Longtime readers know of my germ phobic nature. I'm not totally anal, but after having a kid spend four months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, public germs freak me out. That's in contrast to private germs--the germs in our homes, our beds, bathrooms and kitchens--that our bodies have acclimated to and are used to fighting and help build our immune systems. Yes, I do believe in hand washing at home. And yes, dirty kitchens and bathrooms at home skive me out. But a hermetically sealed bubble boy life doesn't interest me.

That's in contrast to my love of fastidious, obsessive cleanliness in public places. I want restaurant kitchens, public bathrooms, etc. to be perfectly clean, because no matter how hard they try to keep it clean, there are still going to be germs. I try to not think about it. And one of my pet peeves is public bathroom design where a person can't get out of the bathroom without touching some germ-infested surface.

Yesterday, I received an email from the owner of a business that solves the problem of getting out of public bathrooms clean. Check it out:

No, I'm not getting paid to advertise this gizmo, although I told the owner that it would be nice. Actually, I just think it's high times something like this came along. So, if you own a business, buy these things. They look easy enough to install. I actually used one at a local restaurant the other day. What a thrilling experience to get out of the bathroom without having to touch anything.

Cross-posted at Dr. Melissa Clouthier.