Page 5 | To expect guests to wash their hands on arrival?

SillyFillyDress · 2024-11-16T12:37:25+00:00

Am I being unreasonable in thinking people should wash their hands when coming from outside to your house? Would you ask kids who come to yours for a playdate to wash their hands? Would you ask adults?

CurlyhairedAssassin · 17/11/2024 00:32

MarketValveForks · 16/11/2024 18:35

It became expected during Covid but for most people Covid has been and gone. Other people will live with Covid-related Health-anxiety for the rest of their lives. If I was visiting a friend with Covid-related Health-anxiety (assuming they could cope with such a visit) I would wash my hands as a courtesy.

i wouldn’t call it health anxiety to realise that practising better hand hygiene during COVID meant a reduction in the spread of other viruses, and to want to keep that up. Nowhere else has shown that better than in primary schools where kids are not known for great hand hygiene. I work in one. The minute we stopped with the hand washing reminders and hand sanitising up went the number of kids off with viruses and bugs. I wish we could go back to the extra hygiene. My colleagues and I are constantly ill. It’s not always possible to wash your hands often enough when you’re around snotty kids.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 17/11/2024 00:19

Cailin66 · 16/11/2024 17:04

The more dirt the better, the more exposure to germs the stronger the child, the less cleaning the healthier the outcome.

A baby is not meant to be brought up in a sterile environment.

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You know when they talk of “too sterile” a home environment? They mean anti-bac’ing and bleaching everything to within an inch of its life. They’re not talking about basic hand hygiene FGS!

Cara707 · 16/11/2024 23:58

Milkmani8 · 16/11/2024 18:26

I’m from eastern europe and guests would usually was their hands on arrival at your home after taking off their shoes. The people in the UK who would be upset about washing their hands are the same people who would prefer to keep their shoes on in your home and spread all the dog shit, salvia and public restroom germs all over your home 🤮 It’s so weird that people find both of these things offensive.

Exactly!

Jaehee · 16/11/2024 21:49

liverpoolnana · 16/11/2024 19:41

Didn't you see the PP from an HCP, saying she uses alcohol gel, and why?

Alcohol gel isn’t effective against all pathogens. It doesn’t work against the virus that keeps being mentioned, for example, and many don’t contain enough alcohol to do anything much at all.

Nottodaygoaway · 16/11/2024 21:44

My residence isn't exactly sterile, so asking people who have already closed the bathroom door after they have washed their hands seems counter-productive to me.

Grannyinnwaiting · 16/11/2024 21:22

weird unless you have a baby - i always wash my hands on arrival ( from public transport ) before touching my baby grandson

CandlesAndClementines · 16/11/2024 21:19

I think washing hands, hand which will actually touch things, will have far more impact than removing shoes!

CarrotySnack · 16/11/2024 21:18

TheBigSalami · 16/11/2024 19:28

If I had a friend or relative so neurotic that they asked me to wash my hands on arrival
at their house, I’d think they were suffering from some sort of mental health issue.

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But you would be wrong to do so.

ForGreyKoala · 16/11/2024 20:50

I'm 65 and have never once been asked to wash my hands when I arrive at someone's house, and wouldn't dream of asking anyone to do so when visiting me. It's weird.

DappledThings · 16/11/2024 20:45

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:42

Dirty

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You can keep calling people dirty for behaving perfectly normally if you like. Isn't likely to convince anyone you're the rational one.

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:42

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Dirty

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:42

Milkmani8 · 16/11/2024 18:26

I’m from eastern europe and guests would usually was their hands on arrival at your home after taking off their shoes. The people in the UK who would be upset about washing their hands are the same people who would prefer to keep their shoes on in your home and spread all the dog shit, salvia and public restroom germs all over your home 🤮 It’s so weird that people find both of these things offensive.

I'm with you on this.

DappledThings · 16/11/2024 20:42

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:36

As you wish. It's dirty to not wash your hands when you come home. You've touched rails and handles on public transport, which are covered with bacteria. This is so basic and obvious. I can see that the lack of handwashing is so common apparently - it doesn't make it less gross though.

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You are welcome to feel that way. I do not.

If OP asked me to wash my hands on entering her house I would do so to humour her out of politeness but I'd think she was a bit obsessive.

