Neighbour's plastic cup and Covid19

[Annarosez]

I have OCD and was just wondering how a "normal person" would deal with this!

A few days ago when it was recycling collection day a plastic cup from one of our neighbour's recycling bags was blown by the wind onto our front lawn. With Covid-19 spreading through both saliva and droplets, this made me a bit concerned (i.e. a relatively large amount of saliva like that could easily contain thousands+ viral particles and it can last on plastics for 3-9 days) so I left it for 3/4 days and then we've just poked the cup down into the street (with a stick) close to our bin for bin collection tomorrow. This obviously looks a bit insane and got me wondering what everyone else would do?

I'd have tried to move it telepathically by focusing my brainwaves through my tin-foil hat.

I would pick it up from the base (so as far as away from where someone's mouth may have been as possible) and then gone and washed my hands thoroughly straight away.

I would have delivered to next door's doorstep & neglected to wash my hands afterwards. I obviously don't worry about small stuff.

Oh and my thoughts and blessings go out to everyone with these symptoms or whose families are ill xx

Thanks @Gwenhwyfar, it really wasn't my litter. :)

Also sorry I forget who mentioned it but yes I've had quite a lot of treatment/therapy including time in hospital.

Hi @Myshitisreal :) Hope you're coping ok!

Honestly, it's perfectly safe to pick it up and bin it and then wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap; that will kill any germs. I don't want to sound dismissive (I have different MH issues myself), but you really will be okay.

Op, I have OCD and I will not touch cups in cafes etc unless I can hold at the bottom and wash hands straight away. At home if I'm particularly concerned I would wear gloves. I think I would of gone for picking it up away from the rim and then washing hands.

Thanks @Gwenhwyfar, it really wasn't my litter.

Originally it wasn't your litter but you were the one who threw it in the street, so yes you were littering.

I have a not very severe case of OCD and I wouldn't pick something like that up with bare hands. I use food prep gloves or a plastic bag over my hand, and bag everything up.

Gloves, bin, wash hands.

Rocket science

@WorraLiberty give OP a break - I dont think her initial thought would of been about whether she was potentially littering (especially when it wasnt her rubbish). OCD is a horrible mental health issue that has no rational to it so what may seem straight forward to you is not often the case with someone suffering with OCD

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend that's so unnecessarily rude

cherrybunx0 of course it wasn't her initial thought.

But now after the event, she has started a thread to discuss it.

Which if it's ok with you, MNetters are actually doing.

OP didnt ask if they were littering, that wasnt the question behind the thread atall. no need to be so defensive

Sorry about your OCD, but to have close contact with cup covered in saliva - do you think your neighbour licked the cup all over before it ended up in your garden? I think putting it in loose the street was a bit unreasonable. A few people have asked you now as you've said 'we' and 'our' - why didn't you ask another household member to pick this up rather than litter the street?