Do you worry about your coat or bag being contaminated in public toilets?

[PloughingOnward]

When you use a public toilet, if you hang your bag or coat in the cubicle. Touch the lock on the door, and touch your bag or coat because you have to to get out of the cubicle and then are able to wash your hands. But your coat and bag now have germs on from the cublicle - does that mean you avoid putting your bag down on your coffee table at home? Hang your coat somewhere separate from other clothes?

Or sitting on public transport seats, then sitting on your own sofa at night without getting changed - is this unsanitary?

Maybe worry is too strong a word but how do you manage the hygiene around this?

I know Mumsnet has a deep dislike for people saying they are "a bit OCD" but I have diagnosed anxiety with OCD traits - just not a diagnosis of OCD. My anxiety is kicking off and my mind is racing so I have a gp appointment booked, but in the meantime I'm trying to pep talk sense into myself. How do other people deal with these germ risks?

Yes, that sounds like genuine OCD and something problematic that would require medical support. Are you getting that? Sounds like you need a little more support. Might be a good idea to discuss with your GP.

Do you have health anxiety? There are germs everywhere .. not just in toilets . I don't have any such worries but it's normal to not want to touch someone else's wee etc so I avoid putting my very nice bag on the floor .

I wouldn't set my handbag on a coffee table or table anyway. But the rest of it I wouldn't give a second thought to. Regular handwashing is all that we need to keep dangerous germs at bay. Feeling anxious about germs on eg the seats on a train then transferring to your sofa is not in the realms of everyday hygiene, that sounds much more like your anxiety talking.

In the toilets I use a piece of tissue to lock the door and flush the loo etc. I do the same with the door handle because they're always pull doors on the way out which is bizarre. I do, however, have ocd.

No it doesn't worry me at all. I wash my hands, but not particularly careful otherwise.

I am rarely ill so I must be doing something right.

I do op and could have written your post. You're not alone x

Yes, I have health anxiety. It manifests in a couple of ways, but the contamination is the big one kicking my arse at the minute. Don't know why. It's just arisen and things don't feel properly "safe" like normal.

I'd NEVER put my bag on the floor! Couldn't cope with that. But normally I can rationalise to myself that using the hook on the back of the door is perfectly OK and not gross or risky.

Have decided to go back on medication.

Yes. I feel like an acrobatic queen in a public toilet, especially in winter.

Well I don't like it but it doesn't influence how I use public toilets, I admit I do find it about baffling when people dump e.g. bags onto a tablecloth (that have been on loo floor, bus floor etc) or dog lead dragged through park mud then happily put a bread roll 30 minutes later onto the Same tablecloth... Looking at you , in laws!

So yes OP I get it , but generally try to avoid anything overtly manky... Just suck the rest up, a bit of germ exposure isn't a bad thing

I wear gloves to use supermarket trolley in the winter. Just getting over a nasty chest infection now so really do not need any more germs before xmas. I buy cheap gloves in threes, I am always losing one. Keep in the car, handbag, table in hall. Handbag on loo floor is not great.

"I admit I do find it about baffling when people dump e.g. bags onto a tablecloth (that have been on loo floor, bus floor etc) or dog lead dragged through park mud then happily put a bread roll 30 minutes later onto the Same tablecloth... Looking at you , in laws!"

This would finish me off completely

I'm sorry to those of you who are anxious about this stuff too, it's a completely exhausting way to live. That's what's struck me today - I'm really tired of beig in a high state of worry so regularly at the moment. All the energy to have to rationalise and talk sensibly to myself to try to function without all these "what if" X awful thing happens.

I hold my bag on my lap in public toilets and hold it under my arm while pulling up knickers etc. I don't put my bag on tables. Other than that, I just wash my hands and follow basic kitchen hygiene.

madmum how does that work? Surely if you touch the trolley handle then handle the shopping/bags you're transferring the germs anyway?

This isn't meant to be facitious, it's just not something that's ever bothered me so haven't taken such steps myself, but Im interested to know your process.
Wouldn't giving the trolley handle a quick anti bac wipe at the start of the shop work better?

I don’t but it has crossed my mind that it’s a bit weird having sensor flushes but still having to unlock the door with your hands.
I had OCD when I was very young but I’m lucky enough now that thoughts of germs and contamination don’t bother me in the least.
I do absolutely hate having to put my bag on the floor in public toilets but that’s primarily because a shockingly large percentage of the population don’t seem able to piss in the bowl and there’s god knows what all over the floor.

I use my sleeve to open locks on loo doors, my elbow to push doors open.
But of tissue to flush when there is a handle.

No because I don't eat off my bag or coat.

If there's a hook for my bag, I'll use it and I don't put my bag on tables or work tops but I don't get stressed about where its been.

Now supermarket trollies are grim and I have got ill from those before so I do always wash my hands thoroughly between touching one and eating something (that was the mistake I made when I got sick, I pushed the trolley straight into the cafe and ate a cake. Always stop off at the loo now in between for a hand wash)

Op, whilst I don't get anxious about germs and cleanliness I do have (diagnosed) anxiety which is kicked off by other things (work, mainly. And also if someone thinks I have done something wrong. Combo of the two, eg getting called out for a typo means big anxiety for me!)

It is exhausting. Anxiety is very draining on the body as it's constantly processing high levels of adrenaline. Your energy is used up quickly as you're staying in a fight or flight mode. Your muscles are tensed ready to leap into action.

If the medication can releave that for you then yes, you'll likely find you have more energy. (I have propranolol)

I must admit that this issue has crossed my mind on occasion. But I try not to get too hung up on it otherwise it would drive me mad. I just make sure that I wash my hands thoroughly after using a public toilet. And once I'm at home,I don't put my handbag or shopping bags on tables or work tops,only on the floor.

I've said this before...I do not understand the theory of using your sleeve to open toilet doors. Then I am left with a dirty sleeve for the rest of the day. If I use my hand, I will be washing it again several times throughout the day, or could use a hand gel.

I never worry about this at all. I wash hands well and follow basic hygiene rules. That's it.

This doesn't bother me, on the grounds that I'm not actually getting ill all the time and my immune system must therefore be doing what it's supposed to. I sometimes think about it, then put it back on the long list of things I have where worrying won't help.

Also included are Brexit, public sector funding, whether or not my contraceptive pill will work, the noises my car makes and climate change.

All of the above my well have bad/non ideal consequences, but my life is not improved and the problem not solved by worrying about them.

I use a piece of toilet paper to lock / open the door. Would not place my bag on the floor / most have hooks. Use toilet paper to flush the handle. I don't class myself ocd .

I don't have OCD but don't touch anything in public toilets as a rule - coat on, bag (crossbody) on me, use toilet paper to touch things and cover seat. Then tp or paper towel on door handle to get out, which I then chuck on the floor inside as I leave - don't like to litter but don't know what else I can do with it. As 90% of toilets have door handles you have to touch to get out (what idiots design these places?), it somewhat negates handwashing. When I get out I use wet wipe and/or antibac gel on hands. Lots of things I find unhygienic such as outdoor shoes/dogs etc on sofa/bed, suitcases on bed, shopping bags on kitchen surfaces etc ... yuk. DH and I always get changed as soon as we are home, as we don't like to sit on sofa/bed etc in clothes we've been wearing in the car or at the office. I'm not saying anyone gets ill from doing these things OP, it's just personal preferences. You are not unusual in your habits!

I just don't think about it really.

I don't have ocd. When I use a public loo that's in a state however I think it's good sense to try to limit what I touch. I am good at keeping my coat and nah on me while using the loo.