To expect guests to wash their hands on arrival?

I’d ask kids if they were eating/after playing in the garden but not adults as I’d expect adults to know when to wash their hands

I have always washed my hands when I arrive home and so did my DDs when they were preteens but I don’t ask them to do it since they left home. However, when COVID was about everyone was offered the gel.

I usually do mine but I have ibs and the slightest tummy bug sends it crazy and I'm off work with no pay. I wouldn't demand it of others.

I’d love to ask everyone to wash their hands when they came to mine because I’m a germaphobe, but would never actually do it! Since Covid, it’s the first thing I do when I get home, I think it’s just a habit that’s stuck.

I only washed my hands on coming home during covid lockdowns.
I do wash my hands a lot though and definitely would before holding a baby and before eating or preparing a meal amongst other things.
When they were younger I’d always tell the kids to wash their hands before dinner which would include anyone who had come to eat. I wouldn’t tell/ask an adult ever if they wanted to wash their hands as I feel that’s patronising. If I was hiring a nanny then I would explain the routine I think (although I don’t know anyone with a nanny so I’m just guessing).

I've never ever even thought of this! Do you do it when going everywhere visiting people?

Would never ask an adult to wash hands! But would perhaps ask children to wash hands before food if I was feeding them

i don’t buy the argument that washing your hands and taking shoes off inside means you won’t build a strong immune system

@Obsessedwithlamps it’s a myth that arose from a theory thought up in the 1980s. It gets bandied about constantly on these threads.

The theory that being exposed to microbes will improve your immune system isn’t about viruses or harmful bacteria like E. coli, it’s about being exposed to a variety of commensal (harmless) bacteria as children, while the immune system is developing. The theory is that it can help train the immune system to distinguish between commensal microbes and harmful pathogens, reducing the risk of allergies. It’s also theorised that it can increase the diversity of the microbiome.

Getting ill doesn’t strengthen the immune system but it can contribute to further illness, like the development of IBD following a gut infection, the development of autoimmune diseases following viral infections, and post-viral syndromes such as long Covid, PANDAS, PANS etc.

Almost no virus is protective against allergic disease or other immune diseases. In fact, infections with viruses mostly either contribute to the development of those diseases or worsen them.

publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/is-the-hygiene-hypothesis-true

No. And, no

I think you should repost with the information in the OP that you have a new born baby the reaction you will get will be vastly different. At first my opinion when reading OP I thought you where severely OCD tbh, but knowing you have a newborn (same if you had a illness which effects you immune system) then I agree everyone coming in for the first 2 months should wash hands before handling the baby especially a midwife s/he should also wash hands before leaving your home every single time. I think a lot of people due to wording of OP just thought you were being either OCD or a germaphobe. After 2 months begin easing off on hand washing you want baby to get a little bacteria from that age, that’s around beginning of tummy time so they will basically lick the carpet or whatever is under them like baby gym mat. It’s ok you are a new mum and you going to be on edge with hygiene just now due to new baby that is normal. Hope you are enjoying the early stages with your bundle of joy, (when you are not over tired) congratulation’s. Remember it is ok to “request” the midwife wash hands first before handling baby, if they complain about this to you remind them of cross contamination and a newborn. You got this and I do hope you are getting some time to rest for you the early stages can be a bit stressful with lack of sleep. X

You could say if a play date, shall we wash hands before food.

I wash my hands whenever I come home. I don’t even think about it - it’s as automatic as taking my shoes off.

But I’ve realised that most people don’t do this, so I don’t ask visitors to do it.

Only if they expected to hold my newborn

And yet, life goes on, humanity thrives.
Op, I wash my hands frequently, when I get in from the shops, public transport, busy places, before prepping food after the loo (I state this because you'd think it was a given but many don't). But not necessarily from the school run or from visiting my parents house in the car, going for a walk etc. I wouldn't necessarily wash my hands on arrival at anyone's house along those lines or expect anyone to do so at mine.

I get it, I do. But at some point during lockdown/covid with a 1 yr old I decided I would rather give myself permission to live life sensibly than notice and worry about every touch and interaction. x

I always wash my hands when coming from the outside. I also always take my shoes off inside people’s houses. I think it’s really grubby not to. I am not British though.
i don’t buy the argument that washing your hands and taking shoes off inside means you won’t build a strong immune system. I have an excellent immune system and I am never sick.

I do it, but it wouldn’t occur to me to expect anyone else to. I do it to avoid getting colds and viruses as much as possible.

No, I never expect people to wash their hands when they enter my house

I did this when I had a newborn and they came for a cuddle, but not any other time

I think I'd insist on people with visibly dirty hands (mud, dust, oil, plant residue, soil, ink, paint etc) washing them but I wouldn't expect to be having to insist with anybody over the age of five. (Most of that stuff = messy, some of it will contain pollen which I'd prefer to minimise indoors as I have hayfever)

If we were in a pandemic where fomite transmission was a big thing, I'd expect everybody to wash their hands coming in from outdoors.

Nope. And if you asked me if I wanted to I'd say no thank you.

No, I wouldn’t.

When I grew up (albeit in Germany) this was the rule and to not wear your outside shoes at someone's home. My friends in Germany still do that... but in the UK, it would be perceived as odd. Folks in the UK are generally more relaxed about spreading illnesses too, just different culturally.

You added you have a newborn- for me that makes a huge difference. I sent everyone to the sink once they entered the house when I had a little one too (first 2-3 yrs). No one minded.
When I interviewed Nannies my expectation was they ask to wash their hands when they come in; if they didn’t they were automatically rejected (and about 60-70% did without any prompts so I don’t think it’s out of the ordinary).

Nope you're being very weird. I'm on the spectrum regarding hygiene. I expect people to wash their hands after using the loo and before and after eating.

We live on a farm, so anyone who visits automatically takes off their boots/shoes and washes their hands when coming indoors.
I do the same when visiting others.
It's not rocket science, just common sense.
I did, however, once know a married couple who requested visitors took off their shoes and washed their feet in a dish provided for them when visiting - I wondered how they'd go when they had children, whether that would continue.
I am certainly not offended if someone points me in the direction of their bathroom on my first visit to their home.