Mums, are you guilty of leaving the toilet cover up when you flush?
Perhaps you were in a hurry. Or maybe it was just something that you’ve always done.
Whatever the reason, it’s probably harmless, right?
Maybe not.
While often seen as a minor thing, leaving the toilet cover up when you flush, may actually have far-reaching health consequences on not just yourself, but the whole family.
It all began with a handful of engineers at the University of Colorado who conducted an experiment earlier this year to investigate the mechanism of the toilet flush (of all things).
They used a laser to detect just how much water comes up out of the toilet bowl.
And the results were shocking.
The camera showed that when you flush without a cover, millions of microdroplets shoot up into the air.
Droplets that unfortunately, of course, contain minute traces of faeces and urine.
Dr Jason Singh confirms these findings, revealing that the aerosols that escape from an open toilet bowl does not just contaminate the surrounding toilet bowl but may also permeate the air.
Eventually settling on exposed toothbrushes, shampoo bottles and other bathroom items.
Imagine using a toothbrush with faecal traces on it? Yuck!
Faecal traces may also fall on the bathroom floor. And when you walk over them, you bring these germs out when you step out of the bathroom. Potentially contaminating the rest of the house.
PSA: Always close the lid before flushing
This exposes you to a variety of bacteria and viruses.
Some of these pathogens include E.Coli, Norovirus and C.difficile.
These germs can cause a variety of serious and life-threatening symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and others.
It can be ten times as deadly of course if one family member gets something serious such as viral gastroenteritis. A condition that can easily be spread not only with close contact but also by sharing toilets.
If you somehow live in a house with a squat toilet, you can find covers for those too.
Or perhaps it’s time for a renovation.
So, remember mums, flush the next time you do number 1 and number 2.
Because it may just protect you and your family from being infected by dangerous bacteria and viruses.
Remind your family members as well to close the toilet lids before they flush.
And spread the message to your friends and relatives as well.
It may just save them from an expensive trip to the doctor in the future.
Stay safe out there!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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