How to Use Public Toilets Safely

A lot of people have mixed feelings about public toilets, but when you’re in dire need to go, you’ll do anything to gain access to the closest public toilet.

Although public toilets might not be the cleanest, they are necessary, especially if you find yourself out and about more often than not. On the other hand, it’s not really feasible to know when you are going to have to use the restroom. Having access to public toilets no matter where you go, is something that people are constantly looking for. 

Let’s go over some tactics you can use in to use a public toilet safely.

Look For and Use the Cleanest Stall

This might be something that you look over a lot, but looking for the cleanest stall will help you endure the cleanest experience. I think we can all agree that when you go into a public restroom, you tend to pick a stall that’s furthest from the door. Try using the first stall, and compare the cleanest of that stall with other stalls that are further from the door. You might be surprised at what you see! 

Don’t Put Your Belongings on the Bathroom Floor

Most of the time, bathroom stalls will have hooks on them where you can place your things. This is much better than setting your belongings on the public toilets floor. That floor is more than likely the most disgusting thing in the entire bathroom. Do yourself a favor and keep your bags off of the public restroom’s floor. At least then you’ll know that you aren’t carrying all of those germs and bacteria around with you. 

Carrying Your Own Seat Protectors for Public Toilets

Did you know that seat protectors existed? Well, if you didn’t, now you know! You can carry your own seat protectors with you so you never have to sit down on a dirty seat. Most public toilets do tend to have paper protectors already in the stalls for you. If feel more comfortable with personal seat protectors, these would be great to have in your bag to grab when you need them! I found personal seat protectors online for just around $10 for 20 of them. Give it a try!

Flush a Public Toilet the Smart Way 

When I say “smart way” there are a couple ways to flush it. When using public toilets with levers, a lot of people will just use their feet to flush the toilet. This is so they don’t have to worry about touching the lever. The other easy and convenient way to flush any toilet would be to grab some toilet paper and flush the toilet while using the toilet paper to touch the handle. 

Fortunately, a lot of public toilets these days seem to have the motion sense flushing systems on them. This way you never have to worry about touching the toilet handle or worrying about having to turn around to flush. 

Make Sure to Wash Your Hands With Hot Water 

I know we were all taught in grade school to sing the ABC’s while you wash your hands. This was because the song was the perfect amount of time you should be spending washing your hands. More importantly, using hot water and soap is the most effective way of getting rid of unwanted germs and bacteria after using a public bathroom. 

Dry Your Hands With Paper Towels

Drying your hands with paper towels ensures that you are getting clean material to use when you are drying your hands. This lowers the amount of germs and bacteria that you could be putting back onto your hands just after washing them. 

I even do this at home. I’m sure most of us wash our hands in the kitchen and reach for the nearest kitchen towel. Little do you know, that towel is the worst thing you could dry your hands off with. By the way, when’s the last time you washed your kitchen towels? The clear point here is that you are better off sticking to drying your hands with paper towels because you have a clean one to use time after time. Whether it’s in the public restrooms or at home, paper towels save you from tons of excess germs and bacteria. 

Don’t Touch a Public Toilets Door Handle 

Always use a paper towel to get the bathroom door back open when you go to exit. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of people touch that one door handle per day. You’re also unaware of how long it has been since anyone has cleaned that door handle. 

After drying your hands off with a clean paper towel, use that paper towel to open the door to exit. Then you can throw away that paper towel at the nearest trash can (which is usually right next to the door you exit out of) and you’re good to go! 

Have Hand Sanitizer on Hand When Going Out in Public 

Hand sanitizer will always be better than nothing at all. It’s beneficial to have it on hand when you’re out in public. You will end up needing it when you least expect it. 

Sometimes, public toilets are not in the best of shape. I think I can vouch for most of us that we’ve run into situations where public restrooms will be out of toilet paper, or paper towels, or soap which are all essentials that should always be stocked in there. You can pick up hand sanitizer at your nearest store. It’s really easy to find and carry with you no matter where you go. 

Carry Around a Small Container of Wet Wipes

This ties into the last tip I covered when using public toilets. A great idea is to carry a small container of wet wipes with you. Public toilets have a tendency of not always having toilet paper readily available. If you ever find yourself in this bind, you can use a wet wipe instead. When you’re done, dispose of it in the trash can in your stall. 

I would advise you to not flush those wet wipes down the toilet as these can clog the toilet. The can cause issues for other users who are using the same restroom in the near future. 

Final Thoughts on Public Toilets

In conclusion, if you find that a public toilet is way out of shape, the best thing to do is tell management. Public toilets should be kept up to the cleanliness of them at all times. Most of us are aware of most of these helpful tips. Some of them you may have never thought of before. 

I think we can all agree that being comfortable with using a public toilet is important. On the other hand, having the materials with you to feel comfortable helps with a pleasant experience. 

Call 1-Tom-Plumber 

Don’t hesitate to contact us here or call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237) if you need any plumbing, drain cleaning, or excavation service. 

1-Tom-Plumber’s certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to any emergency plumbing, drain cleaning, or water damage problem. 

We also handle the excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is available every day and night of the year, even on holidays.