A SHOCKING video has revealed why it's so important to shut the toilet seat before you flush it.
Scientists said there is an invisible 'plume' which can spread - that carries potentially deadly germs in the air.
They said that this can be a health hazard for whoever uses the loo after the person had a number two.
The US research team used bright green lasers and cameras to reveal for the first time how they are rapidly ejected from a lidless public cubicle.
Lead author Professor John Crimaldi said: "If it's something you can't see, it's easy to pretend it doesn't exist.
"But once you see these videos, you're never going to think about a toilet flush the same way again.
"By making dramatic visual images of this process, our study can play an important role in public health messaging."
The experts from the University of Colorado, found the poo and pee particles that shoot out of the loo when you flush carry deadly bacteria such as E. coli.
The invisible droplets also carry viruses found in poop, including Covid-19.
When propelled by the force of a flush the dangerous particles can travel the length of fridge in under a second - exposing anyone who is standing above to a host of nasty bugs,
The droplets can also linger in the toilet after several flushes, leaving toilet users at increased risk of inhaling a deadly germ.
The disconcerting results, published in the Journal Scientific Reports, also shed light how the smaller particles can escape nose hairs and reach deeper into one's lungs - making them more dangerous to humans.
What are the symptoms of E.coli infection?
Some E.coli strains produce toxins (Shiga toxins) that can cause severe illness.
One common strain called E.coli 0157 produces such toxins and is usually responsible for the outbreaks that are covered by the news.
Classic symptoms linked to this strain, that include severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea that may be bloody.
The symptoms usually last up to seven days if there are no complications, but some infections can be severe and may be life-threatening.
A particular life-threatening complication called haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may develop in 5-10 per cent of people infected with a toxin-producing form of E.coli.
This is a severe kidney-related complication that may, in extreme cases, lead to renal failure and the need for renal replacement therapy.
