AIBU to think washing hands before emptying the dishwasher is unnecessary

See, I'd wash my hands after touching anything greasy, so that would never happen.

And some people are just manky feckers 😆

Once again, I’m reduced to shaking my head in wonderment at the way some mumsnetters willingly make life more complicated for themselves. Who has time for all this handwashing - or indeed, time to be wondering if everyone else you interact with in your daily life has washed their hands?

Then again, my standards are shockingly low anyway. I own a toilet brush and I’m not afraid to use it (I do wash my hands afterwards, though), and now I have to admit that I’ve never washed my hands before emptying the dishwasher. God, the shame.

How are people unloading the dishwasher? Holding plates flat between their palms so their germy hands are all over the middle? Sticking a whole fist inside a mug? Surely you just pick things up at the edges or by the handles and put them away. It wouldn't occur to me to wash my hands beforehand. If I've been to the toilet, obviously they will already have been washed. If they are covered in gravy or jam, obviously they will have already been washed.

Life is such bliss being oblivious to obsession over this kind of thing. It means you can happily eat all the delicious cakes that you are ever offered without stressing that once you saw the person who baked them use a keyboard and then eat a sandwich without hand washing first (because if they do that then what the hell must their kitchen hygiene standards be like?) I guess it's more cake for filthy people like me.

If you find washing your hands complicated I think that's a you issue.

It's really not complicated at all, and very quick.

(I don't worry about what others do.)

I think this thread has triggered me. I just had a vivid memory of going to an Indian with my mum and the waiter wandering around suddenly doing a massive guffaw of a sneeze, then straightening the cutlery on the empty table next to us with the hands it caught it with. Mum, looking him straight in the eyes loudly said "How disgUSting!" and stood up and I trailed behind her with toe-curling embarrassment.
As I say, triggering topic.

While I wouldn’t necessarily wash my hands before emptying the dishwasher in my own house, I wash them a lot for food prep, and cooking and I’m always aware of where my hands have been when I’m in the kitchen (learning home ec in a convent school leaves an imprint).

I would wash my hands first in an office space though. I’m surprised that this strikes you as ott.

Next you’ll be saying you sterilise your cutlery & plates and then saying on Mumsnet “It’s basic hygiene I would have thought.”

I always do but I have small kids and sticky hands

I hadn't really thought about washing my hands specifically before emptying the dishwasher, but if I'm working in the kitchen I have usually washed my hands a couple of times or more while I'm doing that so they're probably clean. However, now you have brought it up I do think it is a good idea, and I will try to do it every time now. I've also just discussed this with my DH and he agreed with me.

No, but my hands are always kept clean. I don’t walk around with dirty/greasy hands.

I think you should really wash your hands before emptying a dishwasher in a workplace, I suppose you ought to do it at home really too, but I don't, or before I eat, but then it's only myself who would be affected if I picked up something nasty.

It's just common sense isn't it, same as trying not to spread colds?

Funnily enough, at home I always wash my hands before putting away the dried dishes (no dish washer).

But at work (where I work with hundreds of people and illnesses rip through it like wildfire) I don’t actually wash my hands.

Its typically only the edges of plates and bowls you touch and so I don’t know how much difference it makes but we are in a place where illnesses are common and so perhaps I’ll make an effort in the future.

@Foolish1984Not quite the same 😂

@concertinacornflake

I think you know that I’m only using handwashing as an example - I didn’t suggest that I find it complicated, only that it’s often not quite as necessary as some mumsnetters would have you believe.

I usually do because I’ve got dogs so it becomes second nature

I tend to wash my hands before doing any kitchen jobs - it's just an automatic habit, particularly if I've just come into the house. But I probably wouldn't be that fussed if I forgot to do it. It's highly unlikely that any contaminants would transfer over.

Ye gods never have I ever known anyone in real life do this.
I can’t be doing with all this hand washing. I’m rarely ill anyway so I must be doing something right.
Plus a quick swill under the hot tap which hasn’t actually warmed up yet does nothing !

Not really a useful comparison

I had never thought about it, but yes I do. On reflection I have realised I wash my hands whenever I'm in the kitchen and before doing jobs in there.

I take a flask and packed lunch to work with my own mug and cutlery, to avoid the grubby kitchen and filthoids who use it and never wipe or clean anything.

How do you know your judgement is correct?

What blows my mind really is the certainty people have their way is the one true way.

I do what I do out of habit picked up working in kitchens - wash hands going into the kitchen.

I do! Otherwise getting all the germs on the clean plates!!

It depends on when I last wash them. I don’t have a dishwasher. My hands get washed, washing the dishes.

I always wash my hands before emptying my dishwasher because otherwise I'd be getting whatever minging crap is on my hands all over the clean crockery other people eat and drink from. But I do wash my hands more than the average person to be fair.

So does your colleague wash
their hands when they make a cup of tea? If not, demanding you wash your hands before you unload the dishwasher is nonsensical. I am assuming of course that you haven’t just sneezed or emptied bins or similar. I am also assuming you don’t work in restaurant.