A hygienic way to use restroom on an airplane

Spending hours in a metal tube with dozens, if not hundreds, of strangers may not seem very appealing. We are forced to share a small number of tiny bathrooms with them.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the spread of germs in the restroom. Below, health and travel experts describe the most hygienic way to use the airplane restroom. This was reported by huffingtonpost.co.

Disinfect the surface

"When I sit down in my seat, I use a disinfectant wipe to wipe down the armrests, the table, and anything else that someone might have touched. Then I take a hand sanitizer to clean my hands. The same works with the bathroom," said Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth in Colorado.

In addition, the expert advised using disinfectant wipes for any doorknobs, lids and toilet sinks before touching them.

Touch as little as possible

Make sure you have a barrier between your bare hands and any surfaces you need to touch.

"The restroom contains a higher number of germs. Therefore, it is important to limit contact with surfaces and use a disposable item, such as a paper towel, to touch door handles, toilet lids, or sinks," Barron added.

Jagdish Khubchandani, a professor of public health at New Mexico State University, advised placing wipes on toilet seats or paper covers, if available. Dispose of them after use.

Don't use toilet paper for wiping

Toilet paper is usually more exposed to liquids because it is located at a lower level.

"My biggest airplane bathroom pet peeve is using wipes on the plane instead of toilet paper," said Brenda Orelus, flight attendant and founder of Krew Konnect.

Close the lid before rinsing

We know that infectious germs can spread through "toilet plumes": the dispersal of particles caused by flushing the toilet. These toilet aerosols can carry diseases, including COVID-19. However, there is a simple way to deal with this.

"You can close the toilet before flushing to avoid spreading germs in the air during the flush cycle," Barron said.

Wear shoes

"On long flights, I've noticed people - often children - walking barefoot to and from the bathroom. This is a very unhygienic trend with the possibility of infection if someone has skin cuts and injuries on their foot. In addition, you stay with germs on your skin from the toilet throughout the flight if you don't wash your feet," Khubchandani emphasized.

Sanitize your hands

Washing your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water is an important way to prevent the spread of germs. Studies have shown that the water in airplane restrooms can be of poor quality.

The water tank in the bathroom may be heavily contaminated. Avoid touching your face or mouth in the bathroom before washing your hands. This also applies to other parts of your trip.

Clean up after yourself

"When using the restroom, respect other people who may come in after you. We often don't think about it or assume that someone else will clean up after us. It's disrespectful to other passengers and flight attendants if they have to clean up after us. So flush the toilet as you go, dispose of garbage in the containers designated for waste, wipe down the sink, and flush the toilet if there are pieces of tissue or urine scattered around," Khubchandani said.

He also advised using another toilet and informing the flight attendant if you enter the bathroom and find that previous passengers have left a huge mess.