# The toilet seat cover conspiracy

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toilet-seat-cover-conspiracy/135762>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 7, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toilet-seat-cover-conspiracy/135762 "2002-11-07T19:24:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toilet-seat-cover-conspiracy/135762/1 "2002-11-07T19:24:54Z")

</div>

Are paper toilet seat covers (ass-gaskets to many) a legitimate health safety issue to have, or is it just a “feelgood” solution to make people think a public toilet is more safe?

I tend to think a little piece of tissue paper really isn’t going to do much of anything to stop various nasty bacteria and such.

Whats the straight dope?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ego\_Mk2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Ego\_Mk2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ego_Mk2)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toilet-seat-cover-conspiracy/135762/2 "2002-11-07T19:30:22Z")

</div>

Personally, I always wipe down the seat with some TP no matter what, especially if there are “skidmarks” and no other available clean seats.

I’m probably only spreading the filth around more evenly, but it makes me feel better. 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toilet-seat-cover-conspiracy/135762/3 "2002-11-07T21:47:25Z")

</div>

According to our very own **JillGat** , seat covers don’t make any difference because [the seat is safe, anyway](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtoilet.html).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-toilet-seat-cover-conspiracy/135762/4 "2002-11-07T21:54:11Z")

</div>

Serves… Well…

But… I can S… even without them…  
I know TMI, but, you Did want to know…