Aibu to ask how much you wash your hands everyday

[notevensure12]

Not even sure if this is the right place for this but here goes - I've had ocd mainly fixated on contamination for the last decade. Had countless treatments and I've completely lost sight of what other people would actually consider to even be "normal" at this point.

I'm washing my hands around 4-5 times an hour, with piping hot water until it feels like they're clean enough. I can't touch dirty laundry, bins, rubbish, clean up, without having a load of handwashing rituals that follow it.

So - what's normal?

I'm a bit of a germaphobe but your excessive hand washing is making me feel better!!
I was mad during covid times but now it is after the toilet, first thing when I come in from going out, after nappy changes, before food prep and after tidying kitchen.

When I'm out I like using the vital baby sanitising water spray - brilliant to kill germs on hands and acceptable for children and babies! Maybe try that instead of washing? Might be reassuring if your getting the urge

After using the loo, when getting home, after nappy change and before food prep. Usually before eating, but often have a packed lunch out and about and nowhere to wash. Usually do a quick wash with soap and rinse, nothing like the 20s "happy birthday twice" scrubbing during covid.

I'm a bit on the scummy side, but after going to the loo, after touching raw meat, after gardening. So, maybe 6 times a day?

Only after toilet, handling raw meat and after doing anything that makes my hands visibly dirty. About 6 times a day? I'm the opposite of a germphobe tbh - deep down I don't really believe that not washing my hands will have any detrimental effect on me. I never get upset stomach type things and am generally of the opinion that my verging-on-slatternly ways (and having pets!) give me a better immune system.

After toilet, when I get home if I’ve been shopping/on public transport. During cooking if visibly dirty

Not as much as I should, I’m always guilty of coming in from the stables and making a sandwich before realising my hands are awful.

On an office day I’d say probably 4-6 times total. On a home day with DD I do mine more, as I help her with the toilet.

Basically after the toilet and generally before cooking but I’m a bit lax with that if just cooking for me. Otherwise only when they are dirty. I cleaned the bins out the other day and did wash my hands after that as the bins were grim. But that’s about as bothered as I get.

I am the absolute opposite to having germ OCD though. I like a bit of dirt and almost never get bugs.

I wash my hands many times a day as it is a necessity for my job. But outside of work it’s the first thing I do when getting home, after using the toilet, before cooking/eating, after handling raw meat/fish, after touching bins and any time I have touched anything that leaves any kind of residue on my skin as I hate the feeling of sticky fingers.

I think all the situations you have mentioned are times when it is just good hygiene to wash your hands, except perhaps for “clean up” as that is more vague - I won’t bother washing my hands if I’m just using a bit of soapy water to wipe down the sides, but I would after cleaning with harsher chemicals if I hadn’t been wearing gloves. The thing that isn’t normal is the rituals around your hand washing, but I think you know this and I hope you can find the support you need.

I wash mine before/after the usual things: toilet/food prep/bins/meat etc. But I also wash them regularly throughout the day because it's just basic hygiene. Regular hand washing helps stop the spread of pathogenic bacteria and also breaks down viruses/stops the spread. I wouldn't wait until my hands looked physically dirty to wash them.

After the toilet, in the shower, after coming home from any visit outside the home, before prepping food. On average I'd say 8 to 10 times.

After I've been to the loo

After feeding the cats (always end up with their food on my hand somehow 🤢)

Before, during and after preparing food

After handling any of the pets

If I get them dirty, oily or sticky due to eating
/ snacking

Before a meal

I reckon about 15 times a day

After using the toilet, after handling anything dirty (bins, garden stuff), after being out of the house (shops etc), and before preparing food, or (when the DCs were babies) before handling the babies for feeding etc.

I have a small bottle of hand sanitiser and I apply it every now and then when out, when I remember.

But I wouldn't just wash them for the sake of it without one of those reasons.

I definitely don't feel right if I've been out to the shops and haven't washed my hands when I return, probably having touched a lot of things that other people have touched (door handles, shopping trolley handles, packets, payment pads, ATM buttons etc).

Countless, I am always wasting them for one reason or another.
They are hacked and sore currently.

I wash mine after going to the toilet, after touching meat, after putting things in the outside bin, after touching the dog food / water bowl, before cooking, after poop scooping, after feeding the hens etc. I also wash them after shaking hands if I can.

this makes me sound fussier than I think I am! I view myself as very normal and don’t obsess about water etc.

I'm really sorry for those of you suffering with OCD, but please don't pass your phobia on to your children.

If they look or feel dirty. If I've used the toilet. Before food prep. If I've touched raw meat.

But I know my hands can get sensitive (former nurse) so I try to cluster as much as possible. For example, if I'm going to cook, I use the toilet and wash my hands prior, which avoids having to wash them part way through cooking.

A lot. I work full time in a hospital.

Every bathroom visit. Before handling food and often during as I seem to get food all over my hands. Before and after treating every patient every day - this accounts for a lot of hand washing.

This.

After the toilet, maybe once or twice throughout the day and then the only other one that I 'have' to do is before bed.

After the loo, before prepping food, after handling raw meat, after gardening, after changing a nappy and that’s about it

After l go to the loo and if they get dirty from gardening or something.

After the loo, before preparing/eating food, after being out, after touching the animals/food/bowls etc, after touching the bins, any cleaning etc. Also after blowing nose etc

Some are more thorough than others but all will include warm water, soap and towel.

I wash mine a lot I think. Obviously after the loo, but also I tend to wash them frequently when cleaning, as I don’t like rubber gloves. I wash them before eating, after handling bird feeders, going in to see my hens, or if I have been out of the house anywhere. Maybe this is too much, but it wouldn’t worry me a lot to be unable to wash them apart from after the loo or when handling hens.

Your hands must be so sore. I hope you can get some treatment soon and it helps you combat some of your OCD around washing your hands.

I wash my hands after going to the toilet. Changing poo'y nappies and when I come in.
Especially when I take my toddler to the park my hands just feel dirty when I get in.

After going to the loo, when I’ve been out, after work, before touching food.

The NHS advice is before preparing food, after using the toilet or blowing your nose, before and after doing intimate care for others and when they are visibly dirty. I always wash mine before I eat too.