It Turns Out That Covering the Seat in Public Toilets Is Actually Pointless

Did you know that when you try to protect your backside by using seat covers or hovering over public toilets, this doesn’t actually protect you from bacteria?

Public toilets can be nasty
© Getty Images
Public toilets can be nasty

Using seat covers in public toilets is quite common practice in the United States, but not in other countries. In the UK, we generally put bits of toilet paper around the seat instead. For the most determined of us, we draw on our thigh muscles and hold a hovering position above the bog so that we don’t touch the seat that we’re scared to potentially contract bacteria from.

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But you should know that the bacteria which are found on seats in public toilets are very often also present on our own skin.

According to a professor from the University of Arizona, Charles P. Gerba, there are two hundred times more bacteria on your office deskthan on the seats in public toilets. As a result, regularly cleaning your desk would be a much more effective habit than using seat covers in public toilets.

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This is the real problem area Getty Images

At the very least, you should remember that your work environment isn’t completely free from bacteriaand other microbes - and just because something seems or looks clean - it doesn't mean that it actually is!

Take a look at the video above for more details on these surprising findings...

Sexual health: Can you catch an STI from a public toilet? Sexual health: Can you catch an STI from a public toilet?