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Do toilets spew bacteria?

5K views 64 replies 23 participants last post by  Skylark 
#1 ·
I heard somewhere that when you flush a toilet, it spews bacteria up into the air. The source said people should not keep toothbrushes within five feet of a toilet, or always close the toilet lid.

Is there any truth to this? Not every toilet has a lid, especially those in public or business bathrooms. Should you hold your breath when leaving the toilet stall? That's what would make sense if there's really extra bacteria floating around in the air after you flush a toilet.
 
#3 ·
yeah, i heard that you should drop the lid before flushing too.

but if it helps, i think its relative- as i also learned in school, that if you can smell something, its cos particles of it are in your nose and mouth (most of smell is taste, apparently) so if you smell poop, you've got it in your nose and mouth (bleurgh!!!!) already. at least if you flush and smell toilet cleaner too, you're covered to an extent, so to speak, lol.

on the other hand, toilets, at least those cleaned relatively regularly, are probably a lot more hygenic than many other places... doorknobs, coins, pens for signing a cheque in a store, etc which come into contact with plenty of unwashed hands and the like, and which aren't routinely cleaned with disinfectant.

oooh, i also read somewhere that you should NEVER put your bag on the floor in a bathroom, as the levels of bateria on the bottom of womens bags is generally scary-gross high because of this.

use the hook, lol, use the hook. if there is no hook, balance your bag on your head, or hold it in one hand in the air, and use the other for bathroom stuff, hehehe.
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoodedclawjen View Post

use the hook, lol, use the hook. if there is no hook, balance your bag on your head, or hold it in one hand in the air, and use the other for bathroom stuff, hehehe.
Ha ha...I already have to squat over the loo so I dont touch the seat and now Im going to have to balance my bag on my head at the same time...that'd be a sight to behold wouldn't it?!
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by skylark View Post

I heard somewhere that when you flush a toilet, it spews bacteria up into the air. The source said people should not keep toothbrushes within five feet of a toilet, or always close the toilet lid.

Is there any truth to this? Not every toilet has a lid, especially those in public or business bathrooms. Should you hold your breath when leaving the toilet stall? That's what would make sense if there's really extra bacteria floating around in the air after you flush a toilet.
For what it is worth:

Does flushing the toilet cause dirty water to be spewed around the bathroom?



http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990416.html

Think before you flush or brush

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology...web2/stan.html
 
#11 ·
They had a segment on the Discovery channel where they put a chemical into the toilet that would glow under black light, flushed the toilet (lid up) and then turned the lights out and examined the bathroom under black light. There were droplets everywhere
 
#12 ·
Someone's idea of fun:

Quote:
a fun experiment

Teachers may like to do this experiment with small groups. Parents may also like to do it at home. Children should not do this experiment without adult supervision.

1. Before you start, make sure that the toilet has been flushed properly.

2. Put about 15ml (1 tablespoon) of food colouring into the toilet bowl.

3. Put the seat up and stretch cling film across the top of the bowl, so that it covers all of it and sticks to the outside of the toilet.

4. Flush the toilet and watch as droplets fly up to the underside of the cling film. If the cling film wasn't there, those drops could fly out and land on the floor.

5. Let each pupil or child look at the cling film through a magnifying glass, to see how many smaller droplets there are. The drops could all be carrying germs that can make us ill.

6. Don't forget to remove the cling film! It should be put in an outside bin.

7. Everyone who took part should wash their hands after this experiment.

Encouraging pupils to close the toilet lid

The above experiment can be very useful in encouraging pupils to close the toilet lid before they flush.
http://www.bog-standard.org/factsheet_015.aspx
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by fyvel View Post

They had a segment on the Discovery channel where they put a chemical into the toilet that would glow under black light, flushed the toilet (lid up) and then turned the lights out and examined the bathroom under black light. There were droplets everywhere
Oh yeah.. that's what I saw on TV. I couldn't think of where I heard this.
 
