Aibu to ask if it is unhygienic to sit on the bed wearing outdoor clothes

[Scrumbleton]

Chatting to DD who in passing said she won’t sit on her bed wearing clothes she has been outside in, particularly if she’s used public transport. Is this a thing? Am I a bit grubby for not giving it a second thought? I wouldn’t lie on the bed wearing my shoes but other than that don’t give it a second thought.

I don't do it, waay before covid as well. But it's just personal preference imo. For as long as I can remember, coming home from school or work always straight to wash my hands and change out of my clothes. Very first thing. Again, that's just me. I don't care what others do

@lazylinguist

It's not about outside clothes. It's about public transport clothes

Ok. Fair enough I guess. I never use public transport. Although when I used to years ago I certainly didn't feel the need to change or shower when I got home or think about where I put my bag.

What’s clear is that people don’t seem to realise that there are some germs and illnesses you can get over and over again. Eg. Norovirus - you can get this again as soon as you’re better, it doesn’t matter that you’ve “had the germs to build your immune system”.

I'm certainly aware of that. But in the context of this thread, is there any suggestion that there is any evidence at all that the people who are super-vigilant about bringing outdoor germs in etc, or who keep an extremely clean house, are actually ill less often? With things like norovirus or otherwise? I somehow doubt it. My family get colds etc like everyone else (not this last year though!), but none of us have had stomach bug type things, d&v etc for literally years and years.

I often wonder how our family never get's tummy bugs. Yes, we get the odd cold, but never anything else. Is it genetics, or is it good hand washing? Probably a bit of both.

The only extra thing we do is take off shoes at the door.

Apart from that, by MN standards we are pretty minging. Cats on beds, sofas, chairs. Mice, alive and dead, regularly in kitchen. Only had carpets wet cleaned once in 15 years , don't wash clothes or towels every day. Spend a lot of time gardening with bare hands. Perhaps living in the country is more natural.....

Same here, BigWoollyJumpers. Pets, mud, countryside, cleanish house . We have hard floors throughout, so washing carpets not an issue.

BigWoollyJumpers

"Apart from that, by MN standards we are pretty minging. Cats on beds, sofas, chairs. Mice, alive and dead, regularly in kitchen. Only had carpets wet cleaned once in 15 years blush, don't wash clothes or towels every day. Spend a lot of time gardening with bare hands. Perhaps living in the country is more natural".

And I would be prepared to bet you get ill less often than people who have different sets of HAZMAT suits to sit on beds and sterilise their towels every day.

Good hygiene is basically around kitchens and food storage areas and clean bathrooms. And handwashing and personal hygiene. Changing clothes to sit on a bed isn't going to make a blind bit of difference to whether or not you get viruses or bacteria. And it will drive you nuts worrying about it.

Unhygienic? No.

1. Your outdoor clothes = your clothes

2. Would you sit on a sofa in your “outdoor clothes”? Of course you would.

3. So what’s the difference?

Literally never crossed my mind and I’m currently lying on the bed wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

@RandomLondoner

I never thought there was anything wrong with sitting on a bed. I was forty-something before I found out UK hospitals don't like it.

In the mid 60s when my mother was in hospital for a long spell the ward sister wouldn't allow anyone to sit on the beds or to enter the ward with dirty clothes or hands. I recall my young brother falling over as we walked to the ward, he was taken away and scrubbed very clean!

@thepeopleversuswork

BigWoollyJumpers

"Apart from that, by MN standards we are pretty minging. Cats on beds, sofas, chairs. Mice, alive and dead, regularly in kitchen. Only had carpets wet cleaned once in 15 years blush, don't wash clothes or towels every day. Spend a lot of time gardening with bare hands. Perhaps living in the country is more natural".

And I would be prepared to bet you get ill less often than people who have different sets of HAZMAT suits to sit on beds and sterilise their towels every day.

Good hygiene is basically around kitchens and food storage areas and clean bathrooms. And handwashing and personal hygiene. Changing clothes to sit on a bed isn't going to make a blind bit of difference to whether or not you get viruses or bacteria. And it will drive you nuts worrying about it.

Same here, I flopped onto the bed after a few hours exhausting gardening, noticed later bits of shrubbery on the sheet. Think I'll survive!

Only if you’ve been rolling around in shit

If I can't see it, it doesn't exist and I'm still alive, :)

Lazy linguist - you have just provoked a dozen panic attacks 🤣

If my clothes have bus or train “germs” on them, I won’t sit on the bed. Even pre-covid.

thepeopleversuswork

Disneyblue

I roll my eyes at people like this.
I mean seriously, get a grip

Agree. And I'd be quite careful about trying not to pass this sort of neurosis onto your kids as well. Really not healthy.

Not healthy to be so bloody sanctimonious either.

Those of us with OCD are well aware it's not healthy and if anything like me heartbroken that we have passed on this debilitating condition to our offspring 😠