Many of us are wary of using public loos – indeed, last year a survey of 2,000 people for a bathroom cleaning brand found that almost eight in ten of us would only venture into a public toilet if there was no alternative.
The fact is, bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella (which cause severe gastric symptoms), as well as the bug Staphylococcus aureus (which can lead to skin infections), can survive for hours – even days – on hard surfaces, while viruses linked to colds or flu may linger for up to 24 hours.
‘Public loos often involve a lot of people in a confined space performing bodily functions, so there’s plenty of potential for the spreading of germs from one place to another,’ explains Dr Lisa Ackerley, an environmental health expert and scientific advisor to the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene, an organisation that promotes good home-hygiene practices.
But appearances can be deceptive – sometimes public loos can be cleaner than you might assume. ‘Through the course of my work I have swabbed public toilets and often they can be clean, but just appear not to be so because people leave rubbish such as paper or empty bottles behind,’ says Dr Ackerley
That said, the sheer number of people using a facility can increase the risk of picking up a bug regardless of how pristine it may seem: ‘If lots of people are using the toilet and excreting or discharging pathogens – organisms which cause disease – then there is a risk of picking up bugs.’
So what are the healthiest ways to use a public loo, from those at work to service station facilities? Here, Dr Ackerley offers her tips…
‘If lots of people are using the toilet and excreting or discharging pathogens – organisms which cause disease – then there is a risk of picking up bugs,’ says Dr Lisa Ackerley
1. DON’T PUT BAGS ON THE FLOOR
Don’t put items such as bags on the floor where they may come into contact with germs which can then be transferred when you touch the item.
‘If there is a hook, hang everything up – and put your phone inside your bag or pocket,’ says Dr Ackerley.
You should also avoid using your phone while you’re in the loo in case you put it down on a surface and it comes into contact with bacteria.
2. CARRY SANITISER
Carry sanitiser, preferably with alcohol, so that you can rub some into your hands if you have to touch door handles on the way out of the washroom.
3. USE THE SOAP…
Don’t worry about using the soap in public toilets – even if the dispenser looks a bit grimy or the bar soap looks a bit grey. It’s the rubbing, washing and rinsing that gets bacteria off your hands, not the soap itself.
‘If you’re washing hands properly it shouldn’t matter what form the soap is in,’ says Dr Ackerley.
After you’ve wet your hands, added soap and created a lather, make sure you soap everywhere ‘including between your fingers and the backs of your hands’, she advises.
Don’t forget your nails, either – to do this, ‘pool some lather in the palms of your hands and then scrub your fingertips against it’, she says.
The entire process should take at least 20 seconds – and afterwards you should feel that your hands are ‘fit for purpose’ – i.e. sufficiently clean to use them to eat food, for instance.
4. … OR WATER AND SANITISER IF THERE’S NONE
If the soap’s missing, rub your hands in water for as long as possible, as if you were using soap – ‘it is the rubbing action that removes the microorganisms off the hands’.
Rather than just use sanitiser it’s best to wash your hands in water in a dirty-looking sink, ‘as this will get rid of any superficial dirt – and then use sanitiser’, she says.
5. PICK A FAR CUBICLE
Opt for a far cubicle when you enter public loos as this is likely to be the cleanest.
According to psychologists at the University of California San Diego, humans have a natural preference for the middle option, when given a choice.
This may mean that making a beeline for the less-frequented loos at the far end of the row gives you a better chance of avoiding bugs or unpleasant surprises.
6. YOU DON’T NEED TO SQUAT
You needn’t worry about sitting on the seat unless you have open wounds from injuries or conditions such as eczema.
‘Intact skin is a good protector and stops bacteria coming into the body,’ says Dr Ackerley. ‘What’s more, squatting may mean you don’t fully empty your bladder, potentially leading to leaks, irritation and an increased risk of urinary tract infections, as bacteria can grow in the urine left behind.’
Dr Lisa Ackerley is an environmental health expert and scientific advisor to the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene
7. CLOSE THE LID BEFORE FLUSHING
This reduces exposure to aerosol spray (the ‘toilet plume’) that may carry particles of faecal matter in a fine, invisible mist.
These droplets then settle on nearby surfaces or remain airborne, where they can be inhaled.
Researchers from the University of Colorado found that after flushing the spray could shoot up 1.5 metres high within eight seconds.
And earlier this year a study found the most common potentially harmful airborne bacteria propelled from the loo bowls are E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Although Dr Ackerley says research is divided on the extent to which toilet plume can spread germs, ‘it doesn’t hurt to close the lid’.
8. AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE
Don’t touch your face – in particular your eyes – when using a public loo until after you’ve washed your hands, as this is a major way to pick up infections such as Covid.
‘It’s often overlooked how “fingers to eye” is a route of transmission for, say, Covid-19 and other respiratory infections,’ says Dr Ackerley.
9. DRY YOUR HANDS
If there are no paper towels or a hand dryer, shake the drops off your hands, then rub your hands together to help them dry.
It`s not ideal to wipe your hands on your clothes but, if you do, make sure it is on the front and not the back of your legs, as you won’t have been sitting on that part of the fabric, so it’s less likely to have any germs or bugs on it.
10. DON’T TOUCH MUCH
In general, make a concerted effort not to touch any surfaces unnecessarily – including walls, flush handles or bins.
The more you can keep your hands clean the better. Use a paper towel to turn off taps that aren’t sensor-activated. Once your hands are clean, you should avoid touching the door handle on the way out. If there’s no paper towel, use your elbow.
