Public Toilet Safety: Is It Safe to Sit?

Public toilets are full of germs, like bacteria and viruses, from pee and poop.

You can catch these germs by touching dirty seats or handles, breathing them in, or getting splashed by toilet water.

But the toilet seat itself is usually not the dirtiest spot.

To stay safe, use seat covers or wipe the seat, wash your hands well, use paper towels instead of hand dryers, and keep your phone clean.

For most healthy people, sitting on a public toilet seat is low-risk if you focus on good hygiene practices.