I do not like to use public bathrooms
By timhinyy
@timhinyy (1653)
United States
March 27, 2010 1:37pm CST
I am not sure what it is if it is just something about germs or what it is and even if I really have to go I always have a problem when I have to try to go in a public bathroom.
We went to Lowe's today and that is such a big store and it has a really nice bathroom all the advancements that you would want even the self starting sink and I still had trouble trying to go and it makes me wonder if it is just something in my head about these places.
The most of the time that I would have to use these places would be on long family trips to see the relatives and that is a 6 hour ride and one time to a casino in Connecticut and that was an 8 hour drive and we were always in a hurry so that may be part of it too.
Is anyone else this way about using a public bathroom?
17 responses
@BL4CK_W0LF (214)
• United States
27 Mar 10
Hello tim,
Yes. I get paranoid when i have to use a public restroom. if i can hold it till i got back home then i'd do that. but if its absolutely urgent, i'll go.
i dont like to get cuz they can be so nasty sometimes and you might step on something or whatnot. some places clean their bathrooms only once every month it seems and the smell is repulsive. i dont know.
i dont use public bathrooms anymore. i havent had to do that recently. probably because i dont get out too much.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
27 Mar 10
I don't get paranoid about it that would be a friend of mine who has to wash his hands every few minutes, because he touched something and I am not that bad, but if I am doing something and get my had dirty or if I had to use some chemicals or something like that or after using the bathroom I always try to wash my hands after that.
The one I was just in at Lowe's is immaculate and very clean so you know if you are in a place like that and can't seem to go it definitely has to be something that is in my head.
@BL4CK_W0LF (214)
• United States
30 Mar 10
I see. I just avoid public restrooms all together. I'll really try to. but if i do see that the bathroom has been maintained (daily) and is impecably clean, then i'll go. Business is business lol.
If i go to Lowe's again i'll check out their bathrooms too ha. thanks for the response.
@edxcast (1168)
• Ecuador
30 Mar 10
If i have to i would prefer to avoid it, but when a man has to, he has to go. I prefer to go to public bathroom that are well mantain(aome that i can think of are most malls, macdonalds, etc). There are others that i just cant stand to go such as gas station bathroom(puack) which are very disgusting, basically they smell like hell and sometimes dont have soap or anything. The same thing happens at my university´s bathroom, they are disgusting and dont have soap either(neeever). Once i wanted to look for toilet paper to blow my nose(being sick at the time) and not a single one(of the personal thingy, dunno how is called were you go to do number 2) had toilet paper.
1 person likes this
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
31 Mar 10
I guess I should be glad that at the least the one I used the other day was very large and fancy and clean so in that respect it was not too bad, but I still had trouble going for some reason even though the bathroom was very clean so it is problem just something in my head about using them, but I would not unless I had to and some are much worse then others.
@kooltiger (848)
• Pakistan
28 Mar 10
yes i also dont like to use public bathrooms.. i think no one likes it at all. i just use it in emergency.. i just once used it with comfortable... because i was having a stomach problem and i was just searching any place to do it.. then i found a dirtiest public bathroom and didn't even think about its dirtiness i just went in and had a relief... so u can use it in emergency.. but not usable in any other matter...
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
yeah I only go in them if I absolutely have to and in that way it is an emergency as you don't want to be holding it too long as that would not be good.
I just do what I have to and get out as fast as I can it doesn't help that dad pokes fun at me about it either.
@jenrose930 (119)
• United States
27 Mar 10
I feel like public restrooms are harder for men than they are for women because of the use of open urinals in men's restrooms. I personally don't have a problem using public bathrooms...but many of them are in less than stellar conditions. I live in a dormitory, and it's very similar to a public bathroom. I also have to take showers in there...we wear flipflops to prevent the spread of athlete's foot in the shower area...but it is still very similar to a public bathroom.
1 person likes this
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
27 Mar 10
well since I have a problem when I try to go I will usually go to one of the stalls even if I just need to pee, because I don't need to be standing there with people looking at me just because I am having a problem going as it is easier for me if I am in a little bit more private stall then I don't have to rush myself quite as much.
I would guess if it was something I was more used to it probably wouldn't be as bad and I am probably making more out of it then it needs to be.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
28 Mar 10
yea,i don't like using public bathrooms either.
i have to literally be in distress before i'll think about it.
i think it's the "unknown multiple user" effect.
of course it could be from having been on the other side for me,having had jobs where i had to clean them.there'd been days where they were so messed up and disgusting i almost quit on the spot.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
yeah I remember my old job in the restaurant and when something happened with one of the toilets I had to go and take care of it and maybe that could be part of it too.
