Why Are The British So Bad At Washing Their Hands?

I kept the title from the article because, lol.

In a recent UK-wide study, 99% of people interviewed at motorway service stations toilets claimed they had washed their hands after going to the toilet. Electronic recording devices revealed only 32% of men and 64% of women actually did.

The British approach to hand washing is often "bizarre" and "peculiar", say hygiene experts. So what is our problem? A lot comes down to perception and how we see ourselves, also to a lack of understanding about the simplest hygiene.

Link

900 people were surveyed in each country except the USA where 911 people were contacted. There were wide differences in the adoption of preventive behaviours between countries, although certain personal protective behaviours (eg, handwashing) were more commonly adopted than social distancing behaviours (eg, avoiding places where many people gather) across countries (53—89% vs 11—69%). These non-pharmaceutical behaviours did not reduce the likelihood of getting vaccinated in any country. There was also support across all countries for government recommendations related to school closure, avoiding places where many people gather, and wearing masks in public.

Link 2

Do you Brits actually notice this? I don't often go in the ladies room so I'm not sure how good they are about washing hands, but my usual mens room experience leads me to believe the only time guys in the NW don't wash their hands is when we just urinate. Never seen a guy come out of a stall and not wash hands. Yeah I am weird enough to notice when people don't wash hands. Grosses me out. I'm the freak that always opens the door with a sleeve or handful of paper towels if they (stupidly) have the pull on the inside.

We should also do it more regularly, when we take out the bins or stroke a cat for example.

Well obviously after taking out the garbage, but after petting a cat? I let my dog eat off my fork.

The two most crucial times during the day are after toilet use and before eating.

I'm busted on the before eating.

Why did they test 911 Americans but 900 in all other countries? Cruel joke? Conspiracy?

So tell me about your toilet habits ATS. I'm oddly interested.

reply to post by Domo1


I don't know,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but perhaps those men who didn't wash their hands have learned how not to pee on them?

You brought up a funny topic that I think applies to us folks across the pond as well. You walk into a public restroom and do your thing, and THEN you grab the door handle to get out of the restroom! I think the wash basins for the hands should be located OUTSIDE the restrooms versus inside!

Just some twisted thinking by me for the day.......

I rarely wash my hands. If they're dirty from working on something and covered with grease then I will, but for the most part I don't. Not after using the bathroom, not before cooking/eating, not even after I touch something I know is dirty. I always thought the best way to get used to germs is to be around them. In the last five years I can count the number of times I've been sick on one finger. And my daughter brought home that stomach bug. Out of 4 people in the house I was still the last one to get sick. My aunt washes her hands all the time. I've heard her get out of the shower and then wash her hands. Needless to say she gets sick several times a year.

reply to post by seeker1963

I don't know,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but perhaps those men who didn't wash their hands have learned how not to pee on them?

Wait. Wait. Guys, wait. There's a way to NOT pee on your hands?

Bathrooms should have the damn handle on the outside so you can just push the door open with your shoulder (I RARELY put my shoulder in my mouth). I'm a little weird about germs. I disinfect my phone every other day.

reply to post by Domo1


Do you wash your hands every time you use your computer keyboard? If your answer is NO then you should:-

news.bbc.co.uk...

Puts it into perspective i think.

I rarely was my hands in a public place after having a wee, because most of the the times you wash you hands and there's nothing to dry them on, so your left with a pair of wet hands that will pick up more germs. Those electric hand dryers are crap as well.

Well i can't speak for everyone but i must be truthful, when i'm at home i don't wash my hands at all after going to the loo. BUT! Everywhere else such as at work or in the town centre ect, i wash my hands...

I'm honestly not sure what would happen if we (those who wash, not many apparently) didn't wash after... According to that report, the majority don't wash their hands yet we don't see widespread disease everywhere???


In the words of Jimmy Carr: I don't was my hands after i go to the toilet, i wash my c*** every morning and then i'm good for the day..... I am very thorough!

I dont think motorway service stations is a good place to conduct a test. I for one hate to touch anything in those places and I'm sure many are like me and dont want to touch anything either, especialy the washing utilities!!!

Going to the loo...yes I wash my hands.
Before I eat...hardly ever.

We have all been taught to be afraid of catching germs/viruses etc that I think we've become unhealthy because we dont expose ourselves to them enough, leading to a weakend immune system.

Go dig the garden, then eat your sandwich, then wash your hands

reply to post by alldaylong


No I don't. I know I should. I wipe it down when I wipe down my phone about every other day. Dammit you've reminded me and now my fingers itch.

WASH THEM HANDS

Seriously, I have got a thing about washing my hands, I have to wash them, even after taking the rubbish out I wash my hands. Do you realise how many germs get on your hands.

I also have that bacterial hand wash stuff in my bag, its handy for when you been on the bus etc...

