Reality Check: Do you wash your hands after using the restroom?

[AHP84]

Don't worry, there's no comment required...just an honest, anonymous vote!
The point is to see just how many average, everyday people--most of whom you probably associate with daily or shake hands with when you meet...or even serve you food if you visit their home--do and don't wash their hands after they use the bathroom.
Answer honestly! ;-)

[GNicole]

Ewwwww that is gross!! I wash my hands everytime!!

[HelpinUtah]

I'm a germaphobe and so I have to wash my hands after using the bathroom and I have hand sanitizer on my desk at work and all over my house!  LOL!!!!

[have 2 kids]

I always wash my hands.    I won't use the hand dryers in public restrooms though.   I keep kleenex in my purse and use that to dry my hands.   Then I use hand sanitizer after leaving public restrooms.   I try at all costs to avoid public restrooms.   They are gross!

[Lonelymom]

I always wash my hands after I go. With kids that stay sick I try to keep sanitizer around so that I can keep the germs off my hands. I wash my hands periotically (sp ?) through out the day.

I have heard other women leave our restroom at work and not wash their hands. I will be in a stall and here the toilet flush and the door open and then them leave the bathroom but never hear the sink run.

[AHP84]

I've experienced the same thing here at work. I will be in a stall and someone else will be there too, then they'll flush the toilet and walk out. And I just sit there thinking--eeewwww!
Either that, or you get the people who claim a "hand wash" counts if they run their hands under water for a grand total of two seconds...and don't use soap.
Another eeewwww!

[guessagain]

There are two so far that I would prefer not make my sandwich.

Sometimes I cringe when my four year old grandson is grinning ear to ear and is generously offering to share his cookie, you know kids. I guess I'm not dead yet!!

[HelpinUtah]

I have an old friend who couldn't understand why I made such a big deal out of washing hands after using the bathroom.  She doesn't and neither do her kids!  UGH!!!!  It used to drive me crazy!  That was one thing I enjoyed when my niece was here (at 3) - she washes her hands (absolutely has too) and she NEVER picks her nose!  WOOHOO!!!!! I hate that too!  LOL!!!

[dominosarah]

Hands have to be washed.  We have to sanitize at work after we are done taking money from people.  That stuff is hard on the hands but god only knows where that money and their hands have been...............

[msniki412]

I had that happen when i was at work oneday. I was in the stall, and somebody was in the one next to me. They flushed and ran out the room!!!!!!! Sad thing is, I knew who it was and to this day I still look at them in disguss!!!!! I always wash my hands, I think I was them too often because they become all dry!!!!!! Better safe then sorry!!

[margypops]

Actually Americans are pretty hygenic on the whole ,in Europe I dont see much hand washing, maybe I am lucky with the bathrooms I visit but I notice most wash their hands afterwards .

[April2]

Always, always, always! I can't stand to see people use a public restroom and walk right out. Ewww!!

[VicUser]

There was a redneck using the public restroom in a fancy hotel. When he was done peeing he headed for the door when a preppy guy stopped him and said in a pompous tone "When I was young my Nanny taught me to wash my hands after urinating”. To which the redneck replied “When I was young my Pa taught me not to pi$$ on my hands”.

[babypooh]

I always wash or sanitize my hands everytime I come out of any bathroom/restroom and many times throughout the day, depending on what I'm handling.

[PlateletGal]

Always.... always...... always !

[MJIthewriter]

Always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Any less than that......ewww...  People who use hand sanitizer: Note, it doesn't kill all bacteria and isn't as effective as soap.  Years ago there was a display at a science museum. They had an ultraviolet light that showed bacteria.  The hand sanitizer did next to nothing to kill the bacteria!

[Cherie762]

a trick i do in public bathrooms flush with foot those toilet handles are nasty..turn off bathroom faucet with paper towel,,and ring finger of left hand to open door of bathroom when exiting.  hummm  am I a germ a phob not really but I dont get the flu...use those clorox wipes they have at grocery stores now to wipe handle of carts,,,,ok I feel the need to clean LOL

[VicUser]

After being a Scoutmaster, Soccer Coach and shoveling more cow poop than you can shake a stick at germs don't bother me too much. I do was my hands most of the times, but if you are out in the woods or down at the barn and have to go, there isn't a sink, lol. I always wash though on a cruise ship and use the hand sanitizer  (too an extreme).

Oh you all will love this one. What if you are out in the woods or a field and have to blow your nose and have no kleenex? I'll give you a hint, one finger on the side your nose are not clearing and try not get any on you. Of course if you do, wippe it on your jeans.

OK, I know you think I am an uncouth redneck, but when I am in my weekday dress clothes I do wash my hands after going and do use a Kleenex to blow my nose, ok maybe a paper towel, lol.

[MJIthewriter]

I guess when you're out of the woods, you have to do what you have to do... Just reminded me of some moments hiking with the conservation club in high school... We were hiking out in the woods and the teacher and one of the boys had to go....  So they walked out in the grass and.... well.......  I wasn't about to drop my drawers, so I waited until we got to a bathroom...

I know what you mean about no tissues and having to sneeze...ick.. That's why allergies su(c)k...

[dominosarah]

Good one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is called a farmers blow around here!!!!  Us rugged outdoorsey women just check for wind direction!!!!!  I sure am not going to worry about someone looking....when you gotta go you gotta go!!!!!!!!!

[MJIthewriter]

Oh, I just remembered one of the craziest things I found when I was working at Goodwill. This is a real product. It was an inflatable toilet.  The wording and pictures on the packaging suggested it was for moms to carry along for just in case nature just happened to call their kid in most inconvenient locations. I chuckled as I read the list of suggested uses:

Traveling -- okay
long road trips -- okay
camping --- okay
long shopping trips ---- uh.....wouldn't that mean mommy has probably been shopping too long and needs to go home anyway?

I digress, lol. I really got off topic here but VicUser started it by talking about going out in the woods.

[Angelinthemorning]

Always!!  Unless, like VicUser said I'm outdoors and there's nothing available.  B/c let's face it what you get on your hands while taking care of cattle is far worse than your own pee!!

[Trialanderror]

I do. Always. Despite being European, hehehe. Mind you, I avoid hand sanitizers because all that antibacterial stuff can only create new monsters. And if I could, I would replace all North American door knobs with lever handles so we can all open doors with our elbows if they look suspiciously "germinated".
P.S. Outdoor rules same as Vic`s.

[catmagnet]

I was about to say yes, always, but I do spend an awful lot of time camping and sometimes the lakes look dirtier than my hands so maybe I can just say I rub them in the grass if necessary. I guess that's why God provided us with immune systems. I don't think overuse of hand sanitizers and antibacterial soap is a good idea, anyway.

[MJIthewriter]

As a kid, I used to not care....  I think I knew to wash my hands after using the bathroom (sometimes), but once outside I didn't care... I'd catch and handle insects, dig in the dirt, pick apples off the ground, eat them, lick my hands when they got dry...

Somewhere in my life when I learned about germs and diseases, I went to the other extreme and was washing my hands all the time and afraid to pick up the slightest germ... I'd still handle and catch insects, but I'd wash my hands when I got home. If I touched water on the counter, I washed my hands...

Now I'm a bit less extreme, but still can get obessive from time to time... I may have a bit of OCD....