# Men: do you lift the seat to urinate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2009, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402 "2009-10-28T05:03:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/1 "2009-10-28T05:03:27Z")
At the risk of becoming known for bathroom polls, I felt like this follow-up question to my last thread deserved a thread of its own. So here we go: if you’re peeing in a toilet, do you bother lifting the seat? For me, the answer is always yes, and sure, I’ll usually use my foot to lift the seat. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/2 "2009-10-28T05:05:48Z")
Yes, and even before I was married (or even engaged), I always put the seat down. In fact, when I got married she constantly complained that I put both the seat and the lid down. What can I say, I don’t like chancing that things will fall in the bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/3 "2009-10-28T05:23:58Z")
I never bother. Don’t care. Don’t miss either, though. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/4 "2009-10-28T05:45:07Z")
I never understood the “men never put the seat down” cliche. Just be glad it’s up. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/5 "2009-10-28T05:52:01Z")
Always. Even if it looks too manky to touch I use some TP to lift it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/6 "2009-10-28T06:04:20Z")
Can’t vote. There’s no “Yes, unless it’s near last call and it’s obvious that the seat is already thoroughly contaminated” option. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/7 "2009-10-28T07:28:38Z")
Good LORD lift the seat! If I’m at home or at a friend’s place, I’ll take some tp and wipe the rim if someone else has obviously left piddles. It’s a lot easier to clean when wet than dry. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/8 "2009-10-28T07:39:33Z")
At a bar or at work (when I had a job ☹ ), I don’t usually bother, because I know somebody will come at the end of the day to clean it. Then again, in both those places, I usually use a urinal rather than a toilet. I always do at friends’ places, because I don’t want to be rude. I always do at home, because I’m lazy and don’t clean my bathroom much (not nasty but not spotless either.) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/9 "2009-10-28T12:42:19Z")
I voted the “yes, always” option because there wasn’t a “yes, ALMOST always” option. When I don’t, it’s only at home, and a particular species of laziness sets in. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/10 "2009-10-28T12:44:06Z")
I rarely use a definitive, but in this case I can’t recall a time when I ever did not lift the seat. So I would have to say always. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/11 "2009-10-28T14:07:00Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > Can’t vote. There’s no “Yes, unless it’s near last call and it’s obvious that the seat is already thoroughly contaminated” option. That’s the one I needed too. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/12 "2009-10-28T14:12:01Z")
Man, I want to fucking crucify the guy who said, “only if I am at home.”, either that person is a giggling troll or has pissed all over the seat on the rare occasion I couldn’t wait to take a shit and had to do so in a public restroom. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/13 "2009-10-28T14:27:34Z")
Where’s the “I piss orange. I have to piss sitting down like a goddamn girlie-girl every fifteen minutes.” option? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/14 "2009-10-28T14:48:24Z")
Always. I had two sisters, and am housebroken. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/15 "2009-10-28T15:05:06Z")
I always lift the seat. I always put the seat down. It’s a simple thing to do and my wife appreciates it. I’ve taught my son to do likewise. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/16 "2009-10-28T15:13:03Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > …In fact, when I got married she constantly complained that I put both the seat and the lid down. What can I say, I don’t like chancing that things will fall in the bowl. I do that. When I was a teenager Dad remodled out our bathroom and put the medicine cabinet over the toilet for some reason. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/17 "2009-10-28T16:01:22Z")
Always, but if it’s a public restroom, and the urinals aren’t available, I’ll generally lift the seat with my (shod) foot. And I’ll leave it up, while at home I generally put it down - living with 4 females isn’t worth the hassle of avoiding that step. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/18 "2009-10-28T16:10:38Z")
At home I sit to pee so I don’t lift the seat, but when I pee standing I always lift the seat. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/19 "2009-10-28T16:15:55Z")
When peeing standing up, I always lift the seat. In a 3am bathroom visit, I’ll sit. I don’t want to have to wake up enough to aim reliably. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402/20 "2009-10-28T16:34:18Z")
I always lift the seat. And more importantly… I ALWAYS put it back down. I cannot stand it when the toilet seat is left up. Future wife, provided she exists, will LOVE me… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-do-you-lift-the-seat-to-urinate/515402.md?page=2)