The bathrooms at OCCC see a lot of use. Because of this, etiquette in the restroom matters.

Proper handwashing is important not only for your own health but for that of others. It only takes a few moments to lather up and scrub all areas of the hand, so don’t be lazy.

An example of the importance of handwashing is that when I was eight months pregnant, a worker in a restaurant failed to wash properly. Because of that, I spent a horrible month in the hospital in an isolation room.

My family, including my 1-year-old son, had to take painful injections to keep from getting sick.

When you leave a bathroom, everything you touch is contaminated with urine and feces. That’s why people with proper hygiene turn on the faucets before washing hands, then dry, turn off the water and open the door using a paper towel.

Catching an illness from germs because an inconsiderate person refused to wash their hands can challenge a struggling student’s ability to stay in school because they can’t afford to miss classes while staying in bed recovering.

Don’t be surprised when you head out the door without washing your hands if I or someone else reminds you to wash up. Cold and flu season are almost here and we’d rather not get sick.

Remember: you don’t have to be ill yourself in order to transfer germs.

Another big no-no in restroom etiquette is holding phone conversations in the bathroom. Does the person you are speaking with really enjoy the sound of toilets flushing and the occasional escape of flatulence?

Cell phones and purses were tested in recent studies and researchers found that they had more germs on them than even the water in a toilet bowl. This is a good reason to keep the phone in your purse, wash your hands and never put your purse on the ground.

Speaking of toilets, women squat above the toilet lid to keep from touching it tend to leave yellow droplets for someone else to sit on. Stop it. Use seat covers if it bothers you that much. OCCC provides them in all restrooms.

After you’re finished, flush the toilet. Don’t leave your leftovers for the next person to deal with.