Wednesday's Question of the Day: hand washing?

I heard on the news that 54% Canadians wash their hands five times a day or more. This means 46% wash their hands four times a day or less - that covers 3 meals a day plus one bathroom break. Canadians aren't the only ones, either. I'm so grossed out right now. 

http://www.themarknews.com/articles/7045-canadians-have-dirty-hands-clean-houses/#.URHeOY58vww

I have to be careful about getting sick, and I also cook our meals every day, so I wash my hands quite a bit. We wash up every time we come home after being out in public, and we wash in restaurants after the menus get picked up. I even make kids who come over wash their hands first thing.

How about you - do you wash five times a day or more?

Huh, probably. Can't say I've ever counted. But always after the bathroom, I don't always remember before meals though.

I only wash my hands if I've touched something really dirty or unsanitary. I don't make an effort to wash my hands before I eat. I couldn't care less. I don't remember the last time I was sick. People who over-wash and sanitize annoy me, they are always the ones who get sick. I wonder why. 

Auroraei said:

I only wash my hands if I've touched something really dirty or unsanitary. I don't make an effort to wash my hands before I eat. I couldn't care less. I don't remember the last time I was sick. People who over-wash and sanitize annoy me, they are always the ones who get sick. I wonder why. 

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The problem with this line of thinking is that, although you might not get sick from the disease-causing microbes on your hands, not everyone has such a great immune system. When someone who doesn't wash hands very often touches things in public places, he or she is transferring all kinds of bad bacteria, viruses, and other microbes to the objects and then the next person who touches it could get very, very sick from it. 

We all touch door handles, baskets & cart handles, debit machines, pens at the bank…

It just takes a quick rub on the eye, or pick up a piece of bread to eat and that's it, the germs are in the person's body. Some viruses can live on surfaces from 30 minutes, to days, weeks, and some survive for months!

People suffer and get really knocked down; they can develop chronic conditions or die. The most vulnerable are the very young, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems (from diseases, transplants, or chemotherapy drugs). They really don't need more health issues caused by unsanitary practices. 

Conventional science, medicine, and wisdom all say to wash hands before:

preparing or eating food

caring for sick or wounded person 

handling contact lenses

Wash hands after:

preparing food

using toilet 

changing diaper

touching animals or waste

coughing, blowing nose, sneezing

caring for sick or wounded person

handling garbage, chemicals, anything soiled

Also wash hands:

if they look dirty

I'm not really a fanatic about hand-washing. After the bathroom, after cleaning out the litter boxes. Before I start to prepare dinner. And that's pretty much it.

If I washed my hands after touching animals (i.e. the cats), I've never have time for anything else.

And I have to agree with Auroraei, sometimes all the hoopla about hand-washing, antibiotic this, and antibiotic that, curdles my corpuscles. I don't worry about it.

My hands are constantly in water it seems. I work with special needs kids.

And the first thing I do when I get in the car after going to the grocery store is use the hand sanitizer. I know how few people wash their hands, I don't want someone else's poop on my hands. :tongue2:

Winchester said:

I'm not really a fanatic about hand-washing. After the bathroom, after cleaning out the litter boxes. Before I start to prepare dinner. And that's pretty much it.

If I washed my hands after touching animals (i.e. the cats), I've never have time for anything else.

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That's about the same as me, but l always wash them as soon as get home if i've been at work or into town.

We had a client in at work this morning and she used mine and Pams bathroom before she left. It's next to my office and l never heard the handryer go, so l went in with my antibacterial wipes just incase?. And low and behold the sink was dry, so the seat, flush button and door handles were wiped down.

How can no one not wash their hands after the bathroom!! 

Susan, I work in a government building and our restrooms are also used by the public. You would not believe some of the messes we have seen in the restroom! I would just as soon not ever need to use the restroom here period, but I've no choice. I've gone in and the toilets are filthy. And our maintenance guys are wonderful about cleaning the bathroom; it's not their fault.

How hard is it to flush the toilet?!!!!! Evidently, it's quite difficult!

Ugh, that's terrible! 

