The washroom at your workplace is a major battleground for infection control.
You won’t be surprise to learn that it’s an area prone to bacteria. And the more people who share those facilities, the higher the risk of exposure and infection.
That’s why your bathroom at home isn’t much cause for concern, but the one you share with fifty coworkers might be. Doubly so if it’s also accessible to the public.
And given the type of activity that takes place behind those doors and stalls, it can be challenging to keep the area sanitized and sanitary. Even if your employer makes sure that it gets cleaned and disinfected regularly, there’s a limit to how much they can do. A spotless washroom doesn’t stay that way for very long.
Because of this, it’s everyone’s job to prevent the spread of bacteria in the washroom. That means using it in a way that will reduce the likelihood that you’ll spread germs and bacteria to others – or get exposed to them yourself.
Here are some simple steps you can take to make your visit to the washroom a safe one.
Close the Lid Before Flushing
You should always flush, obviously. But how you flush can make a difference.
Flushing can cause bacteria in the toilet bowl to become aerosolized. In other words, it goes airborne.
To keep it contained, be sure to close the lid before flushing.
If there is one, that is. Some washrooms have seats but no lids. In those cases, you’ll have to pay special attention to the next step.
Flush at a Distance
That aerosolization mentioned above? Keep that in mind when it’s time to flush and stay as far from the toilet as you can while the water is being whisked away.
If you’re lucky, the toilet will be equipped with an automatic flusher. That should give you a few seconds to step away before the flusher does its thing.
If it’s a manual one, there’s a limit to how far you can be. Still, do your best to keep a bit of distance while pushing down on the handle, then walk away as soon as you can.
Never, Ever Skip the Handwashing
Ideally, you would be able to use the washroom without touching a single surface in it.
The handle on the stall door, the flusher, the seat you have to raise or lower, the countertop – all of it might harbor germs and bacteria that are best to avoid.
Unfortunately, that’s simply not feasible. Unless you’re just peeking in to have a look at the décor, your hands will make contact with the same spots everyone else has been touching.
Because touching surfaces is unavoidable, the best thing you can do is wash your hands really well before leaving the washroom.
This is the most important step to follow. Washing your hands is simply not optional, and should be done really well. That means soap and water, scrubbing with the soap for twenty to thirty seconds before rinsing it off and drying. If you want to make sure you’re scrubbing long enough, the common rule of thumb is to sing “Happy Birthday” twice (but make sure you’re singing it in your head – a shared washroom really isn’t the place for an impromptu performance).
If for whatever reason there isn’t any soap available, hand sanitizer will do in a pinch.
Dry Without Air
If the washroom has hand dryers, avoid using them if you can.
They might be convenient. It might seem far more technologically advanced than simply wiping down your hands with paper. And you might figure that they wouldn’t go through the trouble of installing them unless it was the superior option.
But there’s one problem with hand dryers. Those jets of air that blast away all the moisture from your hands – well, it has to blast it somewhere.
That’s right, those tiny droplets are going airborne – and so are any bacteria that get caught up in the whirlwind.
That might seem like an overblown problem (pun intended, I’m afraid) but it isn’t. A study of multiple facilities found that using air dryers consistently resulted in greater concentrations of bacteria on washroom surfaces when compared to drying with paper towels.
So, when you’re presented with two options for drying your hands, keep it simple. Wipe them dry, every time.
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Washing your hands is essential, and it’s the best thing you can do to prevent the spread of bacteria.
There’s one tiny hiccup, though. The sink and soap are located inside the washroom, which means there will be one final point of contact after washing your hands: the handle or doorknob you need to turn on your way out.
You could just turn it bare-handed and hope for the best. If you followed every other step so far, you’ve already done a lot to reduce your risks.
But if you want to be extra safe, there’s a simple precaution you can take. Hold onto that final paper towel you used to dry your hands and use it to grip and turn the knob. Then throw it into the nearest waste bin.
Keep Your Mask On
If you’re wearing a mask at work, keep it on when you’re in the washroom.
It might seem like your opportunity to pull it down and take a break from having your nose covered. But your mask provides you with additional protection from any potential bacteria that might be airborne.
What About Toilet Seat Covers?
Some washrooms will have dispensers with paper toilet seat covers. These are shaped so they can be laid on the seat to provide a layer of protection between your bare skin and whatever germs or bacteria you might otherwise be sitting on.
When these aren’t available, some people will create their own DIY version by tearing off a few strips of toilet paper and arranging them on the seat.
Laying out a seat cover might give you peace of mind. Unfortunately, that’s probably all you’ll get from it.
The fact is that these covers don’t offer any real protection. While there are bacterial risks in the bathroom, your exposure to them doesn’t come from seat-to-seat contact.
When You Gotta Go, Go Safely
Going to the washroom is something we all do without giving much thought to how we do it.
It’s not your first rodeo, after all. So, you go through the motions like you always do.
But it’s worth taking a moment to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to contain the spread of infection and reduce your risk of exposure.
It will become second nature quickly enough. But for now, pay attention to whether you’re flushing, washing, and drying the way you should. It’s an easy way to protect your health – and the health of your coworkers.
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