Do you wash your hands after using the loo?

[weedetective]

I can’t believe I’m asking this, but: do you wash your hands after using the loo? Every time? Does it differ for a wee or a poo?

We moved into an old home with a WC (toilet, no sink) in the hallway. We have an open plan living-dining-kitchen, which obviously has a sink and is visible to everyone who visits.

Since moving, I have noticed that so many people don’t wash their hands after using the loo. People I would expect to wash, like my incredibly tidy MIL, cousins, friends who work in medicine, etc. Women and men (who presumably touch their willies whilst having a wee?) alike. I might say as many as 40% don’t wash their hands (or only do sporadically, which makes me think they’re only doing it after a poo?)

I myself wash every time and am admittedly a bit germophobic (I use a towel to open the bathroom door if I’m in public, that sort of thing) but I am honestly flabbergasted at how many people don’t wash after using the loo. I sometimes mention, “there’s no sink there but you’re welcome to wash your hands here” (in the kitchen) but it doesn’t seem to make a difference.

Do I just have an unusually minging social circle or am I alone in thinking most people wash their hands every time after using the loo?

Always, I will often soap up the tap in a public toilet so I can turn it off without dirtying my hands.

I wouldn’t however eat or drinking anything in a home or establishment where the kitchen sink was also the sink for the toilet.

Yes, I do every time. It's disgusting not to. I think the problem is that there is no sink in the loo and people really don't want to wash their hands at the kitchen sink. FWIW I never wash my hands in the kitchen, I always go to the downstairs loo to wash them, it seems wrong washing your hands where plates etc might be, or where I wash veg etc.

I wash my hands after having a poo, every single time. For wee’s I always wash my hands if in public, at work or at someone’s house, but not at home, unless I am cooking / cleaning. But saying that… my partners cousins house has the same kind of set up, downstairs loo (never used their upstairs one) is just a loo with no sink, so would have to then go and wash my hands in their kitchen sink, which usually has dirty washing up in as we normally only go there for dinner so would have plates & pans in there… and have never washed my hands when I’ve used their toilet as it feels almost rude to wash my hands in their sink over their plates and dishes?
Also never had a poo there and never would but I do feel a bit grubby touching someone else’s toilet seat & flusher then not washing my hands but the idea of being rude and washing my hands in their kitchen sink over rules it 🤷🏼‍♀️

We just bought the house six months ago and fitting the sink is on the refurb list but unfortunately can’t happen until next year. But it makes me wonder, do these people not wash even if a sink is available?? It just won’t be so obvious when the sink is hidden 🤢🤢

I get fully changed from coming in, wash and/or sanitise.

I wash my hands after anything in the toilet or anything outside.

I do - even in the middle of the night after getting up for a pee I give my hands a quick rinse. I'm a retired nurse so old habits die hard!

The irony here is that everyone says they're so clean, but I bet it's the opposite with sex!

Sex can get messy, you're touching bits, fluids, etc... I bet people don't then run to the bathroom, using elbows to open doors, turn on taps etc. Or worse, they then go on their phones after, touching it with penis hands, going on to touch everything around the house...

Yeah, don't overthink this one.

Yes, always. It was drilled into us both at home and at school. I often use it to take a moment to relax - wash and dry hands slowly and peacefully.

for loos that are too small for basins

I've noticed women run their hands under water, no soap, or just leave the toilet without attempting to wash their hands at work.
I take hand gel to use after I've opened the doors out of the toilet back into the office area because although I wash my hands I have to touch the doors afterwards.
It's disgusting

I always wash my hands but I'm like you, a bit of a germaphobe. How can you stand people in your house who have been to the loo and not washed their hands and not say anything?

You need a sink in the toilet. It's very unhygienic for them to leave the WC and go ot the kitchen, touching things along the way, to wash their hands.

Personally I think washing your dirty toilet hands in the kitchen sink is probably more unhygienic than not washing them at all.

Only wash after a poo. Haven't been ill in years. Also lived off the land for years so I'm not that bothered.

What is the opposite of a germaphobe? A germophile? If so, I'm one. I don't give germs a second thought, I don't like Covid hand disinfectant gel, I didn't wipe down my shopping with detol in Covid. I just get on with things care free.

Sorry bit I think it's fucking gross if people don't wash their hands when there is a sink available

Yes every single time.... what attracted me to my DH was i saw him go in the mens and heard the hand dryer as my ex NEVER washed his hands and its gross!

You would think that after covid people would he more conditioned.

This! Your guests finish their wee/poo, touch your door handle and perhaps other things before they reach your kitchen sink. Pop some sanitiser in your bathroom.

Penis hands 😂

I wipe my phone down with a bleach wipe after sex fir this very reason. I just hadn't called it penis hands before now.

Yes always.
And if it's a public toilet where I've had to touch doors/slightly manky taps etc, then I use hand gel too.

@Wolframandhart

I wipe my phone down with a bleach wipe after sex fir this very reason. I just hadn't called it penis hands before now.

You use your phone during sex?

Yes, I do, but I'm not at all obsessive or germphobic about it, and I don't wash my hands as often as some people do. It wouldn't remotely occur to me to wash my hands just because I'd been outside, fir example. Plus I have a dog and a cat who I often pat or stroke in passing. I certainly don't wash my hands every time I've touched them. I wash my hands before cooking, but I probably wouldn't bother if I were only cooking for myself. There's a reason that people with pets are ill less often - better immune systems. I think the germphobia lots of MNers seem to have almost certainly makes them less healthy rather than more healthy.

^This

However, I could not wash toilet hands in a kitchen sink 🤮

To those who say they don't wash after a wee.... but you touch the flush which a previous person will have touched after wiping following a poo.....
🤢

Probably have onlyfans!

But you could just wash fingertips? You wouldn't need to wash the bscks of your hands...