Can You Really Catch Diseases From Public Toilet Seats?
By villageanne
@villageanne (8553)
United States
February 27, 2008 5:09pm CST
I can still hear my mother telling me "Do not sit on the toilet seat. You must hold yourself up. You can get diseases off them." I even told my children that same thing. I would go into the stall with them and hold them up so they could use the toilet without touching it.
Today, many public toilets have disposable toilet seat covers available. I always put them on the seat but still do not sit on the seat.
It just goes to prove that what you are taught will always be in your mind.
New evidence shows that there are a limited amount of diseases that can be passed from one person to another from the toilet seat.
The US government Centers For Disease Control & Prevention states that STIs, including syphilis, HPV and HIV cannot be transmitted via toilet seats. They also say that contracting public lice from a toilet seat is very unlikely because the lice cannot live for long away from a warm body.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases states that the genital herpes virus "is spread rarely, if at all by objects such as toilet seats".
Even with all this evidence, I will still not be sitting on any public toilet seat. I just don't believe the governments findings and I will take precautions.
What do you think?
Can you catch diseases from public toilet seats?
Do you sit on public toilets?
13 people like this
38 responses
@above31rubies (1863)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I use them and if the bathroom itself is dirty I will try to touch it as little as possible. But that is how drips/splashes happen...adding to the issue.
I am much more concerned about touching the door handle after the person before me who may have wiped their bottom then didn't wash their hands. Or who sneezed into their hand then opened it. So I use a clean paper towel to open it with like I was trained to do in nursing school.
3 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I hate touching the door handle as well. I love the newer restrooms that have a curved hallway instead of a door.
I keep hand sanitizer in my purse
@above31rubies (1863)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I don't like putting lotions or gels on my hands much, but the idea is the same. I should check out some of the gels now that they've been on the market for some time...maybe the scent and/or feeling of them would be different and I would like them better now. They would come in handy, that is for sure. Have you ever grabbed a cart and had a wet spot on the handle...? ICK!
@goldic (26)
• Indonesia
28 Feb 08
Please never sit on the Toilet. Even you "think" you're safe from any diseases, but it will note safe for someone else. I ever hear that everybody have their own germ or bacteria on their body. Their germ or bacteria always safe with their own body, but if that germ or bacteria interact with other body that have a different kind germ or bacteria, it will make a disease. I am not sure about that statement coz i'm not a doctor, maybe somebody can advise.
But for me it's true or not, I prefer to take care and protect my self from those kind disease. I always use tissue paper and placed on the top side of the closet, and if I have to I will stand on the closet.^_^.
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
3 Sep 11
Germs are good for ya` when you're 'young' (before you're 30 or 50). I mean, your body's reaction to them is ALWAYS unpleasant; but--when you're young--your immune-system is still 'building' (kinda like when a Time-Lord (The "DOCTOR WHO" Doctor, Doctor/Professor River Song (or whatever her name is/was/will-be now 
))).
The way I see it, any germ that needs a home bad enough to survive 'the onslaught of 'sanitation' humans fill the air with' DESERVES the best home it can find!
))).
The way I see it, any germ that needs a home bad enough to survive 'the onslaught of 'sanitation' humans fill the air with' DESERVES the best home it can find!@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
3 Sep 11
SPOILERS!!!
=
0
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-
-
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... I meant to say 'like when a Time-Lord regenerates and -is in their regeneration-cycle for a few minutes after they're finished flaming,' but got off track when talking about Companion Amy Pond's daughter River Song.
Oh! that Alex Kingston! She's a decade or two out of my range, and currently married with a daughter; but she DOES 'got a way ... about `er' 
apt to lead me down many-a-tangent I wouldn't otherwise consider ...
apt to lead me down many-a-tangent I wouldn't otherwise consider ...
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I wipe off the seat. I have trouble trying to pee standing over the seat. I would pee all over my clothes and have a mess, hehe. I once used this one potty. They had seat covers that were like a sleeve. It was automatic, you always had a clean seat to sit on. I am not worried about catching something from the seat. There have been some potties that I would not use for no reason.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
28 Feb 08
LOL I hate to admit it but I have missed the toilet and have peed in the floor. Sh!! Dont tell anyone. LOL
@kitchenwitchoftupper (2290)
• United States
27 Feb 08
A plus rating for this discussion Annie; and I wonder what is going through that cute head of yours to make you think of this one!
I must be truthful. If it was anyone but you, I might be tempted to waver a bit, but for you it has to be the whole and complete truth. I am really short and most public bathrooms are very high. If that is the case and I can't hold it any longer, I will sit and go. Relief is very important to an old woman!
If it is a standard toilet however, I will do the straddle that my mother taught me how to do (but we didn't have panty hose back then and it is really hard to do with them on) and squat. ~Donna
2 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I have been trying to email you but my email keeps comming back. I have been worrried about you. I am going to see the surgeon tomorrow at Morgantown and wont be home all day but please email me and let me know if you are ok. I hope you remember my email address. I have been worried about you. PLEASE email me
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
27 Feb 08
I think it is very possible to catch a disease from a publice toilet seat if you happen to let your body touch it while using it. I always take precautions and squat when using them. I also try to line the toilet seat with toilet paper too so none of it touches me if I have to use it.
