Will Not Touch Toilet Seat Lid

[rikka]

I don't think it's strange. Even in public restrooms, I also do that. I use toilet paper to cover the lid. Even in someone else's house, I also do that so that. When there are guests using the restroom in our house, I also rinse the lid with detergent and water, and even disinfect it with alcohol to make sure germs are really dead. I just want a clean restroom filled with adequate supply of water because I cannot stand a dirty one. Because I cannot guarantee the cleanliness of the restroom of another house, toilet paper comes in handy.

 

[clair02]

I do my best never to use any other toilet than mine. I don't think that is a bad thing.  I think in my case it comes more from the fact that I know how well I clean my toilet - you could eat off of it - but I'm not sure how well others clean theirs and cleanliness is very important to me so I would really rather just avoid that situation altogether. Of course sometimes I have no choice but to use the toilet, and in that case I won't touch anything with my hands either, not even the taps. 

 

[Novelangel]

I don't do this, but I can see why someone would. Toilets can be very dirty and you never quite know how dirty unless you are the one who cleaned it last.

I don't do it either. I'm pretty nonchalant about toilet germs. The only time I get grossed out is when the other toilet (no matter where it is) is wet and I don't notice it until I sit down. Otherwise, I don't freak out over toilet cleanliness when I'm visiting someone or out in public. Most restrooms that I visit are fairly clean anyway, not gross like those in some gas stations. Most gas stations, however, have pretty clean restrooms and pride themselves on that fact to the point of posting signs about how often they clean. 

 

[Surrender]

I don't really worry about this in my home or at other's homes. I figure we are all relatively clean people so I don't stress about it all.  In a way I would feel offended if I knew someone was in my bathroom looking for rubber gloves and disinfectant just to use my toilet. 


I thought this was mainly a concern in public restrooms, where they are clearly disgusting and used by tons of people. I didn't know people were concerned about this at others homes? But I guess if their toilet looked gross then it would make sense. 

 

[Choochoo]

I have this too and even at home I refuse to touch the seat without a tissue. I know it probably doesn't help all that much since germs are everywhere anyway but it gives me some comfort at least being able to control this particular cause. At the same time I think sometimes that if only other people thought about it too they would probably want to do the same. 

 

[kelden]

Here, see this episode from Mythbusters  .  :laugh:

 

[djanx]

I wouldn't characterize it as phobia. It's a basic need to stay safe and away from any kind of germs. You can carry seat covers if they help.

 

[111kg]

Here is a pro tip: if you know that you are going to spend some time in the city or even days in a foreign place, try to eat fat rich foods. You won't get too much at the bathroom, thus you won't get in contact with the so called toiled germs. I do this involuntarily while on the keto diet and everything is ok.

 

[oportosanto]

Germs are everywhere, that is a fact, so I don't think we need to worry about that much, especially if we do the basic hygiene everyone should do. If we start over thinking most likely we will get phobias and that is worse than germs in my opinion.

 

[calicer1996]

I don't think that has anything to do with anxiety. It's just disgusting is all. We humans are disgusted by toilets. Period. Use toilet paper on the seat. Works wonders!

 

[DDNatureLover]

I'm really more concerned about the issue with public toilets, rather than ones at the homes of those I know. I have used some in the past where I knew the bathroom was mainly used by teenage boys that weren't concerned about cleanliness, so I'd line the seat and wash my hands extra well afterwards. At home, I don't even bother to close the door, since I live alone. I am not concerned here, since they're all my germs, but I do occasionally see little paw prints on the seat, where the cats have come to/from the tub, and then I'll wipe the seat before using it. The cats seem to enjoy being in the damp tub after I've taken a bath, despite hating being bathed. I trust my cats' paws more than public toilets, though. 

 

[Ania]

Hi everyone. Now I am having trouble whenever I visit people's homes. I will not want to touch the lid of the toilet and sometimes it freaks me out so much that I get some toilet paper and use it to lift the lid. I sort of wish that my toilet didn't have a lid at this point. Does anyone else do this too or is it just me?

I think you are being cautious   I always do that when I visit the home of someone I don't know so well,  and I definitely do that when using a public toilet.   You never know what you might come in contact with... I had a really unpleasant experience while using the toilet of a plane.  Never again... that whole incident triggered my OCD, luckily it wasn't as severe as when I was younger,  I had to deal with this for 8 months!  Better safe than sorry, specially if you suffer from OCD.

 

[Jasmin Cottontail]

I guess there are a lot of people who do this. I do this particularly and not only with public toilets but also in our own toilet. I don't touch the toilet lid even though I know it's clean. I just find it dirty and with lots of bacteria that's why I can't touch it. I use my feet in lifting it up and down so that bacteria won't touch my hands.

 

[biege]

I became allergic to germs ever since I studied in nursing, so whenever I touch something dirty like the escalator handrail I always use alcohol on my hands. Based on studies, escalator handrails are the most dirtiest object and it contains ten times more microbes than toilet bowl and lids. When it comes to toilet lids, I always use tissue paper to pull it up or down and then I wash my hands later.

 

[Alexandoy]

I am not really anti-germs but I observe cleanliness. When I was young, my parents call me "maselan" which is a word that means over-conscious with hygiene and sanitation. I wipe the glass mouth before drinking and I always wipe the fork and spoon before using even when I was at home. But now I am not like that anymore although when it comes to dirt and germs, I still cringe. In the public toilet, I only urinate and when nature calls cannot be controlled, I squat on the toilet seat because I don't feel comfortable in my butt touching the toilet seat. 

 

[tyche]

I think being disgusted with using a "foreign" toilet seat is quite normal. As many people are using it, and they are other people that you don't live with at that, then you can't help but think how many germs from different people harbor in there. But don't worry, since there will always be soap and alcohol to save the day. All you have to do is wash your hands many times, and voila! You will feel clean again.

 

[Myers]

I am hesitant to touch them to You just don't know whos touched it and when. :|

 

[AngelaMc]

Hi everyone. Now I am having trouble whenever I visit people's homes. I will not want to touch the lid of the toilet and sometimes it freaks me out so much that I get some toilet paper and use it to lift the lid. I sort of wish that my toilet didn't have a lid at this point. Does anyone else do this too or is it just me?

Hi stephonline, I do the same exact thing. I will not touch any toilet lid, not even my own. I either use toilet paper or in public places a paper towel. I know it's crazy for me to even do this in my own home, but it's the fact of the urine that may be on the seat no matter who's urine it is.

 

[janemariesayed]

Hi everyone. Now I am having trouble whenever I visit people's homes. I will not want to touch the lid of the toilet and sometimes it freaks me out so much that I get some toilet paper and use it to lift the lid. I sort of wish that my toilet didn't have a lid at this point. Does anyone else do this too or is it just me?

Reading through everyone's posts makes this sound like a very natural phobia to have. We are not sure if those people have cleaned the toilet recently, or correctly. Maybe it's better to not use their loos or public toilets. I very rarely use public toilets and when I have to I don't sit down at all. I'm okay if I am at my Moms as I know her loo is probably cleaner than mine!

 

[Sophie]

I struggle with this a ton! Even in my own home, I find myself having to put tissue paper on the seat beforehand I sit down and even touching the kid with my foot in a sock grosses me out! The way I look at it, do what makes you feel comfortable! If you're worried about using too much toilet paper for the seat, leave it on there until the end of the day or end of the ritual which makes you use the bathroom. Hope this helps!