http://www.care2.com/greenliving/are-public-restrooms-dangerous.html
Are Public Restrooms Dangerous?
Q: How concerned should I be about getting diseases from using public restrooms?
A: Germs are EVERYWHERE, but you shouldn’t let that fact make you paranoid. (In fact one study showed that there were more germs on the handles of a grocery store shopping cart than there were in a public restroom).
The most important safety measure you can follow is to wash your hands frequently, and especially any time after they have come in contact with surfaces that many other people have also handled.
Using warm water and soap, hands (all the way up to the wrists) should be scrubbed vigorously for at least 15 seconds.
Dr. Brent Ridge is the health expert for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. You can call and ask him a question live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 112 (1.866.675.6675). You can also follow along as he learns to grow his own food and raise goats on his farm in upstate New York by visiting www.beekman1802.com.
Got a health question for Dr. Brent? E-mail him at drbrent@care2.com.
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why is this inappropriate?
"for at least 15 seconds"
Public Health recommendations are a minimum of 20 seconds.
"Chemical soaps will remove that protection, dry and crack the skin and allow the bad guys in."
True. The air dryers also over-dry the skin and are not recommended. Public Health recommends carrying around hand lotion to help combat over-dry skin.
Also, soap and water is the best alternative. Only use no-water Hand Sanitizer in cases of emergency. The Hand Sanitizer has an anti-bacterial and use of this causes an actual reduction of immunity so you get more sick if you use this. Soap and water are the recommended cleaners.
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No matter where you go there you are and that is a fact.
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Is this for real? Of course everyone has to use a public washroom at some point. When you gotta go, you gotta go! Doesn't everyone wash their hands after? Mind you, the soap in public washrooms isn't great. I carry my own around in a small vial. If you don't, make sure you have your hand balm with you.
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Excessively frequent hand washing is known to cause more harm than it prevents. Our bodies produce oils that prevent the intrusion of pathogenic bacteria if the skin is intact and naturally "moist". Chemical soaps will remove that protection, dry and crack the skin and allow the bad guys in.
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I Have a Soap Problem too I Cut a small part of the soap I use at home, to wash.
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where else would ou pee? of course inthe nature? But really how silly! of course public bathrooms are not the cleanest but its common sense that you should wash your hands to avoid germs. But it saying that i dont always wash my hands and im not dead. Actually most soaps im allergic to so i cant use them, also they are not vegan. But if i use those chemical soaps i get ezcema that doesnt go away for a month!
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