Which Way Does The Toilet Flush? This Video Answers The Question Once And For All

The Toilet Flush Direction Myth Solved In One Simple Video

Toilet flushes and bath drains have perplexed the human mind for a long time.

A significant number of us appear to have our shower thoughts consumed with the direction of water flow: whether it differs from house to house and if it is determined by which hemisphere we live in.

If you've lived your life in toilet ignorance so far then you should check out the drains or the flushes in your friends' houses next time you visit their loos -- it could be time well spent.

A myth which has garnered a surprising amount of attention is that the direction of your drain swirl is largely dependent on which hemisphere you live in.

The theory was reportedly untested until two science YouTubers did an experiment that solved the question once and for all. Well done internet.

Using a kids' portable pool they proved that a phenomenon known as the Coriolis effect, where the earth's rotation causes things moving in a straight line to follow a circular motion, does hold water.

The water in the pool in the Northern Hemisphere drained in a counter clockwise direction while the pool in Australia did the opposite.

This complex phenomenon however, has nothing to do with the way your toilet flushes -- that's just down to the design.

Dr. Paul Doherty, senior scientist at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, told The Huffington Post: "People can check it for themselves. Drain all the sinks and tubs in their house and see which way they swirl. Usually some sinks would drain clockwise and some counterclockwise, which means either it is a myth, or they live on the equator."

We shall never look at our toilets in the same way.

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