View Full Forums : Public Toilets Are Often Cleaner than Home Kitchen Surfaces


Tudamorf
05-14-2007, 06:00 PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6647137.stm<b>Many 'ignore basic home hygiene'

More two thirds of people do not comply with basic hygiene principles - and men are the worst culprits, research shows.</b>

The Hygiene Council found many people fail to wash their hands after using the toilet, before preparing food or after coughing and sneezing. As a result people are more likely to encounter germs in their homes than in public places.

Public toilets are often cleaner than home kitchen surfaces, according to the report.

Good hygiene is directly linked to a reduction in rates of illness and infection. The research found one in in 10 people do not wash their hands after going to the toilet. Nearly a quarter of the population will handle food after stroking their pets without using any disinfectant first.

In the home the toilet is not the principle home of bacteria: there were more harmful germs on light switches, door handles and the kitchen chopping board.

However, the research found that only 3% of people believe their homes are infectious and only one in three make sure their kitchen surfaces are clean.

<b>Cleaner past</b>

Professor John Oxford, a virologist at Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry in London and chairman of the Hygiene Council, said despite medical and scientific advances, homes were more germ-ridden today than they were before antibiotics entered widespread use in the 1940s.

He said: "People born before the antibiotic era had not relaxed their guard. "I think we have relaxed our guard today, because whatever infection we have we think we can just pull something off the shelf and deal with it. That's a serious mistake." "Scientific evidence shows that simple and good hygiene practices can reduce the risk of illness and infection at home and in the community, so we must protect ourselves by putting these measures into practice." He added: "Hands are absolutely vital. I would suggest myself that we should be washing our hands six or seven times a day."

Each year there are more than 70,000 known cases of food poisoning in the UK. But experts believe the true figures probably run into millions, because so many cases go unreported.I'm not even going to get into the petri dishes that are office desks, keyboards, and phones.

MadroneDorf
05-14-2007, 06:58 PM
I'd be suprised if 1/4 of people wash their hands after touching a pet, let alone 1/4 not doing it

B_Delacroix
05-15-2007, 08:41 AM
At my house, *I* am the cleaner. Neither me, nor my wife have been sick for years. That, however, is only anecdotal evidence and so is not admissible.

Thicket Tundrabog
05-15-2007, 10:05 AM
I'd be suprised if 1/4 of people wash their hands after touching a pet, let alone 1/4 not doing it

Agree. 75% of people disinfecting their hands before handling food and after touching pets seems very high. I'm definitely in the 25%.

While hygiene is important, I wonder whether things have gone too far. My unscientific perception is that North American young people suffer more allergies today than in the past. Is this because they've been kept in more sterile, clean environments when they were young and did not build up immunities?

Panamah
05-15-2007, 11:08 AM
Naw, I don't wash my hands after touching my pet, except before I eat. I'd be hovering over a sink all day long otherwise.

Klath
05-15-2007, 12:42 PM
This is good information to know. In the future, I'm going to prepare and eat all my meals in public restrooms.

Tudamorf
05-15-2007, 03:36 PM
I'd be hovering over a sink all day long otherwise.Too much hand-washing is also a bad thing for you, as it dries up your skin and makes it more vulnerable to infection.

I think the goal of the article was to get people to stop being lazy and clean up their kitchen, as well as washing their hands at certain times. People perceive public restrooms to be so dirty and their kitchen to be some sort of sterile oasis, when nearly the opposite is true.

Anka
05-15-2007, 05:14 PM
My cat always comes over and wants a stroke when I sit to dinner, so I'm in that 25% too :).

I wash my hands before preparing/cooking food. That's good enough for me.

Stormhaven
05-15-2007, 05:22 PM
I wash my hands if I'm gonna start on a meal that I'll be handling lots of raw meat, and I also wash my hands after touching other peoples' or strangers' pets. It's probably a mental flaw, but I know where my pets have been, and I know the "dirty level" of their current condition. However whenever we go to pet stores that carry live animals, I usually use the hand sanitizer stuff afterwards if I pet any of them - just because kennel cough is so pervasive.

For the most part, I believe in the whole "if you expose yourself to it, you're either gonna die or get over it" philosophy. I figure that if it gets me sick, I'll get over it or I won't, no big whoop. However if I try to keep myself in a bubble every day of my life, well that sounds even more miserable. However, I know other people don't subscribe to that theory, so I absolutely follow eittiquite rules while eating with others (ie: I'm not gonna be rude and have dirt on my hands while eating at the table :P).

Tudamorf
05-15-2007, 06:01 PM
For the most part, I believe in the whole "if you expose yourself to it, you're either gonna die or get over it" philosophy. I figure that if it gets me sick, I'll get over it or I won't, no big whoop. However if I try to keep myself in a bubble every day of my life, well that sounds even more miserable.There's a massive gray area in between that black and white.

