Toilet Seat Covers

I’d like to start this post by proclaiming that I’m a certifiably insane germophobe. I’d like to make some statement about how it’s so inconvenient and I really wish I could be as carefree as everyone around me seems to be. But then I’d be paranoid that sometime you’d come to me house, take one look at the dust on the baseboards in my bathroom and call me a liar.

And you’d be right.

So instead, you should know that I’d like to be a germaphobe. Well…at least more than I am. The truth is I’ve eaten potato chips that fell on the floor, and not just out in the middle of the kitchen floor either, but one that fell clear under the ledge, which is probably the most disgusting place on earth. In my defense it was a pringle....and the last one. Whatever, don't judge me.

However, I happen to think that bathrooms are the germiest most disgusting places in the world. I really do. I don’t like touching things in public restrooms – in fact don’t even like using public restrooms, but sometimes you just have to do things you don’t like. That’s called “being a grownup”. When I use public restrooms I don't make skin contact with anything, except the top of the soap dispenser, and that's just because it's a necessary evil. I always use toilet seat covers, and I open the door with a paper towel. I hit the button to the air dryers with my elbow, and I prop the door open with my foot so I can reach back to the trash can to throw away the paper towel.

For some unknown reason I don’t consider the bathroom at work a “public restroom”. It is. Stalls and everything. And technically I don't really know who else uses it. But because I use it every day, and because I know every woman who works on this floor, it’s not as gross to me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I wanna go lick the floor, or have a picnic in there, I’m just not as germaphobic about it as I am about the restroom at the Wendy’s downtown. You know?

When they remodeled our restroom a couple of months ago, they added toilet seat covers and I was thrilled! I went in and got all kinds of excited. But, the more I think about it, the more I really don’t care. Too much? Sorry. It’s just that if any of the women who worked on this floor came to my house (or even ALL of them…at one time!), and used the bathroom, I wouldn’t cover the seat with toilet paper before using it again. I also wouldn’t sanitize it before using it again.  I also wouldn’t be grossed out that they had used my hand towel to dry their hands. And I wouldn’t refuse to make skin-contact with the door handle. So why do I have to worry about it at work?

Maybe I’m disgusting and unsanitary….and maybe you’re all grossed out now….but…..really? Do I have to use the toilet seat covers?