DH doesn’t want to wash his hands

[teachocolate]

Sorry it’s a silly question but just had an argument with DH.
He doesn’t like washing hands but somehow trying to do. I saw many times he just washed hands without soap for only 2 or 3 seconds after he drops off kids or short walk. So this morning I asked him to wash with soap. Then, he said he doesn’t want because his skin is sensitive and he drove to nursery by car and didn’t touch anything. Then, he claimed that there is a famous scientist who says we don’t need to wash with soap and if he will not use soap unless the specialist changes his opinion. Sigh.... then he asked me scientific proof for washing hands with soap and I totally fed up. He shut the door and went out. How do you think? Do we need to wash hands with soap even if it’s after short drive to nursery? Am I being unreasonable? Do you wash hands with soap after short drive or short walk?

Anyway I don’t think his skin is sensitive.

Lynora- but if he thinks hand washing is inert and not scientifically viable, he shouldn't care if they don't, right?

That's nonsense about the science, the science is crystal clear about soap.

I just remembered his dirty room when I visited him before we married. But I was young and blinded

Covid aside, he sounds like he's got poor personal hygiene and is happy to put his family at risk of bugs.
I can understand it being personal preference whether someone washes their hands when they come home, but only briefly shoving his hands under water after going to the toilet and won't wash his hands before food preparation? That's just disgusting.

In my office, I've always had a few "tricks" to avoid it, such as having a pile of files in my hands when I meet someone coming in for a meeting. They can't go for the hand-shake if you don't have a free hand!

Yes me too, or saying 'sorry I won't shake hands I can feel the first signs of a cold' works wonders.

We will surely be sanitising more going forwards?

If I was going for a short walk or drive in my own car where I hadn’t touched anything else, I wouldn’t wash my hands either

I have very sensitive skin and I’m allergic to about a billion soaps and hand washes. My hands are wrecked, at one point my skin on my hands was coming off in sheets “just using a bit of hand cream” doesn’t help.

I use hand sanitiser most of the time as I don’t seem to react to that

Obviously wash my hands with soap after the loo/before cooking/eating/etc, but do try and keep it to a minimum.

@teachocolate

He just told me that he is much cleaner than other men. He washes hands even for 2 seconds without soap after toilet although most men don’t

That is grim. I couldn't live with someone who didn't wash their hands properly with soap after going to the toilet. (See also after blowing their nose and before handling food).

Not washing hands after going to the toilet is quite common though unfortunately. I have several chefs in the family who have had to really drill handwashing in to new recruits. A common one they hear is 'you only need to wash your hands after a poo, not a wee'. (not envy)

Omg are you always this controlling???

Doesn't matter - I often forget to wash hands after I've been in supermarkets and I'm still alive.

This virus is making people crazy.

I wash my hands when returning home from a walk or drive, as does my DH.

I have eczema and very fragile, sensitive skin which blisters easily due to EBS and which isn't a fan of handwashing. I still wash my hands with a gentle soap and slather moisturiser on afterwards. Aveeno and doublebase gel work well for me.

The guidance on washing hands is very clear. Aside from Covid it's still important to wash hands after going to the toilet and when preparing and handling food.

I'd be paranoid that he was handling cooked food after handling raw meat without washing his hands.

I only wash my hands after using the toilet or before preparing food. That's it. Not had Covid.

only wash my hands after using the toilet or before preparing food. That's it. Not had Covid

That's not really proof of anything.

@Waxonwaxoff0

I only wash my hands after using the toilet or before preparing food. That's it. Not had Covid.

Me too

My dh does after loo etc.
But wouldn't if done school run., park, shop etc.

I only wash my hands after using the toilet or before preparing food. That's it. Not had Covid.

Should write a research paper

@user1497207191

More that if you don’t actually touch anything what exactly is the risk? The air isn’t full of Covid circulating and landing on people’s hands.

It's impossible not to touch anything. Unless your car and house have automatic opening doors!

Likewise Covid isn’t circulating in the air and randomly landing on my doors.

Too much is made of handwashing - Chris Whitty's fault. Recent research suggests surfaces play a trivial role in covid transmission anyway. Far far more important to avoid confined indoor environments.

But as far as soap goes - yes water won't affect a virus - need soap and time, but he's unlikely to have any virus on his skin unless he's touched something that someone else's saliva has gotten onto....

@Cheeeeislifenow

only wash my hands after using the toilet or before preparing food. That's it. Not had Covid

That's not really proof of anything.

No. It's good enough for me though.

@Champagneandmonstermunch

They are his hands. I think it is up to him when and how he washes them within reason.

It's everybody's business if he's spreading his germs around, covid or not. I always wash my hands thoroughly when I get home and always have done.

Personally I wash my hands every time I come into the house, because our postman and couriers open the front door and put parcels in, and when we've been in the shops we've then opened the car doors, touched the steering wheel, seat belts, house door handle etc - I realise that it can get silly and over the top but I do just go straight to wash my hands whenever I come in just to be on the safe side.

Well it’s up to him, but washing hands is a key way to stop the virus spreading. The only way to do this is with soap - it will not be hard for you to find explanations online of why regular hand washing with soap is vital.

Hand sanitiser will be more drying so perhaps buy some moisturising soap and hand cream and point out you got that for hmm.