Washing Your Hands (second edition)
Posted in Culture & Society, Health on Feb 21st, 2008
(Note: No new installment of Bernie today, but for all you who aren’t caught up, Part Seven got a “most engaging chapter yet” comment. If you aren’t reading it, then give it a try, and if you are, then eke out a few minutes to keep going.)
Do you always wash your hands before exiting a restroom?
Bear with me here. I’ve had the beginnings of this post “in the can” for a while now (pardon the pun, if you will), and flu season seemed like the perfect time to post it — if there’s ever a perfect time to write on such a topic.
Statistically, even if you answered “yes,” to the opening question, there’s a fair chance you’re lying. A sign in the restroom at work states that, “Nine out of 10 adults claim that they wash their hands upon exiting, yet only 6 of 10 actually do so.”
I gotta think that in certain restrooms, the main goal should be do not touch anything at all — even the sink — without at least a paper towel or a tissue in your hand (and even that’s not a reliable germ barrier). Motion-sensing sinks and drying systems make washing up worry-free, but are in regrettably short supply.
When I worked in IT at a hospital, the Infection Control folks taught us that once you’ve soaped up and rinsed your hands, then you re-contaminate when you touch the faucet to turn it off (believe it or not, those of us with brains already suspected this). That institution may have retro-fitted the restrooms to touchless by now, but back in the mid-1990’s it was old-school, so they urged (nay, implored) us to have a paper towel in hand before turning off the faucet.
Then, of course, you have the door to get out. Hands-free models are my favorite here, because you never know who did or didn’t wash up. I’ve noticed a trend of placing trash cans near the door, convenient for those of us who like to use a paper towel as a buffer. No door at all? Even better.
My hypothesis is that the knob or handle on the door to enter the restroom is no more contaminated than on the door to enter the building/room/etc. The knob or handle for exiting? Whole ‘nother story.
Those who think you’re getting around all this hand washing by using a clever combination of knees and feet or a part of your shirt as a buffer, just remember, the germs are then on whatever you used. Plus, guys, even if you’ve only used the urinal, you’ve at least touched yourself where few others ever should, so no matter how clean you think you are, let’s not share that with everybody else. (I have flushed many public toilets with my foot, sometimes using that famous Karate Kid-style move on urinal flushers, so keep that in mind the next time you use your hand and then even consider not washing up.)
Thoughts?
Can’t argue with a bit of this.
Only problem at one of the places I work at is, there’s a double-door to the mens room.
SO, unless I take the paper towel out with me, I have to open the second door by bare hand.
Good thing I have th anti-bacterial stuff at my desk….
My general rule of thumb (or palm, whatever) is to rinse thoroughly after #1 and wash with soap after #2. I also do my best to avoid contact with anything on my way out. If, like with Dave, there’s a double bathroom door, I have no qualms about discarding a crumpled paper towel in the vestibule on my way out. If somebody wants to put two doors up between me and my level of sanitation, then they can pick up the paper towels.
And I know it sure as hell ain’t no 90%. I think office environments come pretty close to that, but as soon as you get into more public restrooms, that stat plummets. Take five minutes to watch (um, discretely) during half-time at some random sporting arena. You’ll go crying home to your mama and an industrial sized bottle of Purel.
Since it scientifically proven that womens washrooms are oddly dirtier than mens I will usually wash my hands and dry. I will walk right out of a dirty one and double wash at home thought. I only use my hands in the washroom when necessary. I do us a paper towel from my way from the dispenser to the door. I will most likely use my jacket sleeve to open the door or pretend to be looking for something if I notice someone else heading my way. that way they get to touch everything and I get a free ride through. I am not as “anal” if I may say at home. I was my hands so much that if I don’t after a #1 because I just did 5 minutes ago I just go ahead out the door. I also believe that you have to be exposed to some level of bacteria to help build the immune system up. My kids should have immune systems made of steel since they think nothing of playing with garbage and eating stuff they find on the floor. Mostly Tavish, Declan is I think going to be a germ phobe. Not as bad as Howie Mandel but still a phobe to some degree. But he is still exposed to Tavish’s unsanitary ways often.
