Postoperative surgical site infection still constitutes a major concern in spinal surgery and related with poor outcome. We aimed to investigate the effect of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) on skin colonization in lumbar disc herniation (LDH) surgery. Adult patients scheduled for LDH surgery were included in the study. Three skin swab cultures were taken when lying on the operating table (culture 1), after PVP-I application (culture 2), and at the end of the operation (culture 3). The effect of PVP-I and other independent predictors on skin culture was analyzed. A total of 62 [28 (45%) female, mean age 47±13 years] patients were included. Only male sex and taking shower before the surgery have been found to be independent factors for affecting culture 1 growth while adjusted to age, body ma ss index, smoking, preoperative hospital stay, and surgery site shaving [OR (95% CI): 7.8 (1.4-41.9), p=0.016; OR (95% CI): 0.34 (0.003-0.35), p=0.005]. After PVP-I, the growth frequency of culture 2 decreased significantly compared to culture 1 [8 (13%) vs. 43 (70%), p<0.001]. However, culture 3 positivity rate was similar to culture 2 (p=0.219). In preoperative sterilization of lumbar disc surgery, PVP -I significantly reduces skin colonization both immediately after application and at the end of the operation.