How to Disinfect Something That Fell in Your Unflushed Toilet Bowl
Grab a pair of rubber gloves., Be quick about it., Rinse non-electronic items under hot water., Wash your hands thoroughly.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Grab a pair of rubber gloves.
If you’re lucky enough to drop something into a toilet in your own home, be prepared and have some rubber gloves on hand.
Pulling these on before you stick your hand into germ-filled toilet water will make the task a lot more bearable.
If you’re out somewhere and don’t have the benefit of gloves, you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth taking the plunge.Don’t flush anything that’s too big to fit through the pipes of the toilet.
Then you’ll just have an additional mess to deal with.Assuming gloves are not an option, think on your feet and use some other object, such as a wad of paper towels or a plastic bag turned inside out, to protect your hand from the worst of the mess while you go after the dropped item.
If you just can’t stand the notion of getting your hands dirty, certain objects, like jewelry or house keys, may be retrievable using a coat hanger that’s been bent into a hook. -
Step 2: Be quick about it.
Whether you’re wearing protective gloves or not, try to minimize the amount of time your hand spends in the toilet.
In one quick motion, reach into the bowl, grab the item and pull it out, letting excess water drip into the bowl.
Toilets are breeding grounds for all sorts of bacteria and viruses, so the less you’re able to expose yourself, the better.
Take a firm grip on the object so that you don’t drop it.
If it slides further down the drain opening, you might never get it back. , Assuming the thing you dropped wasn’t your smartphone or the remote control, you’ll want to rinse off as much of the water from the toilet as you can.
Turn the sink on as hot as it will go.
If soap is available, lather the item up to start superficially cleaning it right away.
Run the item under the hot water, turning it over so that the stream bathes every part of it.
Electronics and objects that are easily damaged by water should be dealt with by other means.
A strong antibacterial soap and hot water may be all you need to disinfect items that have fallen into a clean toilet, but you may still feel better employing other methods. , Before deep-cleaning the object, take a few minutes to wash your hands with soap and warm water.
After all, they’ve just been inside the potty.
If you were lucky enough to have latex gloves or dish gloves nearby, peel them off and throw them in the garbage before washing up.Be sure to scrub between your fingers and beneath your fingernails, where bacteria is good at hiding.It’s probably also a good idea to wipe down anything that the toilet water or salvaged item has touched with a disinfectant. -
Step 3: Rinse non-electronic items under hot water.
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Step 4: Wash your hands thoroughly.
Detailed Guide
If you’re lucky enough to drop something into a toilet in your own home, be prepared and have some rubber gloves on hand.
Pulling these on before you stick your hand into germ-filled toilet water will make the task a lot more bearable.
If you’re out somewhere and don’t have the benefit of gloves, you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth taking the plunge.Don’t flush anything that’s too big to fit through the pipes of the toilet.
Then you’ll just have an additional mess to deal with.Assuming gloves are not an option, think on your feet and use some other object, such as a wad of paper towels or a plastic bag turned inside out, to protect your hand from the worst of the mess while you go after the dropped item.
If you just can’t stand the notion of getting your hands dirty, certain objects, like jewelry or house keys, may be retrievable using a coat hanger that’s been bent into a hook.
Whether you’re wearing protective gloves or not, try to minimize the amount of time your hand spends in the toilet.
In one quick motion, reach into the bowl, grab the item and pull it out, letting excess water drip into the bowl.
Toilets are breeding grounds for all sorts of bacteria and viruses, so the less you’re able to expose yourself, the better.
Take a firm grip on the object so that you don’t drop it.
If it slides further down the drain opening, you might never get it back. , Assuming the thing you dropped wasn’t your smartphone or the remote control, you’ll want to rinse off as much of the water from the toilet as you can.
Turn the sink on as hot as it will go.
If soap is available, lather the item up to start superficially cleaning it right away.
Run the item under the hot water, turning it over so that the stream bathes every part of it.
Electronics and objects that are easily damaged by water should be dealt with by other means.
A strong antibacterial soap and hot water may be all you need to disinfect items that have fallen into a clean toilet, but you may still feel better employing other methods. , Before deep-cleaning the object, take a few minutes to wash your hands with soap and warm water.
After all, they’ve just been inside the potty.
If you were lucky enough to have latex gloves or dish gloves nearby, peel them off and throw them in the garbage before washing up.Be sure to scrub between your fingers and beneath your fingernails, where bacteria is good at hiding.It’s probably also a good idea to wipe down anything that the toilet water or salvaged item has touched with a disinfectant.
About the Author
Anthony Torres
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
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