Do public bathrooms make you squirm? The thought of all the germs that could be lurking in public bathrooms is enough to make some people want to hold it until they get home. For many people, using public bathrooms involves a complicated navigation where you flush with your foot, squat over the toilet seat, and generally do your best to make sure your skin doesn’t touch anything. But is that really necessary?

The truth is that there are plenty of germs in public bathrooms. Streptococcus, the bacteria that causes strep throat; staphylococcus, which can cause nasty infections; E. coli, which is found in the lower intestines of most animals; and even the common cold virus are often found in public bathrooms. There have even been instances of pathogens that cause some sexually transmitted diseases being found in public restrooms, although actually contracting an STD from using a public restroom is extremely unlikely.

However, there are a few simple precautions you can take to make sure you don’t catch anything while you’re using the restroom. Here are a few things you should know about bathroom germs.

The toilet seat isn’t as scary as you think. There are definitely germs on public restroom seats. But going to the lengths most people go to to avoid sitting on the toilet seat is probably unnecessary. Most bacteria can survive for only a very short time on the surface of the toilet seat. For you to get an infection from bacteria lurking there, you’d have to enter the stall very quickly after the germs had been deposited and contract the germs through your urethra or genitals—or pick them up through a cut or sore on your thighs or buttocks. It’s not completely impossible, but it isn’t very likely, either.

The most germ-infested surfaces in public restrooms include the floor, the faucets, and the towel dispensers. The sink itself is a major germ incubator, as it often has standing water in drops and puddles on the surface—these can provide safe places for germs to grow.

If you’re concerned about germs, flush the toilet with your foot—it couldn’t hurt. Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet after washing your hands and to open the door to leave the bathroom.

Common cold germs aren’t much of a threat. Most germs and viruses die quickly in contact with air, so you shouldn’t worry too much about contracting a cold from touching the spigots on a public bathroom sink.

The biggest risk isn’t what you think. You’re at little risk of picking up nasty germs when you touch the surfaces in a public restroom. However, most people don’t realize that the germs in their own feces get sprayed into the air in a fine mist when the toilet is flushed. It’s best to leave the bathroom stall as soon as you flush so that you’re not standing in that mist of germs. The biggest dispersal of germs occurs after the water has left the bowl, not at the start of the flush.

Many people don’t wash their hands. And of those who do, most don’t do it properly. It will take more than waving your hands under hot water for a second or two to remove germs and viruses. To do it right, rub soapy water into your hands and fingers for no less than twenty seconds, and don’t forget to clean under your fingernails. Rubbing your hands together loosens pathogens on the hands. Rinse thoroughly, and then repeat.

It’s surprising to learn that many people don’t wash their hands. A survey conducted by ASM’s Clean Hands Campaign found that although most people—men and women alike—tell researchers they do wash their hands in public bathrooms, only about 67% actually do according to observations.

Public bathrooms are full of germs. But so are most public places. The truth is that your risk of exposure to pathogens is less than you probably think, unless you have a compromised immune system. Use common sense to avoid too much exposure, and always wash your hands. Follow these tips, and you should be able to minimize your exposure to bacteria and viruses in public restrooms.

1. Second hand shower seat

Along with underwear and toilet seats, this item falls into the category of “things most people would never buy second-hand.”

But there’s something for those who don’t mind saving money to get a used shower seat on EBay.

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2. Steve McQueen’s showerhead

Hardcore fans of Steve-o will jump at the chance to buy a showerhead used by the man himself.

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3. EMO/ Goth black rubber duck

This is for all those folks who feel yellow rubber duckies are too damn cheery. If you want to inject a more sombre tone to bath time, pick up one of these dead duckies and express your inner Goth.

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4. Novelty shower curtain

On the other hand, sometimes bath time just doesn’t have enough potential for humour. You’ll get all the laughs with naughty beach scenes and peep-through shower curtains that are sure to make you the envy of your friends.