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:41

MarketValveForks · 16/11/2024 18:35

It became expected during Covid but for most people Covid has been and gone. Other people will live with Covid-related Health-anxiety for the rest of their lives. If I was visiting a friend with Covid-related Health-anxiety (assuming they could cope with such a visit) I would wash my hands as a courtesy.

Ignoramus. Lots of people live with long covid and/or are vulnerable. Good for you that you don't have to consider other people's needs.

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:38

Stravaig · 16/11/2024 16:27

That is shocking. Having a newborn is a specific reason - you are not being sensitive there. It's common sense. I'd have no problem with someone asking me to do this, for any reason.

I'd welcome it as a general custom, to enter a home, pause, remove footwear, outer wrappings, wash hands, and face. I may have lived somewhere like this, as it seems normal and appealing to me.

But as other pp have noted, the UK is a rather grubby, ungraceful country in many ways, not given to elegant practical solutions that improve everyone's lives.

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The voice of reason and common sense.

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:36

DappledThings · 16/11/2024 20:32

Silly!

Edited

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As you wish. It's dirty to not wash your hands when you come home. You've touched rails and handles on public transport, which are covered with bacteria. This is so basic and obvious. I can see that the lack of handwashing is so common apparently - it doesn't make it less gross though.

DappledThings · 16/11/2024 20:32

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:31

Dirty

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Silly!

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:31

DappledThings · 16/11/2024 20:23

Wow what? I used sanitiser when requested. I continued to wsh my hands after going to the toilet and before making food or after doing something like putting the bins out. All the normal, sensible things.

Sometimes I remembered to also wash my hands when I got home as was suggested. I just wasn't constantly thinking about it. I wasn't opposed to the idea, just didn't often remember because I wasn't obsessing. Don't think that makes me that unusual really.

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Dirty

caffelattetogo · 16/11/2024 20:29

I do, but only since covid. It was a habit that stuck,

DappledThings · 16/11/2024 20:23

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:14

Wow!

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Wow what? I used sanitiser when requested. I continued to wsh my hands after going to the toilet and before making food or after doing something like putting the bins out. All the normal, sensible things.

Sometimes I remembered to also wash my hands when I got home as was suggested. I just wasn't constantly thinking about it. I wasn't opposed to the idea, just didn't often remember because I wasn't obsessing. Don't think that makes me that unusual really.

mumedu · 16/11/2024 20:14

DappledThings · 16/11/2024 16:24

I'm stunned at the responses to this. A few years ago we were obsessed with hand washing and sanitisers.
Not all of us were. I never bought any sanitiser. Would use it if specifically requested but didn't get into the obsession or the washing groceries or any of that crap. Occasionally remembered to do extra handwashing when coming home but didn't often remember and it certainly never became a habit.

Wow!

liverpoolnana · 16/11/2024 19:41

Didn't you see the PP from an HCP, saying she uses alcohol gel, and why?

mathanxiety · 16/11/2024 19:35

Cailin66 · 16/11/2024 17:04

The more dirt the better, the more exposure to germs the stronger the child, the less cleaning the healthier the outcome.

A baby is not meant to be brought up in a sterile environment.

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There's a happy medium between "the more dirt the merrier" and "sterile environment". The happy medium occupies a spot closer to 'sterile' than 'dirty' all the same, for young babies especially.

Health visitors and midwives who don't wash their hands when they come in - shame on them. It's grossly unprofessional.

pumpkinpillow · 16/11/2024 19:34

Cailin66 · 16/11/2024 18:36

She was dealing with sick and injured war wounded. In a deadly unhygienic environment, with horrendous sanitation, open wounds ripe for infection. An environment conduisive to all manner of horror. Are you suggesting that’s comparable to a clean modern home, in a world of at hand hygiene, sanitation, medication?

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Of course not, I am suggesting that she understood the link between hand washing and hygiene and that it still a very simple and effective way to reduce the spread of common but often nasty illnesses; ones which can be very harmful for newborn babies.

mathanxiety · 16/11/2024 19:31

Milkmani8 · 16/11/2024 18:26

I’m from eastern europe and guests would usually was their hands on arrival at your home after taking off their shoes. The people in the UK who would be upset about washing their hands are the same people who would prefer to keep their shoes on in your home and spread all the dog shit, salvia and public restroom germs all over your home 🤮 It’s so weird that people find both of these things offensive.

Agree.

Some people here are coming across as very touchy, as if the requirement to wash hands is meant as a personal rebuke.