After going to the potty? I always always wash my hands. In kindergarten or first grade (while still in Taiwan, came when I was 6), I remember having 2 lectures:

1 on poop
2 on washing hands

the poop part has been stuck in my brain for ages (yellow poop is "pretty" and green or red poop isn't. If you have green, red, or any other weird color poop, let mommy and daddy know)

the washing hands too has been in my memory. Imagine a bunch of kids lined up in a bathroom, turning to turn on the faucets. lathering soap, and rinsing your hands with your hand pointing down, not up. Since then, I've been a fan of washing hands. It's just ingrained into me.

Then there's the whole, working in the food service for a while, then working in a strict lab (get yelled at about the whole goggles thing everyday, and the whole - "change your glove after every task, or every 30 minutes, and wash your hands"), it's been part of me.

My hubby on the other hand, does not understand why I'm so into washing hands. He goes to the bathroom, touches his privates, scratches his butt, and comes out not washing his hands. I"m just like, NO, get in there and wash your hand with warm water and soap for at least 30 seconds!!!

Wash ALWAYS!!
Did you ever look under someones' nails that don't wash? I see it often in my job. Kind of makes one gag. ;-)
buenos dias,
Lynnette

Now we know why men don't take as long in the bathroom as women do.

well my husband has a bunch of Australian friends
so let's me say I am surprised it's not 2/3 or more

on the other hand, some bacteria in your hands may actually help you build your inmune system, just kidding

I work with biohazard level 2 bugs, I wash, and alcohol spray, and then wash, several times a day
bacteria from poo really doesn't disturb me that much

I would think anti-bac wipes would dry your hand out more since most of them are just alcohol wipes/gel. And all those dead bacteria just sit on ur palms, still kinda.. yucky, no?

But hey, I've been brainwashed at a young age to wash my hands constantly, so whatever floats my boat may not float everyone's boat. And I seriously don't think American kids are taught to wash their hands the way we were taught in Taiwan.

Let me first say....YES....YES....YES. I believe in washing your hands after using the bathroom and while handling food. However, I did read somewhere...maybe here at BB that the antibacterial soaps aren't really any more effective than regular soap. It is HOW THOROUGHLY you wash your hands that counts.

I think everyone in the US has gotten a TINY BIT phobic about germs. I saw an Oprah show where some scientist tested kitchen and bathroom surfaces and sponges in one woman's home and found that the sponges were worse than the toilet bowl. Since then I keep replacing my sponges or at least putting them in the microwave to zap the germs.

And, yes, I suppose skipping handwashing is THE reason why there is no line at Mens Rooms.

Here's the science behind that. It turns out that microwaving and dishwashing machines are equally effective. Both are more effective than soaking the sponges in bleach.

Yes, thanks Lefty for confirming the microwave method but like Cate I am a bit concerned about the ineffectiveness of bleach. I have started using it in the toilet bowl instead of a separate product.

I firmly believe in washing my hands after using the bathroom. However, my weird quirk is that I try not to touch the faucet handles in the public restrooms with my barehands. I either nudge them with my elbow or use a paper towel. I also use paper towel to open the bathroom doors (it's so nice when it's just the "kick open" handleless type of doors). I also think those electronic sensors on paper towel dispensers are awesome.

judy- I've heard the same things about anti-bacterial soaps, too. I think the report said it was just as effective to rub your hands vigorously with just the running water than to use those soaps.
taiwanesegurl- when I went to visit my sister and her kids in Taiwan, I saw one of their kiddie educational videos of the EXACT memories you have ingrained in your mind- schoolkids lined up at communual sinks cheerfully washing and scrubbing their hands.

THANK YOU bobanerd!!!!

I knew I was not making up memories of learning how to wash hands!! hahahahhahaa.. this is amazing.. they are still teaching that nowadays huh? and in video form.. wow..

back then they marched us to the bathroom for hands on experience.. LoL..

I went to Catholic School and we had to line up for everything too. I remember all too clearly the Culture Shock I surffered when I went form Catholic to Public schools....

I made the switch in 7th grade PR....so strange having to ask to use the restroom

I used to use anti-bacterial soaps, but then I really started to wonder about the implications of doing so. I've read so many articles that have been floating around about the negatives of using them: they only kill "good" bacteria and have almost no effect on the "bad" bugs, they are no more effective than washing your hands with regular soap and warm water in terms of how much total bacteria you get off your hands, they could possibly help "bad" bugs become anti-biotic resistant since they can weaken them, but possibly not kill them, and then there was an article the other day (don't remember where) that showed that exposure to antibacterial products messed with rats' hormones. Now, I know people aren't rats, but that seems a bit scary to me. So, about a year ago, I switched to only non-antibacterial soaps, but they can be really hard to find! They put antibacterial stuff in everything! I really like the Bath and Body works hand soaps, but they are almost all anti-bacterial. Fortunately, their aromatherapy line's hand soaps, which I really like, are not antibacterial.

Mostly yes, unless I'm in a hurry -- so almost always but not 100%.

I can't help but wonder about the gross factor, though. My big reasons for washing my hands is just that the faucets and door handles in moth bathrooms are grabbed by EVERYONE, so it's a prime place to get a cold if you're not careful. In terms of the fact that it's a bathroom, I just don't get the gross factor. I mena, I've been toilet-trained for some time now, and I'm getting to be pretty good at it. :-) They've got this thing caleld toilet paper that's really cool, too.

Then again, there might be a bigger gross factor for guys, since women don't have to grab our business to use the toilet. *shrug*

I skip it if I don't have any hand cream with me, if there's no place for me to put my purse and if the faucets are the type that automatically turn on and off or don't let you control water temp. In other words, I never wash my hands in rest stop bathrooms. However, I'm meticulous about washing them before and after handling food.

What I got from this was- in Taiwan they have yellow poop?

I use alcoholic wipes when I have touched something in public  but only if I know that there is some disese spreding. I do not think this is causing antibioticresistant superbugs because it is not any antibiotics in there only alcohol and something to keep my hands from geting dry.  

Wow I am clearly really slovenly! I am so rubbish at washing my hands, mainly cos I hate hand blowers and am impatient to get out. AND I bite my nails. I swear I am one pee away from a serious gastroenteritis episode!

Living on the edge. That's me.

However, when I'm at work (as a vet nurse) I wash my hadns in between every patient and frequently use the alcohol hand gels between jobs. So I'm not all bad ;)