You’ve entered a public bathroom. Maybe it’s at a local park or maybe you’re in a foreign land. Either way you’re going into the unknown.
Chances are you’ll find an unkempt bathroom with water on the ground and dirty toilet stalls. It’s your lucky day if there’s toilet paper. Jackpot if there’s a toilet seat too!
According to our research there’s a 93% percent chance the toilet seat will be dirty with dried or wet urine stains.
Dirty toilet seats make sense in a men’s bathroom because nobody wants to lift the toilet seat – you can catch a disease from just touching it right?
But why would there be urine stains on the women’s seat?
It must be due to the elevated squat technique that allows poorly aimed spray and splash back to find its way on the seat. It’s a well-known fact that women have long opted for the thigh burning power squat rather than sacrifice their bum to the yet-to-be-discovered bacteria lingering on a toilet seat.
In this article I’ll share a few ways to clean a public toilet seat without gloves. While traveling you’ll surely cross paths with a few unsightly johns and you should be prepared with ways to protect yourself.
With a little help you CAN use a public toilet without feeling violated.
Assess The Toilet Before Cleaning
Before you enter a toilet to drop a deuce you’ll need to look around.
- Is it clogged (give it a flush to make sure)?
- Is the seat acceptable (screwed on properly, in one piece)?
- Are there toilet seat covers?
- Is there toilet paper?
- Public toilet bidet spray?
- Is there urine on the floor that your pants will soak up once you pull them down?
- Are there messages on the stall walls to keep your mind off the seat while sitting down?
- Lastly, what resources did you bring? You might have Kleenex, antibacterial gel, or wet wipes.
No.1 Hand Sanitizer
If you have hand sanitizer you’re in great shape. Most men won’t be walking about with a bag so this option is better for women with a handbag.
A small amount of hand sanitizer can go a long way when cleaning a toilet seat.
The sanitizer can be applied to the seat in two ways.
- The first option is to put drops directly on the seat then use toilet paper to rub it around and wipe up.
- The second option is to apply some sanitizer to a handful of toilet paper and rub all over the seat.
Both methods will work great. I advise to wait 30-60 seconds after wiping to sit down. Time extra time will give the sanitizer a chance to work and dry.
No. 2 Wet Wipes
Wet wipes are another luxury women might carry in their purse. Wet wipes are often a disinfectant and offer multiple ways to clean. They are perfect for a public toilet seat.
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Instructions for how to clean a toilet seat with wet wipes aren’t necessary but we do advise to wait at least a minute for the moisture to dry or use toilet paper to wipe up any dampness. Never flush wet wipes down the toilet – they won’t dissolve like toilet paper and often clog toilets.
No. 3 Mummy Hands: My Favorite Way To Clean A Toilet Seat
Mummy hands are my go-to method for cleaning toilet seats and preferred by minimalists around the globe.
Using toilet paper to wipe the toilet seat works well but there’s always a chance of your fingers touching. Mummy hands fully engulf the hands and fingers, preventing your hands from touching the seat. It’s like wearing disposable gloves!
It’s easy to create mummy hands. Just grab toilet paper, begin wrapping your hands as it unrolls. Once your hands are totally covered a sharp downward pull will teat the paper from the roll. Repeat with the other hand.
Once your hands are covered you can use your hands to thoroughly wipe down the seat. If there is moisture on the seat you’ll want a few extra layers of toilet paper.
Mummy hands work great for urine stains, pubic hair and other disturbing substances that end up on the seat.
No. 4 Bidet Shower (Foreign Countries)
In foreign lands many toilets have a hose with a nozzle. You might be thinking “this should be in the shower”, however it’s a hand-held nozzle bidet that’s used for spraying oneself.
I almost always avoid these because I think of all the dirty hands that have touched it (how often does that nozzle get cleaned…I’d bet it’s not enough).
You can, however, use the spray to hose down the seat. For some this causes too much collateral damage (water clean up, spreading bacteria, wet shoes) but for others it may be a good option.
Remember that if you use the bidet to clean the seat, you’ll need toilet paper or tissue to wipe up the water before sitting down.
No. 5 The Classic, But Wrong Answer: Just Use The Toilet Seat Cover
A few decades ago we began seeing toilet seat covers affixed to the wall above the toilet. I’ve used them on occassion and I’m sure you have as well.
However it wasn’t long before I stopped using the covers. They were paper-thin and hardly covered the seat. On the occasion I used one I’d stand up and notice it has shifted while I was sitting or it was stuck to my rump.
If the cover shifted it means I was touching the seat. If there was moisture on the seat it would soak right through because they were so thin.
Pros of Toilet Seat Covers:
- Convenient
- Generally work
- Thin and cheap (environmentally friendly and affordable for municipalities)
Cons of Toilet Seat Cover:
- Way to thin
- Shift easily on the seat
- Urine and moisture soaks right through
Instead I layered toilet paper on the seat to provide more protection.
No. 6 Adapted Toilet Seat Cover: Layering Toilet Paper
This is my preference and I believe most people use this approach when dealing with a dirty toilet seat. The adapted toilet seat cover works by layering toilet paper all over the seat.
Toilet paper is thick enough to absorb moisture and provides a nice padding to sit on
Pros of Layering Toilet Paper:
- Thick and absorbent
- Can fully cover the seat
- Toilet paper is soft and warm to sit on
Cons of Layering Toilet Paper:
- Can be wasteful
- Need multiple layers for excess moisture
- Where to dispose of the toilet paper afterward (flush or trashcan)
Conclusion
In this article we looked at how to clean a public toilet seat without gloves. Walking into a public bathroom can be daunting. It’s usually disheartening to see the bathroom in disarray, lacking toilet paper and cleanliness.
It can feel like hitting the jackpot if it’s recently been cleaned (we all know how rarely this happens).
Being prepared when entering the public bathrooms is key to having a good experience. A game plan and contingency plan will help make even a bad experience tolerable.
Toilet seat cleaning options are few and far between for men since they usually lack a handbag. For guys, the mummy hand method might be your best bet to quickly clean urine off the seat.
Women, on the other hand, usually have more options. Sanitizing gel and wet wipes work great for on-the-go cleaning and will get rid of bacteria quickly.
If you don’t have time for a proper toilet seat cleaning you can always use the toilet seat cover (or adapted cover) and hold your breath that someone else’s urine doesn’t soak through.
Choosing the best method will rely on the public bathroom you enter.
I’m confident these 6 methods will keep your fanny germ free. Toilet Travels is dedicated to making you more confident in public bathrooms worldwide!