Flushing a Toilet Can Blast Germs Up to Your Breathing Zone, Study Finds
Closing the lid might help.
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A new systematic review of existing research reveals that flushing toilets releases plumes of contaminated aerosols that can reach the breathing zone of adults and linger for approximately 20 seconds. Researchers from Flinders University analyzed 22 studies examining toilet-generated aerosols to better understand this phenomenon and its potential health implications.
The aerosol plumes contain bioaerosols—airborne particles of biological origin that may include intact bacteria and viruses from the toilet bowl or flushing water. The concentration of these particles varies significantly depending on several factors, including flush volume and force, the number of microbes present in the toilet, and individual toilet design characteristics. Higher-volume and more forceful flushes tend to release greater quantities of bioaerosols into the air.
While the review found that ventilation and lid position showed no consistent relationship with aerosol levels across studies, researchers still recommend both as precautionary measures. Closing the toilet lid before flushing does not completely prevent aerosols from escaping but redirects them outward through gaps rather than upward. Regular toilet cleaning to reduce microbial growth and choosing toilets with lower flush volumes may also help minimize bioaerosol release.
Despite these findings, researchers acknowledge significant gaps in current knowledge. Further investigation is needed to develop design improvements that could reduce toilet-generated aerosols, particularly in high-risk environments like hospitals where vulnerable populations are at greater infection risk.
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Originally reported by Sciencealert →
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