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.

@WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam

I hope that wasn't aimed at me as I was genuinely explaining my lived experience, I don't need pity or whatever, it's a diagnoses condition/illness and in no way do I make others feel bad for whatever they choose to do. People with mental health conditions don't need your pity, it doesn't serve you or them

If you're going to write posts directed at others, perhaps make it direct? I hate passive aggressive calling outs, say it with your chest and whoever it was aimed at, maybe we could have a discussion

Yes, it's totally not a way to live, I did not choose it and it differs from people who are 'passing judgement'/comparing as what the OP asked I answered, including my condition as to some on here, would appear 'extreme'

The only pearls I clutch are pearls of wisdom.

I wash my hands a lot..... but I still got the average number of colds / coughs etc. Randomly I went abroad last year to the middle east and washed my hands even more whilst there, and when I came home I just carried on. I have not been sick now for a year. Literally not a cough, sneeze, cold, virus, eye infection - not a jot. This is literally the longest period of time I have ever not been ill for, so I think it is connected.

I wash my hands after going to the kids school, going to the shop, esp after handling money, after the loo, emptying bins etc - but mainly when Ive been in contact with other things that ill people might have touched - rails on buses / trains / door knobs etc and as I said I have not been ill once. As well as basic hygiene, I think it stops you getting sick - so why wouldnt you do it?

I don't wash my hands after touching door handles etc. Or after putting out rubbish in our bin. Or not that much, apparently. Wonder how much germs are actually on my hands then?

No JudoChop, it definitely wasn’t aimed at you (though I can see why it must have seemed that way), OCD is a serious health condition and I would never comment on or make light of that.

I didn’t name names as there were too many PP to be able to. I completely understand fear of contamination as part of OCD, and it sounds so difficult to live with.

My post was aimed at people who seem to have hysterical levels of anxiety and fear around the perceived hygiene levels of other people, which to my knowledge (only based on their posts) wasn’t related to OCD.

I only know a few people personally with OCD (most with contamination issues, one with intrusive thoughts only) and even they don’t seem to take this much delight in putting others down or judging others to be ‘vile’ because they do things differently!

I am now thinking of how the handrails on stairs and buses and counters in public places are all probably covered in piss of these delightful MN posters above.

Funnily enough, I don't piss on my hands, and I use enough bog roll when blotting to ensure that the piss doesn't seep through.

I'm sure that most people are the same.

And as you say, it differs quite significantly from people who are just passing judgment.

I have a MH disorder myself, a different one to OCD but not one I would wish on my worst enemy.

I think it’s telling that as someone with clinical OCD you still don’t need to judge or name call others. There are a lot of people on this thread who could learn some dignity.

I don't wash mine much.

Usually when I go the loo in public, but hardly ever at home.

Always wash after touching raw meat though.

I still shudder when I recall seeing someone come out of the loo at work, not wash her hands, touch the door handles / door then walk straight to the shared photocopier / printer.

When we moved into big open plan offices there was so much illness because of this sort of stuff.

I am now thinking of how the handrails on stairs and buses and counters in public places are all probably covered in piss of these delightful MN posters above.

I had my first stomach upset at the age of 48. That was campylobacter and the source was found to be poor hygiene at a pub we'd had a meal in. I got a winter vomitting bug just over a year later and the only other stomach problem I've had was a dose of the squits that only lasted a couple of years.

I'm 62 now, so I reckon my resistance to bugs must be pretty good to only have 3 episodes of D/V type things in over 60 years.

I used to be famous for my ability to drink several pints of cloudy real ale, follow it up with a curry and never have any ill-effects. And I drank tap water in Mexico and lived to tell the tale!

It is gross to not wash your hands after going to the loo. It just is.
It is unhygienic to eat or prepare food with hands that haven't been washed.
How would you feel if you worked in an office and someone came over to do something to your computer and he hadn't washed his hands after having a pee and eaten a greasy burger?

