# If you live alone (in a house or apartment or whatever) do you always close the bathroom door when you use the toilet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 5, 2026, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502 "2026-11-05T17:20:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/41 "2026-11-06T11:58:14Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Heck, I don’t usually close the bathroom door, and I live with someone (my wife). (For the record, she’s as casual about it as I am.) That’s pretty much us. But we will see that it’s in use because the light will likely be on. Retired now, but used to work from home. So I have an office in the house. I don’t close the door, no need. But I ask my wife to knock on the wall so I know she is about to enter. I’m hard of hearing and if she suddenly just appears it startles the hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/42 "2026-11-06T12:06:47Z")
Nope, don’t bother to close the door when using the toilet. If we’re having a cold snap I might close the door 3/4 while running the bathroom heater to warm it up prior to use before changing clothes, shower/bath, or the like but that’s to retain warmth. When folks are visiting yes, the door gets closed. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/43 "2026-11-06T12:14:52Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > When folks are visiting yes, the door gets closed. I’ve discovered with both guests and myself, that that is easy to forget to do. “Sorry” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/44 "2026-11-06T12:33:08Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > I don’t live alone but I’m alone plenty of time, up to for weeks on end. If you don’t mind sharing, what sort of arrangement is that? Your wife’s job is in another city, she’s a ship crewmember, someone in the military prone to deployments, etc.? In my own working life life I slept alone about 1/3rd, maybe 40% of my marriage. But it was only in short intervals: a few days gone then a few days home. And that reality had its costs as well as benefits. Based on my & my co-worker’s experiences, doing the same but measured in multiple weeks sounds _very_ challenging. Which suggests there needs to be some pretty amazing upsides to suffering through those downsides. If you’d rather not get into it, I certainly understand and respect your choice. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/45 "2026-11-06T12:44:42Z")
I like to travel and my husband doesn’t. I’ve been away for almost 3 weeks, leaving him alone at home. He sometimes takes work trips without me, too, but those are usually a week or less. I’ve been casually trying to arrange to go on a cruise with a friend, but one issue is that he’s single and likes really long trips, and I’m married and don’t want to be away so long. (He’s gay, I’m pretty sure my husband doesn’t worry about him being competition. Well, no more than a woman friend i might travel with.) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/46 "2026-11-06T14:57:48Z")
Most of the time but not always for micturition. Door’s always shut for defecation, unless potential incontinence due to severe urgency is an issue. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/47 "2026-11-06T15:05:32Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > I would like to point out that among 23 responses, I count 5 posts in which a significant factor in making the vital decision about the door involves the presence of cats, but only 1 post involving presence of dogs. > > This certainly reveals important information about …something. 😀 I’ll cop to leaving the doors open because of dogs. My boy would come in with me while I used the toilet, and when I showered he would stick his head in past the curtain and try to lick water off my legs. Now that he’s gone it’s just me and my girl. She lays in the hallway outside of the bathroom. If I nudge the door closed while I’m drying my face (I keep my face towel on the back of the door) she growls at me. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/48 "2026-11-06T21:12:31Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > among 23 responses, I count 5 posts… the presence of cats, but only 1 post involving presence of dogs. And now, the important statistic: After 47 posts, the count is: 8 involving cats, 2 with dogs. 🐱🐶 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/49 "2026-11-07T00:04:57Z")
Completeness requires me to point out there’s also 37 posts where the animals, if present, do not rule their supposed “owner’s” behavior. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/50 "2026-11-07T00:22:10Z")
And I expect that I’d leave the door open when nobody else is around even if there weren’t any cats. Though if there weren’t any cats I’d be very unhappy. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/51 "2026-11-07T01:38:05Z")
I get lonely. 🥺 ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/52 "2026-11-07T07:22:13Z")
Yep. I no longer have any but I gave up shutting the door while they were alive. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/53 "2026-11-07T08:07:21Z")
Never when alone, never when just my wife is home. Not even when we had a dog, since she liked to visit. Not so precious bodily fluids are not an issue for us. I was present for the birth of both our kids, and let’s just say that if my wife delivered at home we’d have been cleaning up right up to the point the kids left for college. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/54 "2026-11-07T08:27:13Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Your wife’s job is in another city, she’s a ship crewmember, someone in the military prone to deployments, etc.? My wife used to work from home full time, but she’s doing management now and has more of her own clients so recently she’s gone about half the time. I don’t work full time hours, but still work keeps me busy, and we have two high school kids. It’s not a lot of fun, and I have a lot more respect for single parents. I’m sure that if circumstances forced me to be a single dad full time, that somehow I’d do it, but it is a lot of time and emotional energy. I think things will settle down in a while and she can spend more time at home. For me, I don’t close the door when I’m alone and there isn’t a chance my family comes back. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/55 "2026-11-07T10:45:15Z")
As a young woman living alone, I closed and locked the bathroom door religiously. Anything to provide an extra barrier in a vulnerable moment. Now that I live with trustworthy people I’m not so worried about it. If I’m in my bedroom and the bedroom door is closed, that’s enough. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/56 "2026-11-07T15:49:28Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I don’t, it upsets the cats. Clicked into the thread to say this. Plus, it diffuses any miasma or shower steam. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/57 "2026-11-07T17:00:01Z")
On the rare occasion when I am alone, I always close the bathroom door. Otherwise I would be visited by our two cats. While I love them and enjoy being their source of entertainment, I have to draw the line somewhere. I try not to walk in on them when they are doing their business. It actually seems to upset them to have me watching. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502/58 "2026-11-07T19:59:33Z")
Even if alone in the house, I always give the door a quick swing that may leave it slightly ajar. Yes, I’m neurotic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-live-alone-in-a-house-or-apartment-or-whatever-do-you-always-close-the-bathroom-door-when-you-use-the-toilet/1034502.md?page=2)