I squat over the seat when using public toilets to avoid germs – but some people say it’s a disgusting habit
A mum has sparked a hilarious debate online after revealing she squats over the toilet seat when using the public toilet.
The anonymous woman went to the UK parents’ website Mumsnetand explained that she hovered over toilet bowls when taking a “long pee” in public.
She said while doing this last weekend she wondered for the first time if she was alone in the act.
The unnamed mum wondered if she was ‘extra germ aware’ and should wipe down the seat like everyone else.
However, his curiosity was quickly mocked as over 400 hilarious comments poured in.
An anonymous woman has sparked a hilarious debate online after revealing she squats over the toilet seat when using a public toilet (stock image)
The woman wrote: ‘I was out this weekend and had to use the toilet to pee.
“I normally vacuum over the toilet seat to urinate in public toilets and I thought it was difficult, especially if I needed to take a long pee.
“Is that what most women do too or am I very germ conscious and should I just wipe the seat and sit down?”
“Sorry if this is too much information but I’m just curious”.
Many others were stunned by his revelation and confessed that they would never squat on the toilet seat in public.
One said: ‘I never hover over the seat. I haven’t caught anything horrible yet.”
A second added: ‘The problem with hovering is the splatter usually left on the seat.
‘Please wipe it off as I find it even darker to have to clean previous users wee’.
She took to Mumsnet to search for other women who were hovering around the toilet instead so as not to expose themselves to ‘germs’
A third agreed: “Women hovering over the toilet seat usually pee on it which makes it unpleasant for the next person.
“If necessary, wipe it off and sit down!”
A fourth said: ‘It’s a bit of plastic. Just sit on it. I do not see the problem. Wash your hands afterwards”.
Another added: ‘I just don’t understand the hysteria around public toilets.
“I sit down and, horror of the shock, do not wipe the seat. If they’re particularly dirty, I might even use hand sanitizer on my hands after washing them, but I’m usually not that restless.
“I have an immune system.”
One commented, “Hovering is how people end up p******** all over the seat.” It’s dirty and disgusting.
NHS doctor Dr Preethi Daniel has previously revealed that you cannot catch a UTI using a public toilet, but your behavior when using a public toilet could make you susceptible to an infection.
However, some responded with their own experiences of using the toilet after ‘hoverers’ and ‘splashers’
All that squatting and hovering to avoid touching the toilet seat could be the cause of a UTI.
By emptying your bladder quickly or if you are squatting, you are exposing your body to potentially harmful bacteria.
This, in turn, can increase your chances of getting a urinary tract infection.
The NHS further adds that squatting over the toilet while urinating could prevent your bladder from emptying completely.
They advise you to sit properly on the toilet and not hover over the seat.
The same advice goes for men who can empty their bladders more completely if they sit down to urinate instead of standing up.
Also, to help your bladder, make sure your feet are on the floor and if the toilet seat is too high, choose to place a stool under your feet.
You can also rest your hands on your knees and relax your abdomen while breathing into your lower abdomen.
Also learn to relax your pelvic floor muscles when you urinate, as this will help you empty your bladder.
