MIL wont wash her hands

[Pink3489]

Hi all,

How would you approach this? My MIL wont wash her hands after using the bathroom at mine. I'm a bit uptight when it comes to germs so this bothers me. I dont want to offend or embarrass her. What do you think I should do?

We only had an outside toilet growing up and there was no sink in it.

Ah, OK, then.

Grim 🤢

What a lot of rubbish. Covid is spread by people breathing all over each other rather than from not washing hands

Stand there with the hand gel...

My Mum an ex Nurse, used to teach us all to wash hands and face (when we were little) when we got in. We were rarely ill with colds, flu etc whilst in school (or afterwards) as she said it was about keeping bugs and germs at bay. Its good hygiene practice in my view

I don’t float but I don’t walk on my hands either
I tap in or scan my ticket (doesn’t involve touching anything except my own card or phone). Then either the door is opened by someone else or opens automatically or I do it with a knuckle and I get on. Then I sit on a seat, which does not involve my hands. Then I get off and tap/scan out at the destination. So at the worst, I’ve touched a button with a knuckle. Really not worth hunting down loos to wash my hands because of that.

‘Please could you use hand sanitizer before picking up the baby’. And repeat.

Unlike some of the posters here, I think you cannot and should not try to change your MILs personal habits. That’s really her business. But you definitely can control people touching your baby.

@dementedpixie , not touching your face is a way of not getting infections.

I am so so sorry.

Despite all the ads over the last couple of years, and the massive push it’s been given it’s never occurred to you that regularly washing your hands might be a good idea? Okay, then.

If you’re doing things with your knuckles as opposed to your fingers, you recognise that there are things in the train that you don’t want on your hand, correct? Why do you want them on your knuckles?

‘Hunting down loos’ where, exactly? Your home? Work? Where are you getting these trains go that running water is so difficult to come by?

Seriously, what is the reason for this sort of opposition to basic hygiene?

I have hypermobility in my fingers so pressing the buttons with my knuckle is easier. Do you never get a train and go out for the day?

I can’t think of anywhere I would regularly go where I’d have to ‘hunt down’ running water.

I note that you’re responding, but not actually answering any questions. Cool cool.

@Cheeselog - lots of viruses are transferred by contact. think of how many people touch handles and buttons and escalator rails etc on a train and in the station. High chance of a virus being present. If you don;t wash your hands when you come in, you transfer the virus to light switches, door handles etc and your hwole family could come down with a bug.

Hiking? Out shopping? Exploring a city? A job that involves visiting various sites?

Even if I did use my fingertip, one second of touching is not going to give you any germs unless you aren’t washing your hands before eating or touching your face. THAT is basic hygiene. Washing your hands just because you went on a train is not.

(Just wondering how you know?)

Revolting. I’d just tell her that she has to wash her hands or no interaction with the children.

No, not really. I did it a bit more with all the covid stuff and I do it after going to the toilet or doing other cleaning.

After just being outside in a normal environment? No. My mum quite often arrives somewhere and goes off to wash her hands right away. Never noticed anyone else doing so.

How often to you go hiking or exploring a city? Daily? ‘Various sites’ will have running water on them if there are people working on them.

It is the most basic of basic hygiene. My five year old niece knows that what she comes in, she washes her hands. Why are you so wedded to being grubby? For the third (possibly fourth) time. So, why wouldn’t you just wash your hands? In what possible way would doing so negatively impact you?

I honestly don’t know what to say to that. I don’t even know where to start.

No not daily but it is something I often use a train for. I think if I turned up at a client site and demanded to wash my hands before doing anything else people would think I was nuts. Because it is nuts to thinking going out in public equates to being ‘grubby’.

What a weird over reaction. Loads of people don't think it's normal or necessary to wash their hands just because they've been outside. It is odd that this is a surprise to you.

demanded to wash my hands before doing anything else

’May I just quickly use the loo, please?’ is a pretty standard request. It’s super weird that you’re trying to make out running water is some rare and difficult thing to find. That is what’s nuts.

You’re not going to answer the question about how washing your hands would negatively impact you, because it wouldn’t negatively impact you, would it? Excellent. I’ll leave you and your grubby hands to it, then.

The majority of people do think it’s necessary, as has been illustrated by this thread. And despite it being key messaging for two years it’s ‘never occurred to you’. I consider that very odd indeed.

Also, not knowing what to say is a ‘weird overreaction’? Everything you’re saying is so strange.

No, this thread has demonstrated that people agree it’s necessary to wash your hands after going to the toilet. It’s weird that you think that’s equivalent.

I try to avoid washing my hands unnecessarily since my skin is dry so my knuckles crack and bleed, particularly in the winter. Happy?

It is proper gross to not wash hands after toilet

can’t believe some people don’t

🤮