AIBU to ask about your hand washing habits

[Cheesycrumpets]

I know this is going to make some people furious, but does everyone, honestly always wash their hands after going to the loo? I definitely don't after a wee, and (to my shame) even loiter a couple of seconds extra in other people's bathrooms so they'll think I have. The exception is I ALWAYS wash my hands in public toilets - because of the public shame!

Tell me I'm not alone

It's an odd one for me because even at my PiL house I can't wash my hands unless there's a clean towel. It's a germ thing for me. When DH and I were dating he'd have to wait outside and give me a clean towel if I needed the loo. But if he's not there then I won't as I find it too odd a thing for PiL to understand with me (it's literally something I'll cry about for no other reason than I hate using other people's towels and it's stupid but still)
Baby wipes are a godsend honestly. Hate antibacterial gel as it makes food taste weird later on.
Public toilets are a no-go for hand washing unless they're the automatic ones and have hand dryers that you don't have to touch...

I absolutely always do, but I work in healthcare.

I used to work in Environmental Health and they used to test ice buckets and machines. The stuff that the lab grew came from the digestive tract ergo via people not hand washing after toileting. It was a VERY common failure even in otherwise clean bars and restaurants.

Not washing hands after using the toilet is very common! And because of the bacteria growth, very disgusting.

I always wash my hands after going to the toilet and so do my children. My DD is only 4 and even she knows to was her her hands after going to the loo without being reminded.
Even if you think you're "not touching anything" your hands are still coming into contact with faecal matter when you flush- unless you can absolutely guarantee that every single person who flushes the chain uses the hand they haven't wiped with. I'm sorry but it's just disgusting not to wash your hands. This is why stomach bugs spread so rapidly.

Not just talking about it in the context of this thread Afuna, but in general. There's such a level of abject horror expressed at anyone acknowledging they don't wash their hands every time they use the loo it doesn't match up to the stats about how many people actually do.

I could have just avoided posting but I felt bad for the OP and knew that those who do it every time (or claim to) are so vocal and outraged I wouldn't want her to get the impression she's some kind of freak or the only one :)

Yes I wash my hands every single time with soap. But I do admit I have some personal demons wrt germs so I err on the side of caution. I would t expect anyone else to wash their hands as often as I do but after the toilet isn't excessive IMO. That should always happen.

You don't need a clean towels to wash your hands though just wash them and shake them off.

Every single time with soap. Am aghast people don't!

I always do and I think most women do. DH says loads of men don't. I find that grim.

Wash my hands every time. A bit gross thinking of how many people don't .

Absolutely do but I am the wrong person to ask as I am verging on OCD with hand washing. I would estimate I wash my hands 30-40 times per day.🤔 I have to wash again as soon as they feel "Dry" as I like them to feel soft and supple as they do directly after washing and for around 30 minutes.

This is why you must never eat peanuts at a bar ,blerk!!

I wash my hands every time after going to the toilet. Always with soap.

I do feel disgusted by people who don't do this.

It makes me feel queasy to think that people will use public toilets and touch door knobs etc after going to the toilet and not washing their hands.

Thanks for responses. Very interesting!

I don't understand hanging around in bathrooms pretending to wash your hands instead of just washing your hands? You mightn't think they need it but what harm can it do if you're going to spending that time by the sink anyway? do you go as far as to turn the taps on? You do realise people can hear if the taps are on or not so you mightn't be fooling as any friends as you think!

I always wash my hands.

Just because your hands don't look dirty, doesn't mean they're clean! Germs can't be seen with the naked eye. Also:
Urine is not sterile, even before it comes out of you and gets contaminated by your skin. Bacteria are present at low levels in the urine of healthy people not suffering from a urinary tract infection, Evann Hilt of Loyola University of Chicago reported May 18 at a conference of the American Society for Microbiology

At home, no. Out and about, yes, cause people are manky and door handles are manky.

Yuck this is why i wash my hands twice with dettol soap when i get indoors - i don't know who has been around who has been touching the same things as me during the day without washing their hands after wiping their genitals. Aaaaaargh. And yes i always wash my hands after going to the toilet. And i wouldn't loiter pretending to wash them when i could just actually wash them instead. Grim and dirty.

What pp says - yep people are manky.

At home, no. Out and about, yes, cause people are manky and door handles are manky

So you're not manky then? What about your door handles ?

I wash my hands every time I use the toilet. And about 50 more times in the day. After I clean, lots during cooking, after being outside, before I eat, after I eat, just constantly really.
You should wash your hands after the toilet, you could make yourself and others ill.

I wash my hands every time but then usually use hand sanitizer once i have left the bathroom as well (only in public).

My thought process is even if i am washing my hands, there are those that don't (like the OP) and i would then have their germs on my hands once i have opened the door etc.

@dame people who don't wash their hands are manky. Don't try to suggest otherwise.

I wash my hands after all of my toilet visits, all of DDs toilet visits (and hers), before eating, when I arrive home or at work after commuting, when I'm cooking and touching raw things, when I'm doing housework and touching dirty plates or clothes... I don't get sick much.

There was a post on this very subject a couple of months back. At work we watched videos on the "aerosol effect,"when you pee (or poo) contaminated water comes out of the loo in minute droplets, lands on you, your clothes, hands, etc, when you flush the loo, not every single drop goes down the pipe. Think about every surface touched in public, horrible to think of peoples bodily wastes resting on them, because they dont wash their hands yuk.

You must be one of those people who I would look at with disdain coming out of the loo and want to shout 'wash your bloody hands' after... I always wash mine wherever I am. There is no excuse.

But what you do in your own home is up to you - you must love the thought of getting food poisoning or being ill from your own bodily fluids..