Why lower the toilet lid: all about the “toilet plume” and feng shui energy

People who live by the philosophy of Feng Shui lift the toilet lid with caution and only when they have to use it for its intended purpose. After all, the white sanitaryware bowl contains not only the terrible microbes from the Domestos advertisement, but also something worse - the negative energy of Sha, which can deprive you of peace, wealth and well-being. To ensure that this dirty trick remains there, closer to the sewer, enlightened Taoists advise closing the toilet lid as soon as possible.

For their part, microbiologists decided to investigate the toilet threat back in 1975. It is unlikely that they were talking about the same thing with feng shui adherents, but scientists from Texas described the phenomenon of a “toilet plume” that threatens the health of those who press the flush button without first lowering the toilet lid.

Why do you need a lid at all?

What did people use before toilets were invented? Some with bushes and burdocks, some with a hole over a hole, some with chamber pots. The pots had lids for obvious reasons: no one would want to spread toilet “fragrances” around the room.

A modern toilet lid is needed for two things:

• to control odor;
• to contain splashes when draining.

The smells in this case are no longer what they used to be. Thanks to the siphon design, all the “ballast” immediately falls into the water, which prevents it from spreading the stench. And then it’s completely washed away into the sewer.But when you decide to clean the toilet with something strong and smelling of bleach, the lid will come in very handy - it will save your apartment from the smell of a Soviet infectious diseases hospital.

"Toilet plume" and microbiologists

When dentists urge us to disinfect and replace our toothbrushes regularly, they like to mention a shocking fact: if you examine an old brush under a microscope, you will find not only colonies of bacteria on it, but also fecal particles. Where are they from?

The answer was given by the same American microbiologists. To find out how far the toilet microflora is ready to go, they organized an experiment: they poured phosphorescent liquid into the toilet and, without closing the lid, simply pressed the flush button. This was done in a dark bathroom - not for more drama, but in order to use an ultraviolet lamp to find traces of splashes on nearby surfaces.

The microbes did not disappoint - when flushed along with the smallest droplets of water, they spread from the toilet bowl within a couple of seconds over a radius of two meters. So they ended up on the toothbrush along with the “nanofeces” (here is the obvious disadvantage of a shared bathroom).

Texas scientists called this phenomenon a “toilet plume.” The experiment is good for its simplicity and clarity: hardly anyone will argue with the fact that it is still better to lower the toilet lid.

Toilet feng shui

Well, what about negative energy? In the minds of impressionable housewives, everything is confused: some talk about Feng Shui, others talk about folk signs of the post-Soviet space (if you leave the toilet open, there will be no money).

Well, in this case, superstitions do not contradict common sense. In the toilet room, first of all, you need to watch out for two things:

• for cleanliness;
• for hygiene.

If you believe that this will also lead you to harmony and wealth - why not? In any business, the main thing is a positive attitude. But when you fight with your household, convincing them to lower the toilet lid, it’s better to tell them about germs: as you know, not everyone is ready for Feng Shui.