Whenever we have to visit a public bathroom, it is usually because we have to and not because we want to. We have all heard rumors about how unsanitary a public bathroom can be. Well, they are not just rumors. They are defiantly true and probably worse than you might think. The next time you visit a public bathroom you really should consider what you touch while you are in there.



The amount of bacteria that can be found in an average home alone is tremendous, even for some of the cleanest people you might know. The amount of bacteria in public bathrooms and other places like stores and restaurants can be even worse. This only makes common sense because of the numbers of different people that frequent them everyday. People from all walks of life go to these many places we visit and the sad truth is that many of them are not the most hygienic types.

Some of the most common bacteria that can be found in public places, especially a public bathroom, are salmonella, staphylococcus, campylobacter, e-coli, and streptococcus. All these bacteria can make us very ill and sometimes they can even cause death. On a toilet alone the number of bacteria that may be present can climb into the millions. Other surfaces can have great amounts as well. Along with a toilet, kitchen counters and the drains in a kitchen sink are ranked among the worst places for bacteria growth.

Many of the old ways to avoid as much contact as you can with bacteria when you have to go into a public bathroom are still the best ways. What your mother or grandmother told you to do and not to do still hold true today, maybe even more so with all the diseases that can be spread so easily from one person to another through bacteria and viruses.

Always avoid sitting down on public bathroom toilets seat if there is any way possible. If you can not avoid sitting down at least cover the toilet seat with a paper cover even if you have to use toilet paper. Precautions such as this can help. When you wash your hands, and always wash your hands, do a thorough job of it with plenty of soap. The longer you wash the more bacteria you can kill. Avoid touching the sink faucets and door knobs as you leave. A clean paper towel can help you to avoid re contaminating your clean hands.