Your thoughts on hand washing

[Day]

I always wash my hands if I get a little pee on them.

[_chuchu]

Honestly, I bet a lot of the people complaining about others not washing their hands are the ones who wash their hands and then grab the door handle right after.

That's what the paper to dry your hands is for :<

[Absolutely Virtue]

ITT: Solutions for not getting fecal matter in your mouth

[Dantrag]

It's true that if the alcohol dries and cracks your skin, that could be bad, but if you're using them with a little lotion or w/e you should be fine.

I've never heard that overuse of these things contribute to antibiotic resistance or that your good bacteria can't easily and quickly recover from them.

Nah I wasn't saying the alcohol based stuff is the reason it becomes stronger. I'm just saying it's not as good for you as people think. Since it basically clears out everything, the good, the bad, and the harmless. Some say that the clean slate can atract stronger bugs but I don't know for sure. I do know that forcing yourself to be completely clean and never getting dirty or in contact with any kind of bacteria is bad for you because your body never has a chance to pre-build it's immune system(much like a flu shot does). The body requires contact with gunk to build up it's resistances. The over use of self cleaning products can lead to a weaker immune system.

On antibiotics: The regiments are made to be a specific length for a reason. If say you get something like a Z pack: 2 the first day then 1 each day for 4 more days. If you stop taking it after 3 days because you feel back to normal there is a very high chance that the bacteria isn't completely dead and will eventually become resistant to that particular antibiotic.

[Penthesilea]

Nah I wasn't saying the alcohol based stuff is the reason it becomes stronger. I'm just saying it's not as good for you as people think. Since it basically clears out everything, the good, the bad, and the harmless. Some say that the clean slate can atract stronger bugs but I don't know for sure. I do know that forcing yourself to be completely clean and never getting dirty or in contact with any kind of bacteria is bad for you because your body never has a chance to pre-build it's immune system(much like a flu shot does). The body requires contact with gunk to build up it's resistances. The over use of self cleaning products can lead to a weaker immune system.

On antibiotics: The regiments are made to be a specific length for a reason. If say you get something like a Z pack: 2 the first day then 1 each day for 4 more days. If you stop taking it after 3 days because you feel back to normal there is a very high chance that the bacteria isn't completely dead and will eventually become resistant to that particular antibiotic.

This is the thing. Your normal flora are on your skin but also within your skin. The purpose of washing your hands is the mechanical break up of the skin + the detergent nature of soap + triclosan = cleaner hands. The purpose of hand sanitizer is to act as an antiseptic which will kill only those bacteria on your skin if you wash regularly. There is very little mechanical work being done to the skin to affect your normal flora.

[Mistress Stowastiq]

lol Disclaimer: I go way beyond a typical person's hand washing habits to the point of being O.C.. I get compared to "Monk" all the time. IMO Most of what I do is extreme compared to others. It certainly has more to do with my psychological perception of germs than my actual knowledge of how much risk I would be taking by not washing.

Some employers require the staff to wash hands regularly, especially food industry and medical. I believe it is the person's responsibility if they handle food for public, to consider doing it with clean hands. When I worked in a cubicle that shared shifts with others, I cleaned the mouse and keyboard before using it each day!

When I am sick, I try to be considerate of anything I touch because it is not going to help a workplace or home if others catch it too. You know it is not enjoyable if others around you are sick, even if you have avoided catching it.

As for public bathrooms, I am aware of any surface my hand or body comes into contact with. If I touch the faucet, I turn it off with a paper towel over the handle and use another towel to open the door on exit. I try to avoid touching any surface in there that is not necessary. I pretty much make sure that the last contact I make with any surface in there is done with a paper towel.

My worst pet peeve is gas pumps because they are always filthy. Any doorknob is followed by hand sanitizer when I get in the car after going to a public place. I never eat without washing first if I have left the house or done any housework. When I cannot wash hands I carry a purse-sized bottle of hand sanitizer. I will even tell a doctor or nurse to wash before they work with me, if I see that they have not.

tl;dr -- above is a "simplistic" summary of how I regard germ exposure..

Some say that the amount of hand washing you do and exposure you have to regular germs, effects your immune system's ability to defend itself against them. I can honestly say, people I know who don't wash hands consistently have proven to be ill less often. -So go figure.

[Azalee]

I have a habit of washing my hands then using the towel to grab the door handle, hold the door open with my foot and toss the towel. I go to a school with Medical Assistants and Dental Assistants and they are usually the people who don't wash their hands, which is beyond nasty, especially since the population of students at my school is 85% female.

[Absolutely Virtue]

I have a habit of washing my hands then using the towel to grab the door handle, hold the door open with my foot and toss the towel. I go to a school with Medical Assistants and Dental Assistants and they are usually the people who don't wash their hands, which is beyond nasty, especially since the population of students at my school is 85% female.

