Public toilets are one of those things most people try not to think about too much. You go in, do what you need to do, and get out as quickly as possible. And if you’ve ever had to use one that didn’t feel particularly clean… You’ve probably done the same thing a lot of people do. You reach for toilet paper. Not to use it normally — but to line the seat. A quick layer. Sometimes two. It feels like a small barrier.
A little extra protection between you and whatever might be on the surface. It’s such a common habit that most people don’t question it. In fact, it feels like the safer option. But here’s where it gets interesting.
Some hygiene experts suggest that this simple trick might not actually be doing what people think it does.