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

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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Of course the dishwasher removes the bacteria and germs.... That's what the detergent is for....

OP posts:
DilemmaDelilah · 16/09/2026 17:39

@OhNoooooooooooooooo you have had a lot of responses about this. I think at least half of us think washing hands before emptying the dishwasher is a good idea, even if that's only in a communal environment. It is quite obvious that you're not going to change your mind whatever anyone says. Can we just agree to disagree?

Moii · 16/09/2026 17:58

I always wash my hands first.

FeralDropBear · 16/09/2026 18:00

I've always washed my hands before handling clean items -- hands pick up a lot of yuck throughout the day.

50goingon70 · 16/09/2026 18:22

I always do. Just a habit I’ve continued after COVID

Original poster
OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 19:01

NigglyPig · 15/09/2026 19:02

I do. I think if you’re handling things that people will put up to - or into - their mouths, you should do it with clean hands.

Who's putting mug handles in their mouths???

OP posts:
TheBlueKoala · 16/09/2026 19:14

OhNoooooooooooooooo · 16/09/2026 19:01

Who's putting mug handles in their mouths???

Show quote history

You are being deliberately obtuse. Do you wash your hands before food prep or is that not necessary either?

Daftypants · 16/09/2026 19:19

I wash my hands before emptying the dishwasher because I’m often petting our dog

Jc2001 · 16/09/2026 19:20

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?

Bloody hell what has she been doing with her hands that's she thinks that's necessary.

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 19:29

I do

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 19:31

How do you know that restaurant workers don’t wash their hands before taking dishes out of the dishwasher? If I ran a restaurant, I’d insist that they do.

Chaosatcollege · 16/09/2026 19:37

I always wash my hands. No point in handling clean crockery & cutlery if my hands aren't clean.

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 16/09/2026 19:38

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 19:31

How do you know that restaurant workers don’t wash their hands before taking dishes out of the dishwasher? If I ran a restaurant, I’d insist that they do.

Unless you were going to be in your restaurant 24/7, you'd have no control over that.

I've worked in food environments (in a supermarket) and people do NOT wash their hands before emptying the sanitisers and washers.

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 19:43

That’s a management issue. They have different hygiene standards to mine. Perhaps you do too?

And most restaurants aren’t open 24/7.

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 16/09/2026 19:55

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 19:43

That’s a management issue. They have different hygiene standards to mine. Perhaps you do too?

And most restaurants aren’t open 24/7.

The point is unless you're standing in the kitchen constantly and supervising, you have no idea what people are doing when you're not around.

I worked in food environments for almost a decade. The vast majority of the hygiene rules were ignored.

Unexpectedlhereagain · 16/09/2026 19:57

I always wash my hands before emptying the dishwasher. I don’t want the germs on my hands on my clean dishes.

User76443998 · 16/09/2026 20:05

I was at a friends house today and needed to wash my hands. Went to to kitchen sink. No soap. I asked where it was “in the downstairs loo” she said. Which is about 20 metres away from the kitchen.

I realised that my friend (who has a very large family and who cooks for multiple people every week) doesn’t wash her hands in the kitchen.

Her family are robustly healthy. I’ve never been ill and I eat at her house at least once a week.

Now I DO wash my hands before I prep food. But it has never occurred to me to wash my hands before I empty the dishwasher unless they were actually obviously dirty!

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 20:08

Well obviously. But I’d discipline anyone who disobeyed my hygiene rules if I caught them doing so.

blythet · 16/09/2026 20:11

Wouldn’t even cross my mind to wash my hands before doing that tbh.

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 16/09/2026 20:12

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 20:08

Well obviously. But I’d discipline anyone who disobeyed my hygiene rules if I caught them doing so.

Do you have any experience of working in hospitality or in a food service environment, out of curiosity?

MyRareScroller · 16/09/2026 20:24

Yes. I’m not arguing with you. I’m too busy for arguing wit random strangers.

MovingBird123 · 16/09/2026 21:08

I suppose I do wash my hands before putting dishes away (no dishwasher sadly...) It often puts me off putting them away because I can't be bothered to wash my hands yet again. I'm glad to know people don't and happily survive, I might stop doing it! It just seemed natural to me to wash first.

Pherian · 17/09/2026 09:27

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?

At home probably very few. At work though I would say you need to wash your hands first. You have no idea if you’ve touched a surface someone who is sick, may have not washed hands after using the loo etc… has touch and now spreading on the dishes.

TheOnlyWayIsIlford · 17/09/2026 09:45

I wouldn’t be putting the cutlery away with unwashed hands.

Blipette · 17/09/2026 09:55

Well yeah, I have my knives forks and spoons mouth end up, so I wash my hands because am touching them. But if I was just letting platesz, bowls etc I wouldn’t