Inspired by this thread (which is itself inspired by another thread), I’ve started to wonder – how germophobic are most people?
So, on a scale of 1 to 10, with “1” being “will use the seat in a public restroom (after wiping it off), follow the ten-second rule on food that hits the floor, and leave your toothbrush sitting out on the edge of the bathroom sink” and “10” being “don’t even use the seat on the toilet in a friend’s house, would use a tissue to pick up food that falls on the floor before throwing it out, and sterilize the toothbrush before every use” – how germophobic are you?
I’m about a 6. I, however, have no problem using a public toilet without the paper cover or even wiping it off. The backs of my thighs have healthy, non-broken skin, so I figure what the hell am I gonna catch off there? It’s not like I rub my vagina all over the seat- it’s hanging safe in the middle! (Well, it’s not literally hanging, but you know what I mean.)
I’m somewhat leery of bacteria and fungus, but that’s because I work in a dermatology office and give results to people all day long that have it, so I see firsthand how prevalent they are. I wash my hands a lot and disinfect my laundry.
What I’m really a stickler about is food safety. I’m very suspicious of food that hasn’t been stored either very cold or very hot. Potlucks make me very, very nervous. I hate diarrhea.
I’m a 1. I am very careful when I prepare food, but I chalk that up to common sense rather than germophobia, which I consider irrational and/or ignorant.
I don’t know really where I’d put myself on the scale.
I wash my hands a dozen or two times a day, but that’s because I’m interacting with patients all day.
I’m ultra-cautious around possible blood and body fluid exposures at work, donning gown, gloves, and mask and eye protection.
But the idea of sink faucets or toilet seats carrying disease doesn’t bother me in the least. Nor do I worry about diseases from kitchen floors, rats, or insects. And I don’t use antibacterial soap anywhere outside of work.
Basically I know where the real risks are and act accordingly.
I never use those paper hats. I do wash my hands a lot when I’m preparing food, but I’ll happily eat pizza that’s been out for a couple of hours (although I don’t like that lukewarm consistency the cheese gets if it sits out overnight, but that’s a taste thing, not a germ thing.)
I have stuck my gloveless hands into all sorts of weird places, including up the backside of a cow. I still eat with them.
If I were sleeping with you anyway, I’d probably use your toothbrush, as long as it didn’t look gross. If it does look gross, then what am I doing sleeping with you?
I laughingly called myself a germophobic in the other thread. I’m a microbiologist (or was) so I’m aware of more things but that doesn’t really mean I’m phobic about them. Some things are a concern, lots of things it doesn’t hurt to be aware of.
I’m a 10 when it comes to handling food and washing my hands.
1 with other things like the toothbrush, getting rid of old makeup, I’ll wipe the seat and sit on the toilet. In my own home I’ll pick up food off the floor because I know the floor is fairly clean.
About a 1 by your description, but I’m not sure your description of a 1 represents anything like the extreme other end of the scale – I think that should be a 5, so you have room on the scale for people who never wash their hands, leave leftovers out for days without refrigerating them, and that sort of thing.
Good point. Okay, if 5 is what I described, and 1 is unimaginably gross, I’m probably a 4. (For instance, I use a wooden cutting board, and though I wipe it down with a dishcloth after using it, I don’t make any effort to sterilize it – even if there was raw chicken involved.)
Plus, for folks like QtM who wash their hands a lot at work – that’s not about phobia, that’s about professional behavior involving appropriate precautions in situations where you really could pass things to or from other people.
I’m fine with the toothbrushes in a holder on the sink ledge, but I rotate to new ones anytime someone in the house is sick.
Five-second rule for fallen food, but I rarely eat off my own floor because I know how dirty it is. Happily ignoring floor-mopping for weeks at a time has to lower my score, right?
I share food and drinks with friends and loved ones, we’re all gonna share germs regardless so might as well.
I’m a bit more strict with food handling and storage than some, cold foods cold/hot foods hot/leftovers enjoy a very short time in the fridge, but I use all the parts of the grocery cart with gleeful abandon.
My one big one that gets eyerolls from my loved ones? Towels. Towels are single use items and into the laundry they go for sterilization, tyvm.
