Generally speaking, these infections aren't contagious. It's highly unlikely for anyone to contract a UTI from a toilet seat, because the urethra in males and females wouldn't touch the toilet seat.
Yes, using toilet seats do cause urinary infection, but merely sitting on the toilet seat may not cause urinary infection. In fact dehydration and holding your urine are bigger causes of UTI.
However, even if there are fewer of them, you may still encounter various germs on your toilet seat including fecal bacteria, influenza, streptococcus, E. coli, hepatitis, MRSA, salmonella, shigella and norovirus.
Many disease-causing organisms can survive for only a short time on the surface of the seat, and for an infection to occur, the germs would have to be transferred from the toilet seat to your urethral or genital tract, or through a cut or sore on the buttocks or thighs, which is possible but very unlikely.
UTI s typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to spread in the bladder. The urinary system is designed to keep out bacteria. But the defenses sometimes fail. When that happens, bacteria may take hold and grow into a full-blown infection in the urinary tract.
It's pretty easy to get a urinary tract infection. Bacteria that live in the vagina, genital, and anal areas may enter the urethra, travel to the bladder, and cause an infection. This can happen during sexual activity when bacteria from your partner's genitals, anus, fingers, or sex toys gets pushed into your urethra.
An average toilet's lifespan is about 15 to 30 years, and its original toilet seat shouldn't last that long due to obvious hygiene factors. Typically, you should change toilet seats after every five years, but there are some definite signs that tell you that you should replace yours immediately.
Spending too much time on the toilet causes pressure on your rectum and anus. Because the seat is cut out, your rectum is lower than the rest of your backside. Gravity takes over, and blood starts to pool and clot in those veins. Add in any straining or pushing, and you may have a recipe for hemorrhoids.
Symptoms of vaginitis or “toilet infections” include rash, blisters or bumps, itching, burning sensation, redness, swelling and dryness of the vagina or the vulva. It may also present as a discomfort felt during urination, pain during sex, and as spotting and foul smelling discharges from the vagina.
Despite their bad reputation, most public toilet seats don't contain enough of the bacteria or other microbes that could harm you by being exposed to healthy skin.
Bad hygiene can cause a UTI: This is not true. You will not get a UTI from not showering regularly, nor can you get one from close contact from someone with poor hygiene. Men don't get UTIs: While more common in women, it is still possible for a man to have a UTI.
Usually, the bacteria that get into your urethra are stray bacteria from your vaginal or rectal area. UTIs are not contagious, so you can't catch one from someone else, or from a public toilet. That said, if you have a UTI you should definitely avoid sharing towels or underwear with anyone else.
Pooping shouldn't be a drawn-out process. You're better off keeping your toilet time to less than 10 to 15 minutes, says Gregory Thorkelson, M.D., a psychiatrist in the department of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh.
The lid was designed to keep germs where they belong, in the bowl and down the drain! If you leave the lid up when you flush, those germs can float around your bathroom, landing on any available surface, including towels, hairbrushes or even toothbrushes. Nobody wants that!
One and a half years…that's how long you spend in your bathroom over the course of your life! A poll of 2,500 people revealed that using the toilet accounts for the biggest chunk of time spent in the bathroom – an average of one hour and 42 minutes a week, or almost 92 days over a lifetime.
While a toilet typically lasts at least 15 years, toilet seats last only about 5 to 7 years before they begin to crack or become stained to the point that, no matter how hard you scrub, they no longer appear clean. That's when it's time to consider replacement.
Can you put bleach in a toilet bowl? Yes, Clorox® Bleach is safe to add to the water in the toilet bowl. Always flush the toilet first before scrubbing, and then again when toilet cleaning is finished.
Bladder infections are a type of UTI, but not all urinary tract infections are bladder infections. A UTI is defined as an infection in one or more places in the urinary tract—the ureters, kidneys, urethra, and/or bladder. A bladder infection is a UTI that's only located in the bladder.
Even if you're not having intercourse, fingering and oral sex can lead to infection. Ask your boyfriend to wash his hands before touching your genitals.
The likely reason for the woman's bladder infection is rubbing during sex that can irritate the opening of her urethra and make it even easier for bacteria to enter. You can help your partner avoid bladder infections by changing sexual positions to minimize irritation.