Every girl knows the horror of the public toilet but unfortunately when nature calls sometimes you’ve just got to brace yourself and chance the nearest loo.

So over the years people have developed a number of defence mechanisms to help make this dreaded scenario as bearable as possible and one such coping strategy involves lining the toilet seat with loo roll to protect your bottom from any nasties which may be on the seat.

But according to The Sun, this very exercise could actually expose you to more unwanted bacteria than if you chanced it and went bare-bummed.

As it turns out, toilet seat design is a lot cleverer than you’d expect because the shape and smooth surface of the potty not only creates a comfortable place to sit but also makes it extremely difficult for germs to attach themselves to the seat with the result that the average public toilet seat cleaner than the average kitchen sink.

Toilet paper on the other hand is designed to be absorbent which makes it the ideal substance for bacteria to grab on to.

When a toilet is flushed germs terrifyingly are launched into the air and therefore land on whatever toilet roll is available – which means that by picking up the bog roll to line your throne, you are actually lining it with the very germs you were trying to avoid.  Horrible, we know.

So next time you're tempted to go public, remember to leave the loo roll where it is and perhaps give hovering a go!