This is an original expository essay written by our online student Ehsaas Agarwal. Ehsaas is a young orator and writer from Hyderabad. We are proud to have him as a student in our Online Creative Writing & Public Speaking Program, utilizing Applied Storytelling and Theatre tools under the mentorship of Trainer Khusshbo Chokhaani. We congratulate Ehsaas for this exemplary true self-expression.

Art Of Using Public Toilets Safely

In our fast-paced lives, public toilets are a common and often essential amenity. However, sharing these spaces means we need to be mindful of how we use them to ensure our own safety and hygiene. It’s not just about avoiding germs; it’s also about preventing minor mishaps like slips and falls, and generally maintaining our well-being. By adopting a few smart strategies, from a quick check before you enter to a thorough wash as you leave, you can navigate public restrooms with confidence and significantly reduce any risks.

1. Before you even step into a public restroom, a little observation goes a long way. Take a moment to scan the general area and the entrance. If a restroom looks unusually dirty, poorly lit, or if anything about it makes you feel uneasy, trust your gut and consider finding another option.
2. Your personal safety and comfort should always be your priority. Once you decide to proceed, glance inside the stalls if possible. Look for dry floors to prevent slipping hazards, and try to avoid toilets that appear neglected or have overflowing trash bins.
3. A truly indispensable item to always have with you is hand sanitizer. Keep it readily accessible in your bag or pocket; it’s your first line of defense before and after touching any surfaces.
4. For an added layer of psychological comfort, you can place a few squares of toilet paper on the toilet seat before you sit down. While this doesn’t guarantee complete germ protection, it can certainly make you feel more at ease.
5. Once you’re inside the toilet itself, smart actions can greatly enhance your safety and reduce germ exposure. Make a conscious effort to minimize direct contact with surfaces. Use your elbow, foot, or even a tissue to push open the door, flush the toilet, or operate the faucet if it’s not motion-activated.
6. If the toilet has a lid, it’s a good practice to close it before flushing. This helps to contain tiny water particles and potential germs from spraying into the air.
7. A common mistake people make is placing their personal items, such as bags, backpacks, or phones, directly on the floor. Public restroom floors can be heavily contaminated. Instead, try to find a clean, dry ledge or hook to place your belongings, or better yet, keep them on your person, for example, on your lap if sitting down.
8. The lesserdirect contact your personal items have with shared with potentially dirty surfaces, the cleaner and safer they’ll remain. It’s extremely important to remember to not touch the toilet seat or the inside of the sink because, statistically, those are the most contaminated parts of a public toilet.
9. There has to some call to action to keeping public toilets clean as these toilets are not very maintained and it’s our duty to make life better for not only ourselves but others as well.

In certain scenarios, we may be forced to go to a public restroom in which case, these tips are quintessential to have a hygienic experience. Using the knowledge here, we can make a compulsion a much more normal experience. Public toilets might be a necessity, but it doesn’t have to be a necessary sore point during a road trip.

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