10 tips for surviving a public restroom visit - Fox29 WFLX TV, West Palm Beach, FL-news & weather

By Matthew Cenzon 

The public restroom is a delicate topic of conversation for many people. There are men who cringe at the near mention of a public urinal, while many women refuse to use public restrooms for anything aside from washing their hands. Here are 10 useful tips to remember the next time you visit a public restroom.

1. Finding the Cleanest Stall

One thing people hate about public restrooms is the lack of privacy. For many people, properly relieving themselves requires the utmost concentration and silence. There is nothing like sitting in an uncomfortable setting, with people carrying on a conversation outside of your stall, when all you'd rather be doing is sitting on your own porcelain throne at home. It is for this very reason that the stalls at the end of the restroom tend to be the most heavily used. If you want the cleanest, less frequently used stall in a public restroom, use the ones toward the front; of course, you'll have to judge what is more important - privacy or cleanliness.

2. Use the Toilet Seat Covers

Believe it or not, those toilet seat covers available in every toilet stall that are so thin, they are almost transparent are actually very useful in warding off any harmful bacteria that might have been left by a previous occupant. If you want to add a little extra security, you can use multiple seat covers to protect yourself. In the event that the stall you've occupied has no toilet seat covers, try covering the seat with toilet paper for protection.

3. Always Check for Toilet Paper

This is a "look before you leap" tip that sounds obvious, yet has been overlooked by many. One of the worst situations anyone can possibly imagine when dealing with a public restroom is being stuck without a handy roll of toilet paper. You can always holler for aid hoping a fellow restroom user can hand you some toilet paper in another stall, unless of course you are in a one-stall bathroom. In that case, you're going to have to get creative.

4. Avoid Flushing with Your Hands

Fortunately, modern science has brought about one of the greatest inventions to public restrooms, motion sensors. However, if you ever get caught in a public restroom void of motion sensor technology, or you end up with a busted motion sensor, make sure you use your foot instead of your hand. There's no telling what type of bodily projectiles landed on or near that toilet handle. As for urinals, approach with caution.

5. Drop a Layer of Toilet Paper in the Toilet Before Use

There is nothing like a cold splash on your exposed nether regions as you sit or hover in terror over a public toilet. Don't even begin to imagine what horrors you can possibly catch from what is thought of as the filthiest part of the restroom. If the thought of public toilet water splashing your backside keeps you up at nights, fear not - the simple solution is to create a mini landing pad in the form of a layer of toilet paper. Leaving a couple strands of toilet paper in the public toilet before use will help soften the landing when you do your business, and minimize or completely prevent excess splash. Just make sure you don't go overboard and clog the toilet.

6. Wash Your Hands Thoroughly

The best way to fight bacteria and avoid catching some type of sickness or disease is to thoroughly wash your hands. Make sure to use as much soap as possible and hot water if it's available. Scrub well and make sure you cover both sides of your hands and all the way up to your wrists. A proper washing of the hands should take 30 seconds, but to be safe, you should repeat the process a second time for another 30 seconds.

7. Don't Assume the Hand Dryer is Cleaner and Environmentally Friendly

Many people assume that hand dryers are better for hygienic and environmental purposes since you aren't required to touch anything and you're saving trees while avoiding the creation of waste. However, there are a few things people need to be aware of concerning public restroom hand dryers:

• In some cases, the amount of energy being used to power a hand dryer is less eco-friendly than using a few sheets of paper towels.
• Some hand dryers require the push of a button to start, and that button can carry bacteria.
• No one knows exactly how clean a hand dryer is, and there is the possibility that it might be blowing hot, contaminated air onto your hands instead of hot, clean air.

8. The Toilet Seat Isn't Always the Dirtiest Thing

Many studies and reports have been seen and heard, but there is no definitive answer as to what holds the title of the dirtiest spot in the restroom. Many people automatically assume it's the toilet, but that isn't always the case. The bathroom floor can be much dirtier than the toilet due to the fact that urine can seep into the grout between tiles and is never completely cleaned, even after a thorough mopping. The sink is also constantly overlooked because it is recognized as a haven for ridding oneself of germs. But if one stops to think for a moment, the sink handle must be touched before a person has a chance to wash his or her hands. These are things to be mindful of when using a public restroom.

9. Paper Towels Aren't Just for Hand Drying

If you are really worried about catching germs in a public restroom, make sure you use the provided paper towels for reasons other than drying your hands. A paper towel can be used when handling the public restroom sink to avoid possible germs. Using a paper towel on the bathroom door handle is also a good idea since it's the most frequently touched item in a public restroom and has the potential for carrying harmful bacteria, especially from people who fail to wash their hands properly.

10. Trust Your Immune System

Sometimes you just have to suck it up and count on your immune system to do its job. While you can follow each and every one of the previous steps provided to ensure you never catch anything from a public restroom, there is no foolproof way of protecting yourself from germs present in public restrooms or anywhere else for that matter.

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