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How Bad Are the Germs in Public Restrooms, Really? - The New York Times

How Bad Are the Germs in Public Restrooms, Really? - The New York Times

How Bad Are the Germs in Public Restrooms, Really? - The New York Times
Jun 21, 2022 1 min, 46 secs

Q: What is the real risk of public toilet seats.

“There are some health risks associated with public bathrooms,” said Erica Donner, a professor of environmental science at the University of South Australia.

The size of the risk depends on many things, including how often the restroom is cleaned and how well ventilated it is, she said.

Plenty of research has also documented the presence of pathogenic microbes on toilets and other surfaces in public restrooms, as Dr.

Most of these pathogens find their way onto bathroom surfaces via the toilet bowl, because feces and even urine can contain many bacteria and viruses, said Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona.

It’s not well documented how often this happens, but cleaning a public toilet seat with a disinfecting wipe before using it would minimize your risk, he said.

Ina Park, an associate professor of family community medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, who said that the risk of MRSA may be “a reason to use a toilet seat cover if it’s available, especially if you have any broken skin that might come into contact with the toilet seat.” But, “in general,” she added, “the risk is low.” And MRSA has been found on many other public surfaces, including on A.T.M.

Thanks to the toilet plume effect and the use of hand air dryers, which she said can spread germs from wet hands or nearby open trash cans as far as 10 feet, any surface in a public restroom — flush handles, stall latches, sink taps and exit doors, for example — can be contaminated.

After all public restroom visits, “the best option is to wash your hands, and then use a hand sanitizer on the way out,” he said.

Other tips to keep in mind: If you bring a bag or purse into a public restroom, avoid putting it on the floor, which is one of the dirtiest surfaces in a bathroom, Dr.

Also consider closing the toilet lid before you flush as a public health measure and a kindness to others; this step reduces the toilet plume significantly

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