A dropped phone, a slip while standing up, or the dreaded splashback. These are all reasons you might have accidentally touched toilet water.
I won’t lie, it’s gross, and you’re gross for touching the water.
But it happens right?
If you accidentally touched toilet water you’re not alone. It happens to thousands of people every day. When you consider that we use the toilet 4-5 times each day, it’s not a stretch to say that millions of people touch toilet water each day (now I’m going to go wash my hands).
The good news is that toilet water is fresh water so it’s not too disgusting. Much of the world has to walk miles to get their fresh water each day so it’s a little odd to consider that we defecate in clean water.
During my time in the Peace Corps I walked a quarter mile to a stream where I filled a 5-gallon bucket. That 5-gallon bucket lasted me 2-3 days, yet in America we flush 5 gallons down a toilet without thought (I digress).
Touching water has a range of scenarios:
- Water on the seat
- Dropped phone or keys
- Home or public toilet
- Poo in a bowl or flushed bowl
- Overflow
The worst case is touching toilet water that has poo in it. Yuck! In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these situations and how you should respond. Could you get sick or get a disease?
Putting your hand in toilet water
Okay, why would you touch toilet water? It sounds bizarre but it’s a reality that many people face each day.
I’d bet that at least 1,000 people drop something in the toilet every day. That includes rebellious toddlers who put things in the cavernous hole.
Nobody wants to put their hand in a toilet, nor do they plan on it. But there will be an occasional emergency rescue and there will be the unforeseen splashback or overflow.
It’s what you do after touching toilet water that really matters!
>> How to interact with that annoying bathroom attendant
What Happens When You Put Your Hand In Toilet Water
Let’s set the stage. You’ve just touched toilet water. It may be on your bum, or it may be on your hand. Ideally, the toilet water will only touch the outer layer of skin. This can be cleaned off easily and shouldn’t be cause for concern.
If you have thin-skinned areas like your anus or cuts or wounds you should take extra caution if they touch the water. These are entry points for germs and don’t have a thick layer of skin to protect your body.
Although our skin can absorb small amounts of moisture through our skin, it won’t happen from a momentary splash of toilet water.
In 99% of cases, nothing happens when you put your hand in toilet water. It will be gross and it will be unhygienic.
Remember, our fecal matter is not sterile and it’s full of bacteria. Contact with toilet water that has poop in it could make us sick and could pass along a disease.
Both our home toilets and public toilets will have thriving bacteria in the bowl. But it’s the public toilets that we should be more concerned with.
We aren’t aware who has used the toilet prior to us and we don’t know their health. Public toilets are used by hundreds, if not thousands, of people each day before they are cleaned whereas a home toilet is used only by a few people.
>> How much water do toilets use
What Type Of Bacteria Is Found In Toilet Water
Germs you can get while being in a bathroom are numerous but may not be what you think. Contrary to popular belief, you’re highly unlikely to get any type of STD from a toilet or toilet seat (it just doesn’t work that way). WebMD shares that there are a number of things you can pick up from a bathroom, including:
- Streptococcus,
- Staph
- E. coli
- Shigella
- Hepatitis A
- Colds
It’s not even the toilet or toilet water that puts you most at risk. It’s the bathroom sink (according to a University of Arizona study)!
Can Toilet Water Make You Sick
If the body part that came into contact with toilet water is thoroughly washed, you’re unlikely to get sick. However, touching a facet or door handle on the way out of the bathroom could cause you to pick up some of the bacteria we mentioned earlier (Streptococcus, Staph, E. coli, Shigella, Hepatitis A, and colds or the flu).
These bacteria can cause some awful symptoms and require medical treatment, however, they can be avoided with simple hygienic practices.
What If Toilet Water Splashed On Your Face
We’ve also been asked “What if toilet water splashes on your face?”. I’m unsure how this would occur, nor do I want to know, but toilet water on your face shouldn’t be cause for concern unless it get in your eyes or mouth, or goes up your nose.
If any of these unfortunate things occur, use eye rinse, thoroughly blow out of your nose, and use a mouth rinse. Warm soapy water could help with rinsing any germs away.
If your head was engulfed in the toilet you might want to call your family doctor to ask for detailed advice to make sure you don’t become sick.
Toilet Water Diseases (The STD Excuse)
If you have a significant other that recently discovered they have an STD, there’s a decent chance they will use the toilet seat excuse. While creative, this is not realistic and a stretch (read more about getting STDs from toilets).
Conclusion
So, you dropped your keys in the toilet and had to grab them. Or you touched some toilet water as you cleaned a public toilet seat. It happens to thousands of people each day.
You shouldn’t be alarmed. Toilet water is mostly fresh water and the bacteria living inside are diluted to the point where they make up a tiny amount of water.
There are plenty of bacteria you should still be worried about (Strep, Staph, E. coli to name a few). But with a simple washing of the hand, you’ll kill and clean that bacteria. As I pointed out earlier, you’re more likely to pick up one of these bacteria on a faucet or on a door handle that you are from a splash of toilet water.
STDs, or other serious diseases? Don’t worry about it. If if you were swimming in toilet water you probably wouldn’t get an STD (don’t forget your goggles though).
Thanks for reading another Toilet Travels blog article. Stay clean and enjoy your time on the commode!