How Dirty Are Public Restrooms… Really?

Are Public Restrooms As Gross As They Seem?

If you spend time outside your home, you’re bound to need to use a public restroom just like the dozens of other people who needed to use that same public restroom. Lots of people in the same space increase the number of germs. But just how bad is it… really?

The 4 Grossest Areas in a Public Restroom

Germs Are In Every Part of The Bathroom

Toilet

We’ve all experienced the toilet seat hover and using your shoe to flush instead of letting your skin touch any part of the toilet. But just how much of a threat do toilets pose?

The main issue is the airborne pathogens. Flushing the toilet releases an explosion of bacteria and germs into the air. These pathogens then settle on people and surfaces near them. This means the toilet seat, toilet paper, handle, and you are covered in bacteria. There they sit, ready to infect anyone who comes in contact with them.

While some surfaces might be too dry for germs to live, dark, damp places are a breeding ground for pathogens. What makes matters worse is these places get overlooked most of the time during cleaning.

Sink

Most restrooms require you to manually turn on the faucet when you wash your hands. This means you’re touching the same dirty surface every other person in the bathroom touched.

Multiple studies done by the University of Arizona at Tucson found that sinks are home to the largest concentration of germ colonies in the restroom. This is due the number of dirty hands touching the sink and water build up.

The bacterial threat doesn’t end after the faucet is turned on, though. Some people don’t use soap which means no bacteria was killed. However, it’s simply not good not enough to only use soap and give your hands a quick splash in the water. In order to kill the bacteria and prevent their spread, you need to spend time scrubbing for at least 20 seconds.

Hand Dryer

Even drying your hands spreads germs. Imagine you washed your hands perfectly. Used soap. Scrubbed your fingernails. You were thorough. Then, you use a hand dryer. This just defeated all the work you just did.

One study found hot-air hand dryers collect bacteria. Every time you use one, your hands are contaminated with germs. Jet-air dryers are even worse. Another study found that jet-air dryers spread 60 times more bacteria than hot-air dryers. And, they spread 1,300 times more than paper towels.

Door Handle

The final step of the public bathroom experience is to open the door. It’s not as simple as it may seem, though. Some people don’t properly wash their hands. Some people don’t wash their hands at all…gross. This results in others getting sick according to the Center of Disease Control. Even if people thoroughly wash their hands, their hard work is ruined by hand dryers depositing all sorts of microbes on their hands.

However clean or dirty the hands are, the door handle is touched by every one of them. Next time you’re in a public restroom, keep your hands clean by using a paper towel to open the door.

What Makes Some Bathrooms Nice and Others Nasty?

Bathrooms Are Virus Factories

There are a number of factors that contribute to dirty restrooms. A main culprit of dirty public restrooms is bad cleaning. Most public restrooms aren’t cleaned regularly or they’re cleaned poorly. This leaves behind germs and grime that accumulate over time.

Some of the most common germs found in public restrooms are E. coli, Human papillomavirus (HPV), Herpesvirus, and Hepatitis A. These pathogens survive on surfaces for a while. This makes it easy for them to spread from person to person.

Give Your Customers a Relaxing Restroom Experience

It is no secret that public restrooms are dirty places. They are a breeding ground for germs, bacteria, and viruses. This makes it essential to have proper bathroom cleaning in order to keep employees and customers safe.

LM will help with that. Rest assured that your customers and employees are protected from the risk of infectious diseases. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive cleaning services. We will keep your restrooms clean and healthy for everyone.