Making a stink about public washrooms that are poorly designed and infrequently cleaned is probably the best course of action. Afterall, what restaurant or community venue wants to be associated with disgusting washrooms?
When
asked how to become a famous comedian, Steve Martin replied, “Be so
good they can’t ignore you.” It’s true, bad performers can usually be
ignored. But there’s no ignoring bad public washrooms.
Public
washrooms have a reputation for abysmal filth, as evidenced by dirty
toilets, overflowing trash, empty or broken soap dispensers, sloppy
countertops, and door handles not to be touched.
An
American survey found that 21 percent of respondents used a public
washroom at least six times a week, sometimes over 15 times! The reason
was not always obvious.
Youth
tend to visit washrooms to use their phones, change their clothes, or
“get away”. In fact, 21 percent of youth acknowledge the use of public
washrooms to take a mental health break, to avoid someone, and on
occasion to cry.
Older people, in addition to using the facilities, also visit public washrooms to check their appearance.
Whatever
the reason to visit, how important is it to take precautions? The good
news is that some of the germs found in public washrooms are no
different than the germs found in many other places, including the
bathroom at home.
Take Staphylococcus aureus for
example. It will be found in dirty public washrooms. But it is also
commonly carried around by 20-30 percent of people on their skin or in
the respiratory system. It is an opportunistic pathogen, meaning it
starts to cause trouble not when commonly encountered in the washroom
but when the immune system is weakened or when the natural balance of
bacteria in the gut is altered.
Authorities
disagree on how long certain other nasty germs survive or how readily
they cause infection. But many bathroom studies have shown remarkable
staying power – up to 8 days for E. coli. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu can survive on some surfaces for 48 hours.
Washing hands after using public facilities is a no brainer. Yet a study published in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control found
that handwashing and hand-drying equipment in public washrooms are
facilitating infections due to contaminated sink handles and paper towel
dispensers. Plus people don’t wash their hands with soapy water for 20
seconds or more.
Even
with the best of efforts, some researchers have noted that “adequate
hand hygiene may not always be achievable when using public washrooms.”
That’s because the door handle used to leave the washroom is covered in
germs.
Opting out of using a public bathroom and resorting to “holding behaviour” is not advisable. “Always
go to the bathroom when you have a chance,” goes the sage advice of
King George V. Royalty have their own reasons. But among common folk, holding urine in the bladder can invite bacteria in the urine to multiply and cause the development of urinary track infections.
When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go.
But there’s worse news to report. A study published in 2020 in Physics of Fluids described
a phenomenon known as "toilet turbulence." It’s an alarming and
repulsive discovery to learn that flushing a toilet can send small
droplets of water and aerosols containing fecal germs three feet into
the air above the seat!
One
public health message advises users to turn away from the toilet when
flushing. Good lord! There’s a reason for a toilet seat lid. Put it down
before you flush.
Making
a stink about public washrooms that are poorly designed and
infrequently cleaned is probably the best course of action. Afterall,
what restaurant or community venue wants to be associated with
disgusting washrooms?
W. Gifford-Jones, MD is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker, graduate of Harvard Medical School. Diana Gifford-Jones is his daughter, a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School. Their latest book, “No Nonsense Health” is available at: Docgiff.com
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