Handwashing after using the loo

This past weekend I was in a pub that had no soap whatsoever in the women's loo. When I came into the main bar area I went into the handicapped loo (a separate room, entrance visible from our table) to wash my hands because I simply could not fathom doing otherwise. I have been known to ask guys to scout out the male loos for me in other such circumstances. In my mind it is simply not optional.

Over the next hour I watched about 20 women enter & exit the loo. Only ONE went into the handicapped loo after exiting. The rest just pretended as if all was well - including the bar woman, who returned to work pouring people drinks! DH suggested that it could be possible that they all had antibacterial wipes in their purses and used those, but.... 

I thought only guys were guilty of this. I now realise I have been deluded. Yuk.

I worked in numerous bars whilst at university and can confirm womens toilets are usually infinitely more disgusting than mens toilets.  Women can be total pigs.

Once when I was on a business trip with my boss, we both went to the ladies' room.  I waited for her and when she came out of the stall, she just said 'okay, let's go'.  I think she just forgot to wash her hands.  I didn't say anything but I was kind of grossed out by it for the rest of the day!

I worked in numerous bars whilst at university and can confirm womens toilets are usually infinitely more disgusting than mens toilets.  Women can be total pigs.

I can confirm that also. I had a job cleaning the toilets, both mens and womens on campus, and I found as you said the womens were far more dirtier.

Surely she got her pee germs on the toilet door when she opened it so anyone who had washed their hands after would have got her germs opening the door?

This is why I use a paper towel to open bathroom doors.  I know it's a bit paranoid but a lot of the time I hear people walk straight out of the bathroom without attempting to wash their hands.

I use the hem of my skirt to open doors in public toilets, and i've trained the boyfriend to do the same with the tails of his shirts!

I'm even more repulsed by the fact that this woman could be using her unwashed hand to touch the doorknob to the kitchen and to touch the taps in the kitchen sink.

Surely she got her pee germs on the toilet door when she opened it so anyone who had washed their hands after would have got her germs opening the door?

This is why I use a paper towel to open bathroom doors.  I know it's a bit paranoid but a lot of the time I hear people walk straight out of the bathroom without attempting to wash their hands.

I use the hem of my skirt to open doors in public toilets, and i've trained the boyfriend to do the same with the tails of his shirts!

Do you do this for every door?  I'd be surprised if the loo door magically sucked every single germ of her hands so she'll contaminate the next door she opens, and the next...  Plus; don't forget money, lift buttons, bannisters...

Do you do this for every door?  I'd be surprised if the loo door magically sucked every single germ of her hands so she'll contaminate the next door she opens, and the next...  Plus; don't forget money, lift buttons, bannisters...

you can't completely shield yourself from other people's germs, but I'm all for minimising risk where possible. 

Lots of people are disgusting.  Every time we go out we get in contact with germs.  I tend to just do my bit and not worry about it.

Every time I go to court I retch at the state of the ladies toilets.  They are usually horrific by 2pm.  Therefore, I assume, so are all the lift buttons, door handles, counter tops etc.  But I get the tube every day, so there is really no point in worrying about what germs I come in contact with in court when I know how contaminated the London underground is!

Vicky

Every time I go to court I retch at the state of the ladies toilets.  They are usually horrific by 2pm.  Therefore, I assume, so are all the lift buttons, door handles, counter tops etc.  But I get the tube every day, so there is really no point in worrying about what germs I come in contact with in court when I know how contaminated the London underground is!

Vicky

Ew, I probably shouldn't read this while eating.

But it brings me to what I feel is the grossest of all: the handrails in buses. We don't have a subway in Leeds, so I suspect the underground is the same but the buses are gross. They even feel gross, like someone has just wiped their sweaty hands all over them. I never put my hands near my face after I've handled  the bus handrails until I can get them clean. I've taken to carrying around some hand sanitizer with me. I'm almost positive thats where I get colds from.

Same issue with handrails at Boot Camp.  We get a lecture almost every morning that "Trainees will use the handrails at all times."  But they were disgusting.

The TI's wondered why everyone was always getting sick as well.     Of course the portfolios didn't help.  I always tried to smear some anti-bac foam on mine since you used it for everything, it got thrown on the ground and on the floor of the bathroom and then you had to hold it after you cleaned your hands in the line for food. 

At work, we don't have employee toilets so we have to use the same ones the public use. They can get pretty gross. The other day I was in there at the same time as another woman. I was washing my hands and she just walked by and out the door without washing hers. There are 2 sinks so nothing was stopping her from washing them. But the worst thing was, when I walked out into the hallway, there she was with her hands on both sides of her boyfriend's face kissing all over him. I felt like telling him "Hey, she didn't wash her hands after going to the toilet and now she's rubbing it all over your face." But of course I didn't.

I think we could go on about this forever but if you avoid an infection its worthwhile. If you touch the taps on the sink before washing and then you turn them off you are getting contaminated again. The better option is if you have the kind of taps that come on automatically when you put your hands in the sink.
I would guess 70% of men don't wash their hands after using the public toilet.

I recently had the misfortune of noticing (unintentionally!) that the person who was on his way to prepare my lunch hadn't washed his hands after he left the bathroom.

I would guess 70% of men don't wash their hands after using the public toilet.

Oh Jim don't tell me that, sometimes it is better not to know