I only use the public restroom if I have too and usually not too often, but the one I used yesterday at Lowe's was very nice and very clean.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
28 Mar 10
hi timhinyy,
I don't imagine most people are crazy about using public bathrooms but thank goodness they have them! I would of course rather be in the privacy of my home but that isn't always an option. I think your're feelings about this are probably pretty normal.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
28 Mar 10
I can never seem to feel clean after using a public bathroom. Msybe it's the not knowing who used the facility before that is unsettling to me. It's like using the bathroom at home with the door open.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
yeah I do like to have my privacy too when I am trying to go it makes it a lot easier and when I go at one of those places, since I have trouble sometimes getting started I will go into one of the stalls, because I don't need people looking at me when I am trying to go as that would not help much.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
28 Mar 10
Unless it is a long drive, I also hate going in public restrooms. I'd rather go at home, or in familiar washrooms. It's not that I have an aversion to germs, or anything, I just hate it when you come in to one, and be subjected to someone else's 'accident'. Gross!
I hate it!
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
usually the bulk of the time when I have to use them in on long road trip with the family to see the relatives and that can be almost 6 hours on the road so it is not like you have a whole lot of choice in it when you are sitting for that long and even if you don't have to go it is a good idea to get out and stretch the legs, because I am reasonably tall and when I sit too long I can get a little bit stiff.
I just try to go in do what I have to wash my hands quickly and leave as fast as I can.
@lovelimarynell (16)
• Philippines
28 Mar 10
hello :) Just like you, i also hate using public bathrooms, but usually i don't have a choice since it is a necessity. i suggest, buy some sanitizer that can be used in cleaning the bowls. these can keep you comfortable :)
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
yeah I have never really thought about that as I said the only time usually that we have to use them is on family trips and we don't take those that often anymore we were going to in may, but our relative canceled out plans on us so I am glad that I can stay home and relax and avoid that stress of having to go in one of those places.
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
28 Mar 10
I don't like public bathrooms much, as many of them are dirty, and many of them smell bad, but when you have to go, you really have to go, even if it's a dirty and smelly public bathroom. However, I never sit on those, as I might get an infection and I don't want that.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
I usually just have to go as you just can't hold it for too too long as that would not be a good thing and you just have to go quick and try not to think about it, but some of these places have upgraded now and have these auto toilets that flush while you are trying to go and that can make it hard too.
@besthope44 (12123)
• India
28 Mar 10
Well, i never like to use public bathrooms. Well problem is people dont care of hygenic. And few of them are not clean any longer. When we use them, we are sure to land up with some health problems. So in general i dont prefer public bathrooms.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
well I don't think there is anyone that likes to use them, but you do what you have to, especially when out on the road for a long period of time and that is when we have to use them the most is when on a long family trip so I just try to be quick when I go and get in and out fast.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
yes that is true you never know who may have used it before you and chances are someone has that might have been sick and that kind of thing none of us need, cause no one wants to be sick so I just try not to touch anything I don't have too and with the auto toilets that most of them have now you don't even have to flush which is nice.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
yeah today was one of those days that I had to go and way too far from the house to hold it for that long, but since no one was in the restroom I figure it was safe to go in and use it and the store we were in has a really large store and a really large restroom so it was pretty nice compared to some others that I have had to use.
@trisha27 (3494)
• United States
27 Mar 10
I am the same way with public restrooms. I think it is more of a germ thing with me. I'm a germaphobe, and knowing that there is probably alot of germs in a restroom keeps me from going. This aggrivates my husband a lot because we could be in the store shopping and then all of a sudden I have to go to the restroom. I will try and hurry shopping so we can go home for me to use the restroom, or we'll just leave the store go home and he'll come back. I'm the same way with travelling though, if its a long trip, I may use the restroom, but its like rarely that I go and the trip too is like 6 hours. Which it is not good to hold it that long when you reall have to go.
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
28 Mar 10
most of the time that I have to use the public rest room is when we take family trips to see relatives that live near niagara falls area in new york state and it is just something that we have to endure because of the long trip I just try to go quickly and get out of there as fast as possible after washing hands and drying off usually with the air.
