Do You Really Need to Close the Toilet Lid Before Flushing?

For years, we’ve been told to close the lid before flushing the toilet. It makes sense, since when the toilet flushes, it releases what's called a “toilet plume” or a spray of microscopic bacteria. This toilet plume, which can include E. coli, doesn’t mess around either—not only can it stay in the air for up to six hours, but it can also scatter throughout the bathroom and stick to surfaces.

Simply closing the lid before flushing sounds like the right move to keep these germs away and to stop the spread of germs. However, new findings say keeping the lid down may not be doing as much good as we thought.

Study Findings

A new study from the American Journal of Infection Control looked into whether a closed toilet lid helped keep out more viral aerosols along with cross-contamination in bathrooms when compared to an open toilet seat. To do so, a type RNA virus was added to toilet bowls before they were flushed. The viral contamination found in the toilet (and on the surrounding surfaces) in the bathroom was then documented.

The results found that it made no difference when flushing the toilet with the lid up or down when it came to viral contamination on the bathroom surfaces.

The only significant change found was when disinfectant was used after each flush. This latest research shows disinfecting the toilet and all surfaces after flushing may be necessary, or at least cleaning your toilet brush after use can help reduce the spread of cross-contamination.

How to Keep Your Bathroom Clean and Germ-Free

Regardless if you choose to keep the lid open or closed after each flush, one thing is for sure after this latest study: It is important to clean your toilet to keep your bathroom germ-free.

This starts with cleaning your toilet bowl often. This study found cleaning after every flush will eliminate the most germs, but if that is not an option, you should be cleaning the toilet weekly at least. If you or someone in the home is sick, it’s important to clean more often.

To clean the toilet bowl, a commercial cleaner with bleach is usually a good choice, along with a long-handled bristled brush to help scrub along the rim and inside the toilet. Clean the outside of the toilet with a bathroom cleaner and then disinfect with wipes or a spray.

It’s also smart to deep clean the entire bathroom regularly, which includes wiping down not just the sink and countertops, but also the walls, shower curtain, and ceiling to remove any dirt, grime, and germs. And remember to clean all your bathroom cleaning tools like the toilet brush with bleach after every use to kill any lingering bacteria.