Survey: Men Still Wash Less Than Women By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer 3 hours ago
CHICAGO - The gender gap has widened when it comes to hygiene, according to the latest stakeout by the "hand washing police."
One-third of men didn't bother to wash after using the bathroom, compared with 12 percent of women, said the researchers who spy on people in public restrooms. They reported their latest findings Monday at a meeting of infectious disease scientists.
The study is based on observations last month of more than 6,000 people in four big cities.
"Guys need to step up to the sink," said Brian Sansoni, spokesman for the Soap and Detergent Association, which co-sponsors the survey and related education campaigns.
Frequent hand washing is the single best thing people can do to avoid getting sick, from colds and the flu to germs lurking in food, doctors say. And a recent Harris Interactive survey found 92 percent of Americans said they usually or always wash up after using the bathroom.
But researchers for the American Society for Microbiology found that only 77 percent actually do, when it comes to public restrooms. That's a 6 percent decline from a similar study in 2005.
The dirty details:
_Atlanta's Turner Field baseball stadium again was the worst. Only 57 percent of guys there washed up, compared to 95 percent of women.
_New York was Second City to Chicago in cleanliness. In restrooms at the Windy City's Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry, 81 percent of men and women combined washed their hands, compared to 79 percent at the Big Apple's Penn and Grand Central train stations.
_At San Francisco's Ferry Terminal Farmers Market, 62.5 percent of men lathered up. Women did better, with 84 percent.
Carry sanitizer gels and wipes in case the means to wash your hands aren't handy, suggested microbiologist Judy Daly of Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, who led the project.
"These are a marvelous addition to plain soap and water," she said.
Telephone surveys by the research firm Harris Interactive show little shift in attitudes over previous polls in 2003 and 2005. The latest was of 1,001 adults from Aug. 17-20.
Nearly three-fourths of Americans said they always wash up after changing a diaper, 78 percent said they do so after handling or eating food; 42 percent after petting a dog or cat, 25 percent after handling money, and 34 percent after coughing or sneezing.
(This post was edited by madriver on Sep 17, 2007, 7:45 PM)
Survey: Men Still Wash Less Than Women By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer 3 hours ago
CHICAGO - The gender gap has widened when it comes to hygiene, according to the latest stakeout by the "hand washing police."
One-third of men didn't bother to wash after using the bathroom, compared with 12 percent of women, said the researchers who spy on people in public restrooms. They reported their latest findings Monday at a meeting of infectious disease scientists.
The study is based on observations last month of more than 6,000 people in four big cities.
"Guys need to step up to the sink," said Brian Sansoni, spokesman for the Soap and Detergent Association, which co-sponsors the survey and related education campaigns.
Frequent hand washing is the single best thing people can do to avoid getting sick, from colds and the flu to germs lurking in food, doctors say. And a recent Harris Interactive survey found 92 percent of Americans said they usually or always wash up after using the bathroom.
But researchers for the American Society for Microbiology found that only 77 percent actually do, when it comes to public restrooms. That's a 6 percent decline from a similar study in 2005.
The dirty details:
_Atlanta's Turner Field baseball stadium again was the worst. Only 57 percent of guys there washed up, compared to 95 percent of women.
_New York was Second City to Chicago in cleanliness. In restrooms at the Windy City's Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry, 81 percent of men and women combined washed their hands, compared to 79 percent at the Big Apple's Penn and Grand Central train stations.
_At San Francisco's Ferry Terminal Farmers Market, 62.5 percent of men lathered up. Women did better, with 84 percent.
Carry sanitizer gels and wipes in case the means to wash your hands aren't handy, suggested microbiologist Judy Daly of Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, who led the project.
"These are a marvelous addition to plain soap and water," she said.
Telephone surveys by the research firm Harris Interactive show little shift in attitudes over previous polls in 2003 and 2005. The latest was of 1,001 adults from Aug. 17-20.
Nearly three-fourths of Americans said they always wash up after changing a diaper, 78 percent said they do so after handling or eating food; 42 percent after petting a dog or cat, 25 percent after handling money, and 34 percent after coughing or sneezing.
This study clearly is flawed. I personally adhere to rigorous standards of personal hygiene however, I prefer to not come in direct contact with any surface in bathrooms located in Penn Station or Grand Central. My usual method would be to open the doors with my elbows, unzip and zip as quickly as possible. Use my foot to flush and avoid all contact with other people, objects or surfaces in as close to a b-line move to the door as possible. This of course all assumes that more hygienic facilities are unattainable.
I once observed a rather disheveled gentleman bathing himself in one of the bathrooms in Penn Station. This was of course a fate that I brought upon myself having chosen, against my better judgement, to date someone from Long Island. After an evening of libations in some of Hell's Kitchen's finer establishments, I was forced to endure such conditions after escorting my date back to Penn to catch the LIRR home. Long Islanders, by the way, will sleep on the floor of Penn Station after even a modest level of alcoholic beverage consumption, a practice I find repulsive and far worse than failing to freshen up after relieving one's self in the latrine.
