I am not very good at sanitising

[Sleepyquest]

AIBU to not

-wash my shopping
-leave parcels outside for 3 days

• wear gloves to open the post

I feel like so many people on mumsnet are being super cautious and my view is that if I were to catch CV off the orange juice carton then I'd be EXTREMELY unlucky. I just can't be bothered with all the sanitising of everything and there would always be something that was missed.

So AIBU? Should we all be steam cleaning our front doors daily and what not?

[BetteDavisWeLuvU]

I do these things but I've battled with heath anxiety for years. I know the risk is low especially now. But its a small thing that mls me feel better.

Although not sure at the beginning though a baby group friend’s DC got it mid April but they'd been sheilding and not left house perimeter since early March as he has a lot of health problems. The doctors think it must have come from shopping delivery/parcels.

[Sleepyquest]

It's not that I'm choosing not to, I forget and I'm lazy. I just think it can go a bit far.
For example a friend of mine washed her hands when she got in from the pharmacy because she had put her hands in her pockets so I asked if she also got changed and had a shower and she said no. So when we discussed she said really she should have come in, undressed and put clothes on to wash, shower and wash hair. Sanitise purse and all handbag contents before showering too.
That's too much for one visit to the pharmacy. Where do you draw the line?

But like you say, everyone should do what they feel comfortable with!

[PickAChew]

I'm curious about people who just put the shopping away & then wash their hands. How does that help when you get the milk out for a cup of tea? Do you wash your hands every time you get something out of the cupboard or fridge

Just the same as pre-covid. I will wash my hands after handling shopping bags that have been on the floor. That's just normal good hygiene.

Pre-psndemic, your milk carton could easily have been handled by someone who has been to the loo, blown their nose or touched door handles without washing or sanitising their hands, afterwards. Did that not bother you, then?

[Quarantimespringclean]

I don’t do any of that. If I remember I wash my hands after unpacking supermarket deliveries or unwrapping parcels but I don’t alwayS remember.

I wash my hands if I’ve been out (less than once a week since lockdown began) and I’ve always washed my hands before preparing food. I’ve also started adding Zoflora to my spray bottle of cleaner so whenever I clean a surface it’s also sanitised.

[CrowdedHouseinQuarantine]

I just made a sandwhich and ate without washing my hands first!
i did wash the grapes.
so i should practice what i preach

[MatildaTheCat]

I don’t but I have a neighbour who is shielding and still became very sick with Covid so she must have caught it from something entering her house.

[ScarfLadysBag]

I'm curious about people who just put the shopping away & then wash their hands. How does that help when you get the milk out for a cup of tea? Do you wash your hands every time you get something out of the cupboard or fridge?

Nope. I just don't worry about it. I think the risk is so tiny as to not even be worth considering, personally. If it was so easily transmitted and in high enough levels that actually cause infection, then we would have a lot more cases.

[NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace]

I don't sanitise anything. I wash my hands thoroughly and regularly and that's about all. I only wear a face mask when absolutely compelled to do so

[Littlemeadow123]

I just wash my hands after putting shopping away and after opening envelopes/unboxing parcels. I take sanitizer with me everytime I go out and wipe down door handles in my flat with a wet wipe every couple of days.

[maddiemookins16mum]

Washing hands is key here, I got bored of washing loaves of bread after 3 weeks.

[vanillandhoney]

I'm curious about people who just put the shopping away & then wash their hands. How does that help when you get the milk out for a cup of tea? Do you wash your hands every time you get something out of the cupboard or fridge?

Nope. I don't wash my hands once I've put the shopping away either. I wash my hands before preparing meals, though.

[Sandybval]

I'm curious about people who just put the shopping away & then wash their hands. How does that help when you get the milk out for a cup of tea? Do you wash your hands every time you get something out of the cupboard or fridge?

I wash my hands before I put anything I've touched in my mouth, if I was making a cup of tea I would make sure not to touch the top of the cup, and use a spoon to fish the teabag out out of the box and the cup. I do regularly give surfaces a clean including the fridge handle etc. If I was vulnerable or even if I didn't have a toddler to contend with I would wash the shopping.