2 people like this
@izathewzia (5134)
• Philippines
27 Feb 08
Yes, it is really a proven fact that you can get a disease on public rest rooms. Because you don't know who uses it and if they have diseases and what kind. So better be careful while using it. Be sure to follow the necessary measures.
2 people like this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
28 Feb 08
have you ever gone to a public toilet and there is a long line up, one person leaves the stall the next one enters immediately, well lice don't die that fast and I knew somebody once that caught lice that way.
1 person likes this
@subha12 (18441)
• India
28 Feb 08
I think yes, we can. I think there are every possible way that we can catch disease from it.I agree with you that there can be limited number of diseases that can be passed but still its in our mind that we catch disease from it.
@mssnow (9484)
• United States
28 Feb 08
First i check to see if there are any little drips on the seat. if not then I use the seat covers and sit on them. I do sit down because as long as there is paper between me and the seat i don't feel like anything could come up and grab me. Havent had any problems yet and I'm not young lol. I doubt we can catch germs from sitting on a seat. because most germs dont live long without warmth. I do wash my hands and once I leave I use my hand sanitizer. If your that concerned about it. Put some hand sanitizer on the seat and ipe it with toilet paper. that stuff works wonders lol
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I don't know if you really can catch diseases but you just never know who's been sitting on the toilet seat you're about to sit on. I always use those seat covers and if there are not any, I squat.
1 person likes this
@phillygirl606 (1112)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I would never sit on a public toilet seat. They say many diseases cannot be caught this way. But lets keep in mind that one can catch crabs this way. It's a known fact that they can survive on the toilet seat and that they can be passed on this way. I try not to use the public restroom unless I really really have to go. Yes they say body lice cannot live long, but it does live for some time. So if someone was in the bathroom right before you than I would think yea one could catch body lice. And using a toilet after a perfect stranger, the whole thought just grosses me out. Honestly I don;t even like using my own friends bathrooms.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I hate even using public restrooms but sometimes you have to. I would never sit on one though. I dont care what the government says.
@HollywoodBarbi (618)
• United States
27 Feb 08
i always thought that was a urban legend.
im sure you can't get a disease from public restrooms. unless someone rubbs their herpes or whatever all over the seat. which im sure nobody does. but i still never really sit on the seats, just in case.
1 person likes this
@sophiasmom911 (1345)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I will use a public bathroom but it cant be nasty. If papertowels are everywhere and it has a bad odor in the restroom then I wont use it.. If I really have to go then I will do the squat thing. I think we all do that . if its bad sometimes you have to go when you have to go.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I do the same thing. I have left restrooms because they were dirty. I hate public restrooms anyway.
@ricknkae (1721)
• United States
27 Jan 09
I NEVER sit on a public toilet for #1 and I alwasy try to avoid going public is I can but sometimes.. well you have to
If by any bad luck I have to go #2 in a public place, I cannot just "stand " i have to sit but I will carefully "cushion" the seat with tons of toilet paper or 2 cover seats if they provide one
I also always try to make sure my clothes do not touch the floor or the toilet itselfm, amd after I have washed my haNDS i ALWAYS TRY TO AVOID TOUVCHING ANY SURFACES SUC AS THE DOOR KNOB, if I can avoid it I will puch the door with my shoulder if possible aND so on
I always wash my hands when I cxome back home and have everyone else in our house do so a well lol
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
11 Jun 08
I'm sure you can't. I heard a discussion abotu this on the radio. The only part of you that touches the toilet seat are your thighs and you can't really catch anything that way. However I do find it just unhygienic so I always sort of stand over the seat or put toilet paper down onthe seat first. I hate public toilets and always try to avoid using them as often as possible!
@cream97 (29086)
• United States
21 May 11
Hi. villageanne. I would think that only if urine or blood is on the toilet seat. I think that a person should never sit on top of a toilet seat at all. Standing up or using the disposable seat covers are much safer to use than just sitting on the toilet with your bare skin out.
@sexyma10 (1)
• United States
23 Jan 10
I think people have a double standard because they sit on the own toilet and who do you let use your bathroom. What are your kids doing at this age of time? What is anyone doing this age of time? Do you clean your bathroom everyday? I cleaned toilets at busch gardens for 7 years and it is so rude when people are saying don't sit on the toilet because people just clean it and people don't want to use it. People don't thank people for cleaning the bathroom. People don't understand it is people that mess up the bathroom not the people that clean it up. We can clean it up and 2 seconds later it will be dirty because people don't have manners.
@DoctorDidi (7018)
• India
9 May 11
You can, especially if you are a woman. You may catch an ' Urinary Tract Infection', in short UTI which is very common in women.
@malifacent1974 (1)
•
8 Apr 11
It sounds to me like you are all a bunch of germo-phobes. It is scientifically proven that you can not contract diseases from a toilet seat.Yet you all act like the rest of the nation is so ridden with disease and you are all above that. You are no better than any one else. We all put our pants on one leg at a time and if you are too good to share a toilet with me then I am glad I haven't had the pleasure of meeting any of you.
