My family and I wash our hands after using the bathroom every single time, no matter where we are. My problem is when people come to OUR house, and DON'T wash their hands. How do I know this? Well, our house is small and the powder room is right off the family room and I can HEAR the toilet flush and then SEE the person fling the door open immediately afterward. And I've not heard the water running, either. This usually happens with my kids' friends. How do you handle it? I know it's MY house and I should feel comfortable just saying 'did you wash your hands, honey?' but I don't usually do it because I'm a big wimp. Also, unless you stand right over them, how do you know they are really doing it anyway? A typical kid could just run back in, turn the water on, watch it run, and then come back out without truly washing.

Now, please don't respond that I have too much time on my hands or I worry about silly things. I'm not WORRIED, but I would prefer people who are going to be in my house touching my things and my children's toys, have clean hands after using the bathroom! So if you have a suggestion on how to deal with this, please let me know! Thanks!

By Cat on Sunday, October 16, 2005 - 06:51 pm:

Well the kids at your house are probably older than my daycare kids, but I always say, "I didn't hear the water running..." I do have one little three year old that I will feel her hands after she comes out and if they're not wet I'll send her back in. That would probably embarrass the heck out of your kids friends (and your kids! lol). Like you said, your house, your rules. You could always put a sign in the bathroom reminding them to "please flush and wash your hands". Good luck.

By Kaye on Sunday, October 16, 2005 - 07:07 pm:

If it is kids you are talking about, I would just say, hey go wash your hands. Most kids would not just go in and turn on the water. I know you would like them to all have clean hands, but you really can only do what you can do

By Melanie on Sunday, October 16, 2005 - 07:07 pm:

With kids, I always ask. Often times I get a sly smile and a "I forgot..." and back in they go to wash up.

By Kellyj on Sunday, October 16, 2005 - 08:15 pm:

I watched a 60 year old woman walk out of a public restroom at a grocery store without washing her hands! Ewww...another reason to always wash your produce. Maybe you could get a pump bottle of Purell and offer that when you remind them. Its quick and effective.

By Reds9298 on Sunday, October 16, 2005 - 09:16 pm:

Ditto Kellyj...I have never seen my MIL wash her hands after using the restroom and I GROSSES ME OUT!
I think offering the Purell is a great idea. I have that stuff all over my house, so if I can't get to a sink somewhere and need to disinfect it's always there. You could always introduce it to your kid's friends just in a general way (like "Hey I got this new soap that you don't need to use any water with. It smells good. Let's all try it.") Even if you're kids already know about it. You could even use it as a moment to talk about germs and squeeze in the part about germs after using the restroom. Then put it in the bathroom and they will see it and remember it and hopefully use it the next time???

I don't think you're being silly at all. I'm a bit of a germ-a-phobe myself.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 07:54 am:

Ditto Melanie, if it's a child, I ask. Not sure how to handle it if it's an adult though.

It amazes me how many adults don't wash their hands. I almost NEVER see adults making their young children wash hands in public restrooms.

I actually chatted with a woman last year in the mall, who was in the Ladies room with 3 young children, I'd say all between 2 and 5 y/o. She made each one of them wash their hands. I complimented her, because as disgusting as it is, most of the parents I've seen don't insist on it.

EWWWWWWWWWWWW! ESPECIALLY with kids - they grab hold of any and every part of the potty to hold on! But I've seen far too many adults who don't wash their hands either. I've been in restaurants and women seated near me have been in the restroom when I was, and they didn't wash their hands, and I've seen them go right back to their tables and start eating. It just grosses me out.

I think I'm becoming germ-phobic in those settings though, because I wash my hands, dry them and use tissue or paper towel to open the door on my way out.

By Kaye on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 07:57 am:

Just another point..LOL..did you know that when you change your baby on one of those changing tables you should wash the babies hands? They grab and feel all around and can pick up some uckys there too!

By Boxzgrl on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 09:06 am:

I'm an instant hand sanitizer person. Especially when i'm out and about, so people in restrooms may think I don't wash my hands but as soon as I walk out, I grab the sanitizer out of my purse.

With Kaitlyn, we do both. I keep Bath and Body Works sanitizers that have the beads in them around the house since she likes things that smell good and she wants to wash her hands, at least 10 times a day I swear. Also at BB Works they have the kids hand sanitizer that has glitter in it so she loves those too.

I guess I just try to make it fun for her and it works like a charm. Daycare also helped a lot since i'll admit she picked up the habit there and I just enforce it.

By Eve on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 10:17 am:

Ditto Melanie as well. If it were a child, I would have no problem politely asking. Adults on the other hand, what can you do?

As for the public restroom thing, sometimes I don't bother...there is no hot water at some places anyway! (Which drives me nuts!) So, I usually walk out of the bathroom (All the germs on the door handle from all those people not washing! Think of that after you wash your hands!) and I keep some Purel or antibacterial wipes in my purse. I do encourage hand washing though....

By Juli4 on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 03:50 pm:

Sometimes I feel even more gross after washing my hands in some public bathrooms because of the condition. I just want to go and leave ASAP. At someones house though I would never think of not washing my hands. It is just wrong. and then what if your guest wants to help in the kitchen. EWWWW

By Dawnk777 on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 10:46 pm:

Sometimes public bathrooms are so disgusting! Bleah. I hate the bathroom at our local Walmart. It only gets cleaned once a day and if you are there in the morning, it's fine! I was there once RIGHT after it got cleaned and couldn't believe how nice it looked. By suppertime, it's a different story. Ewwww. I usually just wait until I get home. We are only about a mile from Walmart.

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 - 08:20 am:

Eve, I keep those Purell individually packaged wipes with me too. I initially started buying them for vacations/cruises, and now I pretty much keep a few with me at all times. I also keep baby wipes in the car.