Experts say that flushing the toilet causes an "aerosol effect" wherein the bathroom is filled with microscopic mist contaminated by germs and bacteria. Imagine the "tiny things" floating all around the bathroom. Yikes!
My husband keeps his toothbrush in the bathroom cabinet. Up until a few weeks ago, I kept my toothbrush out in the open, on top of the bathroom sink.
The question now is whether my toothbrush is safer inside the cabinet?
After some research (a.k.a. googling), I have good news and bad news.
Bad News
No matter where you keep your toothbrush, it could still be contaminated by germs and bacteria. That extra stretching you had to do in the morning to get your toothbrush from the cabinet was all for naught.
Good News
No matter where you keep your toothbrush, the level of contamination will not be enough to make you sick. Just make sure your ex-girlfriend did not use it to clean the toilet before she left you.
So where do I keep my toothbrush?
They say that it's not hygienic to leave your toothbrush in the sink because of the aerosol effect. So was my husband correct in keeping it inside the cabinet? Experts still say no. Toothbrushes must not be kept in dark and moist areas. It must be air dried properly.
So where the *&^% do I keep my toothbrush?
Geez... I'm keeping it in the sink where I can grab it in the morning even with my eyes closed.
If you missed the Myth Busters episode in Discovery Channel, just check out these links:
1. Wikipedia - MythBusters Season 1
2. MythBusters - WikiDiscovery
Posts
6 years ago
7 comments:
tiny things = fecal matter
This is a big issue with my S.O., and something that didn't even cross my mind until she pointed it out. However, in our present apartment, we don't have any cabinet in the toilet, so we don't have any choice. We bought those sticky-toothbrush container-thingies and stuck them at a strategic area in the wall, where the direct hit from the aerosol effect is minimized (or so we would like to imagine) as a result of the sink getting in the way.
Now that I think about it, one of my ex's elder sisters used to keep her toothbrush in the fridge.
I guess we better just shut our lids when flushing.
Oh wait. Our toilet doesn't have any lid.
Mr. Q - Shutting the lid is a good idea, if you can remember to do it. Men (I hope you are an exception) can't even remember to put the toilet seat down after they pee.
As to putting the toothbrush in the fridge, I don't particularly like the idea of brushing my teeth with a cold toothbrush. THE PAIN!
I think shutting the lid is a good idea! It's good feng shui!
Water is symbolic of money. By shutting the lid, you prevent "money" from leaving.
Hehehe.
Money? I will start shutting the lid now.
Ahhhh...thank you for clearing this up Mrs. G!
I remember reading about the aerosol effect years ago in Reader's Digest (when I young enough not to look stupid reading Reader's Digest).
So in my San Francisco apartment, I placed my toothbrush inside the wooden medicine cabinet. And true enough, I saw green stuff grow on the spot where I put my toothbrush! Aghast, I moved it to a different area and wiped the spot. But still kept the toothbrush in the cabinet. San Francisco real estate is very expensive...I had no where else to put the darn toothbrush unless I slept with it.
Maybe that's why my teeth turned greenish...as I was brushing it with algae! I always thought it was the pesto I constantly ate.
But like Mr. Q, our home in Manila does not have a medicine cabinet. So we put our toothbrushes about 2 feet horizontally away from the toilet.
Maybe my teeth will turn brown now. And I will not have to wonder whether it was the chocobar I ate.
With much admiration,
Mrs. AAP (de facto)
@ Mrs. AAP - Bwahahaha! You're the best!
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