Freaking out about public toilet

[Ak627]

I dropped my phone down the work toilet today. Without thinking I reached into grab it - hand fully submerged. I then washed my hands.

I’ve been stewing all afternoon because my hand is covered in little cuts from dry skin.Is there a risk of catching anything?

I wouldn’t be bothered if it was my home toilet, but this is a public one. There was nothing in the toilet - water was clean.

Does anyone work in the medical profession and could offer some advice?

I don’t work in the medical profession but you’ll be fine. Do you have health anxiety?

I'm sure you'll be fine, the water was clean and I'm sure you touch things covered in germs every day.

You washed your hands; you'll be fine

Does your phone still work?

And to add , a toilet, whether at home or at work, has had poo and wee in it .

You'll be fine! There's not much difference between the toilets at your work and your own. You're panicking about nothing. Just detol your phone

I am a nurse and I can assure you that as long as you thoroughly washed your hands, you won't have picked up any infection or disease from clean toilet water. Your poor phone though!! Is it sitting in a bowl of rice drying out?

In this instance I'd be more worried if your phone still has full functionality. I don't think you will suffer any adverse reaction to submerging your hand in a public loo but yanbu to have concerns.

You work toilet is likely to be significantly cleaner than your home one, most get cleaned once or twice a day

This.

Don't panic.

You washed your hands - you will be fine.

How is your phone - its the one that is in trouble?

Friend at uni did this many years ago to the horror of everyone else. Phone was fine and she's still fine all these hears later.

Public loos are often cleaned more routinely and you washed your hands. You'll be fine.

Don't put your phone in rice, apparently it's likely to get damaged by dust etc. Recommend getting some silica gel - the little packs you get with electronics /shoes, etc. lay the phone in a box, on top of some kitchen roll to absorb as much water as possible, but FIRST of all, remove the sim card and dry that. Don't put any of it on or close to a radiator either.

Your phone has much more bacteria on it than there is in a toilet.

Toilets are often cleaned with bleach which kills most pathogens - whereas we’d never use such harsh chemicals on our phone.

You probably had more germs on your hands before dropping your phone than you did after you fished it out of the toilet bowl.

Just wash your hands with anti bac hand wash and you’ll be absolutely fine.

Why do you have cuts on your hands?
Do you feel you may over wash them?

You’ll be ok, one of my friends did the same thing with a chemical loo at festival (I think I would have left my phone tbh 🤢). She was utterly fine, phone not so much!

Your hand will probably fall off