e. food hits an unclean surface like the floor and they will pick it up and eat it.
Meanwhile, every single person who was born naturally has been shit on at birth. This is a thing that happens. And studies show that excessive cleaning of newborns leads to all sorts of allergies.
So there has to be a balance.
I’m sure a non-zero number of people have gotten ill from toilets flushing. I’m also sure that number is pretty small. And I’m as sure from studies that show that keeping the lid closed still lets particles out that it’s going to happen.
I’m of the opinion that this is a very small problem.
But as it happens, I keep my toothbrush at my desk because it’s more convenient for me.
So if it bothers you, keep your toothbrush in a cabinet and/or in one of those little cases.
Every other sexual post these days seems to be about eating ass, I’m not sure toilet plumes are high on the GenZ+ concern list.
Tbf, eating ass is a direct route of infection for both bacteria and parasites. Floating poop particles from flushing toilets is not.
Well, I can’t afford GLP1 so gotta find some weight loss parasites somewhere.
Yeah, I’m of the mind that if I can’t sense something, and I’m not getting sick all the time because of it, it’s not bad enough to avoid. Lo and behold, I almost never get sick, even when my wife gets sick all the time. Now, it could absolutely be confirmation bias or some hidden 3rd factor that’s causing this, but either way, bring on the fecal matter mistings!
Life is a collection of very small problems and minor precautions that are hopefully never needed. But I’m with you on this one. I think the only reason we’re talking about it at all is “ew poo poo gross!!” and meanwhile most peoples phones are dirtier than money or toilet seats yet they press them to their faces all day long. I’m for taking any precaution that I can easily take but I’m also for not stressing so damn hard about dirt and such. People freak out about public toilet seats and all I can think is: how clean does it need to be for me to press my ass into it? “How clean does it need to be” is really my guiding question. Without that, people start trying to absolutes and that is really unhealthy as well as impossible.
Brilliantly stated and 100%.
Reasonable precautions to prevent disease: good.
Extreme things that actually spark immune responses: bad.
Sometimes it’s counter-intuitive. And I’m sure I get things wrong. But I don’t get sick often at all (that’s mostly because I have the privilege of not being around people much thanks to health, but I have a compromised immune system, so I’m doing something right. heh)
Public toilet seats - one of those things that of course we all have nightmares about nasty ones, but if it looks clean and is in a generally decent environment… it’s pretty safe.
Another counter-intuitive one: Hands vs gloves in food. People with gloves very often touch money and things, thinking “my hands are protected” - which is not the fucking POINT. Unless they have cuts or wounds, washing hands regularly especially to prevent cross-contamination is generally safer than gloves, though that feels wrong. lol
I dated a guy that didn’t get sick. Like ever.
I found out later that he didn’t use soap (ever) or wash his hands or brush his teeth. (In my defense, he was tall and pretty and endlessly fascinating!) He would take multiple showers a day, but just no soap.
My point is, just because YOU don’t get sick, doesn’t mean you aren’t spreading around sick. Dude used his… layer as an offensive shield and didn’t see an issue with it.
There has to be a balance, for sure. Because that bio layer is part of our immune system. But also, what is that balance? Surely it can’t be being… that stinky, can it?
This kind of reminds me a little bit of the SUV argument of the 90s, where you don’t want to be the small car on the road, so just buy an SUV (and murder others).
Everyone knows there’s no such thing as a ten second rule.
It’s a five second rule.
Also, to the shit thing; it’s a very well established fact that shit spreads tons of disease and infections. You sound dirty for just trying to bring up the counter point of getting some shit on you at birth and I don’t want to shake your hand.
Also, the 5 second rule is bullshit. Those people are yucky.
Unless it’s really good food. Then 5 minute rule.
you sound dirty
And you sound ignorant. I can wash but can you learn?
Also, mothers shitting on babies being born not only is the reality, but considered to be important in developing the immune system.
Do try to be better.
Edit; five second rule is nasty, yes.
How about we quantify how dangerous the farticles are first, before we decide how useful closing the seat is? Who cares how many invisible particles it stops if they turn out to be harmless?
Also it’s good for your immune system to get exercise.
Houses are too sterile these days.
Dont even get me started on how coddled the modern anus is.
Dont even get me started on how coddled the modern anus is.
The modern American anus. Americans seem to be obsessed with arse germs. Those weird little paper covers for the toilet seat, for example. How is that keeping you safe? Good grief.
It’s not it just makes you feel better that you’re not sitting on a seat that was just sat on by some sweaty acne puss filled buttcheeks.
