Bacteria exceed the standard by 600 times! 4 things in public toilets that you should avoid touching

As the saying goes, people have three urgent needs, and when you go out, going to the toilet is the most urgent thing. At this time, public toilets are the places we have to go.
But no matter how anxious you are, I advise you not to touch these four things in public toilets, because they contain so many bacteria that you can’t even imagine!

In addition, there are many things to pay attention to when going to the toilet, such as whether you should flush the toilet in the middle of going to the toilet? Which is more hygienic, a squat toilet or a toilet seat? Today is World Toilet Day, let's learn about these knowledge together.

These 4 things have so many bacteria that I can't imagine

1

Hand sanitizer in public toilets

Many people will use the hand sanitizer on the sink to wash their hands after using the public toilet, but they don’t know that the hand sanitizer on the public sink may contain very serious bacteria. CCTV Finance’s "Is It Really?" column once conducted a "Public Place Hand Sanitizer Survey", which showed that in some public places, including the Capital Airport, the bacteria in hand sanitizer exceeded the standard by 600 times!

Using this kind of hand sanitizer to wash hands will not only make them dirtier the more you wash, but it will also increase the risk of bacterial infection for the user, especially for those with weak immune systems, such as children, the elderly and people with other diseases, and those with wounds on their hands. It may increase the risk of pus infection, sepsis, and bacteriotoxicity, which can even be life-threatening in severe cases.

Image source: pixabay

Why does the hand sanitizer in public toilets contain too much bacteria? There are many reasons.

First, many hand sanitizers are filled in later, and the containers for hand sanitizers themselves may rarely be cleaned and disinfected. Some microorganisms will be brought in during the filling process of hand sanitizers. In addition, some hand sanitizers are not used up for a long time and expire, so the disinfection and sterilization effects will be reduced. These situations will cause microorganisms to multiply rapidly in the hand sanitizers.

Second, hand sanitizer itself contains a lot of nutrients. After being left for a long time, it will bubble and separate oil and water, which will accelerate the reproduction of microorganisms. If you encounter hand sanitizer mixed with water, microorganisms are more likely to reproduce in the diluted hand sanitizer.

Third, the sanitary conditions of some public toilets are not ideal. For example, the bacteria in the air exceed the standard, and the hand sanitizer and the containers for hand sanitizer will also be contaminated during use, which provides an environment for the growth of microorganisms.

Suggestion: Before using hand sanitizer, you can observe first and avoid using hand sanitizer that looks wrong or has a strange smell. It is also recommended that you try not to use hand sanitizer in public toilets, and just rinse your hands with running water. You can also carry a few individually packaged disinfectant wipes containing 75% alcohol and use them instead of hand sanitizer.

2

Dryers in public toilets

Dryer is also something we often use in public toilets, and it is usually dirty.

Dryers will "inhale" bacteria and viruses in public toilet spaces, including drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, norovirus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus, etc. These bacteria and viruses mainly come from feces, urine and vomit. After being "inhaled" into the dryer, they are sprayed onto freshly washed hands, mouth, nose, eyes, etc. through the air flow, and then enter the entire environment with the spread of the air flow, becoming the culprit for the spread of pathogenic microorganisms.

Recommendation: Try not to use the dryers in public toilets. You can carry a few individually wrapped dry towels with you and use them to wipe your hands after washing them. Or, wash your hands and quickly leave the public toilet to dry your hands in a relatively clean environment to reduce the risk of infection with pathogenic microorganisms.

3

Door handle and flush button in a public restroom

Public toilets have a main door, and each toilet cubicle is also equipped with a small door, and there is also a flush button in the cubicle. These door handles and flush buttons are also places where bacteria are contaminated and spread.

There are two reasons for this: first, the door handles and flush buttons of the cubicle are very close to the toilet and squat toilet. The water mist splashed into the air when flushing the toilet often contains pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. "You are first to get the moon when you are close to the water", so the door handles and flush buttons in the cubicle will definitely be contaminated.

Secondly, everyone has to touch the door handle before and after entering the cubicle; after using the toilet, they have to press the flush button. People's hands may also be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. After one person touches it, another person touches it, so the door handle and flush button also become a transit station for the spread of bacteria.

Image source: pixabay

Recommendation: Do not touch the door handles and flush buttons directly with your hands. You can put a piece of paper on your hand and then touch them indirectly; or wipe them clean with 75% alcohol disinfectant wipes before touching them with your hands to ensure they are clean and hygienic.

