AIBU to ask why you don't wash your hands?

[sadiekate]

People who don't wash their hands after they go to the toilet.
People who don't wash their hands before preparing/eating food.
People who don't wash their hands after changing nappies.
People who don't wash their hands after putting the bins out.
People who don't wash their hands after handling raw meat.
We all know we are supposed to do these things. And yet lots of people don't. If you don't, why? I promise I'm not intending to criticise anyone, I am just genuinely curious to know, given the risks not washing hands entails, why it isn't a habit for so many.

[Gunpowder]

I don’t think washing hands after you go to the loo is virtue signalling. It’s not the same as all the threads where people compete over how frequently they change their bed sheets, it’s basic hygiene and (conservatively) cuts tummy bugs by over 30% and colds by over 20%.

[Sametimesameplace]

I know people don’t wash their hands after using the toilet (exh never did) but I am surprised that so many admit it.

[WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam]

I don’t think washing hands after you go to the loo is virtue signalling

I agree, washing your hands isn’t virtue signalling!

But going out of your way to call people with different hygiene rituals/standards disgusting, vile, gross etc. is. You can clearly see the delight a lot of PP take in being able to show that they are the ones in the right and anyone else is objectively filthy.

[DragonsAndCakes]

I wouldn’t think to wash my hands after taking the bin out. Germs aren’t going to live long on a dry plastic bin with no food for them.
I’m very careful with raw chicken and if one of us has an actual tummy bug, but otherwise, we really aren’t going to catch pneumonia from a bin etc.

[altiara]

I wash my hands in all of these cases and would feel that my hands would be dirty if I didn’t. I have pets as well so I wash my hands a lot so I’m not covered in pet germs if I’m about to prepare/eat food. And I’m pretty sure I get more than enough bacteria around with pets and children.
Interesting seeing how others choose not to wash hands but use hand santitiser as I hate the stuff and prefer hot soapy water (no skin conditions though).

[Hideandgo]

people are brainwashed by advertising regarding germs. I always wash my hands after a public toilet and handling meat or gardening or changing a pooy nappy. Usually after the toilet at home but due to all the washing hands with nappies I have cracked and very painful fingers, even now in summer but worse in winter so I take considered risk at other times.

Most food is cooked so that solves germs there regardless.

I always think it’s amazing that people Don’t realise how influenced they are about this topic. Antibacterial washing powder anyone?

[lifeisaboutcreatingyourself]

I wonder how many frequent hand-washers let their dogs lick their face 🤔

[Thatbloodydog]

What @Fueledwithfairydustandgin said.

[WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam]

Some people might weigh it up and decide that the hassle of washing their hands an extra ten or fifteen times per day than they are already (and possibly exacerbating skin issues, increasing water bill, taking time they are short of) just isn’t worth getting one less cold every few years (based on your 20% figure and someone getting a cold twice per year).

And yes there’s the herd mentality of reducing bugs overall so people who are immune suppressed can go out with less risk, can’t really argue with that (though those people will obviously be making their own efforts to maintain high standards of hygiene instead of just hoping everyone else has been washing their hands). But I get the impression the kinds of PP who love to express disbelief and judgment towards other people’s hygiene practices care a bit less about that and a bit more about having an opportunity to make the point that they are squeaky clean and virtuous and everyone else is disgusting.

These threads are so predictable.

[Loonoon]

I quite often don't wash my hands in public loos because the push/automatic taps only deliver a trickle of lukewarm water, there's often no soap available and then you only get a substandard hot air dryer that doesn't dry properly. These warm, moist conditions incubate bacteria. When I wash my hands I do it thoroughly and I dry them properly not a quick rinse and wipe as is the only option in many public loos.

[Lethaldrizzle]

Or how do these germ phobes have sex? Are all willies or genitals thoroughly washed before they come near you or your mouth. Or is oral 'disgusting' too!

[madmomma]

They just can't be arsed. It's foul.

[WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam]

Loonoon That’s why I just stick to using gel after the toilet when I’m out. The majority of public bathrooms have such awful sinks that only run when you’re holding down the tap. As soon as you let go the water stops. What’s the point? You can’t rub your hands together under the tap. I’d rather just leave and quickly gel my hands while I’m getting on with my day than stand there for ages having to repeatedly hold down a button for water.

[madmomma]

Oh and everyone seems to think they know better than scientifically proven NHS handwashing advice

[Fatted]

My mum has OCD and is a compulsive hand washer. If anything it's made me somewhat lax about it.

[FASH84]

I wash mine after the loo and when doing food prep, we don't have wheelie bins in our area, and I take out the recycling and DH does the other bins (he goes to work later than me and recycling is collected earlier and if we live black bin bags on the street for too long cats etc rip them open) so I don't always wash my hands after that, it's just a pink bag with cardboard, and washed out glass and plastic in it. I also tend to rinse my hands with the hose in the garden and only full wash when I'm done gardening for the day, as I mainly wear gloves unless doing something fiddly, which DH never used to comment on but has recently.

[MilkTrayLimeBarrel]

I wear rubber gloves to take the bins out and still wash my hands afterwards!

[Loonoon]

The places that really annoy me are the NHS facilities that have patronising signs detailing the correct way to wash your hands including rubbing the hands together in the correct way, stuck over taps that will only dispense water if you are pushing the tap down with one hand.

[TheFirstMrsDV]

If more people washed their hands more often in my house I wouldn't have to keep washing fecking walls and handrails.
Grubby feckers.

[LakieLady]

Don't you use a bit of loo roll to dry your bits after a wee? Decades ago at school I remember our biology teacher telling us that germs pass through the loo paper.

I blot, using 2 sheets if it's good quality bog roll or 3 sheets if it's thin cheap stuff. But my hands don't actually make contact with my undercarriage, and my pubes aren't so wet that the piss soaks through the paper. I don't think pee is much of a hygiene risk, tbh.

Always wash my hands after having a dump though, and I'm scrupulous about kitchen hygiene.

[SentToTheSynByn]

I work for the NHS, so I wash my hands approx eleventy billion times a day. We are not allowed long nails, false nails or more than One plain ring.

I realised when I started this job - and did hand hygiene training - that I hadn't been washing my hands properly.

[SentToTheSynByn]

Also learnt that if you wet your hands before putting soap on your hands get less dry.

[Strugglingtodomybest]

I've always wondered why you would wash your hands after a wee. Is everyone else weeing on their hands or something? I can see why men need to, but I don't touch anything whilst weeing so why the need to wash?