To expect guests to wash their hands on arrival?

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.

Spot on!
People are so ignorant
Norovirus comes in many strains and evolves into new ones so all the bullshit about blah blah exposure protects them is tripe.
It's a VERY nasty illness.

Shocking orrrrrr maybe an indication that you’re overestimating the risk perhaps? just the tiniest bit? Adults can and should be trusted to decide for themselves when their hands need washing, and especially healthcare professionals. Kids, fair enough.

This is absolutely incorrect. You have got the wrong end of the stick.

Exposure to microbes is beneficial, eg from playing outside is beneficial. Exposure to germs such as norovirus is not beneficial at all, and could make a new born seriously unwell.

My husband and I both wash our hands immediately when we come home, there's no telling what germs could have been lurking on door handles, banisters and other surfaces we've touched while out, this was particularly true during the height of the Covid pandemic.
Our baby is ddue in January and I plan to ask all our visitors to wash their hands thoroughly before they can touch her. I don't think our friends and family will have a problem with this as they know what we are like about hygiene. We also have a strict no shoes indoors policy which applies to anyone entering our home.

How depressing to see the indignant responses of those who think it's rude to ask someone to take off their shoes or wash their hands when entering a home. As if such simple requests might somehow infringe on their liberties!

There's a fair amount of ignorance and naivety in this kind of defiant attitude, often mistaken for fortitude. People think not washing hands gives a good old healthy low-level exposure to a few germs that will toughen us up, even when the evidence in front of our noses is that norovirus is doing the rounds. (And norovirus does not toughen you up, although my godmother died of it; see also Covid). And to those who talk as if shoes might bring in a bit of 'mud' - grow up! This isn't the 1920s. Shoes that have walked around outside are a source of endocrine distrupting pesticides, forever chemicals, microplastics, heavy metals, and they get brought into the home.

I would be glad to live in a society where it's normal to wash hands and take off shoes upon arriving into a home. I like my home to feel like a cleaner space than the outside world, and nobody has the right to come in and ruin that for me because they've decided they know better. Especially not when the evidence is actually on my side.

And yet one is considered absolutely filthy if one doesn't change bedding every week!!

Although if people are so dirty, the sheets probably walk themselves to the washing machine

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?

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.

Not someting i do, but i have a very good immune system

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.

Haha yes, OP! I’m with you on this!

All these commenters saying they’d consider this to be “rude” “weird”…,
I bet, are the ones that don’t regularly wash their hands. Most of them probably don’t even wash them after the loo or before handling food never mind regularly doing it simply for hygiene reasons.

There are far too many people on the internet openly claiming they don’t bother washing their hands after a wee, as “it’s just a wee”
😳🤢

Having everyone wash their hands on the regular, just for hygiene purposes? I would absolutely love this to be common practice.
But sadly it isn’t, it’s very evident in the fact that so many grown adults have the “black french tips”…eg dirty/filthy fingernails.

Previously was a Health Visitor and I would use alcohol gel rather than wash my hands, reason for this was not all homes had liquid soap but had manky bars of soap and the towels were sometimes gross

wouldn’t occur to me

I wash my hands after the loo, before eating or if they are dirty.

not just because I’ve entered a building

I usually wash my hands if I've been out and touching things, definitely if I'm about to cook and also in the days I had small children. But my mother has ocd and despite my best endeavours some things stick. Think a nanny or health visitor dealing with small children should though.

pre kids I’d normally go loo first thing I got in and wash hands. Conversely since having kids I’ve often found my hands are full things are happening hygiene has definitely slipped (🤫no one has gotten ill…except my daughter did get ecoli from a petting farm, it’s virtually impossible to get a toddler to wash hands diligently and not put in their mouth). I think it’s a good idea. Don’t worry re guests, for a baby just make it part of the process you want followed. YANBU

Yes if there is a newborn that they will be holding. This would be the only time I would automatically wash my hands before being asked at a friend or family member's home. Otherwise no.

I would right now as my family member is going through very tough and very long 20 hour days of chemo….

i wouldn’t hesitate right now.

normally however no way would it even bother me

Gaaaa....I meant to say Washing hands does NOT create a sterile environment.

No, not unless they wanted to.

We do on coming in, so it's natural for me to send the kids to do it and their friends with them.

Adults, no I don't ask them.

Do not be afraid to ask guests to wash their hands before holding your newborn. Everyone will understand that surely.

I’m a community nurse I have hand sanitizer in my car that I use when I leave a patient and before I enter someone’s home. Many people don’t have soap readily available, a clean towel etc so this is the easiest way to do it.

Unless there is a very new baby involved, no.

It actually prevents faecal/ oral contamination.
Sterile is heat treating instruments/ gloves/ gowns