Shocking reason why you should always put the toilet seat down before you flush

We all know it's important to keep our bathrooms clean.

We also know that we must wash our hands when we've been to the loo.

But it turns out there's something else we're meant to do once we've used the facilities.

Which is putting the toilet seat down, closing it completely, before you flush it.

And there's a very important reason why.

Not putting the seat down means the flush can send showers of nasty germs and bacteria flying out into the bathroom.

These germs can land everywhere and anywhere - including on your toothbrush .

Yep, just think about that horrific information for a moment.

Think about those germs landing on your toothbrush - which then go in your mouth each time you brush your teeth.

You'll never want to flush without shutting the seat again!

According to Realtor.com this is what's known as the 'aerosol effect'.

Charles P. Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, told the website: "You get a good spray out of the toilet area.

"When droplets come out of the toilet, it looks like the Fourth of July."

The average person is said to flush the toilet between five and six times a day.

This adds up to roughly 2,000 flushes per year.

And while many people think that the germs are washed away with each flush - really this isn't the case.

Many germs survive the flush and live in the bowl of your toilet.

A study by Leeds Teaching Hospital found that bacteria can fly up to 10 inches into the air.

So as well as shutting the lid, it's also worth moving your tooth brush (and other toiletries) far away from the toilet.

If you're not feeling disgusted enough by this, it's important to know that keeping the lid up could also make you physically ill.