To think hygiene standards are low in Britain?

[castemary]

This obviously does not apply to everyone. But in Britain, I think there is a general acceptance of fairly low hygiene standards. I see it in several areas.
With individuals you have people telling everyone they do not wash bras for months, do not clean their teeth every day, do not wash face masks every day.
In public areas, offices and shops the cleaning often consist of no more than a quick hoover occasionally, a mop and a bit of damp wiping. Apart from toilets, places are rarely properly cleaned.
I think most people simply do not realise how unhygienic Britain is until they go to countries that do have a good standard of hygiene. There seems to be a lot of emphasis in Britain on superficial things that make places look good such as scatter cushions or make-up, and not on basic hygiene and cleanliness.
AIBU?

I agree that people here are generally relaxed about hygiene standards. There was another thread where people admitted they were happy to wash tea towels with underwear as 'it's all going to come clean' and one pp said she would of course check underwear that there were no 'visible' signs of poo before chucking them in with tea cloths 🤮

In offices where I've worked it was shocking how people would treat the communal kitchen - generally not wiping crumbs, mess off the kitchen counter after use, using a washing up brush and not rinsing it out, leaving food and gunk to fester in it (never use those nasty things!)

Food handling is often grim - why do they touch food directly and then take money? In civilised places the functions are separated for hygiene reasons. And they touch food then money while wearing gloves because they are being so hygienic

Flies - don't get me started! one neighbour said it's fine to eat the food if the fly has just landed on it. Apparently what you don't want is the fly friendly food to be sitting around (breeding germs/maggots I presume) and then eat it.

No, I don't want flies on my food - cover it!!!

@maggiethecat

I agree that people here are generally relaxed about hygiene standards. There was another thread where people admitted they were happy to wash tea towels with underwear as 'it's all going to come clean' and one pp said she would of course check underwear that there were no 'visible' signs of poo before chucking them in with tea cloths 🤮

In offices where I've worked it was shocking how people would treat the communal kitchen - generally not wiping crumbs, mess off the kitchen counter after use, using a washing up brush and not rinsing it out, leaving food and gunk to fester in it (never use those nasty things!)

Food handling is often grim - why do they touch food directly and then take money? In civilised places the functions are separated for hygiene reasons. And they touch food then money while wearing gloves because they are being so hygienic

Flies - don't get me started! one neighbour said it's fine to eat the food if the fly has just landed on it. Apparently what you don't want is the fly friendly food to be sitting around (breeding germs/maggots I presume) and then eat it.

No, I don't want flies on my food - cover it!!!

But its ok to put your tea towels in the washer after you've washed your pants? Oooook then... (batshit)

@Breastfeedingworries

I’m on the side of bacteria and worry about the constant cleaning and our future children having immunity issues! I let my dd play in mud ect, we have a dog ect I think it’s so important to have a strong immune system. Touch wood my dd is rarely poorly.

Hear hear, I think a lot of people spend far too much time cleaning- why do they do it? As long as my place has had a lick and a spit and is fairly tidy, I’m happy. We also are rarely ill- and have lots of friends!

What a nasty post. Britain has slums and slum dwellers just like any other country you could mention... but it is healthier and more hygienic than the vast vast majority of other nations... think of obese America, nicotine powered South America and Southern Europe, The continent of Africa who seem to struggle to feed or water their own people. The list goes on... of course there are very clean places in Northern Europe but they mostly have tiny populations..... I lived in Germany where standards were very high, but not so now.

Could swallow a fly!! 🤣

It’s the hand washing. I don’t know what the deal is in other counties in particular...but the amount of people that I used to notice (pre covid) just splash their hands under the water for about a second after using a public toilet and then walk out...

I have always washed my hands thoroughly, and used a tissue to open the toilet door - people must think I’m bananas.

I hope we take the proper hand washing from the pandemic with us!

How on earth does the OP know how often people wash their bras?

@Coolandclamy

I personally don’t care whether I am offered or not offered. I don’t want any drinks or food. The offering or not offering is beside the point. In fact I’d be happier not to be offered.

I think the point is that refusing to accept food for an entire nation of people, among whom food poisoning is extremely rare, along with being scared you’re going to get ill from people yawning near you, are deeply irrational behaviours. But you are obviously not going to see it because you have decided it’s not you, it’s a cultural issue and it’s just all the Brits being dangerously filthy.

Ah @Coolandclamy - now you're putting words into my mouth- must be because I was yawning!!

You have every right to live here but I must admit to being curious as to why you would want to live somewhere that you have such disdain for.

