Germ Hotspots in Shared Public Toilets that Pose a Bigger Risk than the Toilet Seats

Experts say hands, handles, and toilet plumes pose a bigger risk than the seat itself

Public toilets often have a bad reputation as germ hotspots, but are toilet seats really the main culprits behind infections? Research suggests otherwise. While bacteria and viruses are present in shared bathrooms, the greater risks usually come from dirty hands, contaminated door handles, and airborne “toilet plumes” released after flushing.

Every person sheds microbes in urine and faeces, and toilets inevitably collect bacteria and viruses. Studies have found gut bacteria such as E. coli and Enterococcus , viruses like norovirus and rotavirus, and even parasites on public toilet surfaces. Skin bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus , sometimes resistant to antibiotics, also appear. On top