<Ashamed> to avoid using hand towels in other people's bathrooms?

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

It occurred to me that I always do this - just let them drip dry instead, because I never know how recently the towel was changed. Anyone else have any ridiculous hygiene obsessions? (Oh, I also use my little finger to open doors when out and about, rather than sacrifice my whole hand to The Germs)

It's never crossed my mind. But then I've never noticed a grubby hand towel at a friend's.

@lidoshuffle thought only I did this with the pull cord

I dry my hands on the back or inside of the towel in a bit that hasn't been used yet.

I'm a midwife. At work I wash and dry my hands thoroughly according to protocol .

At home I couldn't give a flying fuck. Seriously people, lighten up! You need to be exposed to germs to build a healthy immune system. Drying your hands on a dubious towel won't give you and your entire family anthrax. It won't even give your norovirus. It won't infect everyone you come into contact with with Something Unpleasant.
Honestly.

I have diagnosed ocd... Think about the last thing the previous person touched before they turned the tap on and the last thing they touch after washing their hands, then they use a towel!!!

But I struggle with busses, trains, taxis, ticket and cash machines, Pull cords, light switches, power points, cash, keys, dish cloths, sponges, cups and spoons. Aeroplanes, public phones and toilets are definitely out! Don't get me started on colour coordination, planning and emergency procedures... I have very good help though!!

I do the same.

I use tissue to open doors then throw the tissue

Truly bizarre. Your immune system HAS to come into contact with new bacteria in order to develop an immunity...... Embrace the bacteria!

Isn't using your sleeve to open a door more unhygienic than just using your hand? I will wash my hands several more times that day, including before I eat or prepare any food but I will potentially be walking around with a sleeve full of whatever disgusting things people think lurk on door handles for the rest of the day or longer if I use my coat sleeve that doesn't get washed often.

I could not be arsed .....

FoggieFishie, I doubt that many people would dispute the need to wash your hands after going to the loo. The question is whether it's really necessary to make such an issue about using a towel to dry them.

I use loo roll to dry my hands. Always pull the cord from as high as I can reach. Always put my sleeve over my hands to open doors, if Im out.

Oh god, this is me too. I have always been good at washing my hands but after a really nasty stomach bug that left me almost comatose in agony on my sofa for 6 weeks last year, I decided to be really careful. So I always wash my hands when I come into the house, right before I eat anything and I try to be careful about touching my face when my hands haven't just been washed. Paranoid, but I can't ever feel like that again! And I haven't had a single stomach bug or even a cold all year (touch wood, still a day to go!) so it has clearly helped.

I'd be disgusted by a single towel in a restaurant loo too.

I don’t have anxiety issues or worry about things but I do a lot of the things listed. A manky hand towel is revolting.

Lidoshuffle!! Me too!!

Having had serious food poisoning as a teenager I take hygiene seriously. I know my immune system does the bulk of the work but there's no reason not to take precautions where possible. I always wash my hands when I arrive home or at the office so as not to bring in anything I've touched on public transport, door handles etc., and I always wash my hands before food prep or eating.

Seaside and cracker, is there ocd threads on here? I'm a cleaner, germs stress me beyond belief and I know it's all irrational, but the thoughts can't be shifted!

What happens if you have hand towel(s) but a large group of people at the house for the evening?

Do you swap them for clean ones during the evening?

To avoid damp hand towels?

Isn't using your sleeve to open a door more unhygienic than just using your hand? I will wash my hands several more times that day, including before I eat or prepare any food but I will potentially be walking around with a sleeve full of whatever disgusting things people think lurk on door handles for the rest of the day or longer if I use my coat sleeve that doesn't get washed often.

I really wish you hadn't pointed that out

wonderstar1216 I haven't found one yet, maybe we should start one. It's almost impossible to really change your behaviour without help, I tried and tried but I couldn't see that I was just exchanging obsessive patterns that all lead back to the same place. I had CBT with an OCD specialist on the NHS and that was life changing, it's still a process but I am a lot better!

IhaveChillyToes yes, multiple towels out with replacements on standby! Guests more than welcome to help themselves to a fresh clean one if they choose to!

I read an article written by a doctor several years ago who said that he avoids getting ill by never touching his face. I try to follow this and I'm rarely ill. It doesn't matter what germs are on your hands, they won't affect you if you keep them away from your face and wash your hands before eating food.

I rarely wash my hand after using the loo. I don’t smooge my fanjo in passing, so I haven’t touched anything.

I read somewhere the other day that fecal matter penetrates 10 layers deep into loo roll, so imagine how far it goes into towels.

I can be a bit fussy about towels as I remember getting sour smelling hands after using the towel in my aunt's house which had been damp for ever. Though all my towels are the same so no one would know whether they were different.

Yes, I've always thought opening doors with your sleeve is pretty disgusting - like wiping your nose with your sleeve.... Why, if you are worried about germs, are you deliberately smearing them all over your sleeve instead of your washable hands? And why use toilet paper either, when that could be splashed with all sorts of things sitting next to the toilet, could have rolled across a dirty floor, has been touched by filthy hands... All the rituals people go through in someone else's toilet are generally just pointless rituals, unless they have filthy, diseased friends, in which case they should be terrified of the rest of the house, too, and avoid eating and drinking there!!

Maelstrop

I see the pearl clutching fastidious mumsnetters are out in force again.

How on earth do you cope with leaving the house?

"I rarely wash my hand after using the loo. I don’t smooge my fanjo in passing, so I haven’t touched anything."

Maelstrop that is disgusting and grim

If you're so worried about not using their hand towel incase they haven't washed their hands properly, how on earth do you cope in their house in general? I assume if you're there you'll be sat in their chairs, drinking from their cups which they've touched, eating food they've prepared, etc all with the same hands.