Before I get labeled with a severe case of mysophobia, let me say that I don't carry around a handkerchief for opening doors and dusting off seats in restaurants. I don't have problems shaking people's hands. You won't find any evidence of a disposable seat cover if I ever use the bathroom at your house.But...
I won't share a toothbrush with you.
I do purchase hand sanitizer occasionally.
My door-opening habits have been changed by the wear patterns on these doors. I figure that if I can avoid the most-used part of the door with almost no effort, why not?
4 comments:
I, too, am a so called moderate germophobe. I don't let it bother me too much, but I can't help it when I use a public restroom. The problem occurs when I have to leave the bathroom. How do I know that the scores of men that left that bathroom before me were hygenic enough to wash their hands? Therefore, I usually grab an extra paper towel after drying my hands and use that to open the door. What if they only have the blow dryers? I use a part of my shirt (I pull down the end of my sleeve if I am wearing long sleeves, or I use the bottom part that tucks in). Maybe I sound a little crazy, but I don't take it too far.
I too try to use the most "unused" part of doors. That probably means that the only germs you are running into are mine and vice versa. . .
I will sometimes wait for someone else to open the door and then I scoot out right behind them.
I totally understand why people go insane from thinking about germs. I hear that computer keyboards are some of the best places for germs to congregate.
I have heard that the cleanest part of any public restroom is in fact the exit door handle, because a) most people do wash their hands right before using the handle and b) many people inadvertently scrub the handle with a paper towel to protect themselves. This I have heard, not personally, scientifically proven. Of course the one item that may be cleaner could be the button for the blow dryer, which usually only people who wash use (unless for one reason or another someones hands are wet for some reason other than washing)
When one uses the cuff of their jacket, shirt or coat to open doors, push buttons, etc. believing they are keeping themselves from germs, they are fooling themselves. They are merely 'collecting' germs on their cuffs, sleeves, etc. They use the other hand to pull down the sleeve, touch the arm they just sneezed in and are therefore contaminated. They also spread the germs they acquired from one source, using the cuff of their jacket, coat, etc. to another. The idea of sneezing, opening doors with one's shirt cuff, etc. is perpetuating the infection rate going on in America. Use one's hands and then wash them, especially for medical personal
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