toilet seat toilet seat a toilet seat is a hinged unit consisting of a round or oval open seat, and usually a lid, which is bolted onto the bowl of a toilet used in a sitting position (as opposed to a squat toilet). the seat can be either for a flush toilet or a dry toilet. a toilet seat consists of the seat itself, which may be contoured for the user to sit on, and the lid, which covers the toilet when it is not in use – the lid may be absent in some cases, particularly in public restrooms. a bemis manufacturing company seat and lid for a flush toilet usage a toilet seat in the upright position toilet seats often have a lid. this lid is frequently left open. the combined toilet seat and lid may be kept in a closed position when a toilet is not in use, making it so—at a minimum—the lid must be raised prior to use. it can be closed to prevent small items from falling in, to reduce odors, for aesthetic purposes or to provide a chair in the toilet room. some studies show that closing the lid prevents the spread of aerosols on flushing ("toilet plume") which might be a source of disease transmission. depending on the sex of the user and type of use (urination or defecation) the seat itself may be left either up or down. the issue of whether the seat and lid should be placed in the closed position after use is a perennial topic of discussion and light humor (usually across gender lines), with it often being argued that leaving the toilet seat up is more efficient for men, while putting it down is more considerate for women. the "right answer" seems to depend on factors ranging from the location of the toilet (public or private), the population of the users (e.g. a sorority house vs frat house) and/or personal or family values, opinions, preferences, agreements or toiletry habits. toilet seats often rest not directly on the porcelain or metal body of the toilet itself but upon the hinges and upon tabs/spacers affixed at a few spots. similarly, lids do not rest directly in uniform contact with the seat but are elevated while above it by the hinges and tabs/spacers affixed at a few spots. this is a possible area where effluent aerosols can be spread when shut. variations toilet seats are manufactured in a range of different styles and colors, and they may be furnished matching the style of the toilet itself. they are usually built to fit the shape of the toilet bowl: two examples of this being the elongated bowl and the regular bowl. some toilet seats are fitted with slow-closing hinges to reduce noise by preventing them from slamming against the bowl. some seats are made of various types of wooden materials, like oak or walnut, and others are made soft for added comfort. seats with printed multi-colored designs, such as floral or newsprint, have been fashionable at times. other designs are made of transparent plastic, encapsulating small decorative items such as seashells or coins. the price of toilet seats varies quite considerably. decorative textile covers for the toilet seat lid have gone in and out of fashion. advocates claim that they allow the toilet to be used as a more comfortable seat and provide another way of decorating a bathroom, while critics view them as a sanitation problem which creates unnecessary work. some metal toilets, such as those in many jails and prisons, have built-in toilet seats that cannot be removed, so that an inmate cannot fashion it into a weapon, shield or escape tool. open front toilet seats an open front airplane toilet seat, with notices instructing users to not flush rubbish down the toilet, and to keep the toilet seat clean for the next user the international association of plumbing and mechanical officials' uniform plumbing code, section 409.2.2, requires that "all water closet seats, except those within dwelling units or for private use, shall be of the open front type". there is an exception for toilets with an automatic toilet-seat cover dispenser. the code is followed by most public authorities, so many public toilets feature open front toilet seats (also called "split seats"). the purpose for this seat design is to prevent genitals contacting the seat. it also omits an area of the seat that could be contaminated with urine and avoids contact for easier wiping. modern design, electronic integration, and function