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5. Boobs shower gel dispenser

One for the guys. Easy to squeeze if you want a naughty thrill every time you wash up. The upside is that they won’t slap you when you fondle them-plus they’re refillable. The downside is that you’d better hope the girls you bring home have a sense of humour.

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6. Sting “Do It in the Shower” 7-inch 45 record

Saucy Sting teases us again with this track, though he may be referring to the rain. Who knows? Who cares? It’s on vinyl, and vinyl is cool-so buy it and find out the answer.

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7. Personal hygiene set

Ever feel like the old bar soap and washcloth just doesn’t reach into those really hard-to-clean areas? If nothing less than a full-body-cavity scrubbing will do, this is the bath accoutrement for you. It’s sure to give every unsavoury part of you that fresh, clean shower smell.

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8. Floating duck bath and shower radio

This waterproof novelty bath and shower radio duck makes a shower or bath time fun for kids and adults.

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9. Skull and crossbones shower hat

Now all you pirates can keep your long dreadlocks dry as the desert while you wash away the dirt of a long journey at sea.

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10. Shower & bath crayons

Bored with your usual bathroom tiles? Then do it like Banksy and graffiti your tiles with these bath and shower crayons.

Think the bathroom you have in your house is safe for your elderly parent? It may not be as safe as you think. The elderly are highly at risk of debilitating falls in the bathroom, and it’s no wonder—bathrooms are full of hazards, including slick floors, high obstacles to step over, cluttered items to trip on, and low seats to maneuver. Here are a few tips to make your bathroom safer and more accessible to the elderly.

Install parallel grab bars. Grab bars can give the elderly something to hold onto when lowering themselves onto a toilet or into a tub. The bars should run parallel to the floor and be installed alongside the toilet as well as in the tub or shower. It’s also beneficial to fit a vertical grab bar on the wall in the bath tub, so that bathers can more easily leverage themselves up if they fall or sit in the tub.

Install higher toilets. It can be difficult for the elderly to sit down and stand up from the toilet. A typical toilet is approximately 38 centimetres from the ground. An elderly-friendly toilet can be as much as 45 centimetres high. This can be achieved through a custom-installed toilet or an elevated toilet seat that can be removed and added as needed. Higher toilet seats make it easier and safer for the elderly to use the bathroom.

Add bath and tower seating. The tub is a common place for accidental slips, especially among the elderly. For some, standing for prolonged periods in the shower can be difficult—and for others, lowering oneself into a bath or standing afterward can be dangerous. You can make your bath and shower more elderly accessible with a shower or bath seat. Shower seats can be portable and can even come with holders for soap and shampoo. Bath seats allow bathers to sit while washing in the bath.

Don’t use bar soap. Bar soap can be dropped. It’s difficult for some elderly people to bend down to pick it up, and it can cause risk of slips if it’s left on the floor. To keep your bathtub and shower safe, install soap dispensers with liquid soap. This is easier to use and can’t be dropped or slipped on.

Make sure your flooring is non-slip. The bathroom is often a damp environment, and surfaces are often slick for easier cleaning—but that can contribute to added risk of falls in the elderly. Make sure the flooring in your bath and shower is non-slip—as well as the tiling on your bathroom floor. Be wary of thick bath mats that can be tripped on.

Keep it clutter-free. Avoid lots of items in the bathroom that could cause dangerous falls—including towels on the floor, multiple shampoo and soap bottles that can be dropped, and small accessories that can be knocked over. When knocked on the floor, any of these can be a fall hazard for an elderly person.

Keep it well-lit. Falls are also likely when groping for a light switch in the dark. To reduce risk, install a night light to allow for easy access of the bathroom lights at night. This can significantly cut the risk of falls.

Add a bath door. If you have a bath and shower unit, it might be difficult for your elderly family member to step over the edge of the tub—especially after washing up, when the floor is damp and slippery. Make it easier by installing a tub with a door that can open, or replace your tub with a stand-up shower with no lip at the bottom—if your elderly parent can stand for long periods of time.