I used to work for the Red Cross, on the campus of NIH at the Clinical Center. That's home to some of the sickest people in the country, people with truly horrible stuff.

The safety video they showed us actually instructed all staff, medical and otherwise (I wasn't medical), to use the paper towel you dry your hands with to open the door on the way out. Everyone there seemed to do it, and I got in the habit of it. But now I look like a germaphobe when I do it at my regular office, lol.

[Azalee]

I used to work for the Red Cross, on the campus of NIH at the Clinical Center. That's home to some of the sickest people in the country, people with truly horrible stuff.

The safety video they showed us actually instructed all staff, medical and otherwise (I wasn't medical), to use the paper towel you dry your hands with to open the door on the way out. Everyone there seemed to do it, and I got in the habit of it. But now I look like a germaphobe when I do it at my regular office, lol.

I picked it up just because so many people DON'T wash their hands.

[archibaldcrane]

I used to work for the Red Cross, on the campus of NIH at the Clinical Center. That's home to some of the sickest people in the country, people with truly horrible stuff.

The safety video they showed us actually instructed all staff, medical and otherwise (I wasn't medical), to use the paper towel you dry your hands with to open the door on the way out. Everyone there seemed to do it, and I got in the habit of it. But now I look like a germaphobe when I do it at my regular office, lol.

I often do this too, but it's funny. If I can't pull off the "pull open door with paper towel used to wash hands, use foot to hold door open, toss paper towel into nearby (this is the crucial part) trash recepticle, and slip out the door without touching the handle...

...I often won't wash my hands at all. However, when that's the case, there's no junk-touching involved either, just unzip, flop cock onto waistband of boxers, guide cock with waistband, flip cock back inside, gtfo.

If they designed bathrooms better with trash cans next to the doors, my hands get a lot more washing.

[Norelco]

I can't do that at my office. Our bathrooms are double doored. Go in one door into a tiny room/hallway and then a second door into the bathroom.

[Kyreth]

I know what kind of hygeine some of the people who hand me money have. I know they use the restroom, too.

Damn straight I wash my hands. Often. All the time. Sanitizer too.

Feels good, man.

[Kerberoz]

I wash my hands purely to keep them clean, not germ-free. Do you actually believe that your hands won't be absolutely covered in germs 10 minutes after you wash them anyway? You're better off washing before you touch your junk, because it's a lot cleaner than random objects around your work/school.

Take your vitamins and let your immune system do its job and get stronger. Germophobes are the ones who always end up getting sick because they wash so much that their immune system is barely above that of an HIV patient.

[Azalee]

I can't do that at my office. Our bathrooms are double doored. Go in one door into a tiny room/hallway and then a second door into the bathroom.

Keep the paper towel and toss it out somewhere else? Like near a desk or somewhere?

I guess I am used to being in offices with little trash cans everywhere.

The biggest thing that was emphasized in our discussion today was to wash frequently, and to keep your hands away from your mouth/eyes/nose... You can have the virus on your hand but as long as you keep it away from any openings you are fine. Just what I was told~

[Kuya]

You guys are going to very extreme lengths for something that probably won't affect your healths very much at all.

[Absolutely Virtue]

...I often won't wash my hands at all. However, when that's the case, there's no junk-touching involved either, just unzip, flop cock onto waistband of boxers, guide cock with waistband, flip cock back inside, gtfo.

^ x 1000 when you go out drinking. The kind of bars I go to are the kinds of places where you don't want to touch ANYTHING, let alone the sink.

Always laugh at the dudes washing their hands in the filthy sinks at the rock and roll bar I've seen countless scuzzy people throw up in.

[thestalkmore]

This topic...

[kuronosan]

You guys are going to very extreme lengths for something that probably won't affect your healths very much at all.

Actually, it does affect your health. Very much. There are tons of viruses and bacteria that can be spread through urinary contact or other means such as droplets which can diffuse through the skin.

Just because you can't see it and it's never made you sick doesn't mean it won't make someone else sick.

Christ. It kills me to hear how people rationalize not washing your fucking hands. It takes all of 30 seconds from your busy bullshit snot-ridden day.

[Kaludneisucks]

Your a third world peasant!

Your a second person personal pronoun in the possesive form.

[Kuya]

Actually, it does affect your health. Very much. There are tons of viruses and bacteria that can be spread through urinary contact or other means such as droplets which can diffuse through the skin.

Just because you can't see it and it's never made you sick doesn't mean it won't make someone else sick.

Christ. It kills me to hear how people rationalize not washing your fucking hands. It takes all of 30 seconds from your busy bullshit snot-ridden day.

Where do you live? I'm going to shake your hand.