I think DH has OCD- hand washer

[washerwomans]

not seriously, but it's there. He handwashes all the time. Only when he's in the kitchen- well, mainly. During the week when he's a work, the kitchen towel stays more or less dry all day. (I work from home most of the week.) I am cooking for myself and clearing up a bit during the day so it's not as if I'm not in the kitchen at all. At the weekend the towel is soaking in a couple of hours from him. He washes his hands after touching anything in the kitchen. An example would be if he peels a banana, so once he's thrown away the skin, he washes his hands. If he eats a biscuit out of the packet, he washes his hands. Same if he butters a slice of bread. The towel isn't right next to the sink (we don't have a rail for it) so he drips water across the floor on his way for the towel, instead of bringing the towel to the sink first. I'm having to chuck the towel into the wash twice a day at least at a weekend because it's soaking wet. HE won't do this- he leaves the soaking towel on the back of a chair and when I need it, it's revolting. When I've asked him why he washes so much he says he doesn't likes sticky hands. But his hands aren't sticky. He's washing after touching any food at all. I know this isn't serious but it's driving me mad and I just want him to stop!!!

It won't be 'revolting' if he's drying clean hands on it. Advice is to wash your hands before and after eating. Avoiding cross contamination of food is a good idea too, you should wash your hands before, during and after cooking. I would be impressed with him tbh.

I think it's probably not OCD but more of a good habit. Washing the kitchen towel often is fine by me (mine gets washed daily) but perhaps find a way to air it better when it's hanging to stop it staying so damp. I have a straight rail for mine rather than a hook.

He should be shaking his hands of excess water over the sink, not creating a slip hazard. It sounds like if could be OCD to me. Especially after eating a biscuit from the packet thing. Washing hands before not so much.

Sounds like sensible habit to me.

When my OCD is bad and I'm hand washing it's the length of time washing, I scrub like a surgeon and use gel afterwards.

Maybe he could use gel? If it's to stop his hands being sticky no more towel-gate

He sounds like me I have to wash my kitchen towels often as I wash my hands after touching food etc.

strong Bit patronising. I know about food hygiene. It doesn't extend to washing your hands after eating or everyone would be rushing to the bathroom after eating their dinner! This is something different. He's not 'preparing food' in the sense of cooking, he's washing his hands after touching anything 'sticky' as he calls it.
Even when it's not sticky.

I don't think it's OCD in the sense that he has to scrub his hands as if they are 'dirty' . The most annoying thing is the mess he makes. Sometimes he washes his hands in the utility room (next to kitchen) and if the towel has been put in the wash and I've not taken a new one out, he'll walk across the kitchen with dripping hands, to find a towel, rather than making sure there is a towel there first.

We've been married 30+ years- he didn't used to do this- it's a new 'habit'.