If you have this habit when using the toilet, it might be wise to reconsider immediately
When visiting the toilet, there’s a common habit many of us have, and it turns out it’s one we really need to break. On TikTok, NHS GP Dr. Karan Raj, known as @dr.karanr highlighted in a recent video the importance of closing the toilet seat lid when flushing. He explained that failing to do so could lead to unsanitary conditions.
In response to a video suggesting that airborne faecal particles could cause acne and contaminate items like toothbrushes, which then enter our mouths, Dr. Raj emphasised the potential health risks involved.
Adding to the video and backing up his claims, the doctor stressed “If you don’t shut the lid of your toilet after you flush, you definitely will after seeing this [his video].”
He revealed: “Your human eyes can’t see this but every time you flush the toilet with the lid open, you create a raging sewage volcano. This allows aerosolised toilet juice to travel far and wide.”
The scene depicts scientists utilising green lasers and cameras in a darkened room to record the actual events that occur when a toilet is flushed. It reveals the toilet water, along with all the contaminated particles, being forcefully ejected from the toilet bowl.
Dr Raj continues: “The droplets were able to move at two metres per second and reach heights of 1.5 metres above the toilet bowl in eight seconds. Some of the smallest droplets could linger for more than several minutes, placing them at optimal nose height for unsuspecting humans.
“Various pathogens like E-Coli, adenovirus and norovirus can all be spewed into the air riding on the back of these tiny water droplets. Besides shutting the lid which helps to redirect the toilet soup to the floor, it’s probably good to regularly disinfect your toilet bowl and brush to reduce the pathogen load of it.”
Besides closing the toilet lid, it’s advised to keep your toothbrush as far from the toilet as possible. Additionally, towels, brushes, and any other items that come into contact with your face should be stored away from the toilet…unless you like them covered in “microscopic poo-flakes”, he adds.
