Sufficient handwashing

[Audrey]

This is a discussion that needs perspective.  You all are always great for giving a breadth of perspective. So, the question is:

 

Someone is cooking supper.  They go to the washroom, use the facilities and wash their hands in the washroom sink.  Do they need to wash their hands again upon returning to the kitchen to commence cooking?

 

Edited to clarify:  I mean at your own home, not public or restaurant.

[Arcadia]

At home or someone's home, no. If the person is cooking at a public place where toilet door handles can be yucky, it's better to just wash.

[Whereneverever]

At home or a kitchen worker in public? That shifts my answer some. Also, how clean are the door handles?

[Firefly]

In a non-public setting, I would say no- washing up in the bathroom is sufficient.  But then I'm not a germaphobe, so YMMV. :)

[MiMi 4under3]

I would definitely wash again in the kitchen if I was touching food directly with my hands - like peeling an apple or massaging olive oil into kale. 

 

If I was, say, squeezing a lemon for salad dressing or adding spices, then no.

 

I used to be a nurse before kiddos, so I wash my hands a lot. 

 

 

[LucyStoner]

We veer to the frequent wash side of things here. I reflexively wash my hands in the kitchen sink before touching food.

[zoobie]

If there's no doorknob (or etcetera) touching, sufficient. The two sinks are maybe 25 feet apart at my house. Same water, same soap, same towels. (Well, copies of the same at each sink!)

[Spryte]

I always wash in the kitchen before prepping food.  It's a good habit to develop, even if it's not totally necessary.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I always wash in the kitchen before prepping food.  It's a good habit to develop, even if it's not totally necessary.

 

:iagree:  This is the standard at our house, too.

 

And the other thing along these same lines: I wish people wouldn't wear their kitchen apron to the bathroom! I hate to see this at a fast food restaurant or deli. Take OFF the apron and hang it up, go to the restroom, come back and put on your apron and wash your hands. Again.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I voted "No."  I was thinking of my home, though.  I don't shut the door to the bathroom -- just walk around several corners to get there, so I'm out of sight.  On the way out, I wash my hands in the bathroom, and walk through the house, not touching anything.  I see no reason to wash my hands again after passing them through the air in the bedroom and living room.  If my hands came into contact with something (stooped to pick something off the floor, for instance), then I would wash them again.

[Tammi K]

I suppose the correct answer is to wash again to avoid any cross-contamination from bathroom door handles, faucet taps, etc. before touching anything in the kitchen. But, in regular life, in my own home, I figure one washing is enough. But, then, my crew seems to have a pretty hardy immune system and we've never needed to take 'above and beyond' care. 

I always tell my kids I'm not the least bit germ-a phobic about anything...except public bathrooms!

[Seasider]

I wash both places. It's a habit developed from being trained in infection control.

 

I'd rather err on the side of caution, personally. If I have guests, I make a point to let them see me wash my hands fairly often if I'm dealing with food. I mean, I don't announce, "Hey! See? I'm washing em AGAIN!" I just do it where they can see me do it, just for peace of mind.

[Pink Elephant]

I voted, yes, because using a bathroom towel to dry, then handling food afterwards, doesn't IMO equate to good hygiene or sanitary food practices. Whenever one is preforming kitchen duties, hand-washing, drying, etc, should be done in the kitchen and utilizing a towel specific to kitchen duties only.

[HSmomof2]

I voted yes, but would qualify that with obviously if the cook is cooking in a restaurant or even for guests at their home then they should wash again. If just cooking normally at home and just for family, and no one has been ill, the bathroom handwashing is probably fine.

ETA: washing again in the kitchen would be a good idea also if they are handling food that won't be cooked (salad, sandwich, etc)

[Sara in AZ]

I voted no technically, but I always feel like I should, and sometimes I do wash a second time in the kitchen.

[Storygirl]

I say one hand washing is enough before cooking. But I do wash and rewash my hands frequently while cooking. After cracking eggs, for example. And after I throw anything in the trash can.

[Audrey]

I meant the question to be at your own home, not in public or a restaurant.  I added that to the original post now, just to clarify.

 

Thanks. :)

[Guest]

I wash both places. It's a habit developed from being trained in infection control.

 

I'd rather err on the side of caution, personally. If I have guests, I make a point to let them see me wash my hands fairly often if I'm dealing with food. I mean, I don't announce, "Hey! See? I'm washing em AGAIN!" I just do it where they can see me do it, just for peace of mind.

This. I'd wash twice just so anyone else in the room knew I was clean.

[sbgrace]

It depends.

I always wash my hands before I directly handle food. So if I touched something else (doorknob, faucet handle, etc.), I would wash again if I were going to be handling food, plates, or similar things. If I'm not handling something going directly into someone's mouth, I wouldn't wash again.

[LucyStoner]

My son got a stomach bug. No one else in the house did, even though it's quite catching. I partially credit our hand washing habits, among other things.

[Ausmumof3]

I voted yes, but it was a technical answer not what I actually do. Technically yes because door handles are germy. But I wouldn't as over washing gives me dermatitis and the broken skin increases illness risk anyway.

 

If there's an active stomach virus in the house I would.

 

Of course you touch the tap to turn it off unless have elbow taps so nothing is perfect but mostly more is better.

