Public restroom hygiene - when using a public restroom, how careful are you?

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Public restroom hygiene - when using a public restroom, how careful are you?

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Contributor: Rossie Rossie
When using a public restroom is inevitable, what safety precautions do you take?
(I assume most public restrooms have automatic faucets, and people DO wash their hands after they have relieved themselves, I did not include hand-washing habits in the poll)
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
I open/close the toilet stall door with my bare hands.
87
I open/close the toilet stall door with toilet paper.
12
I'm a woman/man - I squat over the toilet seat.
31
I'm a woman/man - I use toilet paper cover for protection.
41
I'm a woman/man - I sit directly on the toilet seat, what bacteria?
45
I'm a man - I pee standing up, I'm safe from bacteria!
20
I press down the toilet flusher handle with my bare hands.
35
I press down the toilet flusher handle using toilet paper.
7
I press down the toilet flusher handle using my foot.
65
Total votes: 343 (117 voters)
Poll is closed
07/19/2011
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Contributor: Eva Schwaltz Eva Schwaltz
I do the toiletpaper seat cover, I call it the nest. If there is no automatic flush, then I use my foot.
07/19/2011
Contributor: ~LaUr3n~ ~LaUr3n~
It REALLY depends where I am at. Usually I take moderate caution, but I don't really think much about it. I find it more unhealthy to try to not expose my body to any germs. It strengthens the immune system. HOWEVER, there have been times where I have squatted and used my elbows to open doors and use faucets.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Kayla Kayla
Unless I find that the bathroom looks disgusting, I really give little thought to it. I always look over the toilet seat before sitting, though, as I remember some story my mother told me about some woman getting superglued to a toilet seat by a mean prank.
07/19/2011
Contributor: darthkitt3n darthkitt3n
If the place is absolutely filthy I will just walk back out and use the restroom somewhere else. If it doesn't look dirty or anything, I will just sit on the seat and flush with my hands. If there's hand sanitizer in the bathroom, I'll wash my hands first, then squirt a good amount of sanitizer to clean my hands after walking out of the bathroom.
07/19/2011
Contributor: phunkyphreak phunkyphreak
If the place is terrible then yse I try to be sanitary but you ass does not contain that much bacteria. As long as someelse's piss or shit or blood is not on there I am fine with sitting there. I do wash my hands after every bathroom I encounter.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
If the restroom in question is really gross looking, I'll go somewhere else. For the most part though, I just go in and do my business. I check the seat for wetness and I'll use a seat cover if I can, but I just drop on down if it's dry.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
I avoid rest rooms altogether! I just don't like sharing with strangers and have a germ phobia going on. I don't even touch the shopping trolley handles (after seeing test studies done on them) so I ain't putting my ass near a public toilet!
07/19/2011
Contributor: KinkyDesire KinkyDesire
Quote:
Originally posted by darthkitt3n
If the place is absolutely filthy I will just walk back out and use the restroom somewhere else. If it doesn't look dirty or anything, I will just sit on the seat and flush with my hands. If there's hand sanitizer in the bathroom, I'll ... more
This +1. It's the hands that carry the most germs and that can contaminate everything else. There really aren't that many germs that are carried else where and that can cause serious damage, so I don't really worry much. So long as the seat is dry and looking satisfactory, I usually just cop a squat (or sit) and go. I pay more/extra attention to how I wash my hands afterward and make sure they're really clean.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
Quote:
Originally posted by Shellz31
I avoid rest rooms altogether! I just don't like sharing with strangers and have a germ phobia going on. I don't even touch the shopping trolley handles (after seeing test studies done on them) so I ain't putting my ass near a public toilet!
Geez, you're even worse than me when it comes to germs! I always use toilet paper to open/close the stall doors, the entry door, and on the flush handle. And of course I only squat on the toilet seat.

