Poll: When you leave your bathroom is the commode lid up or down?

[Clarity]

I ask b/c my MIL is visiting and it surprises me and annoys me, that she leaves the lid open on the commode after she has been in our bathroom. I have small children and I've actually ASKED her in the past to put the lid down because we have kids/had dogs.

[katydid1971]

I leave it down, DH and DS leave it up ;)

[happymom]

You mean the lid, not the seat right? I'm surprised by the question I've always been under the impression that its normal to leave the lid up. I'm surprised when I find it down.

[Snow mom]

House rule here is lid down. That way everyone has to put something up/down (makes it more fair.) Also, keeps the dogs from drinking out of the toilet.

[Clarity]

I mean the lid, not the seat. So when you put the lid down, the commode is closed and you can no longer see the water inside.
I never lower a public lid, but lids on commodes within private residences I always lower so the commode is closed.

[sarahsthreads]

I religiously put it down, but it's a struggle to get anyone else to. I voted down because I follow the rest of the household around putting the lids down after they've left them open.

DD2 is *fascinated* by the potty - she's either going to be a breeze to PT or refuse to even consider it until she's 12 - and I really don't want to find out what she'd throw in there. I have enough trouble getting her not to unroll the entire roll of toilet paper: "Pay-pah! Pay-pah! Ma-ma! Pay-pah!"

Sarah :)

[MontrealMum]

Lid + seat down here. For several reasons:
-enforcing a lid down policy got DH to put the seat down too :)
-now that we have DS, it's safer, we have issues with dropping things in bowl, or reaching in after things :barf: . Yes, he can lift it now, but it takes just enough extra time for me to catch him

True story: my parents friends had a toilet in the basement and a RAT crawled up through the sewer system and got into their home via the toilet which had its lid up. My dad assured me that that really only happens on lower floors (we are on the 2nd floor here, and at previous places) but I just cannot deal with that potentially happening. Irrational, I know, but I'm just like that with some things ;)

I also have a quite a few germaphobe issues, and don't like the idea that when it's flushed the toilet can project "spores" for lack of a better word, quite a distance. Keeping it down, whether it actually works or not, makes me feel that the "ick" is contained in the toilet and lid. Which I clean - frequently.

[JBaxter]

When the inlaws visit I put a post it note on the door... Lid Down Door Shut

[Clarity]

When the inlaws visit I put a post it note on the door... Lid Down Door Shut

I ALMOST stuck a note by the lightswitch this time but I didn't. I should have because it really ticks me off that she still leaves the lid open when I asked her two years ago to put it down. It even surprises my dh but he doesn't think about the kids or pets so likely won't saying anything to her.

[MontrealMum]

When the inlaws visit I put a post it note on the door... Lid Down Door Shut

That you have to put "door shut" is really disturbing. Wow!

[baileygirl]

Before potty training DS1 we would leave the lid down. Now, I leave it up because it is easier for him just to deal with the seat.

[JBaxter]

That you have to put "door shut" is really disturbing. Wow!

well the door shut was for after he was done. Jack is into unrolling the toilet paper

[AshleyAnn]

I started putting mine down when my cat discovered the water and decided it was fun to empty the bowl all over the floor every chance she got. Literally she'd drain the toilet by splashing. DH used to do the same but he was away with the military and fell out of habit.

My SIL has a similar problem but its her dog - it drinks all the water.

[cono0507]

Lid is always down. DH and DS also always leave it down. When my dad visits, he ALWAYS leaves it up and DS will go in and close it and tell him "grandpa you forgot to close the potty!" :)

[Gena]

We always put the lid down before we flush. We try to remind DS to do the same (although sometimes he protests becuase he likes to watch the water swirl around). I'm not a germophobe at all, but the whole thing about contaminated droplets spraying up from the flushing toilet onto the toothbrushes grosses me out. I know you'e supposed to keep the toothbrushes 6 feet away fom the toilet, but we have a really small bathroom, so that's just not possible.

[KrisM]

We always put the lid down before we flush. We try to remind DS to do the same (although sometimes he protests becuase he likes to watch the water swirl around). I'm not a germophobe at all, but the whole thing about contaminated droplets spraying up from the flushing toilet onto the toothbrushes grosses me out. I know you'e supposed to keep the toothbrushes 6 feet away fom the toilet, but we have a really small bathroom, so that's just not possible.