Originally posted by 03Smoker
I rarely wash my hands. If they're dirty from working on something and covered with grease then I will, but for the most part I don't. Not after using the bathroom, not before cooking/eating, not even after I touch something I know is dirty. I always thought the best way to get used to germs is to be around them. In the last five years I can count the number of times I've been sick on one finger. And my daughter brought home that stomach bug. Out of 4 people in the house I was still the last one to get sick. My aunt washes her hands all the time. I've heard her get out of the shower and then wash her hands. Needless to say she gets sick several times a year.

Could not agree more about the only way to tackle germs.... My Aunties side of the family have Asthma and get sick all the time and they are absolute clean freaks!

My side of the family (mums side), we are totally fine and only get sick rarely and not for long.

EDIT: Not saying we are a dirty family just don't clean the house top to bottom everyday with disinfectant!

reply to post by ThorsBrother

Well i can't speak for everyone but i must be truthful, when i'm at home i don't wash my hands at all after going to the loo.

Even if you just wiped your posterior? I can forgive not washing hands after urinating and ascribe to a similar philosophy, but seems to me if you've only a few sheets between fecal matter and your hand you ought to wash.

Originally posted by restless genius
WASH THEM HANDS

Seriously, I have got a thing about washing my hands, I have to wash them, even after taking the rubbish out I wash my hands. Do you realise how many germs get on your hands.

I also have that bacterial hand wash stuff in my bag, its handy for when you been on the bus etc...

Your post reminded me of a father who I spotted in our local play area. Before he'd let his child onto any swing etc he'd spray it with chemicals and wipe it down with a tissue drenched in chemicals. Being as my grandsone is 100% organic I was fighting the urge to go and tell the obssesive father that he was polluting the facilities.

Give me the germs anyday, kepp those nasty chemicals to yourselves.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by ThorsBrother

 

Well i can't speak for everyone but i must be truthful, when i'm at home i don't wash my hands at all after going to the loo.

Even if you just wiped your posterior? I can forgive not washing hands after urinating and ascribe to a similar philosophy, but seems to me if you've only a few sheets between fecal matter and your hand you ought to wash.

To be honest i'm not sure how many germs are on toilet paper, if you find some research results let me know how they compare to touching a penis.

I'm not one of those who touch my bum hole whilst wipping

reply to post by VoidHawk

I dont think motorway service stations is a good place to conduct a test. I for one hate to touch anything in those places and I'm sure many are like me and dont want to touch anything either, especialy the washing utilities!!!

Agreed on all counts.

So this may be weird but I'm actually worried about getting sick, I just think it's gross. I also frequently just drink the bugs that are so prone to end up in my drink when I'm smoking on the deck, have no problem eating if my hands have dirt on them etc. It's like wearing wet jeans or something. I really can't think of a good analogy.

I am anal (pun possibly intended) about washing my hands, especially after the bathroom, and eating, before and after. I have known some pretty gross people in my life, and refuse to see myself that way. I would hate to think that something that I gave someone else (food, drink,... a handshake) has something that they would think was gross, because I was to lazy to put some water on my hands.

Peace, NRE.

reply to post by Domo1


I don't wash my hands in public places. It's something my hippie parents trained me on. My mom always said that everyone touches those sink handles. Only I touch myself..
She also showed me how to flush the toilets with my foot.

I hardly ever wash my hands unless it's number 2, then it's about half the time.

There's a joke that goes something like. "I don't have to wash my hands every time I touch my penis. I just wash my penis once, and it's clean all day.." That's pretty much how I feel.. Besides piss isn't actually dirty..

I also eat food off the floor and share cups, and if I had a dog he could eat the same thing I am eating.. My cat for some reason only eats cat food, but if he wanted he could lick off my plate.

One exception is if I am working.. I always wash my hands then.


I Never get sick.

Female American - Felix type ... married to Male Englishman - Oscar type

Spouse is constantly griping about how much I wash my hands. Like, when you prepare meats or eggs - wash before switching to the next part of the recipe.

Wash - wash -wash!

But, the Englishman gripes and whines and nags constantly about my washing - yet he will do all sorts of gnarly-man stuff and not even think about washing. The reply is always, "I don't have a disease".

Your statistics sound right to me.

Reminds me of the time I was in the men's room at work washing up after an extremely dirty job,
when one of the executive types comes in, takes a leak,
and instead of washing his hands with soap and water,
gently rinsed the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, dried them off and left....


Glad I never had to shake HIS hand..

reply to post by Domo1


For simple answer click link:
British Sinks

Have you ever tried to wash your hands in a British sink? It's incredibly annoying. I went to Ireland on my honeymoon and they had these kind of sinks for the most part. I don't know who designed their sinks but it was almost as if they made them intentionally impractical....One side controls hot water and one side cold, each temperature getting it's own faucet instead of combining them into one comfortable temperature. What you instead end up having to do is turning them both on then moving your hands from one side to the other back and forth trying not to burn your damn hands but also trying to keep them warm enough to produce sufficient suds.