People don’t wash their hands after going to the loo? 🤢😷

According to this thread a lot of people don’t think they need to.

I only don't wash occasionally in those situations (mainly food/bins), usually because I forget, am in a hurry and/or am not near a sink.

I have severe obsessive compulsive disorder, have done since i was 5, so i am obsessive about washing my hands. Knowing other people don't wash their hands after the toilet is the most grim and disgusting thing.

Genitals are dirty with germs, every time you use the toilet, germs get left behind, which breed and multiply very quickly, especially in the warm conditions of a groin. Unless you can magically undress without touching your clothing, use the toilet, not wipe, and re dress without touching your clothing, you DO get germ transfer on to your hands, and you then transfer those germs on anything you touch.

I even wash the tap after turning it on and washingg my hands, then wash my hands again, just so the germs i transfered to the tap when i turned it on with my dirty hands, dont transfer back on to me.

I use antibacterial wipes pretty obsessively throughout the day too, not just on objects but my hands.

Although i don't specifically wash my hands before eating. I'll get up off my sofa, go grab a packet of crisps, pre packed sandwich, a pasty out the fridge etc, and don't wash my hands first. All of your other examples though, absolutely.

@WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam

Ok just wanted to check as I would have explained anyway about the non judgement etc

Plus, I guess I thought it was about what I wrote as your post was after mine haha

To be honest I wish I could relax a bit more about contamination, having my son a few years ago didn't even help the condition (I struggled when family wanted to feed/change him but not wash hands before and after, the times I had to nudge DP to articulate to them as I had difficulty and thoughts about it being rude etc) but now he's in school I've calmed down a bit and not too bad in regards to what he does (only intense with myself)

Sorry if I seemed defensive, OCD isn't the only condition I'm dealing with (surprise surprise) but find others (when they see me do certain things) 'weird' and it's hard... sorry (again!) not a pity post

I always wash my hands in all the situations you mention OP - I also wash them whenever I come back home, and whenever I come back to the office after being out and about. Otherwise I feel grubby.

Seem mostly to avoid getting ill with colds/flu/gastric things.

Oddly enough, though, I am happy to stroke the cat and then eat a biscuit without feeling the need to wash. Almost as if I think my cat is "clean" somehow! [he's not bad really]

Does everybody wash their hands after handling money? It is I believe one of the dirtiest things around. I think I remember some studies that said cocaine traces were found on a large %age of notes. Also working in retail I can confirm that people do indeed get money from out of their bra, socks and knotted hankies.

Some one once told me that almost every adult hand you touch has had a penis in it at some point

Cats are very clean but they lick their bottoms.

Not defensive at all JudoChop! I’d have thought the same. And I imagine you do get a lot of stupid and insensitive comments, I’m glad you asked instead of just assuming I’m a lost cause :)

I wash my hands a lot for this reason though, I don't trust others to have done the job, either properly or at all

I rarely think about germs on other people. It just never occurs to me that other people are carrying germs unless they are sneezing or coughing.

I’m vigilant about washing my hands after toilet, before handling food, before feeding baby, after handling bins, etc etc.

But for some reason I very rarely wash hands after changing babies nappy. I used to see people changing nappies and not wash their hands and think it was gross. And now I do it myself. I think it’s because I never actually touch anything except the clean side of the wipe. I really should start washing them though.

I can't imagine not washing hands in all the situations you mention OP. To all those people who say "my immune system is just fine" because you've got grubby fingers all the time then great, but personally the very thought of having someone prepare my meal when they've just wiped their arse is pretty disgusting. Fine if you want to kill yourself with food poisoning but not so great when you inflict it on someone else - gross!!

@myotherprofile ........I also have a shit memory as well as eczema so sometimes i forget cream, or i run out.
@dinosn0re i respect your decision to prefer sore hands over germy ones, my decision would be the opposite on the few occasions that happens.