#15 ·
Why don't a lot of public and business toilets have lids? I consistently see toilets with lids in people's homes, but rarely when out and about. Is this to save money? I would think it's to businesses' benefit to include lids in the hopes that people will close them and spread less bacteria, thus reducing the amount of sick time workers will use.

But then, with so many people refusing to freakin' wash their hands, I doubt those same people will bother to close the toilet lid, either.
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by skylark View Post

But then, with so many people refusing to freakin' wash their hands, I doubt those same people will bother to close the toilet lid, either.
What freaks me out is once I get my hands all washed and clean, then I have to go touch the doorhandle on the bathroom door where all the people who refuse to freakin' wash their hands put their hands too.

I've started either using an elbow if it's a push door, or grabbing an extra paper towel to use on the knob/handle. Otherwise, you gotta go back in and rewash and then touch the door again and then rewash and then go back in....
 
#18 ·
I don't like when people shut the lid because then I have to use my hand to lift it. Ew. I hate having to touch the seat to put it down, too, if it's up.

Not my own, but public ones, I mean.

I'd rather have the seat exposed and sit my happy ass directly on the seat than to touch the lid.

I gave up brushing my teeth because of the poop bacteria on my toothbrush. Thanks, mythbusters!
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by OregonAmy View Post

Alternately, you could think about all the times you've brushed your teeth (or used the restroom) and not died from disease. Then, continue living with thanks that you have an immune system to help keep you healthy.

My toothbrush has always been stored in the medicine cabinet.

I suppose we could just chalk it up to good immune systems and never worry about germs again, but then I could quit washing my hands, too, because "lots of other people don't die from that."
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jessica Alana View Post

I don't like when people shut the lid because then I have to use my hand to lift it. Ew. I hate having to touch the seat to put it down, too, if it's up.

Not my own, but public ones, I mean.

I'd rather have the seat exposed and sit my happy ass directly on the seat than to touch the lid.

I gave up brushing my teeth because of the poop bacteria on my toothbrush. Thanks, mythbusters!
That's why you use your foot to lift the lid, then squat
 
#23 ·
What an interesting topic!

I know of a German science competition for pupils (age limit is about 18 years), where the young researchers can hand in their research papers. It's sponsored by STERN, a big German weekly. Once two 14 year old guys won with counting the bacteria on toothbrushes.

It may sound bad hygienically, but we need the little bastards in our colon to help us digest.

I agree with door handles. I don't like touching them, too. I don't know if it was done elsewhere than Germany, but they filmed (TV) German rest room at the high way and the most of the guys didn't wash hands. I guess it's a real problem.
 
#25 ·
It's a miracle we are alive and reproducing imo.

I hate touching doorhandles too.

Then again, a BBC series has started here recently about the treatment of severely obsessive-compulsive people and one lady had become so afraid of getting "dust" and "glitter" (no idea why glitter) on herself that she had stopped touching/hugging her kids and husband (poor guy !) and used paper towels to hold or touch anything, including her tea mug. This disorder had taken over her entire life and every action in her life. So yes, worrying about germs or dust or whatever too much can be harmful for you too !
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by OregonAmy View Post

Alternately, you could think about all the times you've brushed your teeth (or used the restroom) and not died from disease. Then, continue living with thanks that you have an immune system to help keep you healthy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daral View Post

You know, I bet if someone studied it, they would find that more people die from stress about toilet bacterial contamination than from the toilet bacterial contamination itself.

In any case, I plan on brushing vigorously tonight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by missbelgium View Post

So yes, worrying about germs or dust or whatever too much can be harmful for you too !
You guys are completely right! I have to keep reminding myself of all of this!!

I actually have an anxiety disorder that leads me to worry about disease. At any rate I have to keep reminding myself that I've obviously survived this long so I'm gonna be alright.

But when I do let myself think on it too much I remember that in a public restroom everyone wipes themselves and then uses that hand (most likely because it is their preferred hand) to flush the toilet and then they touch the door to open it! Then you touch all of those things. Ewww.

So I have to wash my hands like a crazy. At least 30 seconds to kill the germs which is about the same as saying your ABCs twice, if you were wondering.

I can really freak myself out if I think about it too much!
 
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