# The Home Bathroom Sink Dilemma **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052 "2021-05-27T19:47:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/1 "2021-05-27T19:47:38Z")
I’ve often heard it said, don’t touch the knobs of a sink when you’re done washing your hands. They contain the germs that you had before you washed your hands. Use a paper towel to turn them off. Also, where I live, fortunately most public washrooms have gone touchless. But that isn’t always the case. And even more vexing, some have air dryers. Of course you don’t have paper towels at home either. Wherein lies the dilemma that I am addressing in this thread. I guess I can tell you what I used to do, a long time ago. I would _wash the knobs_, with my soapy hands. But that may seem to some a little silly (especially if someone is watching you). And would anyone dare to do that in a public restroom? I’m serious, I’m asking. So what is the solution to this (germ) dilemma? Please offer your own experiences, if you can. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/2 "2021-05-27T19:52:53Z")
You can get the same sort of touchless faucets for your home, if that’s what you want. Mostly they need batteries or to be plugged in. Or you can use your elbow to move the lever of a single-lever-type faucet. Personally, though, I don’t worry about it. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/3 "2021-05-27T19:55:03Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, though, I don’t worry about it. Yeah. Who’s germs are you worried about. It’s more likely you’ll get your own germs back from yourself than from you to the faucets and back to you. And my wife’s germs will get to me faster through our kisses than through the faucet. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/4 "2021-05-27T20:12:06Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > I’ve often heard it said, don’t touch the knobs of a sink when you’re done washing your hands. They contain the germs that you had before you washed your hands. Use a paper towel to turn them off. I think this is probably just silly advice. Unless your fingers were smeared with something when you turned on the knobs, there’s relatively little on them. It’s not like your hands are _sterile_ after washing them. Washing hands cleans your hands, but not 100%. I expect that spending a little more time on your washing technique is probably a lot more important than worrying about recontamination on the knobs. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/5 "2021-05-27T20:36:24Z")
Do you touch the doorknobs in your own home? How do you open your bathroom door after washing your hands? It’s nowhere even close to the same as in a public restroom. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/6 "2021-05-27T20:56:45Z")
Are you talking about your own sink? Do what you did before and clean off the knobs with your fingers, then finish washing your hands and touch the knobs to turn off the water. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/7 "2021-05-27T23:23:03Z")
I’ve seen everything from germaphobes, way before Covid. I definitely wash my hands frequently, as I have since age 8 or so. No problems touching the faucets, even in a public bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/8 "2021-05-28T00:17:16Z")
People have been turning faucets on and off with their bare hands for decades. Even in public restrooms. It’s nothing to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/9 "2021-05-28T00:21:21Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, though, I don’t worry about it. Thank you. I think you have the correct answer. I for one, need to get back to my rational approach to germs, where I’d get a moderate amount of them every day, and keep my immune system working. Covid turned a lot of us into Tony Shaloub’s character on _MONK…_ ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/10 "2021-05-28T00:27:39Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Of course you don’t have paper towels at home either. Who doesn’t have paper towels at home??? ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/11 "2021-05-28T00:38:46Z")
At home I’m not at all concerned. But yes, public washrooms are filthy and commonly do not have paper towels anymore, so other than grab a wad of toilet paper, you’re stuck with touching on your way out. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/12 "2021-05-28T00:40:30Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > I’ve often heard it said No you haven’t. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/13 "2021-05-28T02:36:25Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > No you haven’t. Munch, I don’t know what you’re doing here, but all the explanations I can think of - accusing a poster of lying in IMHO, threadshitting, or trying to pick a fight - are bad. Back off. No warning issued. RickJay Moderator ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/14 "2021-05-28T03:11:16Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > You can get the same sort of touchless faucets for your home, if that’s what you want. Mostly they need batteries or to be plugged in. Or you can use your elbow to move the lever of a single-lever-type faucet. Personally, though, I don’t worry about it. I got one for the kitchen sink, and I love it. I don’t worry about catching my germs from myself on the bathroom sink. If my hands are really filthy for some reason, I turn on the sink with my elbow, or do what you suggested, and wash the handles as I wash my hands. But I do worry about the germs on that raw chicken. So now I turn on the faucet before I handle the chicken, then wave my hand under it to turn it “soft off”, then cut up the chicken, and then wave my hand under the faucet again to wash my hands. When I’m done I turn the handle to make it “hard off”, so the cat doesn’t turn on the water. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/15 "2021-05-28T06:21:36Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > But I do worry about the germs on that raw chicken. So now I turn on the faucet before I handle the chicken, then wave my hand under it to turn it “soft off”, then cut up the chicken, and then wave my hand under the faucet again to wash my hands. When I’m done I turn the handle to make it “hard off”, so the cat doesn’t turn on the water. I’m a lot more worried about the kitchen than the bathroom also. Next time I’m in the hardware store I’m going to look for a touchless faucet. I hate our kitchen faucet anyhow. In my bathroom we have two sinks, so I don’t even have to worry about getting germs from my wife. Not that I’m worried about this anyhow, there are more fun ways of spreading germs and it has never been a problem. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/16 "2021-05-28T12:19:27Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > But I do worry about the germs on that raw chicken. So now I turn on the faucet before I handle the chicken, then wave my hand under it to turn it “soft off”, then cut up the chicken, and then wave my hand under the faucet again to wash my hands. When I’m done I turn the handle to make it “hard off”, so the cat doesn’t turn on the water. What do you mean by hard off and soft off? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/17 "2021-05-28T14:54:09Z")
There’s an ordinary kitchen faucet handle, that presses in for off, and out for on, and can be jiggled up and down to adjust the temperature. There’s also an electric eye under the faucet. when the handle is in the “on” position, the electric eye can toggle it on and off. So there’s effectively a mechanical switch and an electronic switch. And the faucet has three possible states, which I’m calling hard off (the level is in), soft off, and on. Two caveats: 1. The plumber says the faucet is very complicated, with a gazzillion filters and stuff, and might be hard to maintain. But it’s been working for several years now without incident. 2. Sometimes steam (like from draining pasta) will toggle the electric eye. Nonetheless, I really like this faucet. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/18 "2021-05-28T15:08:24Z")
Wow, that’s complicated. I never heard of anyone having something like that in their home. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/19 "2021-05-28T16:15:51Z")
There were a dozen like it for sale, and this was was actually set up and functioning in the room with the cashiers, where customers could use it to get a cup of water. Wave to toggle between on & off is much better for a kitchen sink than the airport “need to keep wagging your hands or it goes off”. It’s nice when washing dishes to wave it off as I scrub, and then have it come right on at the right temperature to rinse. And “really turn hard off” is needed in a house with cats. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052/20 "2021-05-28T16:23:23Z")
Maybe you don’t have paper towel wherever you are, but there’s sure to be toilet paper in some form. When I’m in a dodgy bathroom, after washing my hands, I grab a sheet of tissue and use that to turn the taps off. Toss it into the bin and leave. Easy peasy! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-bathroom-sink-dilemma/943052.md?page=2)