Hygiene Series - Part II - Washing One's Hands

[Paul Beach]

Following the tremendous success of her study on ear wax removal, Mrs. Gray now asks the members of Club Adventist how they feel about washing their hands post-lavoratory. The results will shock you.

Dear friends,

Mrs. Gray has noticed that many Sabbatarians leave the restroom without washing their hands, even at church. This bothers her tremendously, particularly when the next thing they want to do is shake her hand. How do you feel about this trend? Does this bother you? Or are you culprit?

Here is your opportunity to have your voice heard.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gray

[Paul Beach]

And how do you feel about others' practices?

[Naomi]

Mrs Gray,

To shake or not to shake. That is the question.

<img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/crazyjacky_seilchensmiley1.gif" alt="" />

A confession: I think I answered when I shouldn't have. I did say that I do shake hands when I don't know. However, I really dislike the practice of shaking hands. <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/tomato.gif" alt="" /> Sometimes it is necessary and socially proper to do so.

Usually if I know someone I will greet them and lightly touch their arm. Or, give them a "side-body" hug.

Use a lot of hand sanitizer ... it makes your hands dry but sanitary.

[K]

Dear Mrs. Grey,

I am so thankful for your keen insights, however there are some things that one just doesn't give much thought too these days. One doesn't give much thought to the cleanliness of the waiters hands when dining out. Did they wash them or did they not. One doesn't give much thought to putting their lips on the glass in a restaurant. Did they sterilize it or did they not. One doesn't give much thought to touching door knobs in bathrooms. Did the person before me wash their hands or did they not.

Mrs. Grey, I don't know how much contact you get with the Italian culture in your neck of the woods, but let me assure you that there is enough hugging, kissing, and sharing of each other's food that the thought of not shaking another's hand would be a minor thing.

Do appreciate your deep thoughts and polls on such matters as ear wax and hand washing.

K

[Gregory Matthews]

I noted a few weeks ago that there was a slightly stooped, but stately grey-haired lady in the men's restroom at chruch taking notes. Now I know why she was there.

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

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Margaret Gray said:

And how do you feel about others' practices?

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I will shake their hand, then wash mine. After all, I've just joggled the flush handle after numbers of people have used it without having washed their hands, including yours truly.

Do I wish it could be otherwise? That's why I clicked on this thread, to find if someone had found a better solution this side of the kingdom. Suggestions?

[Bravus]

This one might be pushing the line a little in this forum, but the moderator can always delete it if it's inappropriate. Oh wait, that's me! Anyway... Apropos of the 'category of lavatory utilization', P.J. O'Rourke, speaking to men, once said 'Never wash your hands in a public bathroom - your genitals are cleaner than their sink'. <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[Neil D]

Quote:

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Apropos of the 'category of lavatory utilization', P.J. O'Rourke, speaking to men, once said 'Never wash your hands in a public bathroom - your genitals are cleaner than their sink'.

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To which I would say, " You've never been to an ER room, have you, PJ?"

[lazarus]

Its strange that this should come up because I have developed a bit of a thing in the last few months about bathrooms and hand washing. I never touch the door handle of a public bathroom if i can avoid it. I don't like to push buttons, turn faucets, I'm even wary of using the paper towels! Thats odd right!

Recently, every now and then I shake a hand and have a urge to immediately go and wash my hands. Its weird. I never used to be like that.

[Halfstep Denise]

When I was using crutches, there were times that I didn't wash my hands, because water on the floor made it dangerous for me to approach the sink area! Thank goodness for hand sanitzer!

A lot of restrooms like to put the paper towels either across the room from the sinks, or at either end of a lineup of sinks causing water drippage from the sink to the towel. This becomes a dangerous situation for anyone on crutches.

Now that I am in a wheelchair, some restrooms are still a challenge because it's hard to reach some sink faucets. If I can reach the faucet, I'll wash my hands. If not, I'll use the hand sanitzer.

Denise

[cricket]

Sorry to leave a mess in the restroom, ladies. I confess that I'm the one that cleans her hands and then dries with a paper towel. Then, using another paper towel, I open the door handle to exit. If there is no receptacle nearby, I simply drop the paper towel on the floor.

