To expect guests to wash their hands on arrival?

[SillyFillyDress]

Am I being unreasonable in thinking people should wash their hands when coming from outside to your house?
Would you ask kids who come to yours for a playdate to wash their hands?
Would you ask adults?

In an ideal world yes we all would, but lets face it quite a few people don't bother to wash their hands after going to the toilet. That will probably give you apoplexy, lol

This was a thing during covid. I remember we were all urged to do this whilst singing happy birthday twice. Or have I remembered it completely wrong?

Would never occur to me to ask this!

I don't think this is necessary. A newborn baby has already met plenty of germs and is protected by its mother's immune system. Not being exposed to germs is likely to lead to allergies later.
Anyway, it's rude to ask people to wash their hands when they come into your house (unless it is a local custom, of course).

What fresh hygiene hell is this?
Like most people only if I'd travelled on public transport and there was a baby or immune compromised person in the house.
Children before eating.

It is very rude to not wash hands automatically when arriving to a home with a newborn.

It isn't shocking. If it was necessary for the baby's safety, they would wash their hands. But it isn't, so they don't.

Your rules on hygiene are disproportionate. There's nothing shocking about other people behaving in a way that's completely proportionate to the risk.

I'm not British either

Actually I think it’s polite to do so, when travelling by train my late teen daughter does this when she visits me I never have ask
the other thing that drives me nuts is (especially women) who flush the loo without shutting the lid , ( and two I know never wash their hands post loo)gross
years ago a plumber said to me the amount of germs that go into the atmosphere of the room when you don’t shut before flushing is huge ,
putting your tooth brush away is now a whole new thing for me.

Having a newborn made me notice these things. Before I just didn't pay attention. But I haven't been in the UK that long to know what's normal and what's not. Washing hands on arrival is a usual in my country. That's why I ask here. And just to avoid angry comments I don't think my culture is superior or something. We have plenty of different issues. I simply want to set my expectations

I don't shut the lid

I would never ask an adult because they are a fully grown functioning adult. If my hands need washing i wash them. I would be offended if i was asked to wash my hands

I actually arrived at my brothers house this weekend and immediately asked to wash my hands- but the only reason for this is that I had been driving a work van all afternoon- that is used by all the work guys and my brother has a brand new baby that I wanted to hold!

Otherwise, no, its weird

But that's not weird because they're your hands and you asked. That's what anyone would do

With a new born thats a totally different ball game - newborns havent developed their own immunity yet. I always asked folk to wash hands before holding my newborn and that was before the pandemic. Now I would probably ask them to wear masks too :) Actually now I probably would avoid visitors for a few months !

Me neither. I think it's a cultural norm (or not).

It seems that brittons are competitively unhygienic. I remember a thread where the OP was piled on for expecting basic food safety when dealing with raw meat.

It reminds me how many women died after childbirth because doctors were above washing their hands and felt offended when it was suggested. It took something like hundred years to establish it.

OP, use the fact that you are from foreign country. Simply ask your visitors to wash their hands when they come to your home with a newborn in it, point out that you would feel better if they do it, and thank for their understanding. It won't hurt them and anyone reasonable will just do it.

How hard is it to wash your hands? Is it that big a deal? It's so simple, cheap and quick.

Thats pretty gross. Lids are there to stop the germs being shot into the air. There was a video that showed how high the bacteria is dispersed when you flush.

Most are not even designed to be sat on.
https://www.rubberduckbathrooms.co.uk/toilet-seat-lids-what-are-they-designed-for

But then I wash my hands when I get home- if I've touched anything. I maybe wouldn't if I'd just been for a walk. Why wouldn't you? It's minimal effort, maximum return

@eightIsNewNine These threads are always like the Four Yorkshiremen of Hygiene.

’Soap?! When I were a lad we used to have to get up at the crack of dawn, trudge barefoot fifteen miles over a field full of broken glass and the decaying bodies of cholera victims, then we’d slaughter a pig with our bare hands and drag it through a cesspit into the sanitarium mortuary on our bloody stumps so the lepers could butcher it for us for 3 bob and a kiss on the cheek.’

dont worry it’s ok to ask. No one would think anything other than wanting to know what is normal in this country. The midwife should definitely be washing her hands when she first’s enters your home, and after she has checked you and baby. It is ok to “request” (tell) her to wash her hands, do not feel out of place or over protective about this she is doing close checks on mothers and handling newborns that alone should be washing hand before and after. If the midwife makes a fuss remind her of cross contamination, if she is off about it, you can request another midwife due to hygiene concerns or to major indifferences. If there is anything you want/need to know I’m happy to help .

I always wash my hands when I get home. It's not some weird hygiene issue it simply a good habit that I don't give much thought too.

I wouldn't ask other adults to wash their hair but I sometimes notice when they don't.

Honestly I think 99% of mums on here would expect anyone to wash their hands before holding their new born baby regardless of who they are. That’s the only reason I said about your OP because I know 💯 you would have a much more positive and supportive response if you said you have a newborn baby. People would completely understand and agree with you.

How odd. Yes children before eating but that's it. Peculiar.

Hang on a minute the OP doesn’t mention newborn baby or being the midwife.. if that was mentioned it would be a completely different discussion and response from everyone. 99% of mothers on here would freak out if someone regardless of who they are dare touch the newborn baby with out washing hands first. As far as I’m aware this is the same in every country it’s common practice with a newborn. I can completely understand when someone moves to another country and has a baby to be nervous and worried about differences when it comes to the most precious person in their life. And wanting to know what is normal in that country or not.
as you say about the post with someone to do with food hygiene.. I’m not being funny but every single country in the world there is the stupid, the ignorant, the lost, the evil, the good, the happy, the giving, the loving… just because you seem to come across the stupid or uneducated.. doesn't mean every single person is the same that is called racism..

unfortunately the OP has been given a neglectful midwife.. who shouldn’t be in the job… that doesn’t mean every single midwife is the same. 🤦‍♀️ or unhygienic practices are normal.. 🤦‍♀️ I’m Scottish and I find your comment completely insulting considering our contribution to world on our medical inventions, innovation, hygiene.. completely insulting!! Btw we are the ones who pushed discovered cross contamination and the must for hand washing and sterilising medicine equipment and surgical rooms for any medical operation and child birth… 🤦‍♀️