A toilet is not just a toilet, but one that needs more contemplation to ensure it is hygienic and user-friendly. But what makes the perfect toilet? Is it the one that is cleaned the most? Or where the basic etiquettes of using one are abided by?
This World Toilet Day, we talk to experts to understand how to better what is your most intimate space at home.
“There are different variations to toilets in terms of their structure, design and other aspects. But I feel utmost importance should be given to ensuring that it is hygienic, lack of which can become the root cause for various diseases such as urinary tract infection (UTI).
A hygienic toilet is one that does not harbour germs and diseases,” says Vikas Bagaria, Founder of Pee Safe. His checklist for a good toilet includes using a good-quality toilet seat sanitiser spray at home and during travel, making it a habit to putting up the toilet seat after use, keeping the surrounding area dry, and cleaning the washroom on a regular basis.
Toilets and basic sanitation are as important as food and a house, feels Dr Rita Bakshi, Senior Gynaecologist and IVF Expert, International Fertility Centre. Stressing on the need for hygiene, Dr Bakshi says it starts with checking whether the toilet seat is clean or not. “Dirty toilet seats host infections and diseases. Avoid touching and using dirty toilets.
Where there is no access to clean and hygienic toilets, carry disposable or portable urinating devices. Next, while urinating check if you have any pain. Make hygiene and sanitation a priority in your life to minimise urinary problems.” A good quality toilet paper is an important companion when you enter a toilet. As advised by Dr Bakshi, women must wipe themselves from front to back to prevent the penetration of bacteria and infections in the vagina.
While colourful, theme-based seat covers are currently in vogue for being attractive, but do these aid better hygiene? Apparently, no. “Seat covers in no way rest the presence of germs as they are correspondingly infected. Toilet seat covers are equally exposed to bacteria, viruses and infections like the toilet seat and coating the seat with a layer of toilet paper can aggravate the situation,” adds Dr Bakshi.
To make things easier, innovative technological innovations have surfaced over the years - from pressure sensor toilets to the ones that can detect symptoms of cancer and diabetes from urine samples being few examples.
But what about public loos that are safe for women and people with disabilities? Such loos for Deep Bajaj, Founder, PeeBuddy: Sirona, is the perfect one. “For women who are pregnant or have knee issues, most washrooms don’t have any provisions for them. For people with disabilities, some issues can be easily handled right at the design stage if attention is given. Till then, we are innovating new age toilet hygiene solutions like PeeBuddy, female urination device using which women can stand and pee in unfriendly toilets – also helps women with arthritis or who are pregnant.”