Mark, you must have some fascination with the bathroom for some reason.
I cannot remember where I have seen this, but I have seen some restrooms actually have the entrance/exit doors open outward instead of inward. To get out of the restroom, you have to push instead of pull on the door.
Mark, you may remember the library building at our old college in Arkansas. When the renovations occurred during the 1990-91 school year, they added onto a couple of existing bathrooms. This resulted in two ways into the restroom. On the old section, there was only one door. On the new section with a new entrance to the mens restroom, they actually installed a double door style entrance. Last that I saw, it is still that way. There were two separate doors on opposite sections of the restroom to be able to get into this expanded restroom.
I wash my hands after using the restroom. I often use the paper towel method to open the door.
Apropos of nothing, have any men ever noticed how much better a men’s room smells when it has automatic rather than manual flush urinals? A side benefit of cleaner hands.
I tend to the foot-flush, paper towel (or t-shirt) door open. I dont’ loose sleep about the bacteria on the edge of my shirt…chalk it up as sparring practice for my immune system. Cecil over at Straight Dope recently reposted an article about this and the level of bacteria encountered even in a splash-free #1. Rather disturbing. But…I haven’t died yet, so I’m just going to keep washing my hands and I’m not going to start loosing sleep over it.
I think you hit a nerve with this one Mark. Chalk one up in the victory column for sanitation!!
Re: Amy’s comment
My wife would hate to know that the last time I took the boys to Timmy Ho’s on a weekend morning, I had to take Dex in for a pee, and Tavish thought nothing of clapping both hands on the lower rim of the urinal and peering curiously inside. After I recovered from the sensation of horror, I washed HIS hands VERY thoroughly and made sure he understood NOT to do that again. I think I spoke in all-caps too.
Re: Pops’s comment
Yeah, I have noticed that men’s rooms smell cleaner the more automated the flushing is.
Si, did you wash Tav’s face too??? That is horrifying!!!! I almost don’t want to kiss him ever.
It sounds like we’re all hand washers or at least we’re willing to lie about it, like the 2/10 that do in surveys ;+) I was thinking about the creepiness of being in a bathroom at the office and noticing a colleague who didn’t wash their hands. You know they’re going to pass you a paper or touch a common surface and yet, what can you say? Sometimes I wish I didn’t know since there is little I can do about it.
Markus…You’ve definitely struck a nerve with me, and I could submit an entry that would probably be longer than yours. Bathrooms are NASTY….moreso than most people would care to know.
Here’s one I saw in about November in the restroom at the golf course. Guy does his business, big business…cruises out without so much as a glance at the sink. Goes straight to the cooler with ice and a metal scoop, and scoops out his ice into his water cup and then throws the scoop back in. Two things happened after that:
1. I shared it with the staff when walked out and they threw the ice out.
2. I vowed to NEVER use that ice again after watching that exhibition.
To expound only slightly to your point, there are a limited number of germs out there that don’t require either oral or nasal contact to cause infection. So…the best way to prevent infection is NOT to touch your face for any reason unless you just thoroughly washed, or used some sort of anti-bacterial gel.
What’s really scary is to look up how many different bacteria can be cultured from handling money. You think bathrooms are bad….money is in many cases worse, because it never comes in contact with any type of cleaner that contains bleach.
You want a good infection….handle money and the touch your nose. The ONLY reason you won’t get sick is if your body fights it off, because it’s in there at that point.
OK…enough on the germ subject. I’ve said my peace.
Here’s a great option, StepNpull. It’s a simple bracket that attaches to the bottom corner of any commercial latch less door and allows the user to open the door with their foot instead of their hand. There is a short demo video on the website. http://www.stepnpull.com