Washing your hands after using the bathroom should not be an optional step. It should be mandatory to practice hand hygiene. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “hand hygiene is a way of cleaning one’s hands that substantially reduces potential pathogens (harmful microorganisms) on the hands.” They also recommend washing your hands after using the toilet, whether it is in your home or somewhere else like the residence halls, academic buildings, restaurants, the movies, etc. The reason being is that germs from fecal matter can make you sick and these germs can get on your hands after you use the bathroom. Also, this applies to people who have a baby, work at a daycare, babysit, or any activity that requires you to change their diaper. Make it a habit to wash your hands after every bathroom use so that you reduce the risk of getting sick and spreading germs.
The CDC claims that “washing hands with soap and water is the best way to remove all types of germs and chemicals.” Some people may argue against this statement, instead choosing to support the use of hand sanitizer. They are both right and wrong. Right in the sense that if soap and water is not available, the CDC does recommend using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. However, they are wrong because washing your hands allows you to “remove all types of germs from your hands, not hand sanitizers are not able to kill all types of germs or remove harmful chemicals like pesticides and heavy metal, thus demonstrating why the CDC would rather have people was their hands instead of using hand sanitizers as a primary means of cleaning their hands. It would be more beneficial to remove all types of germs instead of most types.
Their recommendation was developed to “prevent the spread of diseases in both community and healthcare settings.” One way that you can get germs on your hands is by touching the bathroom door handles. I have seen multiple people use the bathroom, look in the mirror, then not wash their hands and walk out, essentially, transferring whatever germs they have on their hands to the door which is disgusting. I feel like I have to use my sleeve to open the door, because you never know what business someone is doing when they are in the stalls nor do you know what bodily fluid has ended up on their hands.
It is sad to see that college-age students do not know that they have to wash their hands, especially since we have been taught how to do this since we were children. If you have not had that experience, there are signs and posters in the bathrooms reminding you to do so, so there really is no excuse as to why you do not do that. It is embarrassing seeing the signs in the first place but we clearly need them. The sink and soap dispensers are not just decorations. Please wash your hands when you finish using the bathroom.
Photo by: Gabriella Patterson
