Most people are aware that closing the toilet lid when you flush keeps germs from spreading around your bathroom. The microscopic droplets released from a flushing toilet can rise 4 feet in the air and be inhaled or land on bathroom surfaces. But what about when your toilet is not in use? For safety and hygiene reasons, you should keep your toilet lid closed at all times.

If you’re in the habit of closing the lid already, this won’t be an issue. However, if you still need convincing, here are five reasons to close your toilet lid when it’s not in use. 

1. Odor Control

A flushed toilet can still be a smelly one, thanks to mold and mildew growing inside or plumbing issues in your building. Closing the lid keeps odors in check. Of course, regular scrubbing—and cleaning the tank—can also help with odor control.

Parents with toddlers in the house may want to add a lock to the lid to prevent any accidents or contamination. 

2. Child Safety 

If you live with kids or ever have children visit your home, a closed toilet is safer for them. Playing in toilet water is unsanitary, and you might not always know it has happened. In addition, an open lid that slams shut can pinch small fingers, and the water in a toilet can be a drowning hazard.

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3. The Aesthetic

An open toilet bowl spoils the look of a freshly cleaned bathroom, or after shots of a bathroom makeover. It also looks untidy. Keeping the toilet lid closed looks composed, and it allows you to show off a decorative lid if you have one. Wood toilet seats are back in style, as are fun vintage pastels. 

4. Pet Safety

A thirsty dog drinking from the toilet bowl will be exposed to bacteria, which could cause illness or the spread of germs to other parts of the house. Keeping the lid closed (and using a lock if needed) is a smart way to keep your dog safe.

A closed lid protects cats, too. The curious beings might inspect the toilet only to find themselves slipping in. Then, all the dirty water transfers to their fur, which they’ll likely want to clean. Other cats might be in the habit of hopping onto the toilet to get somewhere else. A closed lid keeps them safe on their journey. 

5. Protect Other Bathroom Items

In small bathrooms, your entire makeup stash might be an inch away from tumbling into the toilet. If you use over-the-toilet storage, the risk of something falling in is even greater. Items that fall in the toilet are soggy, in need of sanitizing, and possibly ruined. Get in the habit of closing the toilet lid to avoid accidentally dropping things in.