5 points to keep in mind when using public restrooms in a pandemic

It has been a year since the world was crippled due to a pandemic. Overnight, life as we knew it came to a sudden stop and we were forced to be locked in our homes for our own safety. As time progressed, many countries dealt with ways to open up businesses as usual in different ways. With a staggering unlock, Indians have begun venturing out. When you are travelling to places, a need may arise to use public restrooms and we understand the apprehensions you may have about using the same. You may even be looking for workplace hygiene tips in a COVID world. Hence, we have compiled a comprehensive guide for anyone who is planning to hit the road or heading out for a family reunion to a restaurant or a resort nearby.

1. Practice social distancing in public restrooms

One of the most famous terms used in the past year is social distancing. All around the world, celebrities, influencers and the government have preached on following social distancing norms everywhere you go. So why should your time spent in a public toilet be any different? We understand that you need to use urinals or stalls during your trip, so ensure that these toilet breaks you take are either in big toilets or relatively empty ones. If the restroom is small, first check if anyone else is present and wait for them to finish before you decide to use another urinal or stall. Even if there is a partition in between, it would be safer to wait for them to finish and only then use the urinal or stall.

2. Avoid touching anything

As you may know by now, surfaces in any public restroom are potential germ carriers. It is important to be wary of such surfaces especially during a pandemic when the virus is easily transferable. When you enter a local public toilet use your elbows or feet instead of your hands to open and push the door. If paper towels are available at the restroom, use them to touch surfaces such as bathroom faucets or door handles. It would be great if you chose to carry a few toilet seat covers to use when required. When you are done washing your hands, follow the same practice of how you entered to exit from the public restroom.

3. Carry your personal sanitizer

In today’s date and time, finding someone without a personal hand sanitizer is an anomaly. The last place you want to be caught without one is a public restroom. When you carry your own hand sanitizer, you aren't dependent on the supplies at the local public toilet. Once you enter the restroom, you will want to sanitize surfaces before touching them. If you have your personal sanitizer handy, you can quickly clean up and sanitize your hands even if there isn’t a soap dispenser present at the restroom. You can’t be too sure whether local toilets follow the best bathroom sanitization practices.

4. Get in and out quickly

It’s a common notion that the longer time you may spend in a local toilet, the higher the chances of you catching germs or even worse, the virus. Spending less time doesn’t mean you finish your business and skip on maybe washing your hands or drying them. In general, make it a practice to not hang around the washroom waiting for your friends or family to finish up. You would ideally want to finish up and head right out and maybe wait for them in your vehicle or in an open air space. It is also important to highlight that you shouldn’t make a pitstop unless it is really necessary, that means you shouldn’t spend extra time in the bathroom adjusting your look or putting on makeup.

5. Don’t carry anything that isn’t essential

When you visit a local public toilet, make a conscious decision to only carry your sanitizer, tissues and maybe a soap strip. Keep your phone, gadgets and bags in the vehicle you are travelling in if you are on a road trip or at your table if you are visiting a restaurant. As mentioned earlier, when you are using a public restaurant, you should ideally want to get done quickly and move on.

Jaquar, along with providing you the best bathroom accessories and solutions, understands that everyone needs guidance while dealing with a pandemic and we are doing our part. Once you are done with your outing, it would be a good practice to come back home and reap the benefits of a hot shower to keep yourself clean and stress free.