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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think washing hands before emptying the dishwasher is unnecessary

219 replies

OhNoooooooooooooooo · 15/09/2026 15:21

Well now I've heard it all... I was emptying the dishwasher at work, cuz I'm nice like that . and my colleague was there, making a cup of tea. And she remarked and wondered why I didn't wash my hands before emptying and said dishwasher.

Who washes their hands to empty the dishwasher?

OP posts:
quantumbutterfly · 16/09/2026 08:10

ShesRunningOutTheDoor · 15/09/2026 15:57

It is. I live with 3 boys. I dream of my own lovely apartment sometimes. 🤣

I find white light switches and their surrounds often look quite grubby so I guess most peoples hands are dirtier than they realise.

Maybe I should get a tub of swarfega.

Cheese55 · 16/09/2026 08:15

Princessconsuelabananahammock9 · 16/09/2026 08:09

Yes. I don’t want dirty hands touching dirty dishes.

Not everyone has great immune systems. I don’t need extra exposure to germs.

I’m autoimmune compromised, I wash my hands every time I come in the house and I rarely get sick.

Being compromised is not the same as an average person needing bacteria to boost immunity

Flamingojune · 16/09/2026 08:17

Glazerblazer · 16/09/2026 07:40

When you have boys - yes 🤪

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Whats having boys got to do with over hand washing? 30 times a day is a lot

Glazerblazer · 16/09/2026 08:32

Flamingojune · 16/09/2026 08:17

Whats having boys got to do with over hand washing? 30 times a day is a lot

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Because you never know what they’ve just picked and touched.

quantumbutterfly · 16/09/2026 08:46

cuckoolodger · 15/09/2026 19:57

Back in the mid 80s my Nan worked in a commercial kitchen. She was STRICT about hygiene even at home. But one day around 93 I saw her scrubbing the carrots from the garden with the gusset brush. I asked her exactly how many of these scrubbing brushes she had….. the answer was one, and she wasn’t at work and I enjoyed clean knickers so to shut up.

🤮🤮🤮🤮

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The gusset brush😶 ( brings back memories of learning to wash white socks for my 'house orderly' badge.)

Original poster
OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 08:51

Glazerblazer · 16/09/2026 08:32

Because you never know what they’ve just picked and touched.

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Washing your hands 30+ times a day is excessive.

OP posts:
Original poster
OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 08:53

Glazerblazer · 16/09/2026 07:10

I definitely wash my hands more than 30 times a day, probably already washed them 10 times this morning!

You've likely only been up and hour or so at this point....and you've spent 10-15 minutes of that washing your hands???

OP posts:
Original poster
OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 08:54

... By 7:10 in the morning??? They aren't picking up dog shit with their hands are they??

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Original poster
OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 08:55

Cheese55 · 16/09/2026 07:04

Its not dirty! It's just been used, that's not the same thing. I'm surprised you dont have paper towel dispensers at home, as that is cleaner than a towel.

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Well.... Why do you have to wash towels if drying your wet skin on them doesn't make them dirty?

Why don't hospitals for example give you all a shared towel for hand washing after the toilet?

OP posts:
Original poster
OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 08:56

Cheese55 · 16/09/2026 05:55

Nor do we want to live in a sterile environment. What do you think is going to happen if you suddenly stopped the endless handwashing.

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I don't endlessly hand wash!

See PP who says they've already washed their hands TEN TIMES by 7:10am.....

OP posts:
DeftGoldHedgehog · 16/09/2026 08:57

Yes, it's probably a good idea to do that. But I would never point this out to a colleague unloading the dishwasher.

Bikergran · 16/09/2026 08:57

MelonSorbet · 15/09/2026 15:28

Why would you?!

Because (especially in a shared office environment) you may have unpleasant bacteria etc on your hand you are then transferring on to clean eating utensils? Go and observe in any public toilet the number of people who don't wash, or very sketchily wash, their hands after going to the lavatory. It's lots.

Sunbringer · 16/09/2026 08:59

Clearly she has mistaken a dishwasher for a steriliser. Dishwashed items are still covered in bits of bacteria etc.

Empress13 · 16/09/2026 09:00

Not me

Cheese55 · 16/09/2026 09:07

Glazerblazer · 16/09/2026 08:32

Because you never know what they’ve just picked and touched.

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More than any other child or if this everyone you come into contact with?

Flowers1985 · 16/09/2026 09:10

I always do. Why would I want to transfer any germs on my hands onto my nice clean crockery I'm about to eat with?

pepperminticecream · 16/09/2026 09:13

Very surprised that so many people don’t wash their hands before emptying the dishwasher. I thought it was very basic hygiene.

We wash our hands as soon as we get home and obviously before eating, after using the loo, cooking, etc. OP asked about washing handles of dishwasher, cabinets. We do wipe those surfaces a couple times per week—I hadn’t thought of it from a germ perspective but the kitchen gets a deep clean every few days and that’s part of keeping things looking fresh. The inside cupboards and drawers get cleaned once a month or so. I don’t want crumbs from food prep in the drawers. Kitchen towel gets replaced at the end of each day.

rainbowsparkle28 · 16/09/2026 14:30

Yes I wash hands. Ofherwise you are contaminating the cutlery plates etc. that you are going to eat from. Am also coeliac so extra important.

Foolish1984 · 16/09/2026 14:31

Foolish1984 · 15/09/2026 16:58

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

You say that but give it a year or 2 and I personally guarantee there’ll be a thread saying AIBU to go mad at DH for not sterilising the cutlery & plates etc! I’m telling ya….

Foolish1984 · 16/09/2026 14:33

Flowers1985 · 16/09/2026 09:10

I always do. Why would I want to transfer any germs on my hands onto my nice clean crockery I'm about to eat with?

You do realise that a dishwasher isn’t a steriliser don’t you? They don’t get anywhere near hot enough to kill bacteria/germs so they’re still covered in whatever bacteria was there before

Comtesse · 16/09/2026 14:44

Would never occur to me to wash my hands. Do people wash their hands before they empty the drying rack for dishes that have been washed by hand? Surely not??!

Comtesse · 16/09/2026 14:45

OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 08:56

I don't endlessly hand wash!

See PP who says they've already washed their hands TEN TIMES by 7:10am.....

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Sounds like a recipe for contact dermatitis to me….

CarbootJunction · 16/09/2026 14:46

Why are some people so resistant to washing their hands? And then trying to justify it. It's just basic hygiene.
Stop being lazy and wash your hands.

quantumbutterfly · 16/09/2026 15:02

Foolish1984 · 16/09/2026 14:33

You do realise that a dishwasher isn’t a steriliser don’t you? They don’t get anywhere near hot enough to kill bacteria/germs so they’re still covered in whatever bacteria was there before

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60/70°C is pasteurisation temperature.

Original poster
OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 17:08

CarbootJunction · 16/09/2026 14:46

Why are some people so resistant to washing their hands? And then trying to justify it. It's just basic hygiene.
Stop being lazy and wash your hands.

I do wash my hands. Just not excessively and for no reason.

OP posts: