Hi guys, Crystal here for DNews. Are you afraid of contracting a terrible disease from using

a public restroom? How dirty are those toilets really? and how useful are those annoying

paper covers that always tear and then fall into the bowl after you’ve set them down

anyway?

Well, according to modern science, those paper covers, don’t actually do very much…

Concern over the possibility of contracting disease from public restrooms has been around

for over 100 years. US patents for “sanitation covers for latrine seats” date back as far

as 1911 and I believe it was the late great Louis Pasteur* one of the founders of germ

theory who said: “Women, it is best to hover when peeing” (*Louis Pasteur definitely

did NOT say this).

We know bathrooms and kitchens are a hotbed of bacteria and other microorganisms due to

the abundance of moisture and nutrients. Toilet seats are known hang outs for disease agents

like E. coli, strep- and, staphylococcus bacteria, and the common cold but studies have shown

that the toilet bowl isn’t the worst offender when it comes to germs -- I will never eat

off of anything touched by a kitchen sponge again. Also, unless you have an open sore

or other breach in the protective body casing that is your skin, the chance of disease transmission

through toilet seat use is slim.

People have gotten their knickers in a bunch over the safety of toilet seats when a few

cases of sexually transmitted diseases cropped up in individuals who claimed that they could

not have contracted their infections through the usual manner. Dirty toilet seats were

blamed but scientists have repeatedly refuted this conclusion on the grounds that the infectious

agents are not viable for long outside a host body and transmission requires direct contact

with mucosal membranes. Actually, according to a paper in the journal of Applied and Environmental

Microbiology you are far more likely to get sick by breathing the aerosolized bacteria

in water droplets from your flush than you are from copping a squat.

There is a psychological factor at work here though. For some people, the act of using

a disposable seat cover just makes them feel safer and that’s hard to argue with. But

if you’re looking for habits more conducive to disease prevention than using a toilet

seat cover wash your hands with soap and water. Yep, that’s it. That’s the best way to

avoid getting sick from the use of a public restroom is to wash your hands. Also when

possible, close the toilet seat cover before you flush. (or at least don’t stand with

your face over the toilet when you do).

So what have we learned? Toilets are not the worst offenders of disease transmission and

Nature has once again beat out Man in efficient engineering of sanitary barriers through the

evolution of skin.

So let us know what you think! Are toilet seat covers a wasteful american phenomenon

or necessary precaution? Subscribe to DNews and let us know in the comments. Also check

out this video where I list my five favorite things about pee: