Public Restrooms: What You Don't See Will Make You Sick

When it comes to major, communicable diseases and public restrooms, you'll hear the same phrase repeated: You won't catch it off a toilet seat. That may be true of many diseases, but poor hygiene has always been a major cause of illness. While it's silly to indulge in hysteria regarding the health hazards of public restrooms, common sense has to step in and take over if you want to eliminate a main source of health problems: bad hygiene in public restrooms.

One need only visually scan the insides of most public restrooms to know that hygiene isn't always a priority for those who maintain them. Nor is it always a priority for those who use them.

Years ago, a major magazine did a very unscientific study regarding public restrooms in restaurants. It was profound. Most restaurants keep a bowl of mints atop the counter at the cashier's stand. The magazine tested the mints in a sample of bowls in restaurants around the country.

The results? Urine, and lots of it. The mints people pop in their mouths contain urine.

That's because people use public restrooms, then walk out without washing their hands. People would expect that behavior from a child, but from an adult? Well, the mints don't lie. It's silly not to overlook obvious problems in a public restroom and then take precautions to avoid a problem.

Here are a few of the things you want to make note of regarding public restrooms:

-What is the condition of the establishment in general? This is not about the restroom specifically. If you see an unkempt store or restaurant, you have to expect that the restroom will be worse.

-Look at the employees. Yeah, yeah, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but as with the condition of the general establishment, if you see unkempt-looking employees, it's a good sign. Why would someone take care of a restroom in the workplace better than he takes care of himself?

-Signs, literally. Many restrooms have visible charts that are to be maintained by the employees. There is a set schedule as to when cleaning and maintenance is performed. The employee is supposed to note the time they cleaned the restroom. Take a look at the times. How often is it done? If it's long overdue, and the place looks shady, walk on to the next restroom, if you can.

-Use your eyes. What is the visible condition of the restroom? If it looks sketchy, and you have no other choice, you will know to take extra precautions.

-If you see an old-fashioned hand towel set up for drying your hands, you know it's not as sanitary as a blow dryer. Even then the air dryer is not 100 percent sanitary. That's recycled air coming through who knows what. How do you know when the filters have been changed. Carry your own provisions and eliminate any worries in this area.

-If there's a lack of toilet paper or paper towels, you know the area has not been service in awhile. Take extra precautions. (Always carry sanitary wipes and some tissues in case none exists.)

-If there are obvious droplets on the toilets, major flags should be shooting up in your head. If you have NO other choice, use available tissues to clean the seat, then line the toilet with either a cover or strips of toilet paper.

-When you are finished, wash your hands with hot, soapy water! You will decrease your chances of carrying germs home, and you'll lessen the chance of contributing to the hygiene problem for others who will come after you.