:yeahthat: I just don't get those who leave it up to spray all the germs everywhere. I don't even have toothbrushes in all the bathrooms, but still ick.

I also think it looks nicer when it's closed.

[set81616]

Down. I saw an experiment where they showed the water spray. Gross. I would not be able to use my toothbrush after that because water spray goes everywhere. It took a while to train DH. DS caught on pretty quick but he sometimes flushes first then closes. Luckily he doesn't use my bathroom.
Shannon

[egoldber]

Up. Never gave it a second thought. It's just more convenient to leave it up.

And I thought a toilet's second official job was as a dog water bowl. ;) My ILs didn't even have a water bowl for their dogs, their dogs always drank from the toilet. Our cats used to drink from the toilet too.

In fact, once we went on vacation and due to a snafu with the catsitter, no one came to look after our cats for a week. The fact that the toilet lid was up was what saved them. They were VERY hungry, but otherwise OK since they had plenty of water.

[g-mama]

Up. Never gave it a second thought. It's just more convenient to leave it up.


:yeahthat: We never ever put it down.

For a brief couple of months with each child we tried to close the door to the bathroom if they were too interested in the toilet, but that was always short-lived.

[Ceepa]

Lid is down. I don't want to see inside the toilet.

[mariza]

Most definatelt down. I'm one of those that closes it before flushing to avoid water droplets.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Up, most of the time. I close the bathroom door and that is enough to keep ds2 out of the bathroom at this moment so I don't need to worry about keeping hm out of the bowl. Plus, when he does get to come into the bathroom he frequently closes the lid anyway.

Germs are everywhere and the ones that have sprayed around the bathroom haven't killed me yet. :)

Beth

[ezcc]

It would never occur to me to put it down, and if I can't say for sure, but that's the way I usually find it in other people's houses (it's just easier, or maybe I have really gross friends and relatives?). In defense of your mil, she probably just forgets- I would have a hard time remembering to do that probably. Amazing what you learn on this board!

[wellyes]

Up. Never gave it a second thought. It's just more convenient to leave it up.

:yeahthat:

Funny that the poll shows an pretty even split but most posters here are lid-down. It's like I'm part of a shameful group!

When I'm a guest, I try to leave the toilet however I found it... but if the guest before me mistakenly left it up, that means I will too!

[arivecchi]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine. The lid has to be down in my house. DH thankfully follows the rule. My best friend (a woman) always leaves it up when she visits and it drives me bonkers!

[kransden]

I used to leave it open, but the cat thinks it's his own personal water labratory. He loves to conduct experiements on various household items, and the effect toilet water has on them.

[elliput]

This is a tough one in our house right now as I have been dealing with both an inquisitive toddler and PT regression with the 4 yo. DS finds the toilet and water fascinating and wants to splash around in it. Meanwhile DD needs to be encouraged to use the toilet and having it open with the ring insert on the seat helps with that.

Usually we close the lid.

[ThreeofUs]

Depends, but only because my 5 yo has no desire to be near toilets unless he's using them for the intended purpose. The baby is another story. If I'm near a bathroom with the baby, the lid goes down. (Not that this keeps the baby from opening the lid, lol, and trying to put his little hand in the water.) If it's night time, the lid stays up.

Sloppy, I know....

As for your in-laws, I'd be putting notes on the toilet, the sink, the mirror (if there is one) and the door. It's your house rule and you have good reason for it. They need to respect your wishes, even if it's hard to overcome habit.

jmho.

[mom_hanna]

Up, only because we have a dog and a cat who both like to drink the water and I think that's gross.

[amandabea]

We are a lid-down family. DH required no training -- he's obsessively neat about everything. DD knows to put the lid down as well, but she typically flushes first.

[Joolsplus2]

I only put the lid down when there's something to hide, like, the toilet didn't flush and I didn't get a chance to plunge it yet or something. Therefore, I'm always a little scared when I see a lid down, I'm afraid what I might find under there when I lift it up.

[aa2mama]

I obsessively leave the lid down because of water droplet spray (our toothbrushes are in a covered cabinet too) and because our bathroom is small and I don't want to accidentally drop anything into the toilet. DS has recently started leaving the lid and seat up, though.