Keep it on the ground floor. Chances are the elderly person in your family is sleeping on the ground floor—stairs can be difficult to negotiate. If that’s the case, keep his or her bathroom on the same floor—preferably accessible directly from the bedroom. This way, your elderly family member has a shorter and safer trip to the bathroom in the dark and during the day.

Taking care of an elderly parent often requires refitting many of the areas of your house to accommodate their needs. It can take some study and preparation, but the level of safety it adds is worth it. Follow these tips, and you can reduce the risk of dangerous falls and injury in your bathroom.

Scabies

Can be extremely itchy. The word “scabies” is actually used to refer to both the disease-an intense itching skin rash-and the cause, a tiny mite invisible to the naked eye. It is known by the scientific name of Sarcoptes scabei. These mites burrow tunnels into the surface of the host’s skin to deposit their eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae that live and burrow under the skin, eventually maturing into adult mites that stay in your skin for about a month. The mites can be found in carpets and sheets, as well as recently worn clothes and towels from an infected person.

Bedbugs

The common bedbug is a parasite that feeds off the blood of humans. These bugs are big enough to be seen without a microscope-they grow to a length of about 4-5 millimeters. They’re generally active just before dawn, although they’ve been observed feeding at all times of day. Their bite causes a raised, white welt that can be intensely itchy and painful. They typically try to feed every five to eighteen days, although they can live for up to a year without feeding if they enter a dormant stage. Bedbugs often live in bedsheets and mattresses, where they come in frequent contact with human skin. Many people inadvertently bring bedbugs back to their houses after staying in infested hotels and motels.

Fleas

There are many different types of fleas. Some thrive on pets, some on humans, and some can pass easily between both hosts. They feed off the blood of their hosts, leaving swollen, itchy red bites on the skin. Fleas are very difficult to eradicate; for every one flea you find on your body or that of your pet, there are hundreds more living in your carpet, clothes, furniture, and bedding. Eradicating a flea infestation often requires homeowners to wash all clothes and bedding in the house, treat all pets with anti-flea medication, and bomb the house with flea-killing pesticides. This process may have to be repeated several times before the fleas are all killed

House dust mites

These mites feed on shed human skin, and they are visible under a magnifying glass. They can survive in almost any climate, and they live for about twenty to thirty days. Dust mites produce fecal matter containing enzymes that are harmful to humans. They are a frequent cause of asthma; other signs your house has dust mites include watery or itchy eyes, eczema, runny noses, hay fever, sneezing and clogged lungs

Mold mites

Like house dust mites, the fecal matter of these mites can be mildly to moderately poisonous to humans. These mites typically feed on mold, and they can be found on cheeses, in furniture, in cereal boxes, and in other stored dry foods. They thrive in areas of high humidity, and the longer you keep foods infested with mold mites, the more difficult they will be to eradicate.

Skin beetles

Also known as carpet beetles, these bugs are attracted to other dead bugs-they’re a food source. They are likely to be attracted to homes where organic materials-meat, skin detritus, dead bugs, natural fibers, and other plant and animal matter-are available. While they are typically not harmful to humans, they can cause serious damage to anything made of wood, cloth, or other natural materials. They sometimes enter homes from birds’ nests built into the houses’ eaves or nearby trees.

Odorous house ants

These ants are often called “coconut ants” because, when crushed, their bodies emit a rotten-coconut scent. They are often found trailing in long lines across counters, tables and floors, foraging for food. They eat living and dead insects and household foods, especially foods that contain sugar. They can contaminate stored foods and are very difficult to get rid of once they are found foraging inside a house in large numbers.

House flies

Just about everybody gets them. And if you’re located in an area where it gets cold in the winter, you probably see them much more frequently in the cold months-that’s because in cold environments, these flies can live only in heated homes. Yes, they’re common pests-but did you know they’re also dangerous disease-carriers? Household flies have been known to carry hundreds of different germs and diseases, including typhoid, cholera, anthrax, dysentery, and tuberculosis.

