Dear Alice,
I have a two-part question about urine. When I pee in public bathrooms, I sometimes feel splashes on my legs from it bouncing out of the urinal. I am curious if anything bad can come from this. Also, how bad is it to pee in a shower? I have to use a public shower (military) and I know guys pee in there. Thank you for your time.
Bob in NC
Dear Bob in NC,
Urine luck! Even though pee is liquid that carries water and waste from the body, it's normally sterile (bacteria free), whether it comes out of you, or someone else. It's made up of everything from sulfate and sodium to potassium and chloride, but it won't hurt you if you splash, drip, or step into a puddle of pee left behind by a multi-tasking seaman, or soldier, or whoever. The smell of standing urine, caused by bacteria that produce ammonia, would be more bothersome than getting some on you, so rinsing yourself and the shower area before you step into it aren't bad ideas.
- Alice
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Yearnin' for safe urine
