# Lighting matches in the bathroom? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665 "2003-10-10T13:26:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/1 "2003-10-10T13:26:06Z")
Does lighting a box of matches in the bathroom neutralise the foul air? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/2 "2003-10-10T13:29:13Z")
I don’t know about neutralizing it, but it does mask it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/3 "2003-10-10T13:44:54Z")
Don’t know about that, but we used to have fun with matches in the bathroom at college. What you do is when your roommate is in the shower, you fill the toilet bowl with lighter fluid. Then shut off the lights and close the door as if you’re leaving, but don’t. When he gets out to turn the light back on, light the match and fling it in the toilet. This is best done the morning after a drinking binge. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/4 "2003-10-10T18:29:16Z")
Methane would be combusted, presumably. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/5 "2003-10-10T19:36:49Z")
You’ve gotta light the whole box? Dude, what did you eat? ---
**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/6 "2003-10-10T19:38:34Z")
I think **x-ray vision** is right, burning the chemicals in the head of the match simply mask your nasty odor. **Huerta88** , methane combustion would have no effect on the smell, since methane is odorless, but if you held the match close enough…but that’s a different thread. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/7 "2003-10-10T19:40:54Z")
I thought the distinctive odor of a fart was sulfur, not methane. So lighting a match would have little or no effect. ---
**Author:** ![clbidy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@clbidy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clbidy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-matches-in-the-bathroom/206665/8 "2003-10-10T19:47:18Z")
Well, lighting an entire **box** would, certainly… …but I was raised in a home where each bathroom (4) was always equipped with a small basket or large snifter of matchbooks (from all over the globe - my Mom collected matchbooks). The rule of the house was to light three or four matches after doing your deuces because the smell of the matches would - um - neutralize? - the smell of the - um - smell that might be remaining in the air. Some of my friends also had similarly equipped bathrooms, so when I visited and had to do number two I used the matches. Some homes weren’t so equipped and so I just let it slide. After I went away to college I didn’t take the habit with me - nor did I collect matchbooks (almost a thing of the past now anyway). As far as I know, however, my Mom continued the routine and there were always matchbooks in her bathrooms up until the day she died.