Story by Steve Schirra | Photo illustration by Lauren Sabol

Dima Najjar thinks if everyone lived like she does, the world would be cleaner. When the junior international relations and broadcast journalism major uses a public restroom, she goes on a germ defensive.

“Before I wash my hands, I pull down on the paper towels so I don’t have to touch the handle,” she says. “I wash my hands several times because the soap in the bathroom is generic. Then I hit the handicap button so I don’t have to touch the door.”

Najjar is not alone.

Students adjusting to a college atmosphere often find themselves worried about the increased number of germs associated with thousands of people living in the same small environment. This can cause students to have some unusual bathroom habits.

But not everyone is as germ-conscious as Najjar. Although most students practice basic hygiene, such as hand washing, they do not understand students who go above and beyond the basics to avoid germs.

Najjar recalls one time her paper towel maneuver backfired. “I pulled down a paper towel and went to wash my hands, and the girl next to me thought I pulled it down for her and took the towel. I was thinking, ‘Is she serious?’ ”

The girl thanked Najjar for her kind gesture.

Najjar also is worried about contamination on toilet seats and tries to use toilet paper to block potential germs and viruses. “If it’s a restroom that looks like it gets cleaned often, I’ll use maybe seven sheets on the seat,” she says. “And if it’s dirty? Probably 11 to 17.”

But Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona who has made a career out of tracking the spread of germs, says the risk from public toilet seats is microscopic. “Seventeen sheets of toilet paper is probably overkill, particularly on a toilet seat,” he says, noting that 48 percent of women either wipe off or cover the seat in restrooms. “I would be more worried about slipping off.”

Gerba’s research shows that the toilet seat is the least contaminated site in bathrooms, with the most contaminated area being the sink drain. The areas that breed the most bacteria are typically moist, which is why toilet seats are at the bottom of the list. “There aren’t many fanny-transferred germs,” he adds.

The most important thing for germ-conscious students to do is wash their hands regularly, especially after using the bath-room or preparing food, Gerba says. Alcohol-based antibacterial gels, such as Purell, have been found to reduce illness by 30 percent to 50 percent and are easy for college students to carry in a book bag if they’re really worried about getting sick.

But a recent study by the Food and Drug Administration showed households using antibacterial soaps had no significant reduction in infections than households using regular soap and water. “The industry failed with antibacterial to show it was effective,” Gerba says. “It wasn’t shown to be better.” Antibacterial gels are still effective, though, Gerba says, especially when paired with hand washing.

When living in close quarters, such as dorms, it’s a good idea for students to clean common areas and work surfaces as often as possible.
The notorious Norovirus, or “stomach flu,” is known to cause projectile vomiting and diarrhea and spreads quickly through tight quarters, including residence halls.

Sophomore fashion merchandising major Kelli Ciola says she thinks she’s healthy, but she doesn’t find herself consciously thinking about germs all the time. “They’re not something you can see,” she says. “You’re so distracted by your everyday life that you don’t worry about it.”

Gerba says he thinks people will start to become more conscious of contaminates and their personal hygiene with the scare of the Avian Flu. “People should be (aware of contaminates) based on findings,” he says.

He adds that a daily cleaning of high-traffic areas is a good way to diminish the spread of germs. Some of the most contaminated areas in Gerba’s research have been telephone receivers, computer mice, desktops and arm rests, but he has found one place that is a germ-breeding heaven: kitchen dishcloths. “If I died and came back as a germ,” he says, “I would want to come back in a dishcloth.”

Steve Schirra is a junior English major. This is his first time writing for The Burr.