To think if you don't wash your hands properly you might as well not bother?

[Emotional101]

Had to queue for ages for the toilet today and much of the queue was by the sink area. I think we saw 20+ people wash their hands and over half of them didn't use any soap, some barely even used any water .

There was lots of soap available at every sink so not sure why they didn't use it especially with so many people watching.

I don't see the point in splashing water on your hands for 2 seconds....either wash them properly with soap or don't bother IMO.

AIBU?

If you don't use soap (assuming you haven't got bad eczema etc) why not?

I feel your pain. My mum diddles her fingers under the tap for seconds and calls that washed :-. We no longer eat at hers because we were constantly getting upset stomachs. Bleurgh!

I can't use those bathroom soaps, I rinse quickly then use the gel in my bag.

YABU

A half-hearted wash is better than no wash at all.

I wash fairly quickly, rubbing vigorously - but only in cold water. A microbiologist once advised me that warm damp temperatures is exactly what most bacteria need to multiply, and would only ever use cold water.

Not sure of the chemical effectiveness of soap, though I do use a little - it's mainly fat, isn't it, with a little detergent . . . which breaks down fats. Better to use alcoholic gel to sanitise, I think. I keep some in my bag to use after I have got out of the loo - pulling on the door handle which is covered in other people's germs is the worst bit, I think

Soaps and detergents act by breaking down oils and fats and bacteria have cell membranes containing lipids - which are fats.

Water isn't enough, it needs to be soapy water.

This makes uncomfortable reading, especially when you consider the very poor drying facilities in mant public lavatories.

www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/cruiselines/hand_hygiene_general.htmL

Reminds me of when I was queuing for a loo with my niece who was at that time 4. someone came out a cubicle and headed for the door.

ewwwww pipes up the bold girl 'Auntie Glitter that lady never washed her hands after her wee - that's filthy '

Exit one very red faced lady as the rest of the queue sniggered at my nieces honesty

Every other person who exited while we were there washed and dried their hands - clearly wanting to avoid the embarrassment

Link wouldn't work for me Echt

I can't make it work either, Google Handwashing saves lives, it's from the CDC website.

Who was judging you, Snapechat?

I would think most people don't wash their hands 'properly' (meaning in line with current guidance). I once did a course with an environmental health officer whose guidance for hand washing was even stricter than the CDC that has been linked to above. It involved washing the tap and then using a paper towel to turn off the tap etc. I guess if you'd seen the things she'd seen, which were unequivocally disgusting, you'd be extra careful.

YANBU, I cringe when I see people not wash their hands properly then stick them under the hand dryer. All the bacteria left on their hands will be multiplying under the heat of the dryer . If you're not going to do it properly just don't bother.

YANBU, I cringe when I see people not wash their hands properly then stick them under the hand dryer. All the bacteria left on their hands will be multiplying under the heat of the dryer . If you're not going to do it properly just don't bother.

YANBU, I cringe when I see people not wash their hands properly then stick them under the hand dryer. All the bacteria left on their hands will be multiplying under the heat of the dryer . If you're not going to do it properly just don't bother.

Oops, sorry

Agree. My bloody sil makes a big song and dance about washing her kids' hands every time our dog even so much as looks at them - but just tends to rinse under a cold kitchen tap. Meanwhile, our filthy toddler is retrieving stuff from the evil dog's slobbering jaws and playing with her outside (supervised, of course).

I try and avoid public loos at all costs but if I have to I wash with soap, dry with paper towel if poss and try not to touch the door handle on the way out because of what you describe OP.

Yanbu rinsing with water is a sure fire way of guaranteeing that everyone of the germs you're harbouring with multiply with gusto you need soap! Of course you need soap! Would a surgeon rinse then operate of course not they'd use soap followed by more soap before considering an anti bac gel.

All you rinsers are mingling

I'd say more than half the people I've seen come out of the toilet whilst I'm waiting to go in don't wash their hands at all. I don't touch the door handles with my bare hands on my way out of toilets because of those disgusting twats. There should be handwashing police IMO

An old friend of mine said that she didn't make her children wash their hands because being too clean was causing super germs

May I suggest that you never go to France? In four years of living there, I never once saw a French woman wash her hands after using the loo, whether it was in the office, a restaurant, the shops or anywhere.

Mrsschadenfreude my sil is French! Makes a big fuss about cleanliness but never quite gets into all the corners ams is obviously trying to prove a point. Mind you, makes a lot of noise about food and doesn't eat either - but at least hands are rinsed before a meal eh?!

Maybe if there was a child pointing it out loudly in all the toilets then people would wash more carefully!