The next time you flush the toilet, this video might just linger in your mind, prompting a change in your habits.
Germs are omnipresent, always seeking to invade our bodies. Fortunately, our immune systems work tirelessly to fend them off, maintaining our health.
Even if these germs don’t cause immediate harm, the idea of them entering our mouths, hands, and eyes can be unsettling.
This video highlights the consequences of flushing the toilet with the lid up, which might make you reconsider your routine.
Produced by Science X: Phys.org, Medical Xpress, Tech Xplore on YouTube, this video demonstrates why you might start closing the lid consistently.
Interestingly, the scientific community has delved into this topic in other contexts as well.
The TikTok account DIYMAN_PRO conducted an experiment to illustrate the number of germs that escape during a flush.
In the experiment, a green laser is placed on the toilet seat, capturing the moment the toilet is flushed and revealing the multitude of germs crossing the laser’s path.
A follow-up experiment involved pouring neon liquid into the toilet tank. Once mixed, flushing again showed the extent of ‘poo particles’ spread using a black light for visibility.
The ultraviolet light exposed how these germs disperse onto nearby objects – including toothbrushes!
But that’s not all.
In 2022, John Crimaldi, then a professor of engineering at the University of Colorado, conducted a similar study.
He shared with Business Insider that the results left the team ‘jaw-dropped,’ as they had ‘no idea and no reason to believe’ the particles would travel so far and wide.
The study published here revealed: “Our results demonstrate the surprisingly energetic and rapid growth of aerosol plumes from a commercial toilet and highlight the chaotic nature of the fluid kinematics that transport the particles.”
Crimaldi mentioned that the footage might alter public perception of traditional toilets, admitting that he now views them ‘suspiciously.’
He commented: “You go to the bathroom, you flush the handle, the stuff disappears, you’re like: ‘boom, works great!’
“Then you look at the videos that we took and you’re like: ‘oh, maybe not so great!’
“This has fundamentally changed my relationship with toilets. I look at them suspiciously now.”