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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

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amother

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 6:03 pm

I've often thought about this but have been too embarrassed to ask.

If you've used the bathroom without getting your hands on any incriminating stuff (sorry if tmi) then why would you need to wash your hands with soap? Obviously handwash needs to be used when necessary, but is it always a must?

I'm the first to insist on handwash so that's not debatable, my question of 'must it always be used' still remains.

Bring on the tomatoes.

relish

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 6:10 pm

Do you not wipe after you pee?

Scrabble123

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 6:11 pm

amother wrote:

I've often thought about this but have been too embarrassed to ask.

Well, you have touched items in and around the toilet. You have also touched your undergarments. Did you know that when you flush the toilet (unless the seat is down - which is not always possible in public restrooms) that particular of whatever was in the toilet actually are dispersed into the air (that is why you should always put the seat down when you flush in your home and make sure not to leave out toothbrushes, etc.) A single gram of feces can contain over 1 trillion germs: I think that it's better to play it safe and wash your hands. People come into contact with their mouth, food, eyes, nose, etc. everyday and it's better to be safe and hygienic about it. It's also important to realize that there is a limit and washing your hands excessively (such as after you touch a clean item such as a pen) is unhealthy and may be a sign of OCD. Washing your hands after using the facilities is not excessive and is a must.

amother

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 6:12 pm

Well, um, what are tissues for? If you use a bunch you don't get anything on your hands at all...

amother

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 6:12 pm

Hand-washing with soap and warm water is one of the most important ways to avoid getting sick/ getting others sick.

^^ I was going to add a bunch of sources, but you can just look it up.

I would say that even if you get nothing incriminating on your hands when you use the toilet, it is a good habit to get into since you use the toilet at intervals throughout the day. Also- bathrooms (esp public bathrooms) are horrifyingly germy. I would say just touching a bathroom doorknob, the toilet flusher, the paper towel roll, whatever, warrants a hand-washing.

relish

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 6:19 pm

amother wrote:

Well, um, what are tissues for? If you use a bunch you don't get anything on your hands at all...

So, if your baby needs a diaper change and you manage to only touch incriminating evidence with a wipe, do you also say that you don't need to wash your hands?

finallyamommy

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 7:13 pm

Do you flush the toilet after you use the bathroom? If so, then you've got germs on your hands from all the other times that you and other people flushed it after using the bathroom.

oliveoil

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 7:19 pm

It's really scary that an adult can ask this question.

amother

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 7:27 pm

oliveoil wrote:

It's really scary that an adult can ask this question.

I thought so too but then.. well? Not everyone learns these things... At least she's asking What

Simple1

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 7:33 pm

I heard that kitchens can harbor more germs than home bathrooms - assuming you keep it clean. OP is obviously asking about bathroom trips that are relatively quick and clean. (Urine is not high in bacteria compared to the alternative.)

I still think it's important to wash after going, but was just playing devil's advocate.

amother

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 8:04 pm

amother wrote:

Well, um, what are tissues for? If you use a bunch you don't get anything on your hands at all...

Are you not putting your hands on the toilet lever to flush the toilet? Do you know how many hundreds of thousands of bacteria are on it? IJMHO, but I think it's dirty and disgusting to not wash your hands after having gone to the bathroom. Puke

Simple1

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 8:11 pm

http://www.foodandwine.com/art.....-seat

(And yes we do wash after going. And not talking about public restrooms which I assume is very germy)

acccdac

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 8:27 pm

there have been studies that say that elevator buttons are more germy than toilet handles and that toilet seats in public restroom hold less germs than the door handle.

http://isp.netscape.com/whatsn.....rooms

nywife

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 8:50 pm

Because germs are invisible to the eye, so how is one to know if they touched any germs on bathroom surfaces? Hand washing is the most effective and easy way to prevent the spread of diseases. Why not?

amother

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 8:58 pm

To those posting about how there are even more germs in other places!... I think handwashing is very important and washing with soap and water after using the restroom is even more important because of this. If you touch an elevator button, or a doorknob, or anything... most likely at some time in the near future you will be going to the restroom (unless you never go?).. so its a good time to wash with soap and water intermittently throughout the day. You happen to have bodily functions that require your presence in a facility with a sink and soap and paper towels throughout the day. So why would you not wash?

mille

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 9:10 pm

So you pee, use a ton of tissues (not wasteful or anything), and your hand is totally dry.

Then you go and flush the toilet.

The last person to use the toilet went poo, didn't use as much tissue, and definitely needed to wash their hand. They also went and flushed the toilet with the same handle.

It's not just getting in contact with your own bodily fluids. It's all the gross things others have touched in the vicinity when you go!

All these posts about a kitchen or elevator or whatever being "dirtier" than a toilet handle/seat don't mean you don't need to wash your hands. You do. Even if a toilet seat has only 10% of the germs of a kitchen countertop (seriously, don't you ever wash your counter? sheesh!), that's still more than 0% germs, and that means you still run the risk of coming in contact with said germs.

People. Wash your hands. It really doesn't take that long. Is your day so micromanaged down to the minute that you cannot afford 30 seconds to wash your hands?!

acccdac

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 9:12 pm

amother wrote:

I'm not advocating not washing hands or saying that I dont.

I am just pointing out that people have this misconception that the bathroom is the dirtiest place in the world and that is just something we have created in our minds.

I dont let my kids do anything at home after school until they wash their hands with soap, and similar practices to keep all germs (bathroom or sick) out of our house.

oliveoil

Thu, Jan 15 2015, 9:20 pm

acccdac wrote:

That's pretty standard. I don't know anyone who doesn't make their kids wash hands after school! And for good reason.

And all these other places - subways, elevator buttons, ATM buttons, even cell phones are full of germs - are definitely chock full of germs. That's what hand sanitizer is for. Communal bags of potato chips/pretzels/popcorn are also disgusting. You have no way of knowing what's on everyone else's hands.

amother

Fri, Jan 16 2015, 5:57 am

OP here. For the record, we DO wash our hands but I know others who don't and have used similar sentiments as an excuse, so thought I'd put this out there.

I do wonder though, I have family members who do and family members who don't, yet I don't see those that don't catching illness quicker than those that do...

water_bear88

Fri, Jan 16 2015, 7:27 am

I'll admit to using 60-70% alcohol hand sanitizer instead of soap and water after the bathroom- after all, if you turn the tap on with germy post-toilet fingers, you've hardly gotten rid of them all if you then touch the contaminated tap again to turn it off.
(If my hands are actually soiled, for sure I'll use soap and water first.)

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