Washing Hands in Home and Public Bathrooms

ForkSnorter on 26/03/2024 - 10:35
Last edited 26/03/2024 - 10:56 by 1 other user

I've often wondered about this, but since COVID it has been on my mind even more.

We go to the toilet, and get nasty bacteria on our hands. Then we go to the sink, put our hand on the tap to turn the water on to wash our hands, and transfer some of that bacteria to the tap. After washing our hands thoroughly, we need to put our hands on the tap again to turn the water off. The bacteria is now on our hands again.

And how about public toilets? You wash your hands thoroughly, then dry them. But then you need to put your hand on the door handle to open it. And in the back of your mind, you know that handle has been touched by hundreds of people, some of whom didn't wash their hands after going to the toilet, and many of whom didn't wash them well enough. Sometimes the door opens outwards, in which case you have to put your hand on the door to push it open, but it's basically the same outcome.

Maybe we have resolved this in some toilets/bathrooms, but it seems like the majority are still like this.

I know Japan has mostly resolved this problem. Public toilets in Japan don't have doors. All sinks in public toilets have electronic sensors so you don't have to touch anything to turn the water on. And toilets in people's homes have a little sink at the back of the toilet that automatically runs water when you flush the toilet, so you can wash your hands without touching anything.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has the same kind of thoughts, or am I seeing this from the wrong perspective?

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        kiriakoz on 09/04/2024 - 14:51

        +1

        +1 for thinking about the same reference as I did in this moment.

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    johnno07 on 28/03/2024 - 02:13

    Username checks out?

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  MeesusEff on 27/03/2024 - 02:16

  +4

  I always think it's fn stupid how to exit the toilet it's almost always a pull door instead of push. Dno if it's regulations or what but you would think common sense would be to make a push door to leave the toilet.

  Anyway, when Im soaping my hands I also soap up the tap handle/button thing. Then I use a paper towel to open the door. If no paper towels the I find hand sanitiser somewhere after

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    ReaperX22 on 27/03/2024 - 12:40

    Definitely regulation, if they have it as a push, it's going out into whatever hallway etc where people may be walking/passing by. Likely more danger of hitting someone pushing out, than pushing in as you head into the bathroom.

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      MeesusEff on 27/03/2024 - 13:20

      I have come across some push exit doors so wasn't too sure. Makes sense but I hate it 😂

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        ReaperX22 on 27/03/2024 - 14:01

        +2

        I guess it'll depend on where the door exits to.

        A lot of newer constructions just have a sharp turn junction acting as a visual barrier for public toilets instead of a door you need to interact with, which I much prefer!

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          MeesusEff on 27/03/2024 - 14:09

          +1

          @ReaperX22: The no entry door toilets so much better, more elevated if they have those sensor taps and soaps haha

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  May4th on 27/03/2024 - 08:21

  i've had the same thoughts. public washrooms actually spread viruses like influenza/COVID more when you wash hands. the taps are high touch areas. unless they are sensor taps, you basically wash your hand and touch the contaminated surfaces again after. if you don't wash your hands (cue: grosss) the worst you get is some E coli on your hands which usually doesn't cause any problems

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  saltypete on 27/03/2024 - 08:50

  Your concerns are logical and not unreasonable. And if you think it through there are ways to minimise or avoid these sources of potential infection. If you’re out and about hand sanitiser or wipes are your friends.
  There’s lots of info on it from COVID advisories too.
  Apart from COVID still prevalent and regular waves of infection moving, we are coming on flu season. And the normal range of festies wandering through our communities…. Worth having safer hygene practices for your own and your families’ protection.

  Plenty don’t care though and it’s a free society, so just do what you think is best for you and don’t become the ‘clean police’.

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  2esc on 27/03/2024 - 09:54

  Well it probably does nothing but i splash the tap itself a bit with water in the hope it acts as a barrier before i turn it off.

  A lot of the filthy pigs out there wouldn't wash their hands anyway sothey arent touching taps im more worried about the door on the way out. I either pull the door open with little finger or it someone has come through grab the corner of the door not the handle.

  Then sanitiser at first opportunity and if my kids are with me i hold the door open for them.

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  gviddy on 27/03/2024 - 13:07

  The door handle part is always on my mind when I use public toilets. I guess you can only hope people that push the door open now have clean hands.

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  quick-dry on 27/03/2024 - 13:44

  I don't want to give away the secret, but this one simple trick Big Cleaning doesn't want you to know… if you really don't want to touch the door handle and have no other option, the swing arm on the door's 'soft closing' dampener can often be pushed with the side of your arm/wrist enough to open the door and not touch anything.

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  Lastora on 27/03/2024 - 14:07

  Some scenarios to consider:

  1. Auto-tap, no door at exit: Easy scenario, all hands-free.

  2. Auto-tap, exit door swings outwards: Same as #1, all hands-free, open door with leg or elbow.

  3. Auto-tap, exit door swings inwards: After washing you unfortunately have to open the door, you can do this with a paper towel if available, or a cheeky way is to wait for another person to open it for you. If both options are unavailable then use hand sanitiser later.

  4. Manual-tap, no door at exit: Pour some soapy water onto the tap hoping that will kill off some germs, then use sanitiser later.

  5. Manual-tap, exit door swings outwards: Pretty much same as #4, use leg or elbow to open door where appropriate.

  6. Manual-tap, exit door swings inwards: Worst scenario, find another toilet, don't even try.

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  OzzyOzbourne on 27/03/2024 - 15:40

  Use back of the hand, elbows etc

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  SpicyStew on 27/03/2024 - 16:20

  this person has no idea how immune system works or japan

  randomly assuming facts

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  AlienC on 27/03/2024 - 16:49

  i like to use my mouth to turn on and off taps and open doors then i just gargle with listerine to kill all the germs still here and alive

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  UnderObservation on 27/03/2024 - 21:43

  I'll never get why bathroom exit doors open inwards… Only thing I can think of is so you don't knock some poor bastard out when you boot the door open.

  Edit - maybe it's so your hands are clean when you do your business, less chances of herpes that way 😂

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  Cookiescream on 28/03/2024 - 06:16

  I have ocd, which makes me a germophobic.

  I always have alcohol gel on my bag.

  I hardly touch anything on public toilets and avoid all door handles.

  I use toilet paper to touch toilet locks and to dry my hands, and coming out of the toilet I use the same paper to open doors again.

  If i accidentally touch anything, i will use alcohol gel.

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  Willy Beamish on 28/03/2024 - 19:13

  -2

  Really makes little to no difference , do you wash your hands every time you scratch yourself anywhere, where has that been, did you touch your foot after walking around outside etc.

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  noideaa on 06/04/2024 - 19:20

  -1

  It’s 2024 and we still don’t have sensored doors in toilets.

  Just hand dryers and taps. Surely, doors are way more important than that?

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    ForkSnorter on 08/04/2024 - 07:05

    Yeah, I agree. I mentioned that in my post.

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