Friday, April 11, 2008

Toilet Seats


Today I'm on to lighter topics and out of Sorrow's Kitchen for awhile. There's a great question I've been asking (certain) people lately. If I haven't gotten around to you yet, dear reader, it's probably because I haven't summoned the courage. You might say it's none of my business; that's why I've only asked about half a dozen people so far. The question concerns those flimsy, little toilet seat covers found in public restrooms.

Do you use them?
Always? Never? It depends?
I find the answer to this question fascinating and equally the discussion that typically follows. Perhaps a selection bias exists but everyone so far has been glad "to share".

As a young girl I was taught to cover the toilet seat with torn lengths of toilet paper and then sit down. This was before pre-fab covers were available. Despite my typical style of latching on to any and all potential threats, concern about catching diseases from toilet seats was never up on the top ten list of worries for me. I'm a meticulous hand washer (have to be in my line of work) but as for toilet seats? No biggie. A visual inspection perhaps but little else needed for me.

I do not use these silly little seat covers. I find them annoying, time consuming, and useless. I'm not afraid to "just sit down" and if I am, then I find a different looking toilet seat or give my quads a good workout and squat. I am not concerned with toilet cooties! The telephone receiver or the door to the toilet stall is a far more likely place to encounter these pesky critters. There are actually studies that prove this!

Too much information for you (about me) and none of my business (about you)? Perhaps. But, I've been gratified that most people I ask respond with a laugh and a big "no I don't use them". Others have said they sometimes use them but are conflicted (fancy that), wondering if they really serve a purpose. These folks typically decide to give it up and leave the sheets in the wall receptacle where they belong. And almost universally, people are interested to know what others are doing or not doing with this public restroom invention.

Denny says that in five plus decades of living, he has used a toilet cover only once (and for good cause apparently) . But he also says he hears some guys pulling them off the dispenser with regularity. I don't believe it is a gender issue per se. My sense is that the majority of people (men and women) don't use them but again, quien sabe? Maybe you all will share with a comment!

The coolest toilet seat cover system I've encountered in a public restroom is at Chicago's O'hare Airport. I've never seen these gizmos anywhere else. This is a pretty decent idea for those who like to have a clean place to sit. Check it out. Someone else thought it was pretty neat too and took this video. I only hope that it isn't the same piece of plastic wrap going round and round the toilet after each flush!



By the way, these electronic "automatic flush" systems are another rant for me. I can never get them to work and stand there like this person, waving my hand in front of the sensor to no avail and oft times, just leave the stall, frustrated and disgusted that all these fancy bells and whistles don't save time and don't get the job done! What am I doing wrong? Why can't we just FLUSH like we do at home and go out to wash up?

Ok, I'm done now.

3 comments:

  1. hahah this blog post totally made my day!!

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  2. Totally laughing!!! Hate the toliet seat covers! NEVER use them...well...that's not entirely true. I use them for Kelan...but it is more because he holds on to the toliet seat...and that seems to bother me more than just sitting on them. We always wash hands, but maybe it's the thought of tightly gripping a toliet and then having a snack. Eew. Also, I too have witnessed and used the Chicago airport toliets with the auto covers. Strange. I felt like I was sitting on saran wrap. You're right, one can only hope that the plastic isn't just going round and round.

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  3. My roommate and I just read your blog, and we don't use them either. Two more votes for not using toilet seat covers!

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