The debate among men over peeing standing up vs. peeing sitting down has been going on forever, but a recent investigation may end up swaying some guys. Researchers have used UV light to show the invisible splashback that can occur when we pee standing up.

According to a new study by QS Supplies, 69 per cent of men pee while standing up, with two thirds of these guys claiming they always make an effort to reduce splashback by aiming for the "optimal" part of the toilet bowl. However, a staggering 60 per cent also admitted to peeing "hands free" while standing up, using only their hips to aim, and half admitted that they even turn it into a game by seeing how far back they can stand while still hitting the bowl.

And while we might think we've got everything into the bowl, that's not guaranteed to to be the case. Accompanying the study is a video which illustrated the invisible droplets of urine that landed well outside the toilet bowl. Streams aimed at and around the rear wall of the toilet bowl produced the most droplets and the widest spread.

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With the majority of survey participants stating that they clean their toilet once a week, that leaves seven days of unseen splashback not just on your toilet, but the surrounding areas. Drops of urine can splash up to 36 inches from the toilet, landing on a wall, mirror, or, god forbid, even your toothbrush. (This also seems to suggest that peeing in the shower isn't quite as clean and hygienic as some people seem to think.)

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Nearly a third of all men included in the survey said that they believe it's "unmanly" to sit down while they pee, but the benefits to doing just that go beyond the obvious hygiene. A 2014 study by Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands found that sitting down helps men with prostate problems such as lower urinary tract disease to urinate with greater force, as the sitting position encourages a "more favorable urodynamic profile."

Philip Ellis Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues.

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