Alright, I confess sometimes, I don't wash my hands if the bathroom doesn't have the sensor type sinks. But hey, if you don't pee on your hand, flush with your feet, and don't touch much else, it's not that big of a deal right? Oh and I usually do carry purrell to clean a bit before I eat.
Oh yeah I hear you! Shoulders and elbows to open doors if possible, chuck a pincher on the door handle mounts and this is even on the work toliet . But yes, I always wash my hands (where ever possible) and I hardly ever get sick.
I knew a guy who would never piss in the toliet itself but rather the sink!!! Since that day I have lived by the motto "at least I know where mine has been"
(This post was edited by Myxomatosis on Sep 18, 2007, 3:30 AM)
Alright, I confess sometimes, I don't wash my hands if the bathroom doesn't have the sensor type sinks. But hey, if you don't pee on your hand, flush with your feet, and don't touch much else, it's not that big of a deal right? Oh and I usually do carry purrell to clean a bit before I eat.
no excuses please. just turn on faucets with paper towels. the worst germs are on the door handle from the others who didn't wash their hands.
Nope no restaurants for me! And the times when I don't wash my hand are usually times it wouldn't make a difference anyway, ex/ I'm about to go work on my car or something equally dirty/grimy.
edited to add: This is only for taking a leak, for #2 I wash away
(This post was edited by rogue10186 on Sep 18, 2007, 4:20 AM)
Actually, I believe that the worst germs are around the faucets, which is why the sensor sinks are so great. That's usually a soggy area, and germs love moisture.
Actually, I believe that the worst germs are around the faucets, which is why the sensor sinks are so great. That's usually a soggy area, and germs love moisture.
Absolutely. Restroom taps are typically disgusting. Transfer bacteria to tap when turning on, wash bacteria off hands, transfer bacteria back to hands when turning tap off. Really not a particularly intelligent system. Sensor taps are the way forward, no doubt about it.
Alright, I confess sometimes, I don't wash my hands if the bathroom doesn't have the sensor type sinks. But hey, if you don't pee on your hand, flush with your feet, and don't touch much else, it's not that big of a deal right? Oh and I usually do carry purrell to clean a bit before I eat.
Imagine meeting a group of five guys from work for lunch. All of them took a piss before they went to the restaurant, none of them washed their hands because they were all taught not to piss on their fingers, so its not a big deal, right? You show up, shake hands with all five guys then sit down to eat. Guess what, you now have dick germs from five different guys on your hands. As you pick up food, you transfer said dick germs to your lunch then put it in your mouth. You now have dick germs from five different guys in your mouth. Now if you're a slutty chearleader on the back of the bus with the whole team going to a basketball game, that's not that big of a deal. Instead, you're now just like a twink in a gay gang bang. Or a prison bitch.
I enjoy complaining about it. So, I will repost it here for anyone who missed it before.
There are people at the place I work that pee, use a paper towel, leave bathroom. If you need to use a paper towel after pissing, then you need to be washing your hands.
Its amazing we humans survived before touchless sinks! How DID WE DO IT!!!???111
DMT
ps. In the future humans won't have any nagturalized defense systems at all. We will have to be innoculized against Mother Earth, who will be our enemy.
If any of you use antiseptic soap on a routine bases you are contributing to a big and growing problem. All for a marketing buzz and a feel goody 'omg I got nature scrubbed off my hands' feeling.
those stupid trash cans in restrooms with the spring loaded door on them, that require you to touch the door with yer hands as you try to throw your paper towell away.
hell, they have the same damn things at fast food restaurants, where you throw your happy-cornsyrup-transfat meal refuse away.
If any of you use antiseptic soap on a routine bases you are contributing to a big and growing problem. All for a marketing buzz and a feel goody 'omg I got nature scrubbed off my hands' feeling.
DMT
Not to mention that if you aren't on a city sewer you could be nuking your septic tank. Excess antibacterials kill off the bacteria that you NEED in your tank to consume waste solids. As my in-laws found out, that is an EXPENSIVE fix.
If any of you use antiseptic soap on a routine bases you are contributing to a big and growing problem. All for a marketing buzz and a feel goody 'omg I got nature scrubbed off my hands' feeling.
DMT
Not to mention that if you aren't on a city sewer you could be nuking your septic tank. Excess antibacterials kill off the bacteria that you NEED in your tank to consume waste solids. As my in-laws found out, that is an EXPENSIVE fix.
Really?? Some antibacterial hand soap nuked a sceptic tank? I always assumed that stuff wasn't that effective.
yup, save that for DMT, they'll be no high fiving me until you wash your hands.
and btw, i do agree with dingus on the whole antibacterial stuff, just plan old soap and water for me.
it is proven that hand washing reduces the amount of colds you get. i remember working at the local elementary school, little buggers always, wiping their noses on their hands and touching stuff......i was sick all the time!!!
12 /
48%
. But yes, I always wash my hands (where ever possible) and I hardly ever get sick. 
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