(How many of you use a sanitizer after pumping gasoline at the station?)

[Halfstep Denise]

Christine:

Thank you for having the courage to make that "confession".

Did you really have to throw the paper towel on the floor? You are endangering the safety of others and making someone else clean up after your littering! The person who picks up after you will either have to find a pair of gloves to put or or touch that paper towel with your germs on it.

The bathrooms are part of God's house too!

Sloppiness, even in the bathrooms reflects on a visitors impression of that church as a whole!

Please carry a small bottle of hand sanitzer or take that paper towel to the nearest trash can after opening the door and throw it away, yourself! I'll even send you a bottle of hand sanitzer if it will encourage you to stop that behavior!

Denise

[Amelia]

Seeing as how I travel to many grocery stores in my occupation, I have installed a bottle of hand sanitizer in my car. SOmethings are just too yucky to leave on ones hands. BUT, I must say that I am not overly concerend about touching door handles or faucet handles when in the restroom. I wash and go. errr I guess I sould say that I go and wash. LOL. I am proud to admit that I have yet to catch a cold or other dire disease in the past few years. Just dont touch your hands or fingers to your nose, eyes or mouth. Use a hankie or tissue. Thats all I do.

[cricket]

Denise,

How am I supposed to hold the door open while I am finding a trash can for the paper towel? I figure I am doing a service to the public bathroom attendants. If I do this often enough, someone will develop the common sense enough to actually put a trash can near the vicinity of the door! (I've cleaned enough bathrooms myself to know that it only takes a few times to learn to "solve" this problem.)

By the way, when someone else had to pick up my "litter," it isn't my germs that are on that paper towel. The only germs on the towel are the one's that came from the door, the faucet knob and the floor (all areas that should have been clean in the first place, but are not because the restroom attendants aren't doing their jobs properly).

In the meantime, I apologize that my behavior is distracting--and potentially even dangerous--for people who are handicapped. My suggestion to them: take someone else along who can open the doors and prevent any possible mishaps. (I've accompanied many, many handicapped individuals in my lifetime for this very reason.)

Thank you for the suggestion of using a hand sanitizer. Unfortunately, hand sanitizers seldom actually get the real germs off of the hands. It takes at least 60 seconds of lathering with soap to do the job of cleansing one's hands.

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

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Schmidt said:

This sissy culture isn't going to do our kids any favors

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This sissy culture has a life expectancy of approximately 73 years. The past generations; approximately 48 years and up, depending on how far away they have come from the unwashed.

[:"red"] "So Jacob told everyone in his household, "Destroy your idols, wash yourselves, and put on clean clothing." [/] Genesis 35:2 NLT

[:"red"] "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil," [/] Isaiah 1:16 NKJV

Seems like cleanliness is next to Godliness.

[Michelle]

Quote:

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Unfortunately, hand sanitizers seldom actually get the real germs off of the hands.

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Hmmm, wonder why doctors and nurses use them all the time now. My mom has shown me studies about how effective these are. Where is your information from?

M

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: hand sanitizers

As one who works in a hospital, I can resspond to that question.

Waterless hand sanitizers are very effective for certain biological pathogens. But, the are quite ineffective for other types of biological pathogens. Therefore we have both waterless hand sanitizers and hand disinfectents which require water and scrubbing throught our hospital.

The bottom line is that the alcohol based waterless hand sanitizers do NOT work on certain pathogens. There biological pathogenic agents which require both scrubbing to break thier attachment to the skin, and also require a surfactant which lowers the surface tension of water so that they can be removed. Those biologic agents are not typically affected by the alcohol in the hand sanitizers. They survive such and remain to infect.

NOTE: I could give you a number of examples of biological pathogens that are NOT affected by the alcohol based hand sanitizers. "C-Diff" is one such. Those who know what C-dif is may suggest that it only exists in very sick patients. My response is:

a) Patients become very sick before they come to the hosptial. Until they go to the hospital, they are out in the public using a restroom. Yes, I am awere that infection with C-dif is typically related to a health-care infection. But, that does not mean that people infected with c-diff are not out in public.

