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THE REAL REASON TO CLOSE YOUR TOILET LID
Do you flush the toilet with the lid open? This is an important information that may change your daily habit for life.
When we flush the toilet, the force created by the sudden gush of water causes a phenomenon known as a “toilet plume”. That means the water that removes your waste from the bowl also mixes with particles of that waste will become droplets that escape from the toilet into the air.
The plume will not only fly up into the air by as high as 4.5m, any adjacent airborne bacteria will stay in the air for at least four to six hours according to a study published by Charles P. Gerba in the journal Applied Microbiology. Any harmful bacteria in the plume such as E.coli can follow air flow and be carried to other rooms in a home. Without broken skin, you’re likely going to be fine. However, certain bacteria like salmonella and shigella and viruses like norovirus and hepatitis A, are transmitted when faecal particles enter the mouth.
In addition to this, the plume doesn’t swirl around the bathroom then disappear. It can stick on surfaces and objects in the bathroom, including the toilet paper, taps, shavers and toothbrushes. Objects within 1m away are usually where the bacteria will fall on to.
Closing the lid reduces the spread of droplets and…the Coronavirus❓
Many studies suggest that toilet plume could play a contributory role in the transmission of infectious diseases 🔗Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Scientists have warned that the Coronavirus can be spread through the “aerosolised faeces” of an infected person. The good news is there is no proof of Coronavirus transmission to a human via toilet plume as of today. The danger of these aerolised faecal particles are still to be investigate. However, allowing these faecal particles to contaminate your bathroom is probably not doing your health any good.
Just close that lid ❗️
Thankfully, the solution to avoid spreading of germs in bathroom is simple: Just close that lid!
“Closing the toilet lid could stop around 80 percent of faecal matter particles from being spread”, a mechanical engineering professor from Purdue University, Dr. Qingyan Chen
Storing your mouth related items such as cups and toothbrushes inside a cupboard is another good way to keep them clean and safe from any bad bacteria that may be flying away
The lid is not a backrest 😫
The toilet lid is there for one important hygiene reason: prevent the spread of disease through toilet plumes. If you have a habit on reclining on the toilet, you may want to reconsider this.
What about the public toilets without lids❓
How are you supposed to protect yourself from the polluted plume in a filthy public toilet without a lid? Just run without flushing?
Well…the current recommendation is: Exit at the time of the flush! Open the door, flush, and get far away!
✨FINAL TAKEAWAYS:
- Close the lid first before pressing the button! Polluted particles may still sneak through the gaps between the toilet and its lid, even if it was lowered before flushing
- Running exhaust fan for 15 minutes will remove vast majority of airborne pathogens
At The Footwork Clinic, providing a clean and hygienic space to expand people’s health journey has always been one of our top priorities. The #1 toilet rule we have in place at our clinics is “PLEASE CLOSE LID BEFORE FLUSHING”. We also frequently wiping down all the surfaces in the bathroom including the tap, basin, door handle, and toilet buttons to ensure the health and safety of our staff and clients.
For more great health information or if you’ve got any concerns about your foot and leg health –CLICK HERE to for a live chat, we are staying OPEN and are here to help and support the community during this time
✨We’re proud to continue supporting the community and offering great health services during this time with the following:
- Innovative Virtual Foot Health Program to improve your foot health in the comfort of your own home
- Home visits to provide foot care and anything that you may need to maintain your foot health
- Our clinics remain open -we are taking every precaution to ensure that our clinics are as safe as possible for you and our staff. Please CLICK THIS BUTTON to see what we are doing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19
- Providing great health information you can rely on
Check out our last blog here: Are you still touching your face?
Yours in Health,
