Should The Toilet Lid Be Open Or Closed When It's Not In Use? Here's What Experts Say

Ashlyn Needham

October 27, 2025 at 11:30 PM

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There seems to be a bit of a silent debate for one common bathroom practice. And no, we aren't talking about whether toilet paper should be over or under. You're either a closed or open lid household when the toilet isn't being used. And it turns out one of these practices is better than the other.

Yes, it's better to leave the lid closed while the toilet is not being used. There's a lot of bacteria that can float around in the air and land on surfaces that you frequently touch. But to really know how harmful this habit can be to your home and health, we spoke to several health professionals to answer the question once and for all.

Meet the Experts

* Megan Doser is a plumbing expert and the owner and CEO at Doctor Fix It Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric.

* Dr. Steven Goldberg, MD, MBA is the Chief Medical Officer at HealthTrackRx.

Why You Should Always Leave The Toilet Lid Closed

Obviously the number one reason as to why you should always keep the toilet lid closed is to prevent the spread of bacteria. Because yes, with the lid simply being up bacteria can still transfer around the room.

"The position of the toilet lid during and after use is a critical determinant of microbial aerosolization in household bathrooms," says Dr. Goldberg. "When the toilet lid is left open, the escape of bioaerosols containing bacteria and viruses is maximal, resulting in widespread contamination of air and surfaces. It's estimated that 40-60% of the particles in these aerosols can ascend above the level of the toilet seat during flushing."

On top of the possibility of bacteria spread, water can evaporate from the bowl and raise the humidity levels in the room. "Keeping the lid open is technically the same as when you put bowls with water around the home to increase humidity," Doser says. "It works just as effectively, only here it does it with toilet water and increases humidity in your bathroom, which is already naturally higher than in other rooms."

The high humidity from the bathroom already poses the risk of mold and mildew growth, but there's another issue that can come from the water evaporation, too. According to Doser, "If you don't use a whole-house water softening system, fast evaporation of water in the toilet bowl also means limescale buildup forms fast inside the rim holes."

She says, "When you keep the lid closed between flushes, water simply evaporates more slowly, and minerals have less chance to dry out and stick to the porcelain. That means a cleaner bowl and fewer deep cleanings needed."

Health Concerns From Leaving It Opened

It should go without saying that since an opened toilet lid can spread bacteria in the air and to surfaces, there are some health concerns that come with it. "The primary health risk associated with open-lid flushing is indirect transmission via contaminated surfaces and subsequent hand-to-mouth contact. The risk is amplified in households with young children, elderly individuals, or immunocompromised persons," says Dr. Goldberg.

As for specifics, Dr. Goldberg says that salmonella has been shown to survive in biofilms under the toilet rim and below the waterline for up to 50 days after an episode of illness, despite routine cleaning. So even if you have cleaning the bathroom and toilet on your weekly cleaning list, you need extra measure to keep bacteria exposure reduced.

Tips For Maintaining A Sanitized Bathroom

Like we just mentioned, cleaning the bathroom weekly and regularly is a great habit to get into to keep the area sanitized. But along with this and keeping the toilet lid closed when not in use, here are a few other tips for keeping the bathroom a safe and sanitary place.

* Increase the ventilation. "Bathroom ventilation, including exhaust fans and window use, is critical to reduce airborne microbes (sometimes up to 80%), especially after toilet flushing," says Dr. Goldberg.

* Use bleach safely for cleaning, and remember to dilute the solution slightly.

* Wipe down frequently-touched surfaces daily.

* Clean with proper materials to effectively pick up bacteria.

Read the original article on Southern Living