People can be carriers--not sick but infected. As hospital worker, may family and I are infected with a number of pathogens that have not made us sick.

c) I know that I could have given you a better specific example, as c-dif is not probably frequently transmitted in public restrooms. But, that was one that came immediately to my mind, and I would have to check certain aspects of some others before I published them. Anyway, I am making a point, and not saying that c-dif is primarily transmitted in public restrooms. But, regardless of transmission, if a person who has c-dif uses a public restroom, that organism will likely end up on the door handle, and other such.

[Amelia]

I didnt know we had fake germs. LOL But on a side note. Some of those "germs" are beneficial and shoudnt be scrubed off all the time.

[cricket]

Well, I wasn't really thinking quite as deeply as Gregory. But...when I garden I often come in with really dirty hands. I know for a fact that if I were only to use a hand sanitizer, my hands would still be dirty. I'd see evidence of the "germs" on my hands.

(Please note, if you read between the lines, "gardening" could be what takes place in the restroom.)

Another thought: if hand sanitizers were all we needed to stay clean, we could easily do away with taking showers.

[Michelle]

I know hand sanitizers don't "clean" your hands. They are for times when you can't wash (believe me, I carried wipes and sanitizers when we were in China this summer! Though the public facilities we made use of were much better than they were 10 years ago--even had running water and soap for the hands!). I don't know that anyone is suggesting *only* using hand sanitizers. However, they may be a better option than you may find in a public toilet! (I realized after I wrote this that you may think I wash my hands *in* the toilet. Here in HK, the "facilities" are called the toilets, not the washroom, the loo, the can, the bathroom, the restroom or any other kind of euphemism people may use--we have male and female toilets here! LOL)

M

[cricket]

Denise,

Been thinking more about the whole paper towel thing during my morning commute. I think you're right about needing to change my action.

From now on, I won't put the paper towel on the floor. I'm going to hand it to the manager instead ! And then, I'll get him/her to acknowledge the fact that there should be a receptacle in place in the restroom.

Chrys

[Halfstep Denise]

Thank you, Christine! There are a lot of people who will appreciate your consideration.

I like your idea! It's one way of getting the message to the manager! Most public restrooms should have more trash containers.

Thanks to this thread, I will be looking into ways of improving my immune system! I'm sure it could use a boost!

Denise

[Amelia]

Experts debating toilet standards

Toilet experts have gathered in Belfast for a conference to explore issues of public lavatory standards in countries across the globe.

It is the first World Toilet Summit to be held outside the Far East.

Delegates come from such sectors as public health and educational authorities, hospitality and tourism bodies as well as toilet providers.

The Bog Standard campaign to raise the calibre of Northern Ireland's school toilets is also being launched.

It wants to "bring awareness of the health and learning benefits of better toilets for pupils", a statement said.

The campaign will also encourage schools to allow pupils to use the toilets when needed.

More than 350 delegates from the US, Europe, Australia and the Far East will get a chance to see the latest innovations in toilet technology.

These will include a brand new pop-up urinal to be unveiled in Belfast's Shaftesbury Square.

It is concealed beneath the pavement during the day, but at night it rises hydraulically for use by late-night revellers.

Delegates will also hear presentations such as Changing Washroom Behaviour, Public Toilet Excellence - The Singapore Model and Managing Out Crime in Public Toilets.

A speaker from Indonesia will describe how a toilet relief programme was introduced following the tsunami disaster.

Those attending the Waterfront Hall conference will also be asked for their views on the Belfast Protocol, a policy document to be presented to international governments.

[:"green"] TOILET FACTS

The average person visits the toilet 2,500 times a year.

The first toilet stall in a public washroom is the least likely to be used: it is also the cleanest.

Most toilets flush in the key of E flat [/]

[cricket]

Well, if these stats are true, the average person spends about 20 minutes a day in the bathroom. (Assuming an average bathroom visit is approximately 3 minutes.)

A challenge question to the reader: how much time do you, average reader, spend in the Bible everyday?