The Mom Column

The last place we all want to be is in a public bathroom.  I know I avoid them like the plague.  The thought of what is lurking in there gives me the heebie-jeebies.  I do what I can to avoid touching anything and get in and out as quickly as possible.

Despite how we all feel about public bathrooms, studies have shown that the chance of catching something is about the same as you would in any other public place.  Of course the door handles and faucets are covered with germs like streptococcus, hepatitis, and the common cold to name a few, but as long as you practice regular handwashing, these shouldn't cause too much of a problem.

The actual toilet seats are what scares the most of us.  The thought of things like STDs crawling the seat is enough to make you neurotic.  If it makes you feel better, studies have shown that most disease-causing organisms can only live a short time on a toilet seat and in order to acquire one of these types of infections the germs need to get into your body through either a cut in your buttock or into your urethral or genital tract.  Thinking about it this way makes it seem very unlikely.

According to Abigail Salyers, Ph.D., President of The American Society for Microbiology,  "To my knowledge, no one has ever acquired an STD on the toilet seat -- unless they were having sex on the toilet seat!"


A bigger problem is when flushing the toilet.  According to Dr. Oz, "Every toilet flush creates an unseen mist detected at head height and can travel up to 15 feet away from the toilet bowl-known as the "Aerosol Effect".  Dr. Oz suggests closing the toilet lid before flushing.  In public restrooms this is not always an option.  Your best bet is to open the stall door before flushing so that you can make a quick escape.


All in all what it comes down to is good handwashing.