You carefully place the flimsy toilet seat cover or tear off strips of toilet paper to create a barrier between you and the public toilet seat. But what if I told you those covers aren’t actually protecting you from germs?
According to health experts, toilet seats are not actually a way that diseases spread. The bacteria found on most toilet seats are common skin germs that pose little risk. And those toilet seat covers? They’re too porous to block viruses and bacteria.
The truth is, you’re more likely to get sick from the germs floating in the air after a toilet flush or by touching contaminated surfaces in the bathroom and then not washing your hands.
While toilet seat covers may make some people feel better, they’re essentially useless and won’t stop you from getting sick. The most important thing you can do is practice good hygiene like washing your hands thoroughly after using the restroom.
If you’ve been diligently using toilet seat covers all these years, this information may come as a surprise. Read on to learn why health experts say you can skip the covers, the right way to use them if you do, and other important hygiene tips to know in public restrooms.