Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/01/25/science-closing-the-toilet-lid-before-flushing-doesnt-prevent-aerosolized-horrors-covering-bathroom-surfaces.html
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Who cares? We’ve been using these water closet thingies for a century or more and there have not been mass outbreaks of poo-poisoning.
Also - US toilet bowls have far greater, shallower, and larger surface area water profiles, compared to UK and European ones, so maybe the result would not be consistent? (No idea.)
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But it does prevent the cats from drinking out of the toilet, which I am convinced is not good for their long-term health.
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Perhaps some enterprising person could develop a seat that when closed, has a better seal?
I like the toilet in its own room. Nice when one person is using the toilet another person can brush their teeth without having to share the space. Though the extra space required can be hard.
I’d rather the spray pattern with the toilet closed than open. That said, anyone with indoor cats has kitten bits all over the house already.
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Saran wrap?
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I wonder if the toilet aerosolization actually helps bolster our immune systems?
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These are bacteria already living in your intestines. You and your immune system have already been in intimate contact with them and having a small amount of them aerosolized by your toilet is not significantly increasing your exposure.
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Cool.
So it’s back to staring hypnotized into the bowl from 5 inches away like I used to do.
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Just put the damn seat down anyway, savages.
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Very hard.
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There are lots of microorganisms in my gut that never repeatedly enter through my mouth or nose however, so although we may have an idea that they don’t affect us negatively, a real study will bear that out.
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I think the lack of seal is actually essential for the flush to work.
The flush works by the falling water suctioning down the pipe, and the rest of the water has to follow to prevent creating a vacuum below the water. If you sealed the top, you’d be creating a similar vacuum above.
Or, to put it another way, the weight of the air on top pushes down on the water in the bowl, and this wouldn’t happen with a seal.
But maybe there could be some complex maze of air flow that would allow air to pass through the seat, while making it harder for the spray to come out? Maybe! But I think not, since the water is aerosolized, and so will be able to go anywhere the air can go. But interesting experiment!
Or maybe you can know that the water will spray out, and just direct all that backwards towards the wall. Ew. And probably wouldn’t do anything because, again, it’s aerosolized. In any case, more research needed!
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meh. hasn’t seemed to hurt me yet, so i’m gonna not stress over it and carry on.
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Doesn’t prevent but lessens it and avoids the airborne plumes, according to the embedded graphic.
Considering I do not keep my toothbrush on the floor next to the toilet, I’m ok with that.
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If I’m understanding this latest research correctly, you could actually keep your toothbrush in the toilet when you aren’t using it. Makes no difference, but saves space!
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That’s where that horse drummer keeps his drumsticks - seems like a good storage location!
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How do you think those bacteria got into your gut to begin with? You weren’t born with them.
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In the novel The Martian, Mark Watney explains that the reason he is able to grow potatoes in soil fertilized with his own waste without worrying about getting sick is because the only bacteria he’s exposing himself to are the ones that already live in his body.
Unfortunately that kind of reasoning only applies to aerosolized toilet spray if you never have to share a bathroom with other human beings.
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If you’re already living in close contact with other human beings then aerosolized toilet spray isn’t the only way you’re being exposed to their gut flora, skin bacteria, etc.
So yes, different people have different gut flora and being overexposed to bacteria substantially different from the ones you’re personally adapted to can make you sick. But there’s also a lot of research indicating that animals in general need gut flora for healthy development of their digestive and immune systems and effective digestion and nutrient uptake. The ideal of existing in some kind of highly bacteria-free environment ends up not being good for you either.
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