I wish all supermarkets did this. It would be so much safer.

Thanks to “Teri” who left a comment about toothbrush care and a reference to the link below. 
I don’t know Teri. He is from http://www.prepastedtoothbrushes.com which seems to offer a good product for germaphobes. I hope he doesn’t mind me using some of his pictures.  Teri said “Never leave your toothbrush out in the open in bathrooms as fecal matter floats through the air every time the toilet is flushed and lands on everything in an 8 foot radius as proved on the tv program “Mythbusters”. Best to use Prepasted, disposble toothbrushes when traveling and keep your own toothbrush in your medicine chest. Also the ADA recommends using disposable toothbrushes as the wet bristles harbor germs and provide a perfect breeding ground.”

Click here to see the ADA (American Dental Association) statement on toothbrush care.

From the article  “In recent years, scientists have studied whether toothbrushes may harbor microorganisms that could cause oral and/or systemic infection1, 2, 3, 4. We know that the oral cavity is home to hundreds of different types of microorganisms5, therefore, it is not surprising that some of these microorganisms are transferred to a toothbrush during use. It may also be possible for microorganisms that are present in the environment where the toothbrush is stored to establish themselves on the brush. Toothbrushes may even have bacteria on them right out of the box4 since they are not required to be sold in a sterile package.

The human body is constantly exposed to potentially harmful microbes. However, the body is normally able defend itself against infections through a combination of passive and active mechanisms. Intact skin and mucous membranes function as a passive barrier to bacteria and other organisms. When these barriers are challenged or breached, active mechanisms such as enzymes, digestive acids, tears, white blood cells and antibodies come into play to protect the body from disease.

Although studies have shown that various microorganisms can grow on toothbrushes after use, and other studies have examined various methods to reduce the level of these bacteria, there is insufficient clinical evidence to support that bacterial growth on toothbrushes will lead to specific adverse oral or systemic health effects.”

Being a germaphobe, I have to wash my hands before eating, especially in a restaurant where I had to touch the door handle to get inside.  I am still amazed at how many restaurants, theaters, stores, etc. don’t understand bathroom germs.

Here’s my idea of the perfect public mens or ladies room.   TOUCHLESS AFTER ENTERING.  First, the door.  It should always SWING OUT. This way, you touch the handle to open the door going in, but don’t have to touch the door to leave, after you’ve washed your hands. Just push the door open with your butt.

Toilets and urinals should all have motion sensors so you don’t have to touch a handle, or try to flush using your foot to move the handle.  Sometimes using your foot isn’t that easy.

Sinks should be motion detected along with motion detected soap dispensers.   I don’t trust air dryers – I’d rather use towelling although I know some people feel the opposite.  Either way, the air dryer or the towelling dispenser should be motion detected.

With this, you’ve entered, done your thing, flushed, washed, dried and left without touching anything. Perfect.

Here’s a pet peeve. For restrooms that are already built with the door swinging in – where you have to touch the filthy door handle to leave, you want to use a piece of towelling (this is a problem when there are just air dryers). But so many stores don’t have a waste basked by the door where you can toss your “door opening towelling”.  So I just wait till nobody is around, open the door and drop the towelling on the floor.  I do this at a golf club that I play almost every week. For years, there is always several pieces of towelling inside the door but management just doesn’t catch on to what is happening. Still no basket.

Tell me your ideas on what the perfect restroom should be.

From The Big Bang Theory.  I can identify.

This is a humorous look at germaphobia.   George Carlin is one of my favorite comedians.  Here is a clip of a skit he did on our condition. He does make some good points. Warning! This clip contain some foul language. It doesn’t offend me but if it offends you, don’t watch. If you do watch, enjoy!

A fascinating article that was published in 1999 in theatlantic.com that discusses the idea that all that ails us is caused by pathogens that live in our body. The dictates of evolution virtually demand that the causes of some of humanity’s chronic and most baffling “noninfectious” illnesses will turn out to be pathogens — that is the radical view of a prominent evolutionary biologist

by Judith Hooper, a former newspaper reporter and magazine editor, is the author of Would the Buddha Wear a Walkman? (1989) and The 3-Pound Universe (1986)

A LATE-SEPTEMBER heat wave enveloped Amherst College, and young people milled about in shorts or sleeveless summer frocks, or read books on the grass. Inside the red-brick buildings framing the leafy quadrangle students listened to lectures on Ellison and Emerson, on Paul Verlaine and the Holy Roman Empire. Few suspected that strains of the organism that causes cholera were growing nearby, in the Life Sciences Building. If they had known, they would probably not have grasped the implications. But these particular strains of cholera make Paul Ewald smile; they are strong evidence that he is on the right track. Knowing the rules of evolutionary biology, he believes, can change the course of infectious disease.

I ran across this video and was impressed, as I am with any invention that helps us stay healthy and avoid germs.  I have no affiliation with this company and know nothing about them, but watch the video and go to their site.

Here are some of the uses for this product.
1. People at work/office buildings
2. Road trips/driving long distances (the Potty Pax™ is the perfect item for rest stops, gas stations, and truck stops)
3. Daycare/preschools (each child can have their very own Potty Pax™)
4. Camping grounds/hiking trails /RV or trailer park facilities
5. Indoor & outdoor sports venues
6. College dormitories w/community toilets
7. Outdoor concerts and other live performance venues & events
8. At theme parks, picnic grounds, public parks & playgrounds
9. Senior retirement home facilities
10. Malls, hospitals, restaurants, grocery stores, or any place where you might have to use a public restroom.