Now that we know over a quarter of the population have faecal fragments on their hands, hygiene is certainly on our minds.
The (seriously gross) fact has got us thinking about the public spaces we might be most at risk of coming into contact with all this bacteria.
And the place that makes us squirm the most...?
Public toilets.
Thankfully, experts in the above video explain the best ways to avoid other people’s poop in public loos.
Investigators in the film take swabs from inside public toilets and send them to the American bio-clinical laboratories. They find that the stall closest to the main restroom door has the lowest amounts of bacteria, probably because most people tend to skip it.
They also discover that the toilet seats themselves are actually the cleanest part of most public bathrooms. Believe it or not, there is more bacteria on the toilet paper dispenser than the seat.
Despite all that, the doctors say you shouldn’t be afraid of using public bathrooms. If you wash your hands after use, you can dodge those bathroom nasties.
Although, it’s worth bearing in mind that a quick splash of water on your hands isn’t going to do the trick.
To really show those germs who’s boss, the doctors give a few tips on how to keep super clean.
It you’re faced with screw taps rather than automatic ones, grab a paper towel before you wash your hands. Wash with water and antibacterial soap, then dry your hands with the towel. Use the towel to turn off the tap and open the restroom door before chucking it back into the bin.
You’ll never worry about public restroom horrors again.