With your MIL, unless you have repeatedly asked her to leave the lid down, I would give her the benefit of the doubt that it's either force of habit or forgetting your initial request rather than passive aggressive behavior on her part. I think it's fine to put up a reminder note.

[newg]

We are a lid down family. I think it looks nicer. Is more sanitary. And now with DD I don't want her playing with the water. Our downstairs bathroom is also door closed. Ils keep the seat up and it drive me bonkers.

[happymom]

I only put the lid down when there's something to hide, like, the toilet didn't flush and I didn't get a chance to plunge it yet or something. Therefore, I'm always a little scared when I see a lid down, I'm afraid what I might find under there when I lift it up.

LOL This is exactly what I was thinking. If I see a lid down, I expect the worst!! I'm really surprised by how many people keep the lid down. I don't think I know a single person who does this. And I'm pretty germ conscious- but it never occured to me to worry that the toilet water will splash up out of the toilet high enough to land on my toothbrush!! I have never even seen toilet water splash onto the SEAT in my house. I've seen that happen in public bathroom that have forceful flushes, but not in a regular private bathroom.

Now I'm going to pay more attention to this when I visit people's homes. I don't want to be that irritating guest who leaves the lid up!!

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I mean the lid, not the seat. So when you put the lid down, the commode is closed and you can no longer see the water inside.
I never lower a public lid, but lids on commodes within private residences I always lower so the commode is closed.

:yeahthat:

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I want to see Bill and Codex respond to this!:hysterical:

[carolinamama]

Lid down - we have little kids and I'm sure DS2 would be glad to have his own version of water-play if he had access. ICK

ETA Interestingly, when we were selling our house last year and our realtor was having pictures done of our master bathroom, he purposely went and put the lid UP for those pictures. Maybe that is the norm and what people expect in a picture?

[jgenie]

We are a lid down family. I think the bathroom looks neater with the lid closed. Both my mom and MIL leave the door open and the lid up - drives me nuts - I'm always following behind them to close the lid and door when they are visiting.

[Naranjadia]

Wow - now I think this should be a census question. I never realized that lid down was so prevalent. :hysterical:

We are lid up, except for a brief period when the toilet lids were clamped shut because of the kids.

Discovery Channel's Mythbusters did a study of the toilet seat up/down debate and didn't find a difference between the open toilet bathroom and the control.

And now to get really gross:

According to a University of Arizona study: A computer keyboard can harbor up to 3,295 microbes per square inch, a computer mouse 1,676. Telephones were the worst culprit, with 25,127 microbes. By contrast, the average toilet seat contains only 49 microbes per square inch.

[rlu]

ETA Interestingly, when we were selling our house last year and our realtor was having pictures done of our master bathroom, he purposely went and put the lid UP for those pictures. Maybe that is the norm and what people expect in a picture?

I wonder if that is to imply the toilets are scrubbed daily or something.

We keep ours down. Dogs, then DS, 'nuff said.

[michellerw]

Always closed. We have cats and plus, toilets are gross.

It drives me insane when my FIL comes over and leaves the whole thing up, including the seat. I don't understand how my MIL raised two men with impeccable manners, but FIL leaves the seat up.

[Joolsplus2]

And now to get really gross:

According to a University of Arizona study: A computer keyboard can harbor up to 3,295 microbes per square inch, a computer mouse 1,676. Telephones were the worst culprit, with 25,127 microbes. By contrast, the average toilet seat contains only 49 microbes per square inch.

Hehe, yeah, I read a study or report with similar findings, that the toilet seat was the cleanest place in the house, of all the surfaces they tested. And yet it still seems icky :p

[wellyes]

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/images/buttons2/viewpost.gif (http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2561763#post2561763)

When the inlaws visit I put a post it note on the door... Lid Down Door Shut

That you have to put "door shut" is really disturbing. Wow!I'm assuming she means "door shut" when the bathroom is NOT in use, right? "Lid down" obviously refers to when the room is not in use.

Or do some people think it's wrong to leave the bathroom door open? I sometimes leave the door closed just because I don't want DD to see if her sippy cup can float (again.... ugh). But I always leave it open when we have anyone over just because it let them know if the room is vacant or not without having to knock or awkwardly ask.