My father taught me when I was a girl that to avoid germs in public bathrooms, after washing your hands, you took a paper towel to grab the door knob or handle, prop the door open with your foot and then throw the paper towel out in the trash before exiting. Of course, you could only do this if the door/trash were properly situated. At work, I've seen yet another trick. You leave the water running (wasteful), dry your hands and then use another paper towel to turn off the faucet. Two separate people have done this, which I find fascinating, either they learned this trick from one another, or this is something I've never run across in 39 years. I don't think this is so effective because if you turn off the faucet with your wet hands, the new germs you get would probably be scrubbed away when you used the paper towel (I'm hoping). Then again, there are two swinging doors to this bathroom so you can't do the prop the door trick. At least from what I've heard, women are much better about washing their hands after using the toilet than men.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Germ paranoia
My father taught me when I was a girl that to avoid germs in public bathrooms, after washing your hands, you took a paper towel to grab the door knob or handle, prop the door open with your foot and then throw the paper towel out in the trash before exiting. Of course, you could only do this if the door/trash were properly situated. At work, I've seen yet another trick. You leave the water running (wasteful), dry your hands and then use another paper towel to turn off the faucet. Two separate people have done this, which I find fascinating, either they learned this trick from one another, or this is something I've never run across in 39 years. I don't think this is so effective because if you turn off the faucet with your wet hands, the new germs you get would probably be scrubbed away when you used the paper towel (I'm hoping). Then again, there are two swinging doors to this bathroom so you can't do the prop the door trick. At least from what I've heard, women are much better about washing their hands after using the toilet than men.
2 comments :
This sounds like a perfect topic for a Seinfeld episode.
Two comments here. First, I'm happy that we have infrared sensative flushers and faucets at work. All of that "cross contamination" touching is eliminated.
Our paper towel dispencer needs to be one of those "no-touch" units...but alias, it isn't.
Having said that, I always wondered why bathroom doors swing in?? I mean, that means you have to reach for the handle and pull it open.
If it swung out, you could just open it with the push of an elbow or shoulder.
As for men vs woman....I don't even want to speculate....though I have seen a fair number of men who go to extremes in both directions.
All I know is that my parents also taught me to keep my hands clean....so I try to.
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