Stormhaven
05-15-2007, 07:54 PM
NO WAY! Gray area, Mr. Everything should be outlawed? The hell you say.

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-15-2007, 08:54 PM
Too much hand-washing is also a bad thing for you, as it dries up your skin and makes it more vulnerable to infection.

Not really true.

If that is happening, change your soap.

Tudamorf
05-15-2007, 11:22 PM
Not really true.

If that is happening, change your soap.Any soap is going to remove oils from your skin, and cause it to dry out. That is the function of soap. And the water flushes those oils down the drain, leaving your skin more vulnerable to infection.

Repeated excessive hand washing can cause your skin to dry out and crack, making the problem worse for you (ease of infection) and others (infections you now spread by contamination through open sores on your hands).

I have fairly dry skin, and even using a moisturizing type soap, I can't wash my hands too often, for these reasons.

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-15-2007, 11:36 PM
I wash my hands more times per day than all the readers of this forum combined. Save Madie, of course.

They are soft and silky.



Change your soap. And using hot water does little to nothing to remove the bacteria, so use cooler water. It is probably the hot water that is drying you out.

Tudamorf
05-15-2007, 11:50 PM
It depends on your complexion. If you have dry skin to begin with, any significant hand washing is going to cause trouble.

Stormhaven
05-16-2007, 01:04 AM
You're saying I should quit using LAVA soap, Fy'yr? :(

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-16-2007, 03:07 AM
It depends on your complexion. If you have dry skin to begin with, any significant hand washing is going to cause trouble.

Well, I happen to have different genetics.

My skin has always been oily. Bane of my teenage years, of course.

But it does have its upside later on in life. I look at least 10 years younger than I am, now. I have more 20 somethings interested in me now, than when I was 20 something.

I had always been more interested in older women all my life, but you have to take what you can get, I suppose..../shrug.

Tinsi
05-16-2007, 04:44 AM
This is good information to know. In the future, I'm going to prepare and eat all my meals in public restrooms.

Alongside with mothers breast feeding their children (ref. previous debates) *nodnod*

Stormhaven
05-16-2007, 05:51 AM
The restroom is where it's all gonna end up again anyway right? Mine as well cut out the middle man. Imagine how much you could save by not furnishing a dining room area. Although family gatherings might be a bit tight.

Madie of Wind Riders
05-18-2007, 04:33 AM
I wash my hands about 100 times a day and sometimes they do get dried out. But there are anti-bacterial lotions out there that are wonderful to use. The thing that really dries out your skin is those anti-bacterial alcohol based spray thingies. Man, I just like never use those unless its an emergency and I can't get to the sink to wash first (like someone is off the vent and needs immediate attention)

I agree with Klath, I think I am going to set up my kitchen in the bathroom, that way it saves having to run water in two separate rooms!!

Aidon
05-18-2007, 07:03 PM
I'd be suprised if 1/4 of people wash their hands after touching a pet, let alone 1/4 not doing it

Why would I wash my hands after touching my cats? They're my cats. I live with them. I'm breathing anything that would be on my hands anyways.

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-18-2007, 11:51 PM
The fact that cats walk in their own feces and urine does not change that for ya?

Tudamorf
05-19-2007, 12:51 AM
Why would I wash my hands after touching my cats? They're my cats. I live with them. I'm breathing anything that would be on my hands anyways.Do you walk around naked on all fours all over your dirty floor, too?

How often do you bathe your cat, to remove all bacteria incubating on the skin's surface?

Fenlayen
05-19-2007, 05:31 AM
I wash my hands more times per day than all the readers of this forum combined. Save Madie, of course.

They are soft and silky.



Change your soap. And using hot water does little to nothing to remove the bacteria, so use cooler water. It is probably the hot water that is drying you out.

Got to agree with Fyyr here, I work in the food industry and we have to wash our hands every time we go into a production area, which I do at least 30-40 times a day normally. If you hands are drying out to that extent I would change the soap you are using.

Fenlayen
05-19-2007, 05:34 AM
The thing that really dries out your skin is those anti-bacterial alcohol based spray thingies.


Only use I've found for them and the gel ones is as materials to feed my pyromaniac tendencies :frocket:

Aidon
05-19-2007, 12:26 PM
The fact that cats walk in their own feces and urine does not change that for ya?

Everytime I'm within 5 feet of the litter box, I'm inhaling their feces and urine.

The freaking cats bathe themselves more than I bath myself.

If I washed my hands everytime I pet my cats, I'd spend most of my evenings washing my ****ing hands.

