Genital warts can be removed by a doctor, but usually go away on their own within 2 years. (You are correct, herpes never goes away, but can go dormant for long periods.) There are no home remedies for genital warts. You are unlikely to get them from a toilet seat, as they are passed best by skin to skin contact.
Genital warts are caused by the HPV virus, which has many different strains. Some of these cause warts, but these aren't dangerous. Others do not cause warts, but like to infect the cells of the cervix, at the opening of the uterus, and can cause these cells to become cancerous. These are the strains of HPV that are high-risk and can lead to cervical cancer. You can help protect yourself from this by getting the Gardasil vaccination, using a condom when having sex, and getting annual Pap smears once you are sexually active. The Pap smear will pick up any abnormal cells in time for your doctor to supervise the situation or remove the lesion before it becomes cancer.