I’d argue that that isn’t germophobic at all. Context is everything. Food handling and stuff like that - it makes sense to wash a lot. At first I thought Alice the Goon’s example of disnifecting laundry was a little weird, but she does work in a dermatology office, so it makes sense if you’re around patients with things like ringworm (which is highly contagious and a right bitch to treat).
Hovering over the toilet seat and freaking out over what germs inhabit the underside of one’s purse, however, is another ball of wax entirely.
With the change mid-way here, I’d say I’m a… hm… 2? 3? Something like that.
I’m cautious at work, because of the garbage I pick up, and some of the conditions in apartments, but I won’t describe some of my habits at home. Let’s just say I’m not terribly afraid of germs.
I had a professor that said to imagine that your chicken was dunked in the toilet and treat everything it comes in contact with accordingly. :eek: That was so gross it’s etched in my mind forever. I had nightmares from her class but in a sick way I loved it so much I changed my major.
I’m maybe a 6 or 7, I guess. I seem to catch just about every cold that comes along, unfortunately. Since I work in a courthouse with a lot of other people, and many members of the public of varying hygienic habits, I never touch a door handle or an elevator button with my bare hands if I can avoid it (often using my elbow or a corner of my suit coat, where practicable). I wash my hands a lot, including before eating anything, and after just about every handshake.
That said, I’ll eat food that’s landed on the floor of my home if it’s really yummy. Never, ever in a public place. And I’ll sit on a public toilet seat after wiping it.
I’m a 1 or a 4 if the whole scale has changed. I wash my hands after I use the toilet and before I eat and I am pretty good about keeping the kitchen clean. I wouldn’t go so far as to wipe off a public toilet seat. To me that would be a lot worse than putting my ass on it. I don’t really get sick very often so I don’t worry. Usually when I do get sick it’s directly related to a small child with a runny nose kissing me or something like that.
Germs make us stronger. Seriously. Listen to George Carlin talking about swimming in raw sewage in the Hudson River as a kid, and he’s never been sick a day in his life (apparently).
Anyway, does any other country in the rest of the world have those paper toilet seat covers? I’ve never seen them anywhere but the US.
I don’t wipe off toilet seats unless I see they’re wet although sometimes I can’t be bothered and I’ll hover. I close my own toilet lid all the time. I am very careful about safe food practice but don’t flip out about silly things like elevator buttons or door handles and I don’t get all nuts when someone shakes my hand.
I wash my hands when I get home from shopping and after I’ve been dancing with lots of people.
This thread made me chuckle, although a bit uncomfortably. I’m very germophobic about some things, not so much about others. I’m uber-conscious about hand-washing, and keep a couple of small bottles of that anti-bacterial hand cleanser for when I can’t wash em. And while at work I frequently use paper towels to open doors (or cover my hand with my sleeve). Because quite honestly, there are way too many people who come to work when they’re sick - and they cough all over the place!
I’m also very conscious about cooking, keeping food at the right temps, etc. I keep my toothbrush in a case. I have eaten food that has dropped onto the floor, but observe the 5 second rule there (LOL). Guess I’m doing okay - my kids are 19 and 25 and we’re all reasonably healthy!
~4, though I wash my hands pretty frequently (an effect of many years of working in hospitals and having friends with suppressed immune function). I’m probably more of a 7 when it comes to food handling and preparation. I’ve never been willing to share a toothbrush, but I’ll eat dropped food off the ground in many cases. I’ll kiss my pets even if they’re schmutzy.
I’d be a 1 on the first scale and I guess a 3 or 4 on the second. I just don’t think about this stuff. It doesn’t bother me and never even enters my mind. I’ll only wipe a public toilet seat if I see droplets on it, and will never actually use one of those paper cover things. I wash my hands only when they look or feel dirty (and yes always after handling raw chicken.) As to eating something that was on the floor, it depends on what it is and what floor. A hard cookie on my apartment floor? I’d brush it off and it’s fine. Something sticky or gloppy in a public restaurant? Hell no.
(For instance, I use a wooden cutting board, and though I wipe it down with a dishcloth after using it, I don’t make any effort to sterilize it – even if there was raw chicken involved.)