Lets see.. when I wake up and wash up.. when I go to the bathroom.. before and after I prepare the kittie's raw meals (Twice a day).. before my own meals (or at least use hand sanitizer..).. and sanitizer in between at work if someone touches my mouse or keyboard.

yea.. i think I am above average

Auroraei said:

I only wash my hands if I've touched something really dirty or unsanitary. I don't make an effort to wash my hands before I eat. I couldn't care less. I don't remember the last time I was sick. People who over-wash and sanitize annoy me, they are always the ones who get sick. I wonder why. 

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I'm the same. After I use the bathroom too, of course. I believe too many people spend too much time trying to hide from germs and that it weakens our bodies natural ability to fight many of them off. I do think extra precautions should be taken around hospitals and other places where people may be chronically ill but in general and around our own homes, I don't think we need to wash our hands constantly or use things like hand sanitizers and anti bacterial soaps. That's just my personal opinion though. Wash your hands after the bathroom! 

We both wash hands carefully when or after being in public. We keep hand sanitizer in my purse, the cars and trucks. We wipe the shopping carts with it when in stores where it is provided. Another very important place to wash hands that I haven't seen mentioned here is after handling a menu in the restaurant or a tray at a cafeteria. Also always do it in hospitals or nursing homes.

Winchester said:

If I washed my hands after touching animals (i.e. the cats), I've never have time for anything else.

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Haha! No kidding!

I always intend to wash my hands more often at work, because whenever I do, the water runs gray--ick! Mail and money are dirty. Probably not a lot of germs, because germs don't survive long on porous surfaces, but definitely dirty.

I agree that your immune system needs something to do or it'll get bored and turn on itself. I think this whole over-sanitizing craze is why so many people have autoimmune diseases and allergies.

I never use hand sanitizer because my hands get dry and cracked, and, ouch, does it sting! Plus it tastes bad. . .

I am allergic to cats, so when I am home I was my hands so often that in the winter they get all chapped.

Willowy said:

Plus it tastes bad. . .

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OK, I'll bite. :lol3: Why are you tasting it?

Auroraei said:

I only wash my hands if I've touched something really dirty or unsanitary. I don't make an effort to wash my hands before I eat. I couldn't care less. I don't remember the last time I was sick. People who over-wash and sanitize annoy me, they are always the ones who get sick. I wonder why. 

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This.  I get irritated when people constantly use hand sanitizer (I'll cut you some slack if you have a compromised immune system, but that's not everyone's excuse).  I'll go home and eat after being at the grocery store or handling dirty, grimy horses.  The last time I was sick it was with the flu several years ago. 

Also, not hearing the hand dryer is not really a good sign that someone didn't wash their hands.  I hate those things, and would rather shake my hands off in the sink than use them.  The dry sink was a better indication!

AbbysMom said:

OK, I'll bite. :lol3: Why are you tasting it?

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Haha, that does sound funny! I bite my nails. You'd think the bad taste would be a deterrent, but noooo :lol3:.

Never thought about it before, but yeah I wash my hands a lot. More than average anyway. And eww, who doesn't wash their hands after using the bathroom?! I can't even imagine not washing them! My hands kind of "feel" dirty sometimes if I touch something and can't wash them straight away. Then it's in the back of my mind and I have to go and wash them as soon as I can (a little OCD I suppose).

SwampWitch said:

Conventional science, medicine, and wisdom all say to wash hands before:

preparing or eating food

caring for sick or wounded person 

handling contact lenses

Wash hands after:

preparing food

using toilet 

changing diaper

touching animals or waste

coughing, blowing nose, sneezing

caring for sick or wounded person

handling garbage, chemicals, anything soiled

Also wash hands:

if they look dirty

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That's common sense though. Who wouldn't wash their hands after changing a diaper or touching garbage? Lmao. Didn't know I had to specify. Some people get really obsessive with it though, washing their hands for no reason.

I wash my hands before I do anything in the kitchen in the morning, I don't know if Autumn has been up on the counters so I sponge down the counters and wash my hands.  Also after using the restroom, no brainer there and before cooking.  If I've been petting Autumn and cook afterwards, I wash my hands at that time also.  I have no idea how many times I do it a day but it's more than five times, that's for sure.