Should You be Concerned About Germs in Public Bathrooms And Door Handles?

Most people are not aware that germs are everywhere, and if they ever decided to kill all humans, it would not be that difficult. It is a fact that most people hate public bathrooms with all the germs on the toilet seat and door handle. Is it also true that germs found on toilet seats are more deadly, or are people just acting paranoid?

There is no doubt in my mind that any restroom that is open to the general public is a place full of germs, one should try everything to avoid. You can find numerous studies that actually document the millions of bacteria in any public bathroom.

My desire to write this article came from the skin rash that afflicted my friend in the butt area. The rash grew ugly and took about six months to be eliminated. As we analyzed how she could have gotten it, it was determined it happened from one of the public toilet seats she frequently used.

So the purpose of this article is to educate you on the right way to seat on a public toilet seat, and steps you can take not to carry the germs in the door handle home with you.

The Right Way to Sit on Public Toilet Seat

Before you seat on a public toilet seat, you must first cover the areas that will come in contact with your skin with tissue papers. It is also prudent to wipe the top off with wet tissue paper right before laying clean ones on the seat.

The following pictures illustrate the right way to lay down the tissue on the part that would come in contact with your butt area. Personally, I lay several layers of tissue on each section of the toilet seat. I also take the time to put clean tissue right in the middle area directly in front of your private part.

It is also possible to use the bathroom by squatting right over it, this is a favorite technique used by many women, but most would get urine samples on their skin and clothing. Also, hovering above the toilet bowl might not be practical or possible, depending on the type of clothing you’re wearing.

It is true that people are nasty when it comes to actions in public restrooms, and you do have to take crucial steps to make sure you’re not affected by the millions of bacteria floating around in that area. I once left an all-you-can-eat-buffet establishment after visiting the restroom, yes, it was that filthy and definitely filled with bacteria.

What About the Bathroom Door Handle?

After you have finished your business in the bathroom, another area of the public space to watch out for germs is the door handle. I believe there are more germs on the handles of public bathrooms than on the seats, simply because most people come in contact with it when entering and leaving.

The best way to keep the bacteria present on door handles from entering your body is to use the tissue you used after washing your hands as the key handling tool. So instead of your hand touching the handle, it would be the tissue doing the touching. You simply discard the dirty tissue once you exit the public bathroom.

Should You Use Sanitary Wipes?

As a writer that likes to use public Wi-Fi, I tend to prefer Chick-fil-A locations over Starbucks, or other establishments, simply because they have freely available sanitary wipe packs. The bathroom in this fast food restaurant is far cleaner that what you’ll find at any Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts establishment.

If you have access to sanitary wipes utilize them to wipe the surface of the toilet seat instead of tissue papers. Based on the brand of sanitary wipes you’re using, you might have to throw them in the garbage can, rather than flushing them down to clog the drains.

In Conclusion:

I have not tried to bore you with bathroom germ facts, nor have I given you the names of the millions of germs on hands after using any public toilet space. It is certainly futile to try to find out how many germs are on a toilet seat.

It is already a proven fact that there are millions of bacteria floating around in any public bathroom, and you can use the above sensible steps to make sure you’re not affected or infected by them. Better yet, unless you really have to go, safe your need to do NO 2, till you get to your own private bathroom.