They’re stinky. They’re dirty. And trust us, you don’t want to catch a whiff of them. From puking all over fans to walking around for a week with cheese in their hair, these celebrities are ten times dirtier than anyone you know. But don’t worry-in most cases, it’s nothing a hot shower and a year in rehab wouldn’t be able to fix…

Photo c/o blogs.southflorida.com/citylink_dansweeney

1. Shane McGowan

Known as much for his bad teeth as for his work as a singer and songwriter, Shane McGowan has made a name for himself as one dirty-looking celebrity. When he appeared on the cover of a Pogues album, the band had to airbrush good teeth in so that the picture wouldn’t repel buyers. Apparently, his dental problems are caused by a chemical imbalance in his mouth, not by a failure to floss-but that’s not the only reason McGowan is dirty. His alcoholism has also led to some very unhygienic behavior in the past; in 2002, for example, McGowan became so drunk during a concert that he threw up all over fans in the front row.

Read More:

• Shanemacgowan.com

Nikki Sixx

2. Motley Crue

We know, there’s more than one person in Motley Crue-but the entire band deserves recognition for this. According to legend, drummer Tommy Lee and bassist Nikki Sixx held a competition between the two of them to see which one could go the longest without washing and still get sex. Apparently this continued for two months, with both band members sleeping with up to four girls each every night-until a girl threw up violently all over Sixx’s unwashed body. The incident was later dubbed “The Spaghetti Incident,” because she’d eaten pasta beforehand.

Read more on Motley Crue:

• Tommy Land by Tommy Lee
• The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx

Image c/o Photo Bucket

3. Amy Winehouse

The singer’s hair consistently looks like a bird’s nest, and she has a habit of picking cigarettes up off the street and smoking them. Even worse, when she checked into the swank Riverbank Plaza hotel after a stint in rehab, she never allowed the staff to clean the room-and it showed. When housekeepers finally got inside, they found mounds of dirty underwear, cigarette butts everywhere, and enormous balls of matted hair in the bathroom. Note to self: never let Amy Winehouse stay in the guest bedroom.

More on Amy Winehouse:

• AmyWineHouse.com

C/o http://wastedcelebrity.com/

4. Lindsay Lohan

You know how you feel when you wake up after a crazy night of partying, with a pounding headache, a desperate need of a shower, and a mouth that feels like something died in it? That’s what Lindsay Lohan looks like in plenty of paparazzi shots and even a few public events. Please, somebody get this girl a hot shower, a tall glass of water and some mouthwash.

Lindsay Lohan films:

• Film Credits

Peter Green

5. Peter Green

The Fleetwood Mac guitarist was never too concerned about his appearance, but sometime during the 60’s he completely lost his way to the shower. According to legend even his other band mates started worrying about him when he showed up with a rather large piece of cheese stuck in his hair-and it was still there five days later.

Peter Green’s Music:

• Peter Green Discography

c/o KK+

6. Pete Doherty

Famous for his nicotine-stained hands and his heroin addiction, Pete Doherty is known for being the kind of guy you don’t want to stand downwind of. In 2008 he was briefly jailed for refusing to take a court-ordered drug test, and managed to get his hands on drugs even while in the slammer. Apparently he didn’t mind sleeping on a urine-stained mattress, as long as he could keep shooting heroin.

More on Pete Doherty:

• BabyShambles Website
• The Libertines Bound Together Book

Syd Barrett

7. Syd Barrett

Syd was known for his highly erratic behavior, and fans frequently spotted him strumming a single cord all through a concert or just wandering around stage, looking lost and not playing at all. He once vigorously rubbed butter all over his head during a meeting at a restaurant, and once was reported to have crushed Quaaludes and an entire tube of Brylcreem into his hair just before a concert. The mixture melted all over his head and face under the hot stage lights.

