7 Dirty Facts about Public Toilets That You Would Rather Not Hear About
If you are reading this article, it means that human curiosity really has no limits. Like it or not, you are bound to regret doing that. At least the next time you visit a public toilet.
We have collected a bunch of facts about generally accessible restrooms that will make your experience there even less pleasant. Let it be the final warning for you in case you are planning to use one!
#1 Usually it is the washbasins that's the dirtiest place there, not the toilet bowls
This is the washbasin where the most dangerous bacteria accumulate. And it is relatively easy to let them infect our bodies there. Especially when our hands get into contact with our eyes. The toilet bowls themselves do not pose such a big threat as the maintenance personnel focus on disinfecting them far more often that on disinfecting seemingly clean washbasins.
#2 The things we find on door handles
According to some American microbiologists, the front door handles have got almost as many microorganisms as washbasins! Interestingly, on the gents door handles there are tiny pieces of excrements while in case of the female equivalents there are mainly yeasts.
#3 Wash your hands, gentlemen!
A number of experiments have proven the fact that men wash hands correctly (that is using warm water and soap) after using public toilet much less regularly (30% of the subjects) than women (up to 60%).
Now that we have discovered that washbasins are not such safe places, perhaps some men could use that as an excuse!
#4 Salmonella and the rest of the crew
Salmonella (affecting digestive tract), coliform bacteria (their excessive amount can cause meningitis and sepsis), campylobacter (causing diarrhea), klebsiella (causing pneumonia) and clostridium difficile (affecting the large intestine) – these are just some of the most hazardous microorganisms waiting for us in public lavatories…
#5 Which toilet is usually the cleanest?
If we agree that the cleanest toilet is the one least frequently attended, then it is normally the one nearest to the entrance. Most people choose those as far from the entrance door as possible.
#6 Putting the paper on the toilet seat – is it really a good idea?
Not really. Paper easily absorbs bacteria and it is not very likely to protect us against them. The experts advise us to simply keep the body part in question a few inches over the surface of the toilet.
#7 Can we contract sexually transmitted diseases in public toilets?
The answer is very simple: no, we can't. It must be pointed out here, however, that the yeast responsible for some of sexual organs diseases (commonly regarded as skin conditions) are present there and there is some risk of infection, especially in toilets for women.
