Sanitation of toilet seats is necessary because these come in direct contact with the skin and make the conditions unhygienic. In addition, the germs come on your skin and cause diseases when these are present on the wooden material.
Are Wooden Toilet Seats Sanitary? Wooden toilet seats are sanitary and hygienic like other materials, including plastic. However, these can become unhygienic and allow germs to come on them due to cracking, scrapping of wood, damaged seals or enamels, and their grained or porous structure. You can sanitize them by repolishing, sealing, and treating them with anti-bacterial soaps and wipes.
Wooden and plastic toilet seats are equally hygienic, but people select them according to personal preferences and bathroom designs.
Why are wooden toilet seats sanitary?
Wooden toilet seats are better and do not allow bacteria to come on them. In addition, high-quality material does not provide any media for the growth of bacteria and germs.
These are treated with various materials and chemicals to make them germ-free. Moreover, these are coated with an enamel layer which seals their inner layer and inhibits the seeping of any liquid or germs, which can make them unclean.
The enamel is the thick layer that layers the smooth and glossy finish. As a result, the bacteria and other germs cannot reside on soft and slippery surfaces, making them easy to clean.
The glossy layer can make these materials impervious to water and other liquid spills, usually from toilets.
The high-quality ones are neat and clean because of their construction material and treated chemicals to inhibit bacterial growth on them.
What things make the wooden toilet seats unsanitary?
Several things can make them unsanitary and disturb the cleanliness conditions. The old, low-quality wooden material can rot quickly and are susceptible to bacterial growth.
Scratching and scrapping of wood
Scrapping and scratching are common on wooden materials because of their delicate material. The peeled-off material absorbs moisture from the surrounding environment and becomes moist.
The bacterial growth increases on the damp area and rotting material. The scratches come on them when you adopt incorrect cleaning practices to clean them.
Using abrasive cloth and cleaners damage their varnishes and exposes them to water. The scratches come on them when they come in contact with harsh material.
Moreover, frequent slamming can also produce cracks in these materials, making them permeable to water and bacterial colonies.
Damaged seals and enamels
The thick enamel coat in these toilet seats gives them a glossy appearance. In addition, the sealant layer contains the treated chemicals that act as the water barrier.
It makes the wooden material resistant to water and decreases its chances of peeling off and cracking. The enamel layer comes off when these become old and their frequent use.
In addition, water splashes and their continuous exposure for longer ruins the enamel coat and sealants. The common symptoms of damaged seals and enamels are color fading and the dull appearance of these fixtures.
The abrasive and harsh cleaners, for a longer time, break the seals and cause the enamel coats to come off. The varnish coating also comes off from regular use and age.
Grained and porous wood
Many people think wood veneer toilet seats are highly unhygienic because wood can absorb moisture. The statement is true to some extent because these can rot easily when it comes to exposure to water for years.
The issue is persistent in low-quality material with a grained texture. The low-quality ones also have porous surfaces that allow the water to penetrate their inner layer.
The penetration of water allows the molds and several bacteria to grow there. Moreover, bacteria reside more on rotted wood instead of dry ones.
Some of these have a grained structure that provides hidden spaces for the residence of bacteria.
How do you keep wooden toilet seats sanitized?
The sanitation of wooden toilet seats is necessary to prevent germs growth.
It is necessary to keep them clean regularly with specific cleaners. Many people use bathroom cleaners that contain harsh and abrasive chemicals.
These are designed according to the strength of the tiles and ceramic material that can resist these chemical exposures. As a result, you can make them scratch easily when you apply the same cleaning agent n them.
Moreover, it is also better to repolish and revarnish their exterior surface to seal them. The varnishing and enamel coat seal the wood and make them waterproof.
Apply a new coat when you see yellowing and color fading on their surface, mostly when they become old, and germs grow on them.
How do you sanitize wooden toilet seats?
You can adopt the following methods to make wooden toilet seats clean and hygienic. These cannot affect the grained texture of the wood toilet seats and are not abrasive.
Anti-bacterial soaps and wipes
Anti-bacterial soaps contain various chemicals and ingredients that are helpful in the killing of bacteria and other germs present on different surfaces.
These are non-abrasive and does not produce scratch and cracks. Apply liquid soap on the boundaries and then wash them with water.
It is also suitable to use dishwashing soap instead of anti-bacterial soaps because these are also mild abrasive.
Drying them quickly and wiping off the water from their surfaces is also necessary. Many people use harsh cloth for rubbing, which can increase the risk of peeled-off enamel coating.
You can also use anti-bacterial wipes to clean them because they are soft and cannot produce any marks when you rub them on an exposed area.
Rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol kills the germs and bacteria on toilet seats. It is necessary to treat them with rubbing alcohol twice a week.
Isopropyl alcohol is a non-abrasive cleaner, killing germs by denaturing their protein and lipid structures. It is a disinfectant that cannot leave abrasive marks on the glossy finish.
You can make them sanitize by killing germs with these disinfecting liquids. Apply the rubbing alcohol with cotton balls, then wipe it off with a damp cloth.
Moreover, you can also use alcohol-dipped cotton balls and swabs.
Hydrogen peroxide
The bathroom is the favorite place for bacteria because of its moist environment; these can also come on other fixtures when you do not keep them clean.
Hydrogen peroxide is also safe to make the wood toilet seats completely hygienic and kill bacteria on their surfaces.
It is better to dilute the liquid so it cannot cause color fading and yellowing. Add the mixture by mixing 50% of the water and hydrogen peroxide liquid.
Dip a cotton in the solution and then squeeze them to remove extra liquid. Wipe off the surface with this damp cloth, and it will remove germs and viruses.
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