Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Washing Hands - do you always?

69 replies

Earlybird · 02/08/2005 13:22

Do you wash your hands after you go to the loo? I am amazed at the number of people who exit public bathrooms without stopping to wash....even in restaurants! Particularly aware of this, as have been teaching this lesson to dd. She doesn't hesitate to loudly announce "that lady didn't wash her hands" whenever it occurs!

OP posts:
fqueenzebra · 02/08/2005 13:23

(shadowing you) -- I know what you mean. Plus the number of people who don't even try to flush either, blech!!!!

ruty · 02/08/2005 19:03

Maybe i overwash my hands - before eating, after changing nappies, after hoovering and cleaning. But cannot understand why people don't wash after going to the loo - baffling.

Socci · 02/08/2005 19:10

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 02/08/2005 19:12

I always clean my hands, although if the toilet is busy not always in the sinks there. I sometimes will use DD's wet wipes, or I have a hand cleansing gel thing that I carry in my handbag.

nutcracker · 02/08/2005 19:13

Yes we do, Dd2 gets hysterical if we can't too.

Libb · 02/08/2005 19:13

Ruty, I am like you - after the loo, when preparing meat/raw eggs, changing nappies, cleaning with bleach etc. and other times as it seems appropriate.

At work I have to handle a lot of driving licences and some of them are just awful! I have been known to wash my hands after some . . .

lilaclotus · 02/08/2005 19:15

i wash my hands every time i have been to the loo, touched the bin, stroked the cat, before handling food etc. bit OTT really and i have DD who is just the same. she hates feeling the slightest bit dirty.

helsi · 02/08/2005 19:17

I really don't think that many people will admit to not washing their hands on here judging by what's been said already - they'd be too ashamed.

I DO by the way!!

daisy1999 · 02/08/2005 19:34

mainly men don't wash!!!
There was a study once about salted nuts on a bar in a pub - very high urine content!!!

helsi · 02/08/2005 19:36

daisy1999 - there was also a study done on the imperial mints left out for people at the tills in restaurants - might as well lick te toilet bowl.

daisy1999 · 02/08/2005 19:39

I probably think too much but you come out of the loo, turn on the tap with your germy hands, wash your hands and then touch the germy tap!! I reassure myself by the fact that I've survived this long so it must be ok.

ruty · 02/08/2005 19:40

i never touch those mints! and also wash if i touch anyone's pets and after taouching the doorknob in the doctor's surgery...oh dear, TMI...

ruty · 02/08/2005 19:41

as my ds crawls all over floors i should really not bother...

daisy1999 · 02/08/2005 19:43

according to those in the know we are all too clean these days and this is having a negative affect on childrens immunity as they are not coming in contact with enough germs.
I always let mine lick the bowl, keeps the toilet sparkling!!!

ruty · 02/08/2005 19:45

yes that had occurred to me daisy. that's why i'm trying to be more relaxed. I have to stop myself reaching for the soap all the time!

daisy1999 · 02/08/2005 19:49

before having children I was paranoid about public loos - I went all day at work without weeing if possible and would never entertain a number 2!!
If I did have to go I would "hover" and never sat on a toilet seat. Then the children were potty trained and horror of horrors they not only sat on the toilet seat when we were out but grabbed onto it with their hands!!!!
I had to relax a little or I would have had a nervous breakdown.

ruty · 02/08/2005 19:56

yes my ds is only 10 months, i can imagine him doing the same thing. I better be prepared...

chicagomum · 02/08/2005 20:27

i would also recommend that you aren't too fastidious about your children washing their hands, my dh's cousin has a slight obsession about it and when my dd spent quite a bit of time with her it became apparent she was becoming that way too i've had to "retrain her that she doesn't need to was her hands every time she touches something, (she'd got to the stage of washing her hands about 10 times an hour)

MrsATeam · 02/08/2005 20:31

always do after every toilet trip no matter where i am and also installed this into my children

expatinscotland · 02/08/2005 20:45

Always, always, always.

ruty · 02/08/2005 20:47

yes chicago mum i have thought about not making my ds be too fastidious, but want to strike the right balance. I haven't quite reached ten times an hour! Yet.

nannyjo · 02/08/2005 20:58

i always wash my hands like ruty after evrything i do have done since DS was born, but in public toilets i don't because i make a point of not touching anything without using toilet roll eg open doors, flush toilets, wipe you know what with lots cos the germs on the taps door knobs etc are worse then whats on my hands. I know this is weird but it's always been an obsession of mine. i always wash at home though.

madmarchhare · 02/08/2005 21:00

I dont when Im out and Im very drunk - There, am I the first to admit it?

kama · 02/08/2005 21:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

nailpolish · 02/08/2005 21:08

in my downstairs loo the loo roll just sits on top of the cistern. whenever one of my friends goes to the loo, she leaves the loo roll on top of the towel, so therefore i know for a fact that she doesnt wash her hands, because of she did she would have to remove the loo roll from the towel rail to dry them.

it annoys me SO MUCH!

Swipe left for the next trending thread