- Closing the lid did not stop viral pathogens from reaching walls and counters
- Disinfecting the toilet and scrubbing brush were the only ways to prevent the spread
- READ MORE: The dirtiest places you touch every day may surprise you
New research shows that putting down the toilet seat before flushing does little to prevent virus particles from contaminating the area around it.
Many people believe that lowering the lid causes aerosolized germs to shoot up to five feet from the toilet, spreading pathogens to floors, walls, and sinks.
But researchers from the University of Arizona and Reckitt Benckiser – the maker of Lysol – concluded that this is not true, and that the only way to truly prevent the spread of viral pathogens was to disinfect the toilet and brush.
Previous studies have shown that a closed lid can limit the spread of bacteria through the rinse, but the latest study is an attempt to see if the same is true for smaller virus particles.
Viral particles spread to many toilet surfaces during toilet flushing, regardless of whether the toilet lid is up or down
Researchers tested for virus particles in a residential and public toilet in an office building.
They put a virus that cannot infect humans into the toilet, flushed, and after a minute used a sponge to wipe down the surfaces of the toilets, including the areas in front and on either side of the toilet, as well as the surrounding walls.
Researchers observed no statistically significant difference in the amount of virus lifted from bathroom surfaces, whether the toilet lid was up or down, and whether the toilet or nearby floor was examined.
Minimal viral contamination was observed on the surrounding walls in both the lid up and lid down scenarios, with the toilet seat being the most contaminated surface.
Similar contamination patterns were also identified in public toilets.
Closing the lid before flushing led to increased contamination levels on the left and in front of the toilet, but a small reduction in contamination on the right of the toilet, according to the researchers.
Toilet bowls cleaned with both a brush and a disinfectant, specifically muriatic acid, showed less contamination compared to toilet bowls cleaned solely with a brush.
The study further found that using a disinfectant while cleaning the toilet bowl helped reduce contamination on adjacent surfaces, such as the toilet floor and toilet brush holder.
Cleaning with a disinfectant and brush reduced virus contamination on the toilet by more than 99.99 percent and on the brush by more than 97 percent.
Dr. Charles P. Gerba, lead author and professor of virology at the University of Arizona, said: ‘With results showing that closing toilet lids has no meaningful impact on preventing the spread of virus particles, our study highlights the importance of regular toilet disinfection to reduce contamination and prevent the spread of viruses.’
Their research was published in the American Journal of Infection Control.