So, how dirty are public restrooms? And if you knew the answer, would you ever use one again? Gross Science, a YouTube series created by PBS’s NOVA program, recently decided to investigate how dirty public restrooms actually are and found that they’re about as gruesome as you’d expect.
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How ugly are things in public bathrooms? Some uncomfortable facts to consider as unearthed by Gross Science:
- Human bacteria can recolonize a bathroom just one hour after the bathroom gets disinfected and those bacteria can survive for hours.
- Toilet seats are loaded with both gut and vaginal bacteria.
- If you live in a college dorm, do not keep your toothbrush stored in it — researchers have found that there’s a good chance it will get infected with live fecal bacteria that flies through the air during toilet flushes.
- Hot air driers can also help spread bacteria if people don’t thoroughly wash their hands, which is why you should hope people use paper towels instead.
All told: It’s pretty disgusting. If you started carrying hand sanitiser with you whenever going into a public bathroom, we wouldn’t blame you.
Check out the full video below.