[DappledThings]

I'm curious about people who just put the shopping away & then wash their hands. How does that help when you get the milk out for a cup of tea? Do you wash your hands every time you get something out of the cupboard or fridge?

I don't remember even to wash my hands after unpacking to be honest. But I would assume if people are washing their hands at that point then as we know viruses can only live on surfaces for a certain amount of time then every time you reach for a tin or milk bottle the risk is diminishing.

[Camomila]

I'm curious about people who just put the shopping away & then wash their hands. How does that help when you get the milk out for a cup of tea? Do you wash your hands every time you get something out of the cupboard or fridge

No we don't, just before lunch and dinner, but we all probably had coronavirus in mid March. Plus I figure I'd rather hopefully catch a milder dose from packaging than a big one from being accidentally sneezed on etc.

[vanillandhoney]

None of those things are remotely necessary imo.

it's just things people do so they feel as though they have control over what's happening.

[BestOption]

I have several underlying issues so I'm
being super careful.

I don't think you're being UR to risk assess and decide you don't need/want to. Each to their own really

I open the post, read the contents & either bin or put in a box, put envelope in recycling & wash my hands (Box of paperwork is dealt with days later -no change there though 🤣)

I put parcels into the spare room if I don't need them immediately, if I need the item immediately I open them tip the item out dispose of the wrapping, wash my hands & sanitise them Item as best I can.

I wash the (delivered) shopping & quarantine the bags I can't lie, it IS a bit of a faff, but I've got quite a good routine now so it doesn't take too long.

I also do the shopping for my Aunt in her 90's- so it makes washing it all seem very worthwhile.

Anything that's mine that can be quarantined instead goes into the spare room for a week to make it easier/quicker.

I'm curious about people who just put the shopping away & then wash their hands. How does that help when you get the milk out for a cup of tea? Do you wash your hands every time you get something out of the cupboard or fridge?

I would find that more time consuming and annoying that must washing the milk container before it goes in the fridge.

And if you think the risk is too small to worry about, why does everyone stress how they wash their hands after putting the shopping away?

Not interested in yet another debate re me washing my shopping (done to death!) just curious about squaring that circle

[JonHammIsMyJamm]

I don’t do any of those things in the OP. I might do some/all if I/anyone in the house/anyone I mixed with was at high risk though.

[Livpool]

I wash my hands after putting groceries away and opening a letter but that's it

[Chloemol]

Put washing away, wash hands, open post through away envelope wash hands, take dog for walk come back wash hands and face. Have sanitiser in a bag in case of need. Go shopping, sanitise hands when get back to car, wash hands and face when I get in

[TheFlis12345]

Never done any of those things as don’t plan to. When I get a parcel I wash my hands after bringing it in (live in a flat so have to go through communal area, touch doors etc to collect) then open parcel, dispose of packaging and wash hands again. Same with supermarket deliveries, I wash my hands after bringing stuff in then again after unpacking but don’t wash any items apart from loose fruit and veg. Haven’t worn a mask yet but will if I have to go on public transport as it’s compulsory in London from tomorrow, but am planning to avoid it as long as possible.

[nether]

it's a risk/benefit balance.

I thinkmall thise precautions are pretty normal for households where someone is shielding, and also for those with the 'flu jab' level of vulnerability (pregnant, over 70, the other relevant medical conditions)

If you and everyone in your household is low risk, then choosing not to take those precautions is entirely reasonable.

But YABU if you are assuming that every household has the same risk profile as yours

[romdowa]

We do these things here but I'm shielding so we are keen to reduce every risk we possibly can. It's up to each person/household to determine their level of risk and what level of sanitization they need.

[SudokuBook]

No, given the very low risk of the virus now I think those measures are overkill unless someone in the house is shielded. Although the likelihood of things getting back to normal whilst young, fit and healthy people wash shopping in bleach is not high, given that kind of attitude to risk.

[DappledThings]

If it wasn't for MB I would have no idea anyone was going any of those things. I'm pretty sure most people aren't.

[CrowdedHouseinQuarantine]

i heard that wearing gloves makes any virus spread more, so i stopped doing that.