More Syd Barrett Info:

• Syd barrett Archives

Jim Morrisson

8. Jim Morrison

Famous for his peyote drug binges, decadence and bad poetry Morrison is a rock legend. But you know those skinny leather pants he always wore? Well he never took them off. Ever! It was well known that Morrison often wore the same clothes several days in a row, and usually owned only a few items of clothing at any one time. When he did buy new clothing, he often gave it away to his friends. Generous? Yes. Hygienic? No

These bathrooms are particularly common among couples who live alone together and are not concerned about privacy, but increasingly families are designing them as well. It’s enough to make you wonder whether bathroom privacy is an outdated concept.

In today’s culture, the shift toward less privacy makes sense. Reality shows depicting celebrities and participants “living their lives” with no privacy are common. People share the most intimate details of their lives online on social networking sites and blogs. Everywhere the line between public and private life appears to be dissolving. Perhaps the bathroom is the final frontier.

What do you think about bathrooms behind glass screens?

In some households, the bathroom is the only room in the house where, once you’re in, nobody will try to come in to bother you. Sometimes it’s the only room with a lock. It’s possible that busy parents have been using the bathroom as a refuge for years—and increasing trends toward luxury fixtures are only making the bathroom’s retreat status more solid.

In many busy households with two working spouses, the bathroom is one of the most important places where couples can bond. Couples rushing off to work can check in with each other as they brush their teeth in the morning and get ready for bed at night—making the bathroom an important meeting place for time-strapped couples. According to the article, his-and-hers bathrooms are becoming less common.

The bidet is a staple in European and British homes, but it hasn’t caught on in America. Japanese bidet manufacturer Toto is bravely making inroads into American markets with the Toto Washlet, a bidet toilet seat that attaches to traditional seats. The Washlet offers jets set to specific temperatures and an air-dry feature.

The American resistance to bidets is a bit baffling, considering American obsession with cleanliness and hygiene. Think about it: toilet paper isn’t exactly the most hygienic way of cleaning up. It’s a dry sheet of paper. Would you clean a nasty household mess with dry sheets of paper? No, you’d use a wet piece of paper at the very least; bigger messes call for water and cleaning products. A bidet can offer a more hygienic option for this sensitive area—something Europeans have known for years.

Perhaps one reason Americans resist bidets is the required change in habits. Americans have been using toilet paper all their lives—and many don’t see the need to change.

Have you noticed a problem fitting your toothbrushes in those nice ceramic holders lately? If so, you’re not the only one. The New York Times reports that more and more people are getting frustrated with thick, ergonomically-molded plastic toothbrush handles that are too thick to fit in conventional holders.

Now, you’re more likely to find your toothbrushes competing for space on the counter or rubbing up against each other in plastic cups than hanging neatly in toothbrush holders.

It’s an annoyance that most people feel petty complaining about—but it’s also unhygienic. Many people don’t feel comfortable leaving their toothbrushes on a counter or in a cabinet where they can encounter germs—but because of the chunky handles, they’re left without much choice in the matter.

It’s a fairly recent development. In the 80’s most toothbrush handles were about the same—long, thin, and straight. Today, manufacturers claim the thicker handles are there to encourage proper brushing—but the profit motivation is undoubtedly a factor as well. Toothbrushes with larger, thicker and more complex handles will sell for more money.

What do you think—do you hate those thick-handled brushes, and have you found a better way to store them?

Builder Jeff Howell gave us the low-down on aerated shower heads in a piece for the Telegraph.

If you’re unfamiliar with these products, the basic concept is that aerated shower heads force air through the faucet along with water, allowing you to use less water while still feeling like you’re standing under a heavy stream. The main selling point is savings—according to advertisers, you could save a lot of water and up to £200 per year in water costs. But do they really work?

According to Howell, who’s tested a few of these products, the shower heads do work—although they don’t save you as much water as the ads claim. £30 to £60 per year is a more realistic figure. You can test an aerated shower head by gauging the length of time it takes to fill a bucket with your old shower head and the new one—and comparing the results.

So what are your experiences with aerated shower heads? Do they really save water, and do they really feel like a heavy stream of water? Have you noticed significant cost savings with these shower heads, or are advertisers’ claims nothing but hot air?