ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Closing the lid of the toilet prior to flushing does little to stop contamination from virus particles in the surrounding area, according to new research.

Scientists from the University of Arizona and Reckitt Benckiser tested the effects of putting down the lid by introducing a virus that is non-harmful to humans into the toilet bowl.

Around a minute after flushing, a sponge was used to swab washroom surfaces including the adjacent walls and the areas on either side and in front of the loo.

Minimal viral contamination was noted on the walls in both the lid-up and lid-down positions, with the most contaminated surface being the toilet seat. Researchers recorded elevated contamination levels to the left and in front of the toilet and a minor reduction in contamination to the right.

However, cleaning with a disinfectant and a brush reduced viral contamination on the toilet by more than 99.99 per cent and more than 97 per cent on the brush.

"With results showing that closing the toilet lid has no meaningful impact on preventing the spread of viral particles, our study highlights the importance of regular disinfection of toilets to reduce contamination and prevent the spread of viruses," said Dr Charles P Gerba, lead author and professor of virology at the University of Arizona.

Earlier studies have shown that a closed lid can mitigate the spread of bacteria from the flush, but this latest research is an attempt to see whether the same principle applies as far as smaller viral particles are concerned.

Study authors concluded that the only way to truly prevent the spread of viral pathogens is to disinfect both the toilet and the toilet brush.