If you’ve ever been in a public bathroom, dying to sit but plagued by the decision on whether it’s sanitary or whether squatting is worth the strain, look no further. Turns out, it depends, but there are forces at play—like our microbiomes—that may be of more pertinent and consequential concern than contracting an STD. Below, I answer some of the most common questions about public toilet seat safety. Next time you sit on a peed-on toilet seat, simply wipe your bottom and the area that had contact with warm soapy water. With that, I recommend practicing your squats and lunges so you’ve got a good comfortable hover and don’t have to put too much strain on your pelvic floor to do it properly! I’ve raised four girls, so I’ve gone through a gamut of paranoia in public restrooms. I’m not a freak about cleanliness but recommend that you either hover or lay toilet paper on the seat if a toilet seat liner is not available. It’s an extra precaution and worth it (I think) even though there are much riskier exposures from shaking hands and the handrails in public places as well. Personally, I’d prefer a handshake infection to a toilet-seat one but will aim to get neither.
