Bathrooms are an obvious necessity of any building, yet many cause a general sense of disgust when we think about them. Naturally, as the place where one goes to do “business”, some degree of distaste is sensible, but how much do you really have to fear about the germs that hide in a bathroom?
The Germiest Places
It is very common for people to avoid touching the toilet seat, or any other part of the toilet for that matter, to avoid possible contamination. However, the toilet seat isn’t what you want to watch out for. High-touch surfaces, such as faucet handles, paper towel dispensers, the button on the hand dryer, and the door handle on the way out, are much more likely to spread microscopic organisms, or microbes, around. After all, humans are the ones that bring these microbes into the bathroom; any surface that is commonly touched by multiple hands would be most likely to be the germiest.
Not all Microbes are Harmful
Many studies that show the number of microbes that get passed around in bathrooms overlook a key detail. Microbes, such as bacteria, cover just about every surface and are ubiquitous in our environment. There is no way to avoid them, and in fact, they live and thrive in our gut and on our skin. In many cases, these bacteria actually are of benefit to us, aiding us in digestion or protecting us against truly pathogenic threats. Therefore, solely looking at the number of microbes and not whether or not they are harmful is extremely misleading.
The Bottom Line?
Contamination from visiting a bathroom probably isn’t something worth being overly concerned about. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take reasonable actions to stay sanitary and safe. For example, while using a toilet seat cover won’t hurt, turning off the tap using a paper towel might serve you even better. Also, consider what surfaces you touch after washing your hands, but before leaving the bathroom. Many people take the time to sanitize their hands, but then touch the sink counter, or the hand dryer button before turning the door handle to leave. Try to minimize contacts after washing your hands, or use your elbow where possible.
Regency Cleaning is well versed in the commercial cleaning of bathrooms in businesses ranging from restaurants to offices. Give us a call at 403-520-7788 to see what we can do for you.
