11 Ways You Never Knew You’ve Been Using The Toilet Wrong All This Time

You might not think it matters, but lifting the lid before flushing can help reduce the spread of germs. Every time you flush without lifting the lid, bacteria and other contaminants are aerosolodated in droplets which then become airborne and can land on surfaces around the bathroom - including your toothbrush! Lifting the lid helps contain these droplets so they don't escape into the air.

Flushing uses a lot of water - up to 7 gallons per flush! If you have a habit of flushing every time you go (even if it's just for pee), you could be wasting hundreds of gallons of water each week. Unless there's solid waste in the toilet bowl, there's no need to flush every time - just give it a quick swish with a brush after each use instead.

Toilet paper is one of those things that Americans tend to use more than necessary - we're actually ranked #1 in the world for per capita consumption! Not only is this wasteful, but it can also lead to clogs (especially if your pipes are small). Try using less toilet paper or switching to bidets which will save both money and resources in the long run.

If you're not sitting all the way back on the toilet, you may be missing out on optimal bowel movements. This is because when you don't sit fully back, your puborectalis muscle - which helps keep stool in - doesn't relax properly, making it more difficult to eliminate waste.

If you flush as soon as you finish going to the bathroom, your waste isn't given enough time to fully break down and can end up clogging the pipes. Wait a minute or two after finishing before flushing to prevent this from happening.

If you have to strain or push too hard to get everything down, this could be a sign that your stool is too large. This can happen if you're not eating enough fiber or if you're constipated. Pushing too hard can also lead to hemorrhoids. If you find yourself having to strain, try adding more fiber to your diet and drinking plenty of water.

Have you ever been on the toilet for so long that your roommates worried you might have passed out? We get it. The bathroom is a very quiet place to be. You can close the door and have some time to yourself to read a magazine, a book, or, more likely, your phone. But you really need to find a different place where you can have "me time." When you sit in that position for a long time, you put extra pressure on the veins in the lowest part of your rectum. If those veins get bigger or bulge out, you can say hello to haemorrhoids. In the meantime, though, they can itch and hurt, and they are the most common cause of rectal bleeding. Most cases of hemorrhoids get better in about a week.

This one might seem gross, but taking a quick look in the toilet bowl after you go can actually tell you a lot about your health. If your poo is floating, it could be a sign of excess fat in your diet. If it's very watery or diarrhea-like, it could be a sign of an infection. And if it's black or bloody, it could indicate a more serious problem like internal bleeding. Obviously, any changes in your stool should be discussed with a doctor - but peeking can give you an early heads up on potential issues.

We've all been there - you're in a hurry and you don't have time to stop and pee. So you hold it in, even though you know it's not the best for your bladder health. But did you know that holding in your pee can also cause stinky urine? When urine is stored in the bladder for too long, it becomes more concentrated and can start to smell bad. If you notice your urine is starting to smell, it's a good idea to empty your bladder as soon as possible.

It is safe to use on its own; just pour a quarter cup into the toilet bowl, let it sit for a few minutes to kill germs, and then clean the bowl. But when bleach and ammonia are mixed together, dangerous gases called choloramine are made. In small amounts, these gases could cause coughing, wheezing, feeling sick, or eyes that water. In larger amounts, they can cause chest pain, wheezing, or even pneumonia. It works much less well when mixed with certain toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners, or even just plain vinegar. 

This is because when you mix chlorine bleach with acid, you get a poisonous chlorine gas that, in low doses, can irritate your eyes and make it hard to breathe, and in high doses, can kill you.

If you've been lifting the lid to flush, you may as well be flushing with the lid up! Every time you do this, bacteria and other contaminants are expelled into the air - which means they can easily end up on surfaces around your bathroom. If you must flush with the lid up, be sure to close the toilet seat afterwards to help contain the spread of germs.