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AIBU?

AIBU to ask why you don't wash your hands?

345 replies

sadiekate · 04/06/2018 04:25

People who don't wash their hands after they go to the toilet.
People who don't wash their hands before preparing/eating food.
People who don't wash their hands after changing nappies.
People who don't wash their hands after putting the bins out.
People who don't wash their hands after handling raw meat.
We all know we are supposed to do these things. And yet lots of people don't. If you don't, why? I promise I'm not intending to criticise anyone, I am just genuinely curious to know, given the risks not washing hands entails, why it isn't a habit for so many.

OP posts:
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Fueledwithfairydustandgin · 04/06/2018 04:27

Because I'm always outside so I'm used to brushing a horse, mucking out a stable and then eating a snack. I don't not wash my hands in all the situations listed but I'm certainly not an obsessive hand washer.

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lifeisaboutcreatingyourself · 04/06/2018 04:41

A little bacteria is good for the body

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BitOutOfPractice · 04/06/2018 04:42

I don't think "lots" of people don't wash their hands after going to the loo

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JeNeSuisPasVotreMiel · 04/06/2018 04:48

Because the 'risks' are over inflated. A lifetime of only washing my hands when they feel dirty, and not obsessively in all the situations you list, and my immune system seems to be doing just fine, thank you.

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Semster · 04/06/2018 04:49

Some soaps in public toilets smell vile, and the smell stays on your hands for ages. I use a hand sanitizer instead - and as I keep it in my handbag you probably don't see me using it after you've seen me leave the toilet without washing my hands (and no doubt tutted...)

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TheOriginalEmu · 04/06/2018 04:55

If I’m out and I don’t have hand moisturiser with me I won’t use soap in public toilets because it sets off my eczema. I’d rather ‘risk’ whatever than the pain that causes. I’ve never had food poisoning and I can count on one finger the number of times I’ve ever been sick that wasn’t pregnancy/drunk related. I do think obsessive cleanliness makes it worse.

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:05

People who don't wash their hands after putting the bins out

I agree with all your questions but this resonates with me because I share communal bins and my neighbours are dirty fuckers who put nappies and dog shit directly into the bins without bagging any of it first. They then have to touch the gate to get back into the communal living areas. It’s truly fucking disgusting.

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:08

A friend of mine who seems to never wash his hands is kind of ‘made to’ if he comes around mine because he’ll be you hing all my furniture and things and I know those hands seldom get washed. When he washes them in my sink you should see the filth that comes off them.

I don’t understand any more than you do, OP, why people are so filthy.

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ragged · 04/06/2018 05:08

About 60% of men & 35% of women don't wash hands after using toilet (I can find you references). Numbers go to about 80% both sexes after a poo. Of those who do wash, many have poor technique.

Ho hum, I'm not perfect, either. I don't get sick with my imperfect habits, neither does my family or anyone I know. There's nothing nasty circulating at moment (like noro).

Why would you wash hands after putting bins out? Outside of my bin is no dirtier than my car door handles or the laundry pegs. Confused

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MyOtherProfile · 04/06/2018 05:08

I've no idea but it drives me mad. And it's all very well saying ooh I don't wash my hands and I've never been ill but it's not all about you. Who knows what germs you're spreading to other people with less robust immunity.

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:12

Outside of my bin is no dirtier than my car door handles or the laundry pegs. confused

You’ve never seen my communal bins then. People don’t use bin bags any more, it seems. They put food waste, dog shit, dirty nappies in there. This then sits for a fortnight then gets emptied leaving residue in the bottom. All of our communal bins have ‘bin juice’ in the bottom thatsbeen accumulating for YEARS. it’s fucking Ebola times ten.

So bins aren’t dirty?!

Say what now?

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:15

And the bin men touch so many bins on their emptying rounds. This is their job I’m not dissing them. But unless you disinfect every bin after it’s been emptied it’s chock full of germs on the outside (let alone the inside). Yeuk

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ragged · 04/06/2018 05:15

I suspect most people don't have communal bins. Bottom is likely to be minging, but how does that affect touching bin outside for someone who double bags their stuff (we use breadbags for this) & not sharing with other folk.

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:17

Ok, if you don’t have a communal bin see above post re them being emptied. You think the bin men wash their hands before they attach your bin to their truck that emptied said bin into the filth that went before?

The mind boggles that anyone might think bins aren’t dirty.

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ragged · 04/06/2018 05:18

For when hand-washing is required, after "handling money" and "touching any building door" need to be added, if you're worried about what the binmen spread by handling your bin.

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:21

Hey, you’re preaching to the converted here. Don’t know about anyone else but I know how minging people are and wash my hands a lot, particularly after handling anything the GBP has touched

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:25

In hospitals there are signs EVERYWHERE saying one of the best ways to try to avoid the spread of disease is simply to wash your hands. It still amazes me how many people don’t do this.

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Monty27 · 04/06/2018 05:28

GBP?
I wash my hands a fair bit, but possibly not when facilities to do so are minging. Like places where you open the door with your elbow etc..

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TheOriginalEmu · 04/06/2018 05:29

I've no idea but it drives me mad. And it's all very well saying ooh I don't wash my hands and I've never been ill but it's not all about you. Who knows what germs you're spreading to other people with less robust immunity

Well, true, but I still need to use my hands, which I can’t do if they are bleeding and cracked and swollen.

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FurryDice · 04/06/2018 05:49

GBP = Great British Public. Not that we are dirtier than everyone else; insert acronym of choice.

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Fflamingo · 04/06/2018 05:58

I don't bother if it's 'dirt' in the garden but I def wash in public places, imagine how many have picked their nose and scratched their bodies then touched what you touch. Yuck.

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speakout · 04/06/2018 06:01

I often don't wash my hands in public toilets.

Sinks are gross.

I won't wash my hands if I go for a quick pee at home. I know my toilet is clean, and my OH spends a lot of time with his face in my genitals and he is never ill.

I do wash my hands when I come home from shopping and I always wash them before food preparation.

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SharronNeedles · 04/06/2018 06:18

My phone won't let me copy ATM but speakout your post nearly made me snort juice out my nose.

I also don't wash my hands after a quick wee at home. I can't use the majority of soaps you find in our lives restrooms as I also have eczema and it sets it off. I will wash them with just water but even that dries my hand out and I need to apply cream.

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Myimaginarycathasfleas · 04/06/2018 06:20

I feel at bit grossed ou after reading those figures. I naively thought most people observed basic toilet hygiene 🤢

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user546425732 · 04/06/2018 06:25

Bin men, at least the ones round here, wear heavy duty gardening style gloves.

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