It's a pretty regular practice for supermarkets to offer sanitizing wipes to customers over here, so we can wipe down the shopping carts. Don't they offer that in Australia too?
07/19/2011
Contributor: dezzydezire dezzydezire
Not enough options. I open door bare handed, clean seat with antibacterial wipe so i can sit comfortably and not pee on my clothes cause of squating,i flush with my foot, open door with tissue, wash hands and then use paper towels and foot to open exit door. Fun huh?
07/19/2011
Contributor: Noira Celestia Noira Celestia
I'm glad I'm not the only one that uses my foot to flush.
07/19/2011
Contributor: AngelvMaynard AngelvMaynard
My elbows, knees and feet do all the work in public restrooms. I'm not touching anything!!
07/20/2011
Contributor: redstarr681 redstarr681
Quote:
Originally posted by Rossie
When using a public restroom is inevitable, what safety precautions do you take?
(I assume most public restrooms have automatic faucets, and people DO wash their hands after they have relieved themselves, I did not include hand-washing habits in ... more
I squat when going to the bathroom and if they dont have an automatic flusher i use my foot to flush it.
07/20/2011
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
It's been a long while since I've done more than a pee in a public restroom, so I just use the urinals. No touching needed. However, if I did, I'd just touch things with my bare hands. Because I'm going to wash my hands anyway!
07/20/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Well, I have OCD. Real clinical Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Not "OMG, I'm so OCD about my shoes." Or "OMG, my sister is just OCD about her phone." That kind of talk is bullshit and an insult to those of us who actually have this emotionally painful disorder. You can't be "OCD" about one or two things in your life. It encompasses your every thought and if you don't give in to it, anxiety takes over and you often can't function. That doesn't happen with people who claim they are "So OCD" about their shoes or their DVDs or simple "cleaning." Not unless not doing it causes them enough anxiety to prevent them from functioning normally. OK, off soap box now.

No, I have real OCD. I have a germ "thing." As with everything with OCD, it doesn't make sense. I'm not afraid of a lot of things other people are, being a nurse and knowing that many "diseases" other people fear really aren't that big of a deal. (like, say the fear a lot of people have about many STDs, which are curable and treatable but many people treat as if they were death sentences)

But, when it comes to public bathroom germs, I'm a mess.

I try not to touch anything more than I absolutely have to in public bathrooms. I often squat, rather than sit, but like most OCD, it depends on how bad my symptoms are at the time. I also use my foot to flush the toilet. (After using a counted number of toilet paper squares.) I'm short so sometimes the automatic flush mechanism doesn't work with me. I use paper towel to turn on the faucets, then grab some paper towel (a certain number, discarding the first one always, SEE? It isn't logical.) and hold it between my knees for later. I then use the towel to open the door (because I've seen people just walk out of the stall without washing their hands and grab the handle of the door with their germy potty hands! And I hate that. So, I usually open the door, and toss the paper in the garbage can while the door is still open.

Then, usually I'm home free.

I'm not a "washer" I don't wash my hands obsessively, so that isn't a problem. I simply wash them well.

I don't understand people who don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. How difficult it is? It doesn't take up that much time.

I'm not even going to tell you what I do to make shopping carts "safe."

Like I said, I'm a mess.
07/20/2011
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Well, I have OCD. Real clinical Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Not "OMG, I'm so OCD about my shoes." Or "OMG, my sister is just OCD about her phone." That kind of talk is bullshit and an insult to those of us who actually have ... more
You're not a mess - I'll do the same things too. I always use toilet paper to turn on the faucet, while clenching a second wad of toilet paper under my chin to turn off the faucet, then another batch of clean toilet paper to pull open the exit door (I'd use my foot to push the door open, but most doors swing inward, so that doesn't work most of the time).