Which is more hygienic, a squat toilet or a toilet in a public toilet?

Can sitting on the toilet transmit disease?

Nowadays, most public toilets in hotels and shopping malls use toilets. However, many people believe that squat toilets are cleaner and more sanitary than toilets. They think that squat toilets will not directly contact their buttocks and thighs. The toilet seat has been sat on by many people, firstly because it is not clean, and secondly because they are worried about the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.

When having to use the toilet, everyone will use various tricks to deal with it.

Some people will put the disposable toilet paper provided by public toilets on the toilet gasket; some people will tear off six pieces of toilet paper, put two on each side of the gasket, one in the front, and throw another piece into the water (throwing a piece of toilet paper into the water in the toilet can effectively prevent splashing); some people will take the opportunity to challenge the "half-squat skill" and go to the toilet with their buttocks sticking out; what's more, some people will simply put their feet on the toilet and use the toilet as a squat toilet.

So, which one has more bacteria, the squat toilet or the toilet? Can toilets really transmit STDs?

1

Squatting is a more hygienic way to go to the toilet than sitting on the toilet

First of all, it is certain that if we only consider the hygiene aspect, squatting is definitely a more hygienic way to use the toilet than using a toilet . Because many toilet seats in public toilets look dirty and the hygiene conditions are worrying, while squatting does not touch the skin, so it is relatively safer. However, when considering other factors such as age and physical condition, some groups of people, such as children, the elderly, the disabled or the weak, are sometimes not suitable for using squatting.

Recommendation: If you must use the toilet, I suggest that you first wipe the toilet seat clean with a disinfectant wipe containing 75% alcohol, or put disposable paper pads or toilet paper on the toilet seat (it is best to bring your own individually packaged disposable paper pads or toilet paper, rather than using those provided by public toilets, because the latter may become a natural bacterial culture dish after absorbing water mist containing pathogens in the air). These are all good methods.

In short, try not to sit directly on the toilet seat with exposed skin. Of course, don't step on the toilet seat, not only because it will make the toilet seat dirty and give the next person a worse user experience, but also because this posture is too difficult and there is a risk of falling and the risk of damaging the toilet.

Image source: pixabay

2

Using public toilets generally does not spread STDs

As for the question that everyone is concerned about, whether public toilets can spread sexually transmitted diseases, the answer is basically no. The reason why sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis, genital warts, etc.) are called sexually transmitted diseases is because they are a type of disease that can only be transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood, or mother-to-child transmission.

So far, there is no reliable evidence to prove that sexually transmitted diseases can be transmitted from person to person through toilets in public restrooms. This is because most of the pathogenic pathogens that cause sexually transmitted diseases cannot survive independently outside the human body. Once they enter the air, they basically die instantly.

Even the most viable HPV virus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer needs to meet three conditions to spread through the gasket of a public toilet: first, there must be enough pathogens, and the toilet seat of a person who has just been sat on by a person with genital warts; second, the person's skin must be damaged in the same place for the virus to get in; at the same time, the person's resistance must be low enough, such as suffering from some major diseases or taking drugs that suppress the immune system for a long time. It can be said that it is very difficult to meet all three conditions at the same time.

Of course, it doesn't mean that there are no bacteria on the toilet seat, but these bacteria are common skin microorganisms. Human skin is a natural protective barrier, and it is difficult for microorganisms in public toilets to infect us by direct contact with the skin on the buttocks and thighs. Unless you touch these microorganisms with your hands and put your hands into your mouth, nose, eyes, vagina, anus, etc.

Tips for using public toilets

**1. Try not to flush the toilet in the middle of using the toilet. **Because various pathogens may spread into the air with the water mist splashed when flushing the toilet, and then enter the body through the mouth, nose, and eyes. We recommend that you close the toilet lid and flush the toilet after you have finished using the toilet and put away your clothes. This is a safer approach.

2. Wash your hands after defecation. Washing hands is the best way to prevent various digestive tract infectious diseases, and it is best to rinse them under the tap with running water. If you don’t have your own hand sanitizer, rinse them with clean water. Wash your hands for at least 60 seconds, because if the time is too short, bacteria and viruses will remain on your hands. After washing, it is recommended to dry your hands with a clean paper towel you brought with you.

Planning and production

Author: Zeng Xinyue, a popular science writer

Reviewer: Zhang Yu, Researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Planning丨Zhong Yanping

Editor: Zhong Yanping