to be revolted by this?

[Goldmandra]

99% of people interviewed at motorway service stations toilets claimed they had washed their hands after going to the toilet. Electronic recording devices revealed only 32% of men and 64% of women actually did.

Why is it so difficult to use a bit of soap and water for the sake of keeping poo
out of our food?

Ugh!

Goldmandra- according to the bbc article the british are notoriously bad for hygiene and handwashing, something the experts are trying to understand why. Even during the flu pandemic we were the worst country for handwashing. Really weird. Some people have said it could be because we don't have to pay for medical care at the point of delivery, and so don't worry too much about getting ill in terms of medical costs.

The funniest thing I find in that study is the number of people who lied and said they had washed their hands. Not sure so many of the posters above would be so upfront about their disgusting habits if confronted face to face rather than behind the keyboard.

I think calling the Swine flu outbreak the "flu pandemic" is over stating things. possibly the British were sceptical about it because of the media hysteria. When you said pandemic I thought you meant 1918.

But the swine flu outbreak in 2009 was classified as a pandemic, it's a technical term

Peoples hands stink when they've done a shit? You do realise you should be using loo roll

Those using gel, why not wash then use the gel? That's what I do if the toilets are particularly grotty.

Not washing hands is just lazy and disgusting. There really is no reason not to.

deeppurple (fab name!!) I wash and use gel, I also don't get that take on hand washing.
when using hand gel your hands are supposed to be visibly clean anyway & if you have just had a crap or wee its best to wash then gel.

Question for those that are just using gel:
You do know, don't you, that gel isn't effective against all pathogens, especially those found in faeces?

Just saying.

If you are in a motorway service station or anywhere wonderfully notoriously vile you are better off just using gel believe me.

We are talking the worst case scenario though. I would normally wash my hands in general clean public toilets, then use the gel but to 'touch' anything more than i have to in a service station/carpark type toilet I find it really boaksome.

Ah ok. But I still thought you were on about 1918. And it confused me, it being pre-NHS and all that. Though that I think is a good point - the NHS will look after me, so I don't need to take all those silly precautions.

Disclaimer: was not alive in 1918.

Loads and loads and loads of services now have remote sensors for both flushes and taps, as well as hand dryers so personally speaking, I won't fret about it too much.

There was a study recently about breast pump storage in NICU, and it found that where sterilizing fluid was used mothers were less careful about washing their pump kits. I think gel is similar, and gives a false sense of security. And some people wash their hands by dipping them momentarily in cold water.

When I do wash mine I really wash them with hot water and soap and a proper rub. It takes ages for my hot water to run upstairs so if I've just had a wee in my own toilet I often can't be arsed. I don't flush either to save water, so at least I avoid the handle! Same if there's cold dribble of water and no soap in a public toilet.

Was once employed in a workplace where colleagues felt it was acceptable to fill up the kettle from the toilet sink

I'm not sure what you were worried about here.

I suppose I am assuming fellow employees are not poking bits of poo up the tap. I'm also presuming the water was boiled.

Was anyone else alarmed by this? I wouldn't have been

I missed that complex. I agree. It's what you do in a hotel isn't it, fill the teeny kettle in the bathroom sink?

Regular hand-washing is a good idea, particularly if you have small children or elderly relatives or a bump or other specific immunity concerns.

But I think it's ok to decide when you wash. Before preparing food, say, or before putting in contact lenses.

And I repeat that it is more important to dry hands (preferably on clean towel or paper towel) than use fancy antibac soap.

trixie123 the food which poisons people has to have the food poisoning bacteria in it. That comes from filthy people who think they don't need to wash their hands after using the toilet.

I wonder the non-washing, gel users are aware that gel does not kill the Norovirus.

I can not believe that some people here are using the fact that they have to touch a door again on their way out as justification for not hand washing!
FFS Roll your sleeve down over your hand if you must or push it with your shoulder.

I don't even understand the point of the needle rinsing thing or the dirty taps thing, surely if you are about to use soap and water to wash your hands then any small risk of something lurking on or around a sink will be washed away?

Hand washing is the single most effective thing you can do to protect against cross contamination of bacteria, yes, even in a grotty service station, still better than not doing it at all! Especially if you're just about to eat.

A question to all those non-washers using antibacterial gel to "clean" their hands- do you handle the outside of the little bottle with your bare unwashed hands before squirting it on and then shove the same germy bottle back inside your bag with your purse, keys etc? Yes? Thought so. Nice...

complexnumber I suppose I am assuming fellow employees are not poking bits of poo up the tap. Who knows?! I do know another colleague (different workplace) was caught pissing in the sink.

I'm also presuming the water was boiled. Right enough that was colleagues reply too - but they were tap touching to fill the kettle, then rifling around in a bag/caddy to get the tea bags for their tea.

Hopefully the office cleaner wasn't using the same cloth to wipe the toilet and sink either. Who knows?

CelticPromise and it is for the above reasons that I don't fill the kettle from the bathroom tap in a Hotel/B&B!

I rarely use public toilets anyway, but shatnersbassoon your post made me laugh!

I am one of those weird people who after washing my hands in the public toilet will then use my sleeve to open the door

If you use your sleeve then you could end up with the poo particules of millons living on your best primark sweater.

Better leave to leave the house as it is much safer and you can only be attacked by the poo of your nearest and dearest.

yes I do that too Crinkle77, or else I cover my hand in clean loo roll and open it that way.

Never underestimate the filth and opportunities to get infected in public toilets. Those who do not wash their hands are filthy skanks!

If you don't wash "because the door is dirty" then who exactly is making the door dirty for others? You, of course!

globalhandwashing.org/ghw-day

Lots of headlines because it global hand washing day.

I saw on TV once that even the quickest wipe of yer pooey bum with bog roll results in germs ON YOUR HANDS that have got through the paper

we are hand washers here, and my DC are the ones you will hear being sushed when they yell "that lady didn't wash her hands"

after a particularly dirty job like washing the bin or changing a nappy I might wash AND then handgel too

It's hard for bacteria to survive on cold metal such as door push panels and taps. Warm sweaty hands on the other hand...

look, the thing is, all you non washers who bleat "I never get ill though" may be the lucky ones with good immunity

but what about the elderly or very young or those with compromised immune systems - they are at risk from your germs on door handles, shopping trolleys, money etc etc not to mention the very real danger of worms, bleurgh!

It's pure laziness, either that or some of you just genuinely do not realise how mnay 1000s of bad germs per gram there are in poo - thats why it stinks!