By the way, I always have a bunch of pocket-size sanitizing wipes AND a small bottle of sanitizing gel in my handbag.
07/20/2011
Contributor: Coralbell Coralbell
Most of the time, I have no problem touching the surfaces. The public bathrooms I use are usually pretty nice. Sometimes I do have to use a sketchy bathroom though, and I will hover over the seat and occasionally flush with my foot. I still touch the stall doors though. I wash my hands right after, so I figure it can't be too bad.
07/20/2011
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
I might use a seat cover, but I don't mind sitting right on the seat (I do check first to see if it needs wiped down). If I'm not finicky about doorknobs or kitchen sponges (which, more often than not, will have far more bacteria than just about anything else in a given building), then I'm not going to worry about a toilet seat. I don't bother flushing with my foot or anything like that. Besides, I'm going to wash my hands a few moments later anyway, right?

For a brief time years ago, I tried squatting, and found that I was more likely to sprinkle on the seat that way, so I stopped (that, and it was killing my legs). Now any time I see pee on the seat I think, "Damn squatters!" Dunno if it's true - it might not be as bad if you have more practice. Though it really annoys me if people won't clean up after themselves. Freaking. Rude.
07/20/2011
Contributor: joja joja
I'm a woman and I pee standing up if the seat's nasty, sit down if it's clean. Not too paranoid about germs, though.
07/20/2011
Contributor: froggiemoma froggiemoma
use hands to open stall doors , seat cover and foot to flush
07/20/2011
Contributor: tickle me pink tickle me pink
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Well, I have OCD. Real clinical Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Not "OMG, I'm so OCD about my shoes." Or "OMG, my sister is just OCD about her phone." That kind of talk is bullshit and an insult to those of us who actually have ... more
I have OCD too, and there's nothing that sets it off worse than public restrooms! I have a really strict routine that I follow every time so I don't give myself an anxiety attack, which means it takes me absolutely forever to go to the bathroom. And after having a few bad experiences I sometimes carry my own roll of toilet paper in my purse!

Unlike you, though, I'm also a "washer." But that compulsion is the worst when I'm at work and handling a lot of money. At my old job my coworkers used to joke with me about how obsessively I washed my hands.
07/20/2011
Contributor: PiratePrincess PiratePrincess
I always squat in public restrooms. I'm not worried about the seat, it's just a habit from when I was young. I just make sure to wash my hands well before I leave the bathroom completely.
07/20/2011
Contributor: teeny <3 teeny <3
I'm super tall and have the luxury of being able to grab the tops of stall doors to get in and out. (I usually end up turning the lock with the back of my knuckles because I honestly can't remember the last time they came in contact with my lady parts.) I'm still bare handing something in a public restroom, but most women can't reach that high. Sometimes I'm even lucky enough to catch the big entrance door at the top before it swings shut.
07/20/2011
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
Quote:
Originally posted by tickle me pink
I have OCD too, and there's nothing that sets it off worse than public restrooms! I have a really strict routine that I follow every time so I don't give myself an anxiety attack, which means it takes me absolutely forever to go to the ... more
I've never counted how many times I wash my hands with very warm water and antibacterial soap each day. My hands were so badly cracked (especially in winter), I'll have bandages all over them! Thank goodness I've discovered Aquaphor - the only ointment that REALLY works on severely cracked hands, or else I'll be typing with cracked fingertips now!
07/20/2011
Contributor: ThoughtsAblaze ThoughtsAblaze
I check the seat for any splatters and always check for toilet paper, but I have no qualms with sitting down on a public toilet. I ALWAYS wash my hands (it is beyond me how anyone can use the restroom and not!), and if it's possible to open the door without using my freshly washed hands, then I will.
07/20/2011
Contributor: alliegator alliegator
After I wash my hands, I usually either keep the towel to open the outer door or use my shirttail.
07/20/2011
Contributor: married with children married with children
we dont use our hand to open the bathroom door either.
07/21/2011
Contributor: Kdlips Kdlips
i use my feet to open and to flush and i dont sit on the toilet
07/21/2011
Contributor: v23 v23
I usually push the door open with my foot, squat over the toilet, and flush with my foot. I NEVER sit on the toilet, it's too dirty for me.
07/21/2011