How Clean is Your Toilet?

Posted on: Dec 2, 2022 | | Written by:

How Clean is Your Toilet?

Published on December 01, 2022. EST READ TIME: 4 minutes

When you maintain hygiene and take due precautions, you can reduce the risk of catching illnesses. And good hygiene practices are important everywhere, and that includes the toilet too. In fact, toilets are a common source of infectious diseases. Washroom hygiene helps in disease control and prevention of contamination through germs.

Toilet Hygiene

It is said that 'like charity begins at home, hygiene and sanitation starts with you and me'. Like we take care of every nook and cranny of our house, we should take all measures to keep our restrooms clean and hygienic. Toilet hygiene is crucial for the health and well-being of every person. A dirty toilet becomes the breeding ground for germs, bacteria and viruses and eventually makes you vulnerable to infections. Hence toilet hygiene is something which we cannot afford to ignore. One of the simple ways to maintain toilet hygiene is washing hands properly with soap before leaving the washroom.

Consequences of Having Unhygienic Toilets

Clean toilets and proper sanitation are crucial for a healthy living environment. If restrooms are not maintained clean, it can lead to the following consequences:

• A dirty toilet can be the reason for many dangerous illnesses like viral infections, gut infections, lung and skin infections and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Although contracting an STD is very unlikely, it is possible to get infected when germs get transferred through a cut or sore on your skin.

• There is a greater risk of getting contaminated if you share the same toilet with an infected person. You can fall prey to water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, etc.

• Women, in particular, are more prone to infections affecting their reproductive health.

Outbreaks Associated with Flush Toilets

Flushing releases aerosol droplets, which remain in the air, settle on a surface, and contaminate the toilet seat and handles. When people touch these contaminated surfaces, they are at increased risk of falling ill. Some contagious and infectious illnesses include salmonella, MRSA, influenza, E. coli, hepatitis, and shigellosis.

Tips to Keep Toilets Clean

Toilets, as you know, are the most vulnerable places for bacteria and viruses putting you at risk of infectious diseases. Let’s look at some best ways to keep toilets clean and hygienic and keep infections at bay.

1. Keep the toilet floor dry at all times as bacteria and germs breed and spread on wet and moist surfaces.

2. Disinfecting the restroom thoroughly and regularly will kill all germs. You can also clean it with hot water and soap if you don't want to use disinfectants. The toilet seat and rim should also be disinfected thoroughly.

3. Mops, brushes, and clothes used to clean the toilets must also be disinfected after every use to prevent the germs collected on these tools from spreading to other surfaces. If you use cloth towels and disposable tissues, ensure they are disposed of after each use.

4. After every use, it is important to flush to keep the toilet bowl and U-bend clean and hygienic.

5. Clean the toilet floor/surfaces with a toilet cleaner and brush every few days.

6. Clean and disinfect bathtubs, sinks, and faucet handles regularly to prevent the collection of water and the subsequent spread of water-borne diseases.

7. If you have not used the shower for some days, run it with hot water before using it.

8. Close the lid before flushing to prevent the germs from spreading and transmitting infectious diseases. According to researchers, after every flush, germs can `fly’ up to 10 inches above the toilet seat before settling on surfaces. And when you touch these surfaces, germs get transferred to your hands.

Conclusion

The thought of creepy germs and bacteria, particularly in public toilets, can give you jitters and prevent you from using them. But simple hygienic practices such as washing hands with soap after using the toilet, drying your hands after washing, or using tissue papers to open doors and touch faucet handles can prevent many diseases. However, while maintaining proper hygiene, it is also important to have the best health insurance in India to protect yourself and your family financially. Apart from financial security, anindividual health insurance policy or family plan have other benefits, such as quality healthcare, cashless hospitalisation at network hospitals, and annual health check-ups. If your parents are senior citizens, secure them with senior citizen health insurance, designed specially to meet the healthcare needs of the elderly.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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