3 mistakes most people make when going to the toilet

Xiaojiu received a private message in the background today: I was discussing the renovation of the house with my boyfriend. I said to install a squatting toilet, and he said that a toilet must be installed. I think the squat toilet is cleaner than the toilet, he doesn't believe it.

And he always closes the toilet lid every time he goes to the toilet, and then doesn't open it again. I told him not to close the toilet lid. It's unnecessary, and he doesn't believe it. Now that we disagree, who is right?

1. Do you need to cover the toilet when flushing?

As early as 1966, "The Lancet" has a related study that pointed out that the process of flushing the toilet will generate aerosols with bacteria , and the aerosols will stay in the air for a long time and are easily inhaled into the human body, causing harm. The researchers concluded that flushing the toilet with the lid closed.

Can you "shield" the aerosol by covering it?

In a study published in the "Physics of Fluids" by Florida Atlantic University, the researchers tested toilets with lids, toilets without lids, and urinals and found that aerosols would escape through tiny gaps in the lid and seat ring , and the At an altitude of 1.5 meters above the ground, stay for at least 20 seconds.

In fact, at present, toilets are mainly divided into straight-flush and siphon types. Squat toilets are generally in the form of straight-flush, so there will be more splashes of bacteria, while siphon toilets can reduce the number of splashes, but cannot completely eliminate them .

Closed toilets can indeed reduce more aerosol pollution, so it is necessary to close the toilet lid when flushing the toilet .

2. Is it better to sit or squat when going to the toilet?

Many people go to the public restroom and prefer to squat in the pit, always feeling that it will be cleaner than the seat. How is the truth? Funny Labs conducted a test.

Using sodium fluorescein, the tester can clearly see the height of the cyclone when flushing through the color change through ultraviolet light.

The testers placed a glass plate above the toilet and squatting pit, and measured the distance to see how strong the cyclone was.

Raise the height of the glass plate to 40 cm: there are water droplets splashing up in the squatting pit, and the glass plate above the toilet is relatively clean;

Raise the height of the glass plate to 60 cm: there are still water droplets splashing up in the squatting pit, and there is basically no water splashing on the toilet.

By comparison, it can be found that there are indeed more bacteria splashed in squatting pits than toilets . From this angle, the toilet is cleaner than the squat pit.

But considering all the factors, is it better to sit or squat? In fact, each has its pros and cons .

Squatting pit : The comfort is low, but it has an obvious effect on abdominal pressure, which is more conducive to defecation; the squatting toilet does not need to directly contact the toilet to avoid direct contact with bacteria; but because the angle is too low, it is not suitable for the elderly and people with inconvenient legs and feet.

Toilet : high comfort, but small effect on abdominal pressure, defecation may not be as smooth as squatting position, potentially prolonging toileting time; the height is relatively suitable, suitable for the elderly and people with inconvenient legs and feet.

3. Go to the toilet, do not make mistakes in these 3 things

In fact, in addition to flushing the toilet can produce bacteria. These behaviors also have hidden dangers when going to the toilet.

1. Play mobile phone

First of all, if the mobile phone is brought into the bathroom, the mobile phone is easily infected with bacteria , which brings health risks.

Secondly, playing with a mobile phone in the toilet will prolong the time unconsciously. If you spend too much time squatting on the toilet, the leg muscles will not move for a long time, and the contraction will slow down, resulting in swelling and numbness of the legs. In addition, if you go to the toilet for a long time, the abdominal pressure will increase, which will weaken the elasticity of the anal pad, and it is easy to form hemorrhoids.

2. Excessive force

Modern people are prone to constipation due to irregular diet and sedentary behavior.

Frequent hard bowel movements put pressure on the abdomen and increase the risk of hemorrhoids. For patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, excessive force during defecation can increase blood pressure and easily induce diseases such as angina pectoris and cerebral hemorrhage.

3. Wipe from back to front

How do you wipe down after using the toilet? In fact, regardless of defecation or urination, the best wipe direction should be from front to back, because the defense ability of human genitals against disease is anus > vagina > urethra. If it is from front to back, it may cause urinary tract infection and inflammation.

4. Are toilets in public areas contagious?

A 2013 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that public toilets produce three times as many fluid particles as household toilets , and a single flush of the toilet results in 145,000 fluid particles.

After conducting the squatting toilet and toilet flushing height experiments, "Doubi Lab" carried out bacterial sampling and culture on the water splashed when flushing the squatting pit of the public toilet , and found many pathogenic bacteria: Bacillus subtilis, large intestine Escherichia, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, etc., these bacteria are all "hidden dangers" to human health.

So if you want to go to the toilet outside, it is best to choose a siphonic toilet with a lid , close the lid and press the flush button. It can effectively reduce germs splashing in the air and contact with water droplets from the toilet.

But you don't need to panic too much . The potential harm caused by toilet cyclones in daily life may not be so great , and the presence of bacteria does not mean that you will definitely get sick.

Of course, there are concerns about catching diseases. You must know that infection is subject to certain conditions. Simple skin contact will not easily lead to body infection. The possibility of toilet transmission of AIDS and syphilis is extremely small.

It is recommended to pay attention to hand hygiene, because many pathogenic bacteria are easily spread by hands as a medium, contaminating our mouth, eyes, nose, food, etc.

Therefore, after going to the bathroom, be sure to wash your hands according to the steps, especially the back of your hands, nails, and between your fingers to reduce the risk of transmission.

References:

[1] "Close the lid to flush the toilet, and bacteria can also reach people's mouths". Research Circle. 2021-05-06

[2] "[Actual measurement] Do you need to cover the lid when flushing the toilet? 》. Curious Orange Persimmon. 2020-02-02

[3] "Using public toilets can cause STDs and skin diseases? The probability is very low, it is better to wash your hands". The whole people are true - Tencent News. 2017-07-04

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