Haha oh I’m one of those , in airports. I just get grossed out. Otherwise I’m fine.
Along with this… Normalize dudes sitting down to piss.
No thanks. Balls and dick touching toilet waters a thing for some of us. Having to sit in a tiny ass toilet and somehow maneuver your junk with your hands also getting in there…nah.
I’m sorry but are you 120 y/o and are your balls sagging to your ankles? I have at some time experienced the head of my dick touching the bowl but I have never, and considering the designs of toilets will never, experienced my balls touching the toilet water. And I am not ashamed to say that I sit down to piss pretty much every time
No but I’ve spoken to older people and been told by them stories of these things happening. Guess you never speak to old people? Things happen when you get old. Buckle up! At least you admit the tip part so we can be water tip bros.
I’m not a fan of urinary tract infections
I’ll sit to pee once elongated toilet bowls are mandated by law.
Just do it. But also accept folks will laugh at you.
Hell, if you were my friend, I’d rag on you all day for it, but that’s because we were friends, and I also have sat down to piss before. It’s not my preferred method.
Like now that I think about…isn’t it really actually nasty to sit down with our junk dangling inside the toilet bowl? We are all sitting here talking about shit atoms floating through the air… but wouldn’t we be trapping our junk in there with it?
Sit if ya want, but just accept the judgment of others. You can’t escape it.
EDIT: I see I got downvotes. Fuck you all. (Joking) My bad if I hurt feelings or made anyone mad. I’m not perfect, and when I said I’d rag on em it’s not like I’d be 'hurr durr you pee sitting down like a girl!" I mean, yes, I would in a sense of making a joke out of a joke. I pee sitting down plenty. 5 am? Fuck standing. So high my head spins? I’m sitting. Old age got my knees shaking? I’m sitting.
Hell, I make fun of my best friend whose gay for sucking dick. And I suck dick myself! Really sorry if I came off like I was making fun of women or people peeing sitting down. I gave an example of if I was a friend to the person, they’d have to deal with me ragging on em a bit. Which I’d hope they return the favor for something I do.
Again my bad yall.
“A 2024 study showed evidence that even closing the lid may still lead to small viral particles escaping through gaps under the lid, resulting in viral cross-contamination of the air and surfaces in a washroom.”
This is what I remember, there’s no actual solution to this. Still close the lid though!
That same study also includes this figure,
But the study doesn’t measure other surfaces or things like “a nearby sink” or “a hand towel”. Perhaps for airborne particles they roam more freely, but what about surface particles? I feel like there is more to study.
Oh I’ve always closed lid before flushing, this explains the brown streak patterns running down the walls being at that same height.
This is similar to why we all wore masks during the pandemic. No, they’re not always effective, but yes, they reduce transmission rates.
Yes, but there is incredibly strong evidence that mask wearing does reduce transmission rates. I haven’t looked (so definitely correct me if I’m wrong), but I suspect that lid closing likely does not have strong evidence for decreased transmission.
One factor that I think likely weighs heavily into this is that public toilets, where you could be exposed to particles from a stranger dont have lids usually, and they have a much more violent flush, while home toilets are mostly just used by your own household.
We’re not necessarily talking about transmission in this case, just the concept of poo particles spreading widely throughout your bathroom vs less widely
Too bad N95 masks and condoms can’t be made idiot-proof.
Idiot-proof is a misnomer. Better term is idiot-resistant.
Related note. I’m very sad that there isn’t a joke ANSI or ISO document laying out specifications for idiot-resistance standards.
Of course nothing’s 100% poof. But that doesn’t mean that you should stop. There is a massive difference between the particle numbers.
But if you close the lid, all the particles concentrate on it. Then when raise it back up and sit down, there’s a chance you’ll pick it all up with your back.
So the question becomes, do you want shit more evenly spread out in the air or do you want concentrated shit on your back?
You’re… leaning back against the seat?
No you guys are pooping in the wrong direction
You presume you don’t?
has an infection ever occured due to the lid being close, seems like it would be too small to cause problems.
I think it can help to lay some toilet paper down before you flush. I found it to be less smelly after doing so.
Before and after. Unless you like that little splash of dirty water on your taint.
Poseidon’s kiss. There’s no dread quite like using a porta-potty in a condition where there’s a risk of that happening.
It is how I build my immune system.
– Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Except their statement is backed by science.
Idk who’s downvoting you, but you’re actually right. It’s called coprophagia and it’s way more common in everyday life and in nature than we’d like it to be.
