There seems to be a disagreement on whether it’s okay to leave the bathroom door ajar when alone at home. Whether to close or leave the bathroom door open can depend on a range of factors.
Five Reasons Why You Should CLOSE the Bathroom Door When Alone at Home
There are numerous reasons why you should close the door when you leave the bathroom, especially when you are at home alone.
1. Snakes in the Toilet
This is something that has probably never crossed your mind before, even in your wildest imaginations, but a snake can slither its way up the sewage system and end up in your toilet’s bowl.
This reptile’s voyage can be out of curiosity or a result of the searing summer temperatures. Cases of Pythons and Puff Adders encroaching the bathroom are quite common and are just as scary as they sound.
- North Carolina Man Shocked to Find 5-Foot-Long Snake in His Toilet – INSIDE EDITION
- Australian woman finds four snakes inside her blocked toilet tank – CNN
Fortunately, none of the reported cases have ever involved a bitten butt. Most of the cases reported so far have occurred in the tropics, over half of them in Australia.
If you live in subtropical regions like Florida, the danger is real. What makes the toilet their favorite entry point is the large size of the flush channel connecting the sewerage system and the toilet bowl.
The most dreadful thing is being unfortunate enough to be paid a courtesy visit by these feared reptiles via your sewerage system.
But the most unthinkable part is having one slither its way out of the bathroom through an open door to other rooms.
The sheer imaginations of it makes me uncomfortable. That’s why I always leave the bathroom door closed at all times.
2. Bathroom Etiquette
It seems to be a culture in most parts of North America to leave the bathroom door open, whether the occupant of the home is home alone or with a family. The reason behind this is not snakes but conformity to the unwritten but widely followed bathroom etiquette.
Leaving the door open is considered to be a way of showing the next user that the space is unoccupied. So, while you may be at home alone, you don’t want to pick the “bad” behavior of closing the door all the time.
You want to train yourself by leaving the door open without having to remember so that other users can tell when space is in use or free.
However, what we may refer to “bathroom etiquette” may vary between places. Leaving the door closed may be the correct “bathroom etiquette” in some places or to different people.
Related: Should You Keep The Bathroom Door Open Or Closed When Not In Use?
3. Keeping Bathroom Odors in The Bathroom
Bathrooms smell better today than they used to. This is partly because of the introduction of all sorts of bathroom care chemicals.
From lemon-flavored toilet bowl cleaners to simple fresheners that serve to bring a bearable smell and good smell in the space, all these chemicals are made from formulas to keep the toilet odorless and sparkling clean.
Whether you used these fresheners and cleaners or not, sometimes there is a push inside to close the door to keep the odors there and prevent them from spreading in the rest of your home.
So, if your toilet is prone to wafting offensive fumes into the hallway and other rooms, it would be prudent to shut the door behind you when leaving the bathroom.
4. Pet-related nuisances
Pets are known for hating closed doors and spaces, cats particularly will harass you and fuss demanding to be let out or in.
When at home alone with a pet, like an erratic small dog, consider leaving the door closed when you leave or retire to bed. Some dogs randomly go after toilet paper, used tampons, slippers, and other toiletries.
Such dogs are like small children, the longer the time they spend in wrong places without your knowledge, the bigger the mess they’ll create there. Things can be so bad in some situations that the safety of the pet may be at risk.
To prevent costly trips to the vet, or simply preventing the pets from turning your well-organized bathroom into a mess, consider closing the door of the bathroom after use to prevent them from wandering into it.
5. Individual Preferences
Keep the door closed if it makes you feel great that way. Everyone has a fistful of things that we love to keep in a certain way because we feel that’s the right way of doing it.
Your bathroom may be one of those areas you like to set up and manage according to your preferences. Close it if that’s how you want it to be.
Four Reasons Why You Should Leave the Bathroom Door OPEN When Alone at Home
You should actually leave the bathroom door open because of these reasons:
1. Lighting Purposes
If you are at home alone and you don’t want to leave bathroom lights turned on for some reason, it only makes sense that you leave the bathroom door open.
This way, the light from the rest of the home can be used to light your way into and out of the room.
2. Prevention of mold growth
Keeping the bathroom closed all the time creates airtight confinement. If you combine this with the often musty environment found in this space, the result is a great environment for mold growth.
Before you even discover it and start the removal exercise, mold may cause severe respiratory problems to everyone at home. Mold can be very toxic even in the smallest quantities.
The cost of removing mold isn’t small either. If you left your bathroom closed for a very long time, a significant amount of mold may grow on walls and ceiling to require an extensive and costly removal exercise.
The typical budget ranges between $1,220 and $3,300 or between $10 to 25 for every square foot. Removal projects under 10 sq. ft. can cost $50 while more extensive situations may cost more.
Of course, the cost will depend on the level of corrosion the mold had on parts of the bathroom and the extent of the mold itself. This is a lot of money spent on something you could’ve prevented by a simple practice of leaving your bathroom open and allowing it to aerate properly.
3. Ventilation
Let’s say your bathroom doesn’t come with all the essential ventilation installation it requires to offer a comfortable space.
Maybe it lacks a bathroom fan or eave windows. Such a bathroom would be hard to use. Leaving the door open is a great way of letting in some fresh air from your home’s air purifier.
4. Personal Preference
If you like leaving the door open and you’re perfectly OK with that, why not leave otherwise? Leave your bathroom open because you like it ajar.
Conclusion
So, should you close and lock the bathroom door when you’re home alone? It can depend on an array of things.
One of the most fearful you could imagine is being unlucky enough to have a snake crawl through the sewer up your toilet. It happens all the time. If it is a poisonous snake, your safety will be in danger.
Developing a culture of leaving the bathroom closed can help prevent snakes from finding its way into, say, your family room or sitting room. It is also considered to be good bathroom etiquette to leave the door open to indicate to users that the room is empty.
You want to train yourself leaving the door open without having to remember. However, what you may refer to “bathroom etiquette” may vary between places. Leaving the door closed may be the correct “bathroom etiquette” in some places or to different people.
If your toilet is prone to wafting offensive fumes into the hallway and other rooms, it would be prudent to shut the door behind you when leaving the bathroom. Also, if you have pets that have a problem with your toiletries, consider keeping your bathroom door closed.
You should actually leave the bathroom door open to prevent the growth of mold. Likewise, if you are at home alone and you don’t want to leave bathroom lights turned on for some reason, it only makes sense that you leave the bathroom door open.
Sometimes whether to close or leave the bathroom door open boils depending on your personal preferences. If you like leaving the door open because that is how you feel it should be, go ahead and leave it ajar to suit your way of doing things.
If your bathroom is badly ventilated, leaving the door open is a great way of letting in some fresh air from your home’s air purifier. Better yet, the light from the rest of the home can be used to light your way into and out of the room.
