Bathroom as guest AIBU

[serenavanderwoodsenn]

Technically I’m not a guest as I work in the home as a nanny but the family I work for only has bar soap in the bathroom for handwashing?? All of their guests (they have people every weekend) plus 2 kids and the parents use this soap. It makes me feel icky. I don’t feel clean at all as it feels like everyone else’s germs are festering on it. I always end up grabbing the Sanex off the side of the bath or trying not to touch anything and washing my hands with fairy liquid when I get downstairs.

AIBU to think bar soap is ok for personal use but as a communal soap it’s a bit grim?

The thing with bars of soap is some scumbags leave...well, scum...and dirt on the bar of soap if they've washed dirty hands and not rinsed it when finished. No dirt or hair left on the soap bar please! Also, some people who don't wash their hands properly (you'd think it would be obvious) and rinse, leave dirt smeared on the hand towel. Urgh!

Anyway, fine to use soap bars but if you're 'icky' about this get some liquid soap or hand sanitiser to keep in the bathroom.

Why can't you ask them for pump soap? Are they unreasonable? I'd just say sure and put it on the shopping list if someone asked for it.

OP, don’t use hand sanitiser in place of washing with soap. The two things are very different. When washing with soap and water you remove any particles of dirt. If you sanitise you just sanitise over the particles. Hand sanitiser should not be used when cooking as probably your hands will have food or greasy germs that will stay on your hands.

Also you use them quicker,so need to buy more.

My household has both bar and liquid soaps.
The bar lasts way longer, although I have eczema so only certain expensive bar soaps will do. So barely any cost difference to me. We also buy a 5litre of the liquid soap and refill the dispensers. Those little dispensers last years, I dont know why people just throw them out when empty.

its soap its self cleaning -chandler bing

Could you be any more condescending? Ive studied child development and worked with children for 15 years. I’m more than capable of doing my job without having my personal opinions affect how I help raise kids to be. I’m not scared of the bar soap, it’s not a fear. I just don’t like the idea of slathering something all over my hands that other people have too.

Just keep a mini bottle of shower gel or soap in your pocket if you have an issue with it! We use liquid soap here as my partner is an oaf who would leave the soap dish full of water reducing soap to mush (honestly he just floods everywhere- the sink is destroyed when he does the dishes) but I think bar soap is usually far better for your skin - a lot of the liquid ones strip all the oils etc away.

Soap is a lot more environmentally friendly and is really effective against germs. I would think that neat fairy liquid is going to give you pretty sore skin after a while.

I am with you. I think using bar soap for unrelated persons is grotty. Especially with kids. There's often dirt or hairs on bar soap I see in other people's houses. Yuck.

How can you be a nanny and not understand the basic principle of actual soap? What’s being taught to people these days?

Those scummy liquid soaps and sanitisers don’t do the job half as well so I’d be more wary of you wandering around with your unwashed hands.

Do you not have your own en suite ?

There is nothing stopping you from buying liquid soap and putting it by the basin in this communal bathroom - just say to mum you prefer it.
Please don't tell her you think it is unhygienic as she will wonder if she has actually employed a level 3 (or more) in Childcare as a nanny.

Bar soap is horrible and dries out your hands, no idea why anyone uses it. Fairy is worse though! Just buy some Carex and bring it with you

I fold a flannel and put my soap on that at the end of the bath, then throw them in the washing machine. I find that avoids sliminess

Bar soap all the way in this house, I've never been a fan of liquid soap ("who invented liquid soap and why?"). Although guests staying over get their own new soap, in their own bathroom.

I use goats milk soap, it doesn't dry out my hands. All the liquids are detergents that happen to smell nice.

Please don’t forget that hand sanitizer does not kill the germs that cause stomach bugs, so especially if you are using it after the toilet, you will still need to wash your hands with soap asap. I think a little bottle of liquid soap (or those paper soap leaves people use for travelling) would be a better idea than hand sanitizer.

I don’t live in their home?

I didn’t say I think it’s unhygienic. I said I feel like it’s a bit grim. Personal opinions don’t mean I think something is fact.

You can buy liquid soap for under £1 in lidl. Just buy one surely? If you use that Bathroom all the time no one is going begrudge you buying your own toiletries. I have bar soap because it smells nice and liquid soap too.

YANBU, I would feel the same. When we went on holiday recently, there were only bars of soap next to the sink for handwashing, so I found a supermarket and purchased a pump bottle of liquid soap. I also carry a little container in my handbag which has little individual pages of soap, like this:

Could you not just buy and a liquid soap and stick it in the bathroom and tell the parents that you like it. Once they find that most of their guests are using it too, perhaps they'll buy some themselves.

No need to be rude. I have ocd and find it hard to use other peoples bars of soap.

I much prefer bar soap although I do admit I would only use my own usually. It annoys me larger bars are no longer available in super,markets, Used to be called Bath soap size.

Op this is very simple. Just have a conversation with your employer to say you prefer liquid hand soap so you’d appreciate it if you can leave a bottle in the bathroom for you to use whilst working. Then everyone can use their preferred option.

This^