Are You the Kind of Person Who “Preps” the Paper Towels in Public Bathrooms?

 

One of things I hate about using a public bathroom is that by the time you touch the bacteria-laden paper towel lever, you’re absorbing more germs than you’re getting rid of from washing.

If the bathroom is antiquated and equipped with hand-operated (as opposed to sensor) faucets, then you may, as I do, feel compelled to use a paper towel as a “glove” while turning the water on and off.

Additionally, if there is a blow hand dryer, you may, as I do, press the button with your elbow, to activate it.

My work bathrooms have sensor faucets  (good, but you have to find the “sweet spot” before they turn on) but have the old-style lever-operated paper towel dispensers.

I “prep” the paper towels before washing my hands so that I can tear off two sheets of paper towel when I’m done with my sanitizing without touching the lever. I should add here that I use my paper towel as a prophylactic when holding the door lever. 

The problem is that sometimes someone will take advantage of your prepping, tearing off the paper towel that YOU prepped. These individuals should know that the paper towel doesn’t magically appear. Therefore, if they take YOUR designated paper towel, they should prep two new sheets for you as a courtesy.

Yesterday, an individual did indeed take “my” paper towel. In a very considerate voice, I asked him to “prep” me some paper towel. He looked at me for a split second with a confused expression, but then recovered his bearings and did indeed prep the paper towel for me. Yes, my friends, he knew exactly what I was talking about. 

Some people don’t prep the paper towels for themselves, or others, but I am the type of person who sees prepping the paper towels as a necessary way to get out of a public bathroom with as minimum germs as possible. 

Perhaps there are two kinds of people in the world. Those who prep their paper towels and those who do not. 

 

Comments

[Moogbass]

I find public restrooms mildly disgusting and avoid them unless emergency strikes.

I always, ALWAYS use my foot to flush the toilet and have been this way for years. The company I work for has finally gotten wise and placed hand sanitizer in the restrooms.

Due to the community restroom, I know WAY more about my co-workers "physical condition" than I need. Some people just are not healthy...

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Sensor toilets sometimes don't work but at least they don't require feet. But in hand-flush toilets, I always use my foot as well. The shoes have to be left on the front porch of course.

[kr]

i see a lot of lost man points here...

you don't want to go through life with the immune system of a "bubble boy".

would this man fool around with trying to place the paper "sani-seat" on the toilet when taking a number 2?

http://img.youtube.com/vi/mLXQltR7vUQ/0.jpg

[jeffrey McMahon]

KR, I stand as guilty as charged when it comes to the bathroom.

[¾ Blind]

This prepping is all new to me as all the paper towel dispensers in the public restrooms I frequent are completely "manual" relying on each towel, friction and gravity to pull the next towel out.

Now here's one for the über persnickety. When you encounter a roll of two-ply toilet paper where the perforations do not line up, i.e., the sheets are out of sync, do you deftly wrap one ply around the roll to bring the sheets back into proper alignment?

Sheet, this discussion has drifted about as far afield from radio talk as ever.

[herculodge]

3/4: It's a slow radio day. I'm waiting for a couple to come in the mail for review.

[Keith Beesley]

I avoid the paper towel issue altogether and use the electric hot air hand dryer whenever possible :-).

[Shawn Patrick]

Herc, you're too paranoid. No one on earth, and no real man, will understand what "prep" means in the bathroom. I work EMS Herc. And I'll tell you the easiest way and you won't have to act weird in the bathroom. Flush the toilet, use the sink, use the paper towels... that's what real men do. But.... do this

Now... the easy part... carry a small container of hand sanitizer. When you are done in the public bathroom, just put some on your hands and bacteria is killed completely. Problem solved.

Chalk one up for a real man here.

[David]

I don't see the reason to worry too much about germs. No one needs all these antibacterial products that you see in the stores, when a plain hand soap, or a natural cleaner like Seventh Generation (or a homemade one) will work just fine.

The fear of the flu currently has everyone running to get their shots. Why not eat healthy, exercise 5-6 days a week, take the proper vitamins/herbs/ and probiotics to build up our natural immune system to fight illness?? Modern medicine has its' place, yet I think we have come to rely on it a bit too often...

[Angelo]

I definitely prep the paper towels---but I find the "sensor" water faucets are junk. The one at our office building restroom has a "sweet spot" that is very challenging to find. Then, it only provides cold water (eco-nazis I'm sure). I usually have to rewash my hands in hot or warm water when I get back into our office (We have a kitchen.). I finish by using hand sanitizer when I get back to my own office.

[herculodge]

Angelo, I forgot to add that I too finish with hand sanitizer when I return to my office. Also the student bathroom has hot water while the faculty one does not. Go figure.