# Why flush the toilet BEFORE using it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364 "2003-04-17T17:34:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/1 "2003-04-17T17:34:17Z")
I was just in a cubicle in the office washroom. Two women came in, each went to a stall, and then I heard _FLUSH_ from one and _FLUSH_ from the other. Followed by a few moments of silence (or other noises I won’t mention) and then each flushed again, and came out. Seems some people like to flush _before_ as well as after use. Why? Is this something everyone does but me? Please help fight my ignorance. … yes, it’s a slow day at work… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/2 "2003-04-17T17:36:09Z")
In case the person before didn’t flush, or didn’t flush enough. Maybe they just like the sound. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/3 "2003-04-17T17:39:02Z")
I just did that today. I dunno…I just don’t like anything in the bowl. There was just some toilet paper, but I like it EMPTY. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/4 "2003-04-17T17:39:34Z")
Well, maybe the person who used it before didn’t flush. ---
**Author:** ![Contrary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Contrary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrary)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/5 "2003-04-17T17:42:52Z")
I find it utterly disgusting when there’s remains from the person before me. In those cases, I **always** flush before getting down to business. And I finish tidying up while the toilet flushes when I’m done. That way, I can flush again should conditions warrant it. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/6 "2003-04-17T17:53:31Z")
I glanced into those same toilets before I selected my stall and I don’t recall seeing any “leftovers” … of course, I wasn’t really looking for them … It was just surprising that it happened TWICE at the same time. Two toilets side-by-side that weren’t fully flushed already? Eerie co-incidence … ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/7 "2003-04-17T18:02:03Z")
I had a grandma who used to run the washing machine empty with a cup of bleach before she did a load of clothes to get rid of “germs.” ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/8 "2003-04-17T18:59:28Z")
Perhaps they were testing the toilet to make sure it worked before using it. Few moments in life are as embarrassing as using a toilet and then, after depositing your bodily wastes, you are not able to flush away the visual evidence of your recent presence. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/9 "2003-04-17T19:11:38Z")
It’s by far the most efficient way to eject a plume of fecal filled mist into an enclosed area I plan on spending some time in. Well, at least that’s why _I_ do it. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/10 "2003-04-17T19:14:45Z")
Also, some people like to flush to hide the sound of bodily functions… especially those of the **plop** kind… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/11 "2003-04-17T20:48:14Z")
In case it splashes your butt when you poo. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/12 "2003-04-17T21:12:08Z")
I’ve seen guys do this too. They walk up to the urinal, flush it, then go…then flush it again. What the hell? ---
**Author:** ![FairyDust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@FairyDust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyDust)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/13 "2003-04-17T21:34:54Z")
I’ve had to flush it first because the person before me left the paper seat cover on it. Somehow it didn’t get flushed all the way down, but you’d think she’d have noticed before leaving the stall. Part of the paper seat cover was down in the bowl and the rest was still stuck on the seat. I used a piece of toilet paper to push it off the seat so it would fall into the bowl, then I flushed it. That’s happened more than once. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/14 "2003-04-17T21:46:52Z")
Maybe they like getting a face- and mouth-full of [fecal bacteria](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990416.html). Happy ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/15 "2003-04-17T22:18:54Z")
With guys who flush the urinal while they stand there… I always thought it was because the sound of the flushing water gave them the necessary urge to pee (when perhaps they have a natural difficulty peeing in front of others). ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/16 "2003-04-18T06:13:03Z")
Sometimes the auto-flush urinals we have at work will malfunction and will be triggered either while stepping up to them or they’ll go off in mid-piss. When this happens I am thinking, “Hey, I’m not done yet!” This may explain why you hear some guys seeming to flush the urinal prior to peeing, when it’s the urinal itself that’s doing it. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/17 "2003-04-18T06:17:01Z")
One word: **splashback**. ---
**Author:** ![PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f14d63/32.png) [@PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhuQan_G_Nyus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/18 "2003-04-18T06:17:19Z")
unless I know the toilet was recently flushed even clear looking water may have someones pee in it. Pee I don’t want to splash on me should a splash occur. even a forceful stream can cause a bit of “blowback” for want of a better word. I would rather that blowback be particles of my own pee rather than someone elses. ridiculous I know but there it is… ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/19 "2003-04-18T06:35:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FairyDust \* > \*\*I’ve had to flush it first because the person before me left the paper seat cover on it. Somehow it didn’t get flushed all the way down, but you’d think she’d have noticed before leaving the stall. Part of the paper seat cover was down in the bowl and the rest was still stuck on the seat. I used a piece of toilet paper to push it off the seat so it would fall into the bowl, then I flushed it. > > That’s happened more than once. \*\* I hate these people. They’ll spend ten minutes building an elaborate butt gasket, but won’t get rid of it once they’re done. ---
**Author:** ![FabioClone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5f8ce5/32.png) [@FabioClone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FabioClone)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364/20 "2003-04-18T10:04:48Z")
Somebody I live with inexplicably puts toilet paper in _after_ he flushes. I was puzzled when I first came upon this. Nothing else in there, just a few pieces of toilet paper. Now I’m used to it and flush it away without a second thought. Is there any reason for this behavior? Does it control odor or fight bacteria? Anyway, that’s why I flush before I go. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-flush-the-toilet-before-using-it/169364.md?page=2)