[SapphireStitch]

I voted yes, because that is what I require of my son and what I try to remember to do myself. I require it of him because I don't trust the thoroughness of his post-bathroom washing, nor the cleanliness of his towel. (Obviously these are things we talk about, and he's supposed to change his towel frequently, etc. But "supposed to" doesn't always add up to "does" in a 13yo.)

[Mergath]

I wouldn't, and I have OCD. ;) Washing your hands a second time and the skin dryness that accompanies frequent hand washing would do more harm than good, imo. Unless someone is getting on their hands and knees and crawling on the floor between bathroom and kitchen, I really don't see the point.

[freeindeed]

If the hand were washed properly in the washroom, then that is sufficient IMO.

[Jenny in Florida]

I don't think the person "needs" to wash again, necessarily. However, if I were the one cooking, I would wash again under those circumstances.

[IsabelC]

Washing again is only necessary if you are an autistic kid (or other person who doesn't cope well with exceptions to rules). My aspie Ms. 6 takes the "wash your hands properly after using the facilities" rule very seriously. I have tried telling her that she doesn't need to bother if she is hopping straight from the toilet into the shower, because her hands will get washed in the shower, but it's not worth it. She wants to follow the rule and it's just simpler to let her wash her hands and wash them again 20 seconds later. 

[Night Elf]

I don't think additional hand washing in that scenario is necessary. Then again, I've never been a germaphobe and have been known to handle food and dishes without washing my hands, i.e. breakfast and lunch I'm preparing for myself. But I do wash while prepping dinner, and that sometimes means more than once.

[fraidycat]

I vote no, not necessary.

 

However, it is just reflex for me to wash before and after handling food in the kitchen, so my walking out of the bathroom 30 seconds prior with clean hands would be long forgotten :D I'd wash again anyway out of habit.

[Tsuga]

I see the point, because I'll bet the bathroom door handle is dirty in most homes. But I don't.

 

I'm not sure if that's the right decision or not. I have dry skin that cracks easily.

 

On the other hand if I have guests I do everything as if I were in a restaurant, like according to food safety training. That is also the only time I use bleach wipes on the bathroom and kitchen fixtures.

[SparklyUnicorn]

It depends on what I'm making.  If I were handling salad greens, I might wash 2x.  Otherwise, no probably not.  I do wash my hands a lot when cooking.

 

My bathroom is off the kitchen.  So one sink to the next sink is literally 4 steps away.  Typical set up for an old house.

 

 

[Tammyla]

I'm saying yes, but it's been my experience that a lot of grown up people do not wash their hands after using the bathroom or just rinse the tips of their fingers and avoid soap.   :tongue_smilie:

 

It's my habit to wash my hands when I start working in the kitchen...even if they are clean.  

[prairiewindmomma]

If there is no illness in the home, no one is immunocompromised, and the bathroom towel is changed frequently, I would not rewash unless I was preparing food for someone outside of the immediate family.

 

My hands crack and bleed in the winter from the amount of hand washing I already have to do (changing diapers, meal prep, household chores, personal care, etc.). I use a variety of special hand products that help but I'm also trying to protect myself from picking up germs from hand cracks.

[*Lulu*]

Well I voted yes.

 

But that yes is more for the other young people in my home, not me.

 

Seriously, I've seen how my boys "wash". I want to SEE them wash in the kitchen!

[SKL]

I always wash my hands after using the bathroom.  And after doing dirty things such as cleaning or pet handling.

 

But, I don't always wash my hands before handling food.  I am one of those nuts who believe that dirt is our friend, so I don't generally wash much of anything when it comes to food, except for dirty dishes.

[StephanieZ]

I voted No, but, TBH, I nearly always wash up again in the kitchen before touching food that I am making for others. (If I am just grabbing a drink or chips for myself, no, I won't wash again.) I tend to wash fairly compulsively when I am cooking, especially if there is any raw meat involved! I wash before and after touching the meat, and wash counters/sinks after I am done with the raw meat, and I wash my hands again after cleaning up counters/stuff . . . 

[elegantlion]

No, I wouldn't, plus the faucet in our bathroom gets hotter quicker. Plus Ds has very thorough hand washing habits.

[sheryl]

That's a good question as I'm a clean freak!  LOL!

Well, in your home you say. 

 

Then it would boil down, for me, that, through discussion, each family member knows the rules of what is acceptable and what is not.

 

IOW, for me, washing hands in the bathroom and coming back to the kitchen would be fine PROVIDED that nothing was touched on the return.  And, if that toddler has broken skin on a knee or something has to be picked up from the floor that hasn't been dusted/vacuumed in a while, then by all means YES wash those hands again.

 

But, to the true purist, one would still wash hands upon returning to the kitchen.  And, aren't we already washing our hands enough!  I think you're vegetarian if my memory is right.  ??   But, preparing raw meat....wash hands before prepping the veggies, etc.

 

I also have an issue with people who consider washing as rinsing hands.  Rinsing is running hands under water.  Washing is rubbing/scrubbing hands for at least 30 seconds using soap and under running water.  :)   I have to constantly remind my dh to use SOAP! 

 

 

[Chris in VA]

I voted no, but I could see doing it again if you are making something that will not be heated, and if the towel in your bathroom is a community towel--I've taken to putting a roll of paper towels in the downstairs bathroom instead of a hand towel, and feel better about it.