B_Delacroix
05-21-2007, 08:30 AM
OOh, lets all live in bubbles.

Aidon
05-21-2007, 01:46 PM
OOh, lets all live in bubbles.

Agree.

The best way to combat bacterial infection isn't to attempt to kill all of the bacteria you come in contact with with Purel or whatnot.

Its to built up natural resistance to its wiley infectious ways.

Personally I don't care what bacteria are feasting off the biological detrius of my existance, as long as they don't make me sick, fugly, or itch.

Panamah
05-23-2007, 06:03 PM
Speaking of germs, here's an interesting new way of killing them: Water board them to death (http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg19426053.100-bugs-struck-down-by-superoxidised-water.html) so to speak.

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-24-2007, 09:27 PM
What is wrong with hydrogen peroxide?

You can use it on foods(rinse it of course), surfaces, you can even use it as mouthwash.

And it non toxic compared to say bleach.

And it is tasteless and odorless.

Tudamorf
05-24-2007, 11:06 PM
And it is tasteless and odorless.Have you tasted it Fyyr? Even the weak drug store stuff tastes like **** and can induce vomiting if you swallow it.

Panamah
05-24-2007, 11:13 PM
What is wrong with hydrogen peroxide?

You can use it on foods(rinse it of course), surfaces, you can even use it as mouthwash.

And it non toxic compared to say bleach.

And it is tasteless and odorless.

Do you wash your veggies with hydrogen peroxide?

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-25-2007, 11:33 AM
Have you tasted it Fyyr? Even the weak drug store stuff tastes like **** and can induce vomiting if you swallow it.

You don't swallow it.

I use it all the time for mouthwash. Ya, I have tasted it.

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-25-2007, 11:35 AM
Do you wash your veggies with hydrogen peroxide?

No.

But if you are one to buy something to wash your cutting boards or veggies or steaks, why not buy something proven to work better than bleach, and costs less than water.

Mix it with vinegar to get added strength.

Panamah
05-25-2007, 01:28 PM
Good point, I'll have to use it on my cutting boards and maybe counters after I've chopped up raw meat.

Tudamorf
05-25-2007, 05:23 PM
Good point, I'll have to use it on my cutting boardsWhy not just use a dishwasher with an anti-bacterial cycle, for anything that fits in there? Heat is a very effective disinfectant and you need not use potentially toxic chemicals.

Panamah
05-25-2007, 07:08 PM
Actually, that's what I do. And that's plenty, but I was thinking more along the lines of when I need to reuse my cutting board between chopping sessions. And it'd be good for my fancy knives, I don't put them in the dishwasher because the detergent will pit them.

Fyyr Lu'Storm
05-26-2007, 11:45 AM
Why not just use a dishwasher with an anti-bacterial cycle, for anything that fits in there? Heat is a very effective disinfectant and you need not use potentially toxic chemicals.

Dishwashers always warped the cutting boards I put in them.

And would just be inconvenient, I suppose, to have to run it between cutting the veggies and the chicken.

Tudamorf
05-26-2007, 02:04 PM
Then a far easier solution is to have two cutting surfaces.

And the thick polypropylene boards don't bend in the dishwasher, not even on a sanitary rinse cycle.

Panamah
05-27-2007, 02:21 PM
Actually, I bought a bunch of plastic cutting boards so I don't have to worry about it. But knives would be a good subject for spritzing with HP.

Stormhaven
05-27-2007, 04:34 PM
Well, dad being in the food industry for his entire working career, I sorta know about knives and health inspections.

Stainless steel knives, for the most part, are pretty bacteria resistant - the surfaces are non-porous and very easy to clean off. Where you should watch out is the tang/handle area and your storage location. If you have an old fashioned knife with a wooden handle and rivets, just be careful that you don't get "gunk" build-up around the place where the blade goes into the handle, and the handle itself. I own a single Global Knives knife, and one of the specific things about Globals is that you can get some stuff built up in the little indentations in the handle.

Also, most professional chef's don't have to worry about storage blocks too much (since they generally bring their own knives), but if you use any type of knife storage, the storage is suspect as well. If you own a wooden block, you usually can't clean the nooks 'n crannies of those, so you're best bet is to disinfect prior to using the knife - which you should probably do anyway.

It's all pretty common sense stuff, but easy to forget.

LauranCoromell
05-28-2007, 10:48 AM
Don't forget the can opener. I've seen some in other kitchens that I'm not sure have ever been cleaned!

Panamah
05-29-2007, 12:55 PM
I've got a Global knife too and a relatively inexpensive set of Henkels. Nothing like a good sharp knife! I have a magnetic knife bar. Love that thing!

I just wish I took better care of my knives. Sometimes I get a bit sloppy with the sharpening.