If your toilet is in your bathroom, this hygiene rule applies to you

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We rarely think about it, but this daily gesture can have a significant impact on our health. If your toilet is in the same room as your shower/bathtub, sink, and personal care products, a recent study recommends rethinking one habit: flushing the toilet without closing the lid.

An invisible but very real phenomenon

Researchers at the University of Colorado analyzed the so-called “toilet plume,” a microscopic cloud of particles that escapes from a toilet when it is flushed with the lid open. This phenomenon, which is entirely invisible to the naked eye, propels tiny droplets containing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens into the air. Using laser technology, the scientists observed that these particles can rise more than a meter above the bowl and remain in the air for several minutes or longer.

Your everyday items are in plain sight

The problem becomes even greater when you consider the immediate surroundings of the toilet. Toothbrushes, towels, cotton pads, skin care products, and makeup are often stored on open shelves or around the sink. This means that these items can be exposed to airborne particles after every flush. This subtle but very real contamination can contribute to the spread of bacteria in the bathroom, especially when multiple people use the space.

A simple measure to limit risk

The solution is as simple as it is effective: always close the toilet lid before flushing. This limits the size of the particle cloud and maintains the hygiene of the surrounding surfaces. According to the researchers, particle dispersion is not entirely prevented, but its intensity is significantly reduced. It is therefore an easy habit to adopt that fits naturally into a more comprehensive hygiene routine.

In a context where disease prevention and indoor air quality are becoming increasingly important, this recommendation takes on its whole meaning. It also shows the extent to which specific automatic processes can be reevaluated in light of current scientific knowledge. Flushing the toilet with the lid open is not trivial, especially in a space as busy and intimate as the bathroom.