to wash my hands every time I've been out?

[itsallsohard]

Since the pandemic, I have taken to washing my hands as soon as I come in the house from outside. Obviously perhaps if I've been on public buses, or gardening; but also if I've just been out in my own car, or to the grocery store. None of us in the family is especially prone to illness or to worrying, and before the pandemic (unless someone in the family was actually sick) we all just washed hands after using the toilet and before cooking or eating.

Is it really disgusting that I didn't do this before 2020? Or is it a bit OCD that I do it now? I genuinely can't decide. YABU = that's too much hand-washing. YANBU = sounds normal, we do too
(edited to try to get rid of some rogue strike-outs of whole lines...)

Washing hands after being outside is something I have always done and taught as a young child. In my culture, it is common and expected. It is shocking how uncommon it was in UK before pandemic.

Only after loo and before prepping food .

I worry about the over use of anti bacterial stuff and the effect on the environment. And I don't believe that it is at all necessary in every day life.

I fundamentally disagree with all the handwashing. Immune systems are built on exposure to our environment, good bugs and even bad bugs. I don’t use antibacterial stuff for anything except a pet accident or a child vomit clean up. We are very very rarely sick with anything, and if sick, seem to recover within a day. I think about this a lot. I’ve 4 kids and none of them are ever really sick. And having travelled extensively in my 20s, it amazed me how ill I could get in other environments my body wasn’t used to from food and water and general being there that was fine for locals.

immunity is a superpower. Snd it needs to be built. Overly sanitised living is harmful.

I do this - think about things like door handles, baskets, trollies etc and ALL the people who have touched them before you. Gross 🤢

Plus, I know my hands are clean but other people are disgusting so 🤷🏻‍♀️

I washed my hands after being out during the pandemic, but not before or since. I wash them after the toilet, before preparing food etc., but not if I touch a cat or dog. I am rarely ever ill - haven't had covid, get one cold a year usually, and hardly ever have a vomiting bug.

I'm guessing I'm not the only one here who as a child had to stand with their hands out and turn them over to be inspected before sitting down to eat, too 😁

YABVU to use the term 'a bit OCD'. OCD is a crippling condition that goes waaaaay beyond excessive handwashing (which issues a clichéd representation anyway).

www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/overusing-disinfectants-can-contribute-to-health-problems-study-finds/

Yeah I do it. Precovid I never did but I always do now. Funny isn't it. Not a bad habit to have to be fair.

I always use hand sanitiser when I get back into my car (and before we could get the little hand gels I used wet wipes). I’ve always washed my hands with soap as soon as I get home, not just since 2020.

Whilst I agree it's true that exposure to pathogens is important to naturally build up our immune system I think we also have to recognise that we live in a very unnatural world.

Naturally living tribally as we are designed to do we would rarely come into contact with more than 50 different people a day and those people would have the same pathogen exposure as us and rarely would you be touching the same surfaces. Compared to now where your using the ATM, picking up groceries that have been coughed over, using self scan, pushing a trolly, using a petrol pump etc. The number of times we touch surfaces touched by others is quite staggering if you think how many are ancestors touched and we simply aren't designed for it and although as healthy adults we may be fine those vulnerable people around us may not be

It’s normal. I have always done it!

This! Exactly the same in our house.

The immune system is usually fully formed by the age of 8/9 .
Why on earth would you want to deposit environmental pollutants, bacteria, viruses and pollen all over your living environment ?
Gross
Handwashing is basic hygiene

I've always done it and was quite disgusted to learn it wasn't a thing.

I've always done this. I feel "unclean" if I don't. Love the feeling of fresh and clean hands. I also take my shoes off as soon as I get home.

Thank you so much for saying this.

It is a thing but people love to boast about how grotty they are on here
It's a MN sport 😂

I see. How disappointing

I think of myself as fairly laid back about illness in a 'builds up the immune system' way, but I've washed my hands whenever I come in all my life.

Everyone does that surely? Otherwise you're just trampling dog poo into the house

Why your phone? Not other items you take out of the house?

Eczema sufferers would disagree - very bad idea to bath daily if you have eczema 😬

I do too and I’m always amazed how dirty they get.