The battle of the sexes has always been intense regarding whether to leave the toilet seat up or keep it down after use. While the ladies think most men go out of their way to leave the seat up, the reality is they simply forget. However, research has determined that leaving the seat down after use has lots of benefits.
If you are a dude who lifts the toilet seat to pee, then you are one step ahead. Realistically, a man’s aim isn’t always perfect, and there is the chance that you’ll splash some pee on the toilet. You can avoid the extra hassle of aiming when peeing and being forced to wipe down the pee by lifting the toilet seat and keeping it down after.
Keeping the toilet seat down is vital if you live with ladies in your home, and if you care about them, it should come as second nature. If you are a dude who’s wondering whether leaving the toilet seat down has any benefits, this article is meant for you. If you are a lady having difficulty convincing your better half to keep the toilet seat down, feel free to send him this educative article any time.
Table of Contents
Why should you keep the toilet seat down?
It’s more sanitary
Individuals that need a reason (besides common courtesy) to keep their toilet seats and lids down after use should understand that doing so is more sanitary than leaving them up. Keeping the toilet lid and seat down when flushing prevents germs from spreading into the air, causing infections in your home.
A British teaching hospital conducted a study in 2012 and discovered that diarrhea-causing bacteria found in feces could be sprayed from your toilet when flushing. The fecal particles may land on commonly touched objects around your bathroom, leading to infections and disease.
Your toilet emits toilet plumes when flushing. The plumes contain microscopic disease-causing bacteria, like E. Coli, which can infect various surfaces, like your toothbrush, and stay in the air for up to 6 hours. Various bacteria in the toilet bowl can cause skin diseases, upset stomachs, diarrhea, etc., which is costly and upsetting.
Closing your lid before flushing your toilet protects you from diseases and infections. Such infections will cost you lots of money, a painful experience, and embarrassment from severe diarrhea. It only makes sense to put your toilet seat down since it is a toilet and an indoor one.
You’ve already touched the toilet seat and lid anyway.
If you are worried about exposing yourself to germs, you shouldn’t be since you’ve touched the toilet seat at some point. For instance, you’ll have to put the seat down when you poop and lift it when you pee. So, what’s the issue with keeping it down after you are done with your business?
In daily situations, you’ll have to lift the toilet seat with your hand and get exposed to germs. It only makes sense to take a second and keep the seat down after use since you already have exposed yourself to germs. Additionally, it protects the ladies in your home from getting exposed to nasty germs, especially since they are more sensitive.
Ladies are more likely to get urinary tract infections than men, and leaving the toilet seat up puts them at a higher risk. Additionally, the chances are high that you could get infected later if your partner gets sick. Keeping the toilet seat down reduces instances where your lady has to touch it and helps you stay healthy.
It looks less nasty
Any toilet looks a little gross, regardless of its design. This could be because toilets are bowls of water we poop into. Keeping the toilet seat and lid down protects us from the visual reminder of pee splatter and everything else in the toilet seat’s underside. You should do this for people who get queasy at the thought of nasty sights.
You should regularly clean your toilet and clear any unsightly stains if you are dedicated to keeping the seat up. You should clean your toilet at the end of each day and clean it thoroughly at the end of the week; however, keeping the seat down prevents accidental exposure to germs and makes the toilet look less nasty.
Someone could fall into the toilet.
The chances are that you won’t expect the toilet seat to be up if you are a deep sleeper and get up at night to use the toilet, especially if you prefer keeping it down. You could plunge your butt onto the toilet’s nasty rim or into the germ-filled water if you are not looking or are thinking about something else.
It’s not only women who can accidentally fall into their toilets. A few men pee sitting down and won’t admit it because people consider it a social taboo. A man could wake up in the wee hours of the night to poop or pee and may prefer doing it while sitting down because they are tired. They could fall into the toilet because they anticipate a raised toilet seat.
Basic etiquette
Keeping the toilet seat down after doing your business is basic manners. You won’t find a good reason to keep the toilet seat and lid down by engaging in side-by-side analysis of the number of times women and men poop. Often the motivating factor isn’t your speed or efficacy but the need to consider your partner’s needs and health.
It’s speedier to knock over older people who are too slow to use an escalator or slam doors in people’s faces; however, you don’t do that. Life is already hellish, and ultimately, being courteous to your partner for a few seconds is better than being selfish in the name of speed and efficacy.
Help the ladies out in the bathroom.
Women have difficulty using the bathroom because of the increased odds of infection. Additionally, women have to pee more often and are forced to take down their pants to pee, creating a log jam when using public bathrooms. You wouldn’t be more wrong if you think you can’t spare an extra second to put your toilet seat down after using the bathroom.
Additionally, most bathrooms offer the same facilities as those found in less-crowded men’s bathrooms. This creates excess supply over demand and increases the chances of a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). Thus, keeping the toilet seat down after using the bathroom is the least you could do for your partner.
Child safety
Keeping the toilet lid and seat down is vital if you have a child. Toilet bowls aren’t small enough to fit your child; however, the toilet seat makes the experience more comfortable. Thus, you should keep the seat down, especially since it helps your child sit comfortably, preventing them from accidentally falling into the toilet. Also, it protects them from germs that may be present on the toilet rim.
Keeping the toilet seat and lid down when flushing the toilet also prevents the transfer of germs to other surfaces around the toilet. This helps protect your children from germs exposed to surfaces. Your children don’t know how to use the bathroom, and the chances are that they’ll touch surfaces and put their hands in their mouths. Closing the lead minimizes the chances of infection and possible stomach upsets.
Pet safety
Pets love toilets because of the funky smell and cool toilet water. They are naturally curious animals and will explore your toilet whenever possible. You should keep the toilet seat and lid down to prevent accidents like drowning and keep your pets from lapping at toilet water.
Leaving your toilet seat and lid up exposes your cats to the water. They may choose to play or drink the water; however, they’ll come for you to pet them with germ-covered fur. They may also infect you with germs when they give you a smooch.
The germs may cause you and your pet to get sick, leading to increased medical costs and discomfort. Often, the best solution is to keep your bathroom door locked entirely and prevent your pets from accessing the bathroom. Doing this prevents unfortunate accidents, ensuring your pet is safe and healthy.
The toilet lid and seat are not backrests.
Manufacturers design the toilet lid and seat for a reason- closing the toilet. You could be inviting various infections if you recline on your toilet seat. Often this happens to individuals who don’t make it a habit of putting them down after use. This is unhealthy and could cause various infections. Closing the lid prevents such instances and helps save you lots of medical bills.
Conclusion
Keeping your toilet seat and lid down has lots of benefits than disadvantages. We can only label the disadvantages of this practice as minor inconveniences, and they pale compared to the massive benefits. Thus, it’s proper, hygienic, and practical to keep the toilet seat down after using the toilet to prevent infections and ensure your kids and pets are safe.