Do you change your clothes when you get home after being on the tube or other public transport?

[Teaandcaaaaake]

I never used to need to change clothes to sit on my sofa or whatever until I moved to London years ago. The tube is filthy! Now, it has become automatic habit to me to change into 'house' clothes when I get home - I don't live in London anymore but another large city where I'm on equally grotty public transport to get around. I really don't think this would have become habit if I was going from my home to my own car on a daily basis, instead of public transport.

Am I normal or a weirdo?

No. You can if you like. I couldn't be arsed and don't feel the need.

It’s years since I had to commute, but I always showered and got into PJs when I got home from work, and that was in Melbourne - the trains weren’t too filthy then, though I bet they’re worse now. These days I drive and I’m not working, but I usually change into something more comfortable even so. I work up a sweat lugging groceries inside! 🥵

No but I obviously do wash my hands. I also don’t really understand why everyone is going about in such uncomfortable clothes, unless it’s a uniform you haven’t chosen. I might change out of smart stuff so it doesn’t get crumpled, but that’s still comfortable enough to sit on the floor and play with my children, for example. Does everyone who is coming home and instantly showering have older children? I’m often just home in time for tea and the children want to talk and be near me so I can’t disappear off to shower even if I wanted to.

To the people who won’t allow “tube clothes” to come into contact with soft furnishings in their homes - what on earth do you do if you have visitors who may have used public transport to get to your house? Do they have to shower and change when they arrive? And do you extend the same courtesy to them if visiting your friends? By this logic London restaurants/offices etc must be hotbeds of filth as people will have travelled on the tube and presumably not showered and changed before proceeding to sit on their soft furnishings.

I don't understand people changing clothes all the time at the drop of a hat. I hate getting dressed/undressed. Do other people not hate that? You have to get cold and it's a faff to extricate limbs and then the new clothes feel all wrong until they settle in.

It's like with period pants - why would I want a method of san pro that I have to take off my whole trousers just to change it?

(I accept I might be the weirdo with the sensory issues here)

But no, I don't feel stressed out by dirt as you describe OP. In general I would only change clothing if it was wet or smelly, or if I was going into a different purpose (e.g. day clothes to bed, swimming costume, smart clothes for a meal out or work etc).

I change when I get in from work but it's nothing to do with using public transport.

I work a physical job with animals and come home covered in mud, hay, dribble and various kinds of animal hair - everything goes in the laundry basket and I get in the shower

bert I'm changing from "cold" outdoor clothes (jeans, office wear, gym kit etc) into thick tracksuit bottoms and a sweatshirt. Changing is the whole point of getting warm. Outdoor clothes are for rushing around in.

No.

We all get changed in our household.

It seems odd not to, but each to their own.

I didn't when I lived in London, but when I travel back now I do as you realise how filthy it is ew.

Oh FFS, why has the world become so germphobic? A bit of dirt never hurt anyone. Apart from the damage to the environment and awful waste of resources, all this constant changing of clothes etc is clearly for people who don't have enough to do. Time to join the real world!

I’m exactly the same. It’s always a tradition in our family to change from work/ school clothes into home clothes straight away. With my parents it was for financial reasons, they wanted to keep the best clothes for outside world. I do it mostly for comfort and cleanliness. We also don’t wear shoes inside. I like clean and fresh environment around me, it’s not always possible but I do my best.

This is closest to what I would say. Perfectly normal part of home life, passed down from one generation to the next. Cleanliness, certainly; but also, why would you not want to preserve your ‘good’ clothes for interactions outside home?

I used to change when I came in from work (worked in London travelling by train). I’d change into comfies, take my makeup off and wash hands and then I’d feel ready for the evening. It certainly wasn’t done because the train or tube was so grubby, I just didn’t want to sit around in my smarter work clothes.

Londoner here too, the days of me needing to commute daily into Zone 1 are now thankfully gone. Previously I would mostly drive to my place of work and home again for much of my working week due to unsociable hours I would need to be getting home. But on occasions now where I do have to use public transport, mostly medical appointments for those I care for (but we drive wherever possible) yes I would absolutely shower and change clothes as soon as I got home. DP does the same on the days he goes to the office, we both always have done, not a Covid thing, just seems sensible. OP you are not a weirdo, this is perfectly normal to me.

This doesnt make any sense. So, you change your clothes after being on the tube because you feel they're dirty. Yet, you dont wash them, but put them back on again to go out in again later on? So, you're just spreading the dirt/germs to other places and wearing clothes that in your view are gross? lol what?

Always commuted to London and never changed clothes, that said I can wear casual clothes to work. When my husband had to wear a suit to work he did get changed as it was more comfortable.

No.

Why do people specifically not sit on their beds? What will happen if you sit on fabric? Are chairs ok? Stools?

What a strange thing to do. Aren't you wearing a coat, OP? How are your clothes getting dirty?

When people had toddlers did they change them fully to go out and then again when they came home? Did you spend the entire time getting them undressed and dressed? (This is what would end up happening with mine)

No, not since DD was a toddler or if it's really hot and I get home sweaty.

I don't have house clothes, I wear either my work clothes for the 3-4 hours between coming home and going to bed or I am out and about in London wearing jeans which I wear at home all day anyway.

I find the idea that out-of-house clothes are uncomfortable funny. I don't buy clothes I am not comfortable in. OK, I don't wear tailored suits in the office, I could understand people changing out of really expensive clothes or a work uniform but my smart business clothes are comfortable as I wear them for 10 hours during communte and work. I want them to be good fitting and comfortable.

Same, I don’t buy smart clothes that are uncomfortable. I’m also trying to figure out the logistics of getting home, immediately showered, changed with all the other stuff I have to do as soon as I get in, likely with hungry small children, and it just wouldn’t work.

London-based tubeworker here.
You are justified in washing your hands etc when you get in after using TfL services. There is a chronic shortage of cleaners because the contractor pays crap wages, so shortcuts are made. The hand-sanitisers are being withdrawn soon.

I wear my uniform over 2 days. Once I get in it's jimjams on because I travel across the entire capital to get to work & I'm knackered. Nothing to do with hygiene, only comfort.

My Work/out of the house clothes are not necessarily uncomfortable, but they're not as comfortable as no bra(and it always comes off so if I'm doing that,might as well do it all ) a loose tshirt and tracksuit/pyjama bottoms .

Perhaps it depends on your jobs, but I wear the same clothes at home as I do at work. Sort of smart casual. I might throw an oodie on top at home -that’s the only difference.