The Right Way to Use a Public Bathroom (to Avoid Getting Sick)

[RNCollins]

The Right Way to Use a Public Bathroom (to Avoid Getting Sick)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/smarter-living/using-public-bathrooms.html

By Melinda Wenner Moyer / Smarter Living / The New York Times / nytimes.com / Apr 17, 2019

“The odds of becoming ill from using a public bathroom are slim. But there are a few things you can do to minimize your risk even more. Here’s what to keep in mind.

There are a handful of things in this world I’m extremely thankful for, yet also quite grossed out by. Public bathrooms are one of them. (Also: colonoscopies.) My disgust peaks around this time of year, when everyone around me seems to be coughing or sneezing or both — sometimes in the next stall.

What, if anything, can we do to minimize our exposure to germs when we have to relieve ourselves in public? I called a handful of experts — it’s fun to ask total strangers about toilet bacteria, believe me — and dug up some pretty nasty research to find out. You’re welcome.....”

Photo: iStock / The New York Times

 

[moonstone]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. I am still appalled at the number of women I see using the facilities and not washing their hands! Yesterday at Costco I followed a woman out of the washroom who walked out of a stall as I was drying my hands (with paper towel) and she went right to a table and proceeded to eat her lunch. Yikes!

~Diane

 

[klpca]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. I am still appalled at the number of women I see using the facilities and not washing their hands! Yesterday at Costco I followed a woman out of the washroom who walked out of a stall as I was drying my hands (with paper towel) and she went right to a table and proceeded to eat her lunch. Yikes!

~Diane

Isn't that the truth! Washing your hands is so important.

Years ago my kids would pass illnesses from one kid to the next and I simply couldn't take off any more work. I discussed this with our pediatrician who told me that I had to enforce hand washing at home if I wanted to prevent this from happening. I was skeptical that such a simple solution would work, but was willing to try anything. Our new rule was that you had to sing the alphabet while washing (so that they washed for at least 30 seconds), and lo and behold, they never passed another illness again. The kids still got sick, but it was just one person. It was like a miracle cure.

 

[moonstone]

Isn't that the truth! Washing your hands is so important.

Years ago my kids would pass illnesses from one kid to the next and I simply couldn't take off any more work. I discussed this with our pediatrician who told me that I had to enforce hand washing at home if I wanted to prevent this from happening. I was skeptical that such a simple solution would work, but willing to try anything. Our new rule was that you had to sing the alphabet while washing (so that they washed for at least 30 seconds), and lo and behold, they never passed another illness again. The kids still got sick, but it was just one person. It was like a miracle cure.

It is also important to wash your hands after every time you blow your nose when you have a cold or you can risk re-infecting yourself. Also sneezing into your crooked elbow, not your hands. I even wash my hands when I get home from grocery shopping before I start putting the groceries away, then again when I'm done. I wash my hands so often it's a wonder I have any skin left on them!

~Diane

 

[klpca]

It is also important to wash your hands after every time you blow your nose when you have a cold or you can risk re-infecting yourself. Also sneezing into your crooked elbow, not your hands. I even wash my hands when I get home from grocery shopping before I start putting the groceries away, then again when I'm done. I wash my hands so often it's a wonder I have any skin left on them!

~Diane

A friend watched me prepare dinner at a timeshare a few years ago and stated that she had never seen anyone wash their hands so many times during meal prep. Scary thought - doesn't everyone do this, lol?

 

[geist1223]

About a year ago I read an article that said not to use the blow dryers in a public bathroom. Most public bathrooms do not have toilet lids and the few that do people never put them down before flushing. This sends microscopic amounts of fecal matter into the air, which quite often get sucked into the blow dryers. In another article people complained about public bathrooms without toilet liners. The article said not to worry because any viruses or bacteria can shoot right through that thin paper. So either accept the toilet seat or wash it down with an antiseptic wipe.

 

[WinniWoman]

I had to use public bathrooms a ton of times during the day in my job. The one thing I did was to always wash my hands afterwards.

The past few years I finally got smart and got seat covers that I would take in with me. Keep them in my bag and take with me at all times wherever we go. I first wipe the seat and then cover so I can at least sit down. Not into the squatting thing, especially now that I am older.

Then I wash my hands afterwards. I don't worry about door handles and air dryers and all that.

 

[louisianab]

The number of people who use their phones in bathrooms also can contribute to this. Disinfecting stuff like that is often skipped. For example, people reading or watching videos then stick the phone in their pocket and leave the stall.

 

[DrQ]

Unless your immune system is compromised, I really don't worry about such things. When you gotta go, you gotta go.