@CravingTheSun
Seeing people walk out of public toilet cubicles and check their well made faces and coiffed hair and leave without as much as a glance at the tap is an eye opener!

Typo, I should have said food FROM an entire nation of people.

PS - can't take a bath because I only have one on my birthday or at Xmas.

I agree OP.

Germany, Switzerland, the US - all have (in general - of course there will be exceptions) much better hygiene standards than the UK.

Hygiene here used to be better, particularly in government/ public sector / local authority maintained places, and public transport - the floors of the trains I catch to work every day are filthy with layers of crud. I don’t like to think of what’s on the seats, handrails etc.

The other place in the UK where hygiene is not good is NHS hospitals - or at least the half dozen or so I have been in or visited over the last decade. Talk about ‘rounded corners...’.

@Coolandclamy

I agree OP. My OCD around “germs” is an issue in Britain but when I go home I do not have the same problem. My problem developed after I came to this country and observed the general poor hygienic standards and some fairly disgusting behaviour on public transport- yawning, sneezing, coughing without covering mouths, picking noses and then holding on to the rails. Spit all over the pavements and walkways. Shoes on bus seats, bags placed on floors where people walk with shoes contaminated with spit, animal faeces, etc. I could go on.

Many people only take one shower a day even during the hot summers. Some admit to going days without having a shower.

it dosent seem to be doing you much good here does it ? however do you cope being around people that only have one shower a day god for bid , please dont go on for the sake of the rest of those of us who have to read this moaning comment ,

You have never lived or worked in the Middle East or Africa.

You're kidding! I've been to most European countries whose hygiene, especially in eating areas and water/drainage is practically third world stuff.

Boo boo cry me a river, but of hoover and a wipe sounds good to me! Places that get bleached within an inch of their life are bike and creepy

I agree with you OP. Take children’s teeth for example which is dreadful compared to other countries. Before I lived here I’d never heard of young children having fillings in their teeth. Hideous

And hygiene in uk hospitals is shocking

Totally agree - state of public toilets (women's) - women not washing their hands, people sneezing and coughing on the tube, men whose hair stinks of grease, so plainly they don't wear masks or wash or use handgel on their hands, - I think you are right

Yes!
I lived in Japan for 4 years, U.K. now feels a bit grubby and scruffy.

I agree with general office cleaning but this is primarily down to insurance. Our cleaner would hoover and polish etc but generally we all had antibac wipes and would clean phones/keyboards/mice ourselves. I’ve only ever been round few homes and felt like I’ve not wanted to touch anything because it’s gross. I myself am pretty house proud and like things clean and tidy so you’ll be relieved to know I wash my bras frequently my bedding get changed weekly sometimes more often and my floors and surfaces get cleaned daily and then Saturday morning is dedicated to house work but that’s what I’m used to as growing up my mum was the same.

@Lndnmummy

And hygiene in uk hospitals is shocking

Depends where you're comparing it with.

While I don't understand why some cultures insist on children being dressed immaculately and not being allowed to get dirty, I am equally baffled by parents for whom teeth brushing seems optional. In this house, we can do it the easy way or the hard way but it gets done... it's non-negotiable! Having said that, I wouldn't have said not brushing kids' teeth was a particularly British thing and in one European country in particular which I've visited, everyone always seems to be shoving sugary sweets at small children. I think British people do have worse teeth generally, but I would have said this is mostly due to high levels of deprivation, non-fluoridation of water and poor dentistry services. Trying to get an NHS check-up for a child post-Covid where we live is proving impossible.

@maggiethecat

I agree that people here are generally relaxed about hygiene standards. There was another thread where people admitted they were happy to wash tea towels with underwear as 'it's all going to come clean' and one pp said she would of course check underwear that there were no 'visible' signs of poo before chucking them in with tea cloths 🤮

In offices where I've worked it was shocking how people would treat the communal kitchen - generally not wiping crumbs, mess off the kitchen counter after use, using a washing up brush and not rinsing it out, leaving food and gunk to fester in it (never use those nasty things!)

Food handling is often grim - why do they touch food directly and then take money? In civilised places the functions are separated for hygiene reasons. And they touch food then money while wearing gloves because they are being so hygienic

Flies - don't get me started! one neighbour said it's fine to eat the food if the fly has just landed on it. Apparently what you don't want is the fly friendly food to be sitting around (breeding germs/maggots I presume) and then eat it.

No, I don't want flies on my food - cover it!!!

If you wash them on 60 there is absolutely nothing wrong with washing them together...