6 things you should be mindful of when using a public toilet

With holidays around the corner, travel junkies must already be gearing up for their upcoming vacation. However, travelling or not, what most of us often ignore is the hygiene in public toilets.

With holidays around the corner, travel junkies must already be gearing up for their upcoming vacation. However, travelling or not, what most of us often ignore is the hygiene in public toilets.

Making sure that an unkept loo does not get you down must always be your top priority. Keeping in mind a few basic steps like using Indian seat toilets and using tissues while touching the doorknob can go a long way in protecting you from infections, says an expert.

KE Ranganathan, the president of sales and marketing at Roca Bathroom Products Pvt Ltd, shares a few handy tips on what you should keep in mind while using public toilets.

* Don’t touch the toilet doorknob

Avoid touching the toilet doorknob with bare hands. Door knobs carry germs from multiple sources and may cause infections. Try using a tissue paper for holding the knob from outside as well as inside before heading out or going in.

* Mind your personal belongings

Take care of your personal belongings. Germs touching your hands can be easily washed out but once they transmit to your belongings such as phone, handbags, etc, they might infect you. Avoid placing your handbags on the floors and hang it on the hook behind the doors.

* Prefer an Indian seat toilet

Always prefer an Indian seat toilet instead of the western style to avoid any direct contact with the toilet surfaces. In case you can’t find one, hover over the seat without skin contact or make sure that you wipe the toilet seat before sitting on it.

* Flush it and get out

Flush it, turn around and get out of the toilet. The probability of getting infected with air-borne germs and bacteria while flushing is very high. Always close the lid before you flush, take a small tissue to press the flush button and exit the place quickly.

* Don’t use hand dryer

Avoid the use of hand dryer, how ever much it might attract you for a quick dry. The blow dryer giving out hot air has the ability to spread the germs present in the air around. To avoid getting infected even after washing hands thoroughly, use a paper towel to dry them. Carry a small handkerchief while you are on the go.

* Use a hand sanitiser

In the end, use a hand sanitiser and you are good to go.

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