We’ve wondered for a long time how sanitary it is to use a public bathroom. Even if the toilets are cleaned at a reasonable frequency, there’s no guarantee that you’re not following up someone who’s left a contagious disease behind.
You can prevent almost all of these problems by washing your hands thoroughly after finishing up your business but with COVID-19, are you really safe? Some bathrooms have tried to solve this problem in the past with mixed results.
When we visited Japan way back in 2009, they offered “CLEAN GEL” which was mainly a disinfectant dispenser which you sprayed on toilet paper to clean the seat.
I’m not one to want to clean my own toilet before each use but this invention is from the same country that designed a toilet where you use toilet water from the tank to wash your hands so I’m going to give them a pass on the hygiene front.
Leave it to the Americans to invent an effortless system to ensure a clean toilet seat. Chicago’s O’Hare airport offered these automated seat covers for toilets in the terminal for years.
Sure, there were rumors that this seemingly unnecessary sanitary measure was only put in place because of airport contacts with members of the local organized crime families but would that matter now if it could keep you from getting coronavirus?
Word is that these “tush wraps” have been removed from O’Hare but maybe they should think about bringing them back.
With a shortage of Lysol and Clorox wipes, it’s become difficult for a regular traveler to disinfect everyday surfaces. Sure, you could use some of your hand sanitizer to wipe everything down but if you’re traveling that’s a waste of a precious resource.
I’d think it’s not going to be long until we see an increase of these sanitary options come back in public restrooms. Until then, it might just be a good idea to keep some paper towels soaked in alcohol in a ziplock bag if you’re headed out of the house just in case you need to use a public toilet.
#stayhealthy #staysafe #washyourhands
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
