Have you or your kids been leaving the toilet seat up whenever you flush? You might want to rethink that practice since it can cause “toilet plume.”
What is “toilet plume”?
According to an article from Business Insider, “toilet plume” happens whenever you flush a toilet with the lid up. The water from the bowl mixes with the waste and then “aerosolizes” or breaks up into tiny airborne particles as you flush.
This means that flushing the toilet with the seat up can cause those tiny particles to travel all over you and your bathroom, spreading germs and bacteria.
These plumes can also reach 15 feet, depending on how strong the flush is. It can contaminate your sink, and even the toothbrushes in your bathroom.
Business Insider adds that “The microbes also remained on the toilet bowl’s porcelain surface after multiple flushes, and while the number of microbes decreased after the first few flushes, the population leveled out and remained until it was scrubbed off (with or without a detergent).”
Make sure to teach your kids to put the toilet seat down before flushing!
Source: flickr.com
Important tips when using the toilet
In order to prevent your family from getting sick because of toilet plume, it’s important to follow these steps:
- Make sure to keep the toilet seat down whenever you flush. This helps prevent any splashing as well as “toilet plume.”
- Store toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss in a separate cabinet. This helps prevent any oral contamination that might happen.
- Make sure to wash your hands after using the toilet.
- Keep your toilet clean by cleaning all surfaces at least once a week in order to ensure that no mold or bacteria growth will occur.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
READ: The secret to keeping a clean bathroom without actually cleaning
