# Do you close the lid on your toilet when it is not in use? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418 "2011-11-19T04:07:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/1 "2011-11-19T04:07:54Z")
Do you close the full lid on your toilet when it is not in use? Why in heaven’s name would you not? You bought the lid. Use it! ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/2 "2011-11-19T04:11:33Z")
Yes, always. It contains the spray from the flush. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/3 "2011-11-19T04:14:08Z")
Yes. My toilet seat is heated, and my bathroom is cold. Closing the lid and draping a towel over it retains the heat. You don’t want to sit on an unheated toilet seat when you’re half awake and it’s 45 degrees in your bathroom! StG ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/4 "2011-11-19T04:17:10Z")
Nope. I guess I’m a barbarian, then again I’ve been known to piss in the kitchen sink when the bathrooms are all occupied. I take the dishes out first - I’m not Hitler. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lovely_Margo_Lane)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/5 "2011-11-19T04:19:35Z")
Yes. It looks better, contains spray, provides a handy seat for toenail trimming or lazy tooth brushing, and keeps curious animals out of trouble. Also it eliminates the “seat up or down” argument entirely in a coed household. I am interested to hear reasons to leave it open. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/6 "2011-11-19T04:21:04Z")
I’ve got pets. Lid stays closed to minimize offending my sensibilities. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/7 "2011-11-19T04:26:17Z")
Yes I close it . That way I can’t drop anything in it and thw dog can’t drink out of it. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/8 "2011-11-19T04:34:57Z")
Yes. The one time I forgot, a cat jumped in and I was late to work. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/9 "2011-11-19T04:38:24Z")
Oh, yes. The reasons are many and varied. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/10 "2011-11-19T04:40:49Z")
Lid closed. Curious felines like to watch it flush, so sometimes the lid gets closed after the flush, but it’s always down when not in use. I don’t want the curious felines to go for a swim, or a drink. I’ve always thought it was a perfect solution to the “seat up or down” argument, too. Everyone is to close the lid! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/11 "2011-11-19T04:43:44Z")
Open, in case I forget to fill the dog’s water bowl. Which means that the seat is often wet when I sit down. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/12 "2011-11-19T05:06:56Z")
Open. I didn’t buy a lid, I bought a seat. They threw the lid in for free! Besides, I am liable to stumble into the dark bathroom at 4am, sit down and let out a little dribble… before I realize that the reason it felt funny when I sat is that it was closed. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/13 "2011-11-19T05:10:31Z")
We have cats, so of course. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/14 "2011-11-19T05:24:50Z")
Other: I am not attractive and just intelligent enough to realize if I don’t close the lid, the dog will drop things into the toilet. Honestly, he’s like a two-year-old child in that regard. Makes a horrible mess when trying to fish it out, too. And some things you just don’t want to use again after they’ve been in the toilet, even if they were in their case. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/15 "2011-11-19T05:55:00Z")
No. I think it’s disgusting to have to touch any part of the toilet except the flushing handle, and I am displeased when guests close the lid. Yes, I know all about toilet plume. I don’t care about that. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/16 "2011-11-19T06:09:39Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Why in heaven’s name would you not? You bought the lid. Use it! This is my beef with people who don’t use their turn signals. THEY’RE INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THE CAR! That having been said, I don’t put the lid down. Why would you if you just have to open it again? Same reason I don’t make my bed. Is the queen coming over? Do I have a shoot with Architectural Digest? You throw the covers back, go about your business for 12-16 hours. Lie back down in the bed and flip the covers over you. However, I live alone now. When I was with my husband we kept the lid closed because of the cats. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/17 "2011-11-19T06:37:15Z")
Yes - a) to contain the toilet plume, and b) because we have a very small bathroom and it’s not uncommon for things to fall off the vanity, which I would prefer not to have to fish out of the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/18 "2011-11-19T06:41:43Z")
Yes, I keep mine closed. I don’t want the dog mistaking it for his water bowl. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/19 "2011-11-19T06:47:20Z")
Once I read Cecil’s article about toilet water being aerosolized on flushing, I saw the light and became and “always down” sort of person. Once I told my mom, the RN, she too joined me in righteousness. Alas, my father wallows in sin and filth and will not heed the call to salvation. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418/20 "2011-11-19T06:49:22Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Nope. I guess I’m a barbarian, then again I’ve been known to piss in the kitchen sink when the bathrooms are all occupied. > > I take the dishes out first - I’m not Hitler. It’s all pipes! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-close-the-lid-on-your-toilet-when-it-is-not-in-use/603418.md?page=2)