Correct which is why in addition studies show that having the lid down increases the concentration of those aerosolized bacteria and increases the distanced traveled while also allowing them to linger in the air for up to 11minutes longer. The lid down causes the particles to break up into nano particles which are not visible, but linger longer and spread farther.
SmoothIsFast
joined 1 year ago
Nice way to conviently omit the next fucking bit of the article like Google does 🙄
However, use of the lid also increased the diameter and concentration of the bacteria in these droplets.
It was also found that airborne microdroplets were detected for 16 minutes after flushing the toilet with the lid down, 11 minutes longer than when the toilet was flushed with the lid up. The researchers suggest that this could be due to particles being re-aerosolised from surfaces rather than being created by the turbulence of the toilet flushing. Alternatively, the researchers suggest that airborne particles could stick together, or agglomerate, which would cause them to remain airborne for longer.
I.e droplets with more bacteria lingering around longer in the air and traveling further. The biggest risk with bacterial contamination is concentration, which this literally tells you is increased by putting down the lid as well as spreading further with a longer time airborne. But go on showing your lack of comprehension.
Home toilets use the bowl filling up to create a siphon through the drain trap. For that to work your toilet must first raise the water level above the top of the trap to create the pressure with its weight to start the siphon. I.e with the lid closed you are forcing more air to compress in a smaller volume generating a pressure difference outside the bowl and internally. Leave the lid open and that volume of air goes directly into the room without much resistance creating less pressure in the bowl compared to the surrounding air in the room. Hence with the lid open the distance, the spray travels is lower as it has a lower velocity.
They did test it years ago lol and confirmed that closing the lid did not have a benefit.
People usually see the initial drop of visible particles to mean closing the lid is better but it just causes the mist to aerosol more into nano particles when the lid is closed. I don't have the study itself handy at the moment, let me dig a bit more but I did find this article which was referencing similar findings. Let me try and find the paper itself though, but in the meantime here is a small except about the study from a site that was promoting the conference where it was presented at:
How does flushing water create air pressure? Are you using a steam toilet? Are you acoustic?
Did you just try to call me dumb when you don't understand physics?
Here's a little science experiment and explanation for you:
Water in a toilet bowl first rises as the flush begins before it over comes the pressure in the drain trap. Close the lid, more air is squeezed out the sides of the toilet for a moment as that happens, leave the lid up and you have a larger volume for the air to be offset in. Don't believe me, flush the toilet with the lid down, wet a finger with water slightly and put it near the opening between the lid and the bowl, you will feel it cool down from the air escaping. Do the same now with the lid open and you will notice this effect less. Obviously do this with a clean toilet and wash your hands afterwards but you will notice the pressure difference in the beginning.
No it actually does not, it increases the spread and creates a pressure build up compared to being open, you are initially adding volume into the toilet when you flush with the lid closed this pressure build up is greater and spreada the particles further. You are essentially creating a shit nozzle on the sides of your toilet. All the lid does is help the particles become bigger so there are fewer visible particles but they are bigger and travel further, while remaining airborne longer due to their velocity.
The closed lid increases air speed, not decreases it as you create a higher build up of pressure 🤦♂️
Actually it doesn't, flushing with the lid closed can leave the particles in the air for up to around 11minutes longer as they exit the side of the toilet with more velocity and pressure. It's not a sealed system.
Lid up when flushing means the particles stay in the air for less time vs closing the lid. Closed lid creates more pressure, and the particles will also travel farther.
Not how it works, sorry to tell you. In fact, putting the lid down means you are keeping those particles airborne for another 11 minutes or so due to increased pressure with the lid down.
Honestly don't worry, as Mythbusters pointed out that neither are a health concern due to the low concentration relatively speaking and if anything it helps your immune system build up defenses against E coli and the like. Just know lid up during your flush means the sent lingers less. Then after the flush I would advise closing the lid to keep any lingering sent in the air of the toilet bowl and less likely to be disturbed by any airflow in the room. Just don't like seeing misleading info